It is that time of year....I have a question for everyone

[SD Referee]

Lots of politically correct answers on here and I have to say that I agree with all of you. Very good answers.

The original post asked what we think makes an official better than others. In my opinion a better official is not noticed during the game. Too many D1 officials get overly dramatic with their signals and mechanics. They want to be noticed. Not doing that in high school makes you "better" in my opinion. Nobody is there to watch us.

A better official has great mechanics. You know what they have when they blow the whistle and you know where the ball is going to be and/or how many free throws will be coming. Great mechanics with confidence. That makes you better.

A better official is in shape and can get in position. That doesn't mean younger. Older guys can be in great shape in get in position too. If you aren't in proper position, you can't possibly see the whole play and get the call right.

A better official doesn't call any "game stoppers". Did that player shuffle their feet a tad when there was nobody within 8 feet of them? Maybe. But don't call that. That's a "game stopper" and kills the flow of the game. That goes hand in hand with how you call a game. To say that calling a boys game is NOT different than calling a girls game is not right. Boys can play through a little more than girls can. Calling a great game with little to no game stoppers makes you better.

A better official doesn't whine about other people and their assignments and just goes out and does the best job they can. That's what I do. I pick things to work on all the time and take care of myself while working to make sure that my crew is on the same page.

Those qualities are what makes an official "better" in my mind. I have no doubt that some politics go into it as well. It's hard to make changes and take out some of the good ole boys when they just aren't as good anymore to put in some new blood. In my area, we have been trying to get some of the old guard out for new blood as the old guard just couldn't do the job anymore. It's finally happening and I think the results have been great. I consider myself the new blood and I just received another state tourney. I must be doing something right.

[Smitty]

I also think how far you go in post-season is relative based on where you're located. If I had stayed in Oregon, I am fairly certain I would have made it to a state tourney by now. I will never make it to state in Texas. I say that based on the number of officials who make it from the areas I've lived in as well as the fact that this is a much larger state and there are just way more people who are more deserving in my association. I'm not upset by that - it just doesn't always tell the whole story of whether you're "better" than someone who lives in a different area.

[Dad]

Originally Posted by Smitty

I also think how far you go in post-season is relative based on where you're located. If I had stayed in Oregon, I am fairly certain I would have made it to a state tourney by now. I will never make it to state in Texas. I say that based on the number of officials who make it from the areas I've lived in as well as the fact that this is a much larger state and there are just way more people who are more deserving in my association. I'm not upset by that - it just doesn't always tell the whole story of whether you're "better" than someone who lives in a different area.

This can be a major factor. There are so many variables going into who gets playoff games, but in some areas there's just not a lot you can do. If you can figure out the correct path you'll have a shot, but it's rarely ever going to be just because you're a good official.

However, in the end, if you're not getting the games you want there could be a lot of stuff holding you back. Getting good playoff games, or probably any at all, has a lot to do with who votes for you and how you're viewed.

Are you a good partner? If partners remember you and want to work with you again then you're probably fine here. Officiating isn't about you, but the crew. The assigner wants to know, or should, that his go to officials can work well on any crew.

What do coaches/ADs/etc think? There are some officials who are insanely fit and great play callers but they are just awkward when it comes to communication/relations. There are some great officials who are hot heads and it holds them back. Or they just think they're a gift to man kind and shouldn't have to communicate with anyone on a humane level.

TLDR: Assigners want to trust whoever their putting on the game. From what I've seen, they usually have a large pool of officials that can call a good game. Calling a good game is only one piece of officiating, though depending where you are it could be a small or large one.