Any Thoughts on how to become a better official.
 

I am currently going on a 3rd yr official in high school. I've gone to camp to improve and continually work on my have and to know the rule book inside and out. My question is what is the path or if there is a specific path to work your way up the latter? It seems like in D1 men's there really isn't very many younger officials and that most are older gentleman. If so why is that? What do you need to do as an official to become better. Also why is it they men's basketball doesn't switch to quarters instead of halves?

Depends. Do you want to work D1 or NBA? Do you care about mens vs. womens college? There are generally different routes to each but if you can really referee then it shouldn't matter what route you take.

There are young officials, you just don't see them on TV! Generally the older officials work the bigger games because they have more experience and the coaches favor them over younger officials who they may not know as well. And assignors to some degree have to appease their coaches or they will be out of a job.

As a new official a couple years ago the best thing I did was watch myself on video. A LOT. I emailed every school I worked and asked if they tapes the game. Then I watched the film, watched how I looked, watched how I called the game, and made improvements. Every game I try to set a goal for myself to work on something. Sometimes it is something small, like my positioning on a certain type of play. Sometimes it is something general like relating differently to coaches and players. Getting feedback from veteran officials helps, as does having a mentor at the level you want to work so he/she can teach you their craft. If you want to advance you have to get good at impressing people at camps. You have to look good physically, you have to call a good game, you have to manage situations well. Go to as many camps as you can and just soak up knowledge like sponge. That's just the tip of the iceberg -- I'm sure others who have made it to the higher levels can comment.

They are considering it. You'll have to ask the rules committee about that one.

Pay attention to the Colonial Athletic Association and the Atlantic 10 and you will notice that there are younger officials getting games.

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Watch as much of yourself on video as possible. People can tell you all day long what you may be doing wrong but it is very hard to improve if you don't see yourself doing it wrong.

NBA is the dream. But I would be satisfied if I got to D1 men's. I like men but work to officiate both as good as the other.

Run well (fitness & form), hit the gym (fill out your stripes in the right places, get them tailored), hit the mirror (signals, signals, signals), and work on your clock awareness.

This will get you noticed at camp. Once you are noticed, you have to be able to call plays (based on your rules knowledge and knowledge of the game). The more plays you see, the better you become.

Finally, get better with each possession, each quarter, each game, and each season. Don't become a "I've been calling 10 years" official that is actually a 1 year of experience officials, 10 times. Find something to work on each game.

Guys actually get their shirts tailored to look more athletic/muscular? Wow! That's interesting. Why not just hit the gym harder?

Ummm, that's the reason they get them tailored, because they have athletic builds but the shirts are not made in athletic cuts.

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I guess maybe I wasn't understanding.

Are they getting the shirt tailored to be a bit bigger, say making an XL a little bit bigger. Or are they getting them tailored to fit tight to make it look like they have muscles?

I'm not familiar with tailoring a referee shirt. I'm actually interested because I work out a lot and I find myself falling between sizes and not liking the fit of most shirts.

I'm in my 60's and genetically inclined to not be thin. I work out and ref pretty much year around and still my stripes are wider at the bottom than at the top. I mostly work small high school varsity games and have always been happy.

The other guys are right--if you want to move up you have to look the part. Tall, thin and athletic are great traits to have.

Student fo the game
 

I think the best officials are simply students of the game. They watch officiating and try to learn from other levels. I think the best high school officials even watch what goes on at the college or NBA for example to learn from things they do. When you stay in a bubble and only think what you are doing or what is asked of you at your level, you never are willing to grow. What guys at all the levels do is what we do at the high school level and often what is done at the other levels will come down to us in high school. I think that is what the best officials do.

Now if you want to get to other levels or not, you have to go to camps and get evaluated by others. It is good to hear what others think about your game. And you should go every single year. Not just when it is going to get you a game or when you are required to go. Go when it has not other benefit but learning about your game or seeing more plays.

Also and finally, find a mentor. Find multiple mentors if you like. And every mentor should be at a level you have not achieved yet to start. So if you are working lower level games, get someone that works varsity ball. Likely someone that has worked the playoffs or even the State Finals (or whatever you call it) in your state or jurisdiction. They obviously either know how to get there or they have achieved it themselves. They can talk from experience and not just someone that is complaining about why others are passing them by. If you want to work college, then have someone that helps at that level as well. It might help you get to where you need to get or what camps to go to or speak on your behalf.

Bottom line those that you will be competing against are doing these things on many levels. There are people that make this their life and try whatever it takes to get better. That manifests itself in how they workout in the off season or the games they go watch when not working. There is no magic formula, but I think you have to be able to watch a NBA game as say to yourself, "How would I have called that play?" When you do that all the time, then you are half way there. If you say, "I do not have to think about basketball until October/November or when the meetings start" you are way behind those and might get passed by and not get as good as you can be.

Peace

Lol I usually get a larger size and get it tailored down to fit my build. It's not just for muscles, mostly just so the shirt isn't baggy and looks terrible.

I hear ya. That's the problem I'm having. I don't like a bunch of material waving in the wind when I run, but the next size down makes me look like I'm trying to compete at a bench press contest.

I had Cliff Keen shirts about 5 years ago that fit perfectly. Then when I ordered the same size a few years later, it's like they made them bigger with more material. Now that size looks too big on me. The size down makes me look like I'm working out.

I will add something to the actual topic at hand.

Find a mentor and ask as many questions as you can. Bounce any and all ideas/plays off of them. You can never have too much information.

Have a thick skin. Very important. You will get yelled at every game.

No matter how long you work don't ever think you know it all. Ever. You can always learn something.

Keep yourself in as good of shape as possible.

Spectacular Dunk ??? What Spectacular Dunk ???
 

When I attend a University of Connecticut mens game, or womens game, or head down to the casino to watch the WNBA Connecticut Sun, I spend more time watching the officials than the players.