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mentors
in our association, 1st year officials are required to participate in a mentor program. we have about 3-5 new guys paired with a senior official. They are encouraged to talk all the time and to tag along with the senior official to games, sit with them during association meetings, etc. It gives a new official a point of contact in the association as well, so the assignor is not having to field calls/texts all day about rules/association issues. We have about 185 officials in the association, so it helps him out as well.
In addition, our association requires new officials to work at least 5 thirds with a varsity crew. You go with the varsity crew to a JV/V night and work the JV game, one half each with the V crew. The other V official evaluates you/takes notes while you work and before the V pregame, they go over their thoughts with you, noting things to work on and things they found positive. Then, they send a form to the assignor noting those things and an opinion if you are to be recommended for full membership in the association. These are non paid nights, but very beneficial, imo anyway. While you are only required to do the 5 nights (10 total reports to the assignor), you can do more and a new guy in our association actually got recognized at our business meeting for requesting to be assigned to work so many of them. Most of the V crews that work with the thirds are board members and high ranking officials, so their opinions are valued and trusted. It seems to be a very good system.
Last but not least, Missouri requires new basketball officials to attend a mechanics clinic for the first 3 years. Ran by the association at a local high school practice. We do some on floor mechanics and then get to work some live action scrimmage. If your state doesn't do that, I'm sure it would be easy to set up through your association. For some guys, this clinic is the first time they have ever put on stripes or blew a whistle, so it is really helpful for them. Much easier to do it at a practice when it doesn't matter than at a game where it matters to the players, coaches, fans etc, who wins.
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