jerry polard camp--anyone gone to such?
 

Just got an email--from what I can tell it was prolly a blast email sent to hundreds of other refs---concerning a specialized ref camp.
From the advertisement it says, among other things, that "after attending this camp you will get more and better game assignments, blah blah blah". And, "our special group of clinicians are top notch refs, blah blah blah"

I was curious to know:
1) whether any one else on our forum has attended such a camp?
And
2) how can their assignments be any better than the assignor who currently is in-charge of all the district games? Or how are their clinicians better than the ones who train me? Do the jerry pollard assignors put you in Duke vs. Carolina "8th grade girls" games or something? how are they supposed to be so much of an improvement over what games I'm currently getting?
Or maybe it's all just advertising?

He usually has a training camp in April and then a tryout/identification camp at the end of May in Fort Wayne. Fort Wayne isn't instructional. He is looking for guys to work d3 and d2 for him. I havnt gone to his camps but I have many friends who have and who work for him during the year and as clinicians at his camps. The clinicians will know refereeing. I don't think anybody can guarantee a better schedule and I certainly can't guarantee his clinicians are better than what you see already. (I have no idea what you see). His camp will never hurt you but if you are already at a certain level I can't say that it will make you better. I just don't know where you are at now.

If you write him back, spell his name correctly.

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

Yeah that might be a good start. ;)

Peace

What level of basketball do you currently work?

Currently my game assignments are the typical combination of middle school, sub-varsity, and varsity.
This past season I reffed 5 days per week doing interscholastic games; of which 2 days were varsity games, 2 days were sub-varsity, and 1 day a middle school game set (usually A & B teams on a Thursday).
I am satisfied with this level of activity.

A buddy of mines keep asking me to help him ref some men's wreck league games on a Saturday, but I want no part of that crap.

Looks like this pollard camp will cost me about $650 (travel, meals, camp fee, gas and such); which could be a good experience--still considering this.

He has good camps, good clinicians and he's good referee...but $650 is way steep at your level. You have to decide if it is worth it to you. You will learn but that's a lot of money for instruction. Just depends on your financial situation etc. He will have major college guys, likely NBA etc. You have to decide if it is worth it.

BigCat is absolutely correct. My last question for you-- what level of play do you aspire to work? If you are happy where you are and have no intention of moving up, this camp is not for you. You can find camps in your area that are cheaper and will be more applicable to the level you are currently working.

AA Degree / Bachelor's / Master's
 

Kansas Ref,

Look at it like this.......Imagine your are going to school to further your education. I would consider Pollard's camp somewhere between a Bachelor's Degree and a Master's Degree with regards to what you may learn. It sounds based on your schedule that some of the concepts he will be introducing at his camp may be above you at this time. However, a camp like this may also expose you to what you don't know and may light a fire for you to become a "full time camper" during the summer.

It all depends how good you aspire to be and if you are willing to make that investment ($$$) I can almost guarantee that something at his camp will occur to you in a hs varsity game in the next two years and you will remember that situation from camp. You will administer it and your crew that night will be that much better because of it......It is up to you if it is worth the roughly $650 to become better and get that situation correct...

Hey that was an excellent analogy (viz: college degrees per that camp's training level)--well-stated indeed.

Regarding my own aspirations on officiating, I am for now just focused on being a competent "high school basketball referee". I have no aspiration to do any college or professional reffing until kids are gone out the house (oldest is 17, youngest is 9). A couple of guys I know who do NJCAA games in Kansas often tell me that they travel a lot and a longer ways than I do for games at times criss-crossing the state twice per week ! (although they are paid more per game than me).

Since you're saying that this camp seems to be mainly for folks who aspire to do college or are currently doing college then I likely won't attend.
Thanks a ton for you'alls input for sure.

My goodness, he got both the first AND last names wrong.

At least he's consistent.

I usually do one great HS camp every summer -- it's one that includes room/food/air conditioning and also great clinicians, many of whom are college officials and all of whom are state HS officials. I take a few things with me from that camp every year.

But I can honestly say I've never had any real interest in being a college official, and this is year 30 of officiating coming up. This doesn't make me worse or better -- just who I am. Driving 4+ hours (ever) in the winter to work a game in a mostly empty gym for < $200 is just not appealing to me. And where I live, there are few colleges within that 1-2 hour driving distance I'd be interested in even if I was offered a spot on a college staff.

I've wondered why I haven't had the bug sometimes. Part of the reason is that I really like working my 50-60 HS games nearby. I also work 2 other sports and am a commissioner / assigner of a HS conference that will soon have 24 teams. I'm also a husband and father and a 10U softball coach. You know, other things in life. I did work college baseball for over 10 years and college football for 3 and I've given both of those up (voluntarily) as well.

I can't imagine going to a camp like this unless I had real aspirations of being a college official, but I know a lot of HS officials who think I'm silly for spending $375 on a HS camp. They're wrong, of course -- I am much better because of my years going to that camp, which I enjoy mainly because there's no illusion of being hired to work college, which tends to bring about all sorts of attitudes and behaviors that disgust me -- both from campers and from clinicians. Just a lot of learning from people who know what they're talking about.

Rich,

Great post...you are a true asset to our avocation and in particular hs basketball. I wish more hs officials took your approach. Simply stated if your not going to camp and getting better then you are getting worse. Too many officials today feel as though they aren't going anywhere so why should they go to camp. But they will walk up and down the court and work 20 AAU games this weekend and think they are good. You are making an investment to better yourself and Im sure your assigner and partners are grateful. Keep up the professionalism and your passion for excellence !!!!

Speaking of AAU. I am headed to Reno's 1k team tournament this weekend. Anyone else headed there?

If you are come to court 1 and ask for Todd. Love to meet some fellow members in Reno!