High School Travel Call (Video)

[BlueDevilRef]

Originally Posted by Smitty

I didn't mean to imply that you thought you were. It's just hard being a first year basketball official, and many quit after the first year because they are thrown into these chaotic middle school games and left on their own for the most part. In our association this year, they implemented a new set of requirements we all have to meet in order to become eligible to work post-season. One of the requirements are 2 education points. One way to get an education point is for a veteran to work a middle school game with a new official and help them. I think it's a good policy so that more often than not, we have fewer games with 2 first/second year officials thrown to the wolves. Middle school games are the toughest to officiate, in my opinion. The coaches don't know the rules and the play is erratic at best, and the parents are relentless. We are in dire need of officials in this area and we can't afford to keep losing the young ones.

I tell ya man, I would love that. On both sides, I would love more training and education personally and then once I've got a good feel for it, I would love to help the new guy. I do help a lot with newbies in fast pitch. I really don't like being the "senior" guy on the floor when I'm only in my second (third registered) year.