Comfort
 

This is probably going to be somewhat of a strange topic because I have no idea where it's going.

I have been refereeing for 17 years now. I absolutely love it. But regardless the level of the game, I feel more comfortable working with certain people then I do with others.

I have a group of about 10 people that I completely enjoy working with. I think it's a matter of trust in them and them in me. Whereas other people that I work with we don't know one another as well and I feel like they are judging me on my calls.

Is this common amongst other officials? What I mean, is this group of people that I work with and feel comfortable with, I pretty much know how they are going to call the games and I know what they're going to call.

I work about maybe 70 games a year from middle school to varsity high school. Both 2 & 3 person games. I would say I get about maybe 20 games a year with my closest friends in the Association.

I think it's very common among officials. I too have group of a few that I know we call a lot better game because I know I can trust them that much more and don't feel obligated to "stretch" my PCA to be sure we don't miss critical plays. I work pretty well with most people, but there are those few that I could literally not pregame a single word, and the game would go as smooth as any.

Why would this be any different than any other aspect of life?

You work with a bunch of people, and get along better with some than with others.

You go to church with a bunch of people, and get along better with some than with others.

You go to the gym and see a bunch of people -- and get along better with some than with others.

Even with your "friends" -- there are some who are there because they are your friends, and some who are there because they are friends with your friends. You probably wouldn't be friends with them without that middleman.

If that is in your head, then you are not committing your concentration to the game and play-calling. What makes any of them qualified to judge your calls? Do you do the same, judge the calls of officials you don't know?

I work for 2 HS associations and multiple colleges conferences. The most I work with any single partner during the course of a season is 4-5 times. I put my efforts into being the best partner I can be so that anybody who doesn't really know me feels comfortable when I am on the court with them.

I wouldn't worry about this. They might be thinking the same thing about you.

We have semi-regular partners here in WI.

I probably work 30-35 games with the same person -- my partner from the bad old 2-person days. We have 3-4 people who come in as our third.

I've started taking more games outside my area. I have enjoyed working with new people -- matter of fact, working with 2 people I've never worked with before tonight in a pretty big game. Looking forward to it.

I don't always think it's a positive to "be comfortable." At times I equate that with "lacking proper focus."

You've given us no information. Just that you didn't like 3 calls. Great analysis. :rolleyes:

When I think about it, this is a little bit odd:

I'm in the same officials association for both football and basketball.

In football, we stick to the same crews as much as possible... My 5-person high school crew was the same all year, except for two games where we had a replacement due to our L being out of town for his day job. My 7-person college crew was the same all year except for a couple of instances where a) our R missed a game due to a family wedding, b) our S got a D-1 assignment, and c) our crew got split up to cover 2 games at once... and, on that last one, I definitely could tell the difference in the smoothness of the officiating.

In basketball, I've worked with different people on almost every game, with relatively few repeats... and I haven't worked with anyone more than 3 times this season. I think some officials have regular partners; but I'm not one of them... so maybe I've just spent the season being the 3rd wheel.

Strange as it sounds, I actually like it that way... football officiating and basketball officiating differ so much that I think the crew philosophical differences make sense.

My growth as a basketball official would be stunted if I worked all or most of the season with the same 1-3 partners. I learn things, good and bad, from all the different partners I work with. Plus it sparks better pre-games in the locker room since we need to make sure we are on the same page.

I am lucky if I work with 10 people more than once during the entire season until maybe the playoffs. I can work and will work with anyone. Yes are there some officials that you have a better rapport with? Of course and that is very normal that you have probably worked with or talked with over the years. But I pride myself on working with any partner in any situation. I let them do their thing and I do my thing. I have enough respect for my partners, even the ones I am not in love with. But for that night, they are my best friend. I like how my state basically as a similar way of training officials that most of us know the basics and procedures that working with anyone is much easier.

Peace

The more I think about it, the more the "same crew" differences between football and basketball makes sense.

In football, I have my defined position with my defined mechanics and responsibilities, and the other officials have different responsibilities. Barring injury/illness, none of my crewmates are ever going to have to move to the Umpire position, and I'm never going to have to step into the Referee or Line Judge's position, and I don't really need to know the Field Judge's pass coverage mechanics.

In basketball, on the other hand, at some point during the game I'm going to be in every possible position: L/C/T, tableside/opposite, dealing/not dealing with the coach, etc. We all have to be ready/able to cover the same things at different times; which means we all have to know what to do in every possible position, and we need to pregame some of the little mechanical things.

I moved the coach's posts to another thread to keep this one on track.

This gets its own thread

A great pre-game would take care of all those insecurities about working with new partners.

This made me smile quietly.

In our HS association we aren't allowed to work with the same person more than 2-3 times a month. It happens. So maybe allowed isn't the right word, but it's extremely rare.

While I do have the officials I enjoy working with more, this method, in my opinion, has made me a better official. I've found I can meld into just about any crew.