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.

They use three officials in those games, right? [emoji6]


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Peanuts, Popcorn, Candy, Sneakers ...
 

In Connecticut? A third official? I just figured that the extra guy in the stripped shirt was a salesman from Footlocker trying to drum up some extra business.

Well played, sir.


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A few years back there were only a couple of guys across the country that would tailor their uni's. As I recall watching, I would see Roger Ayers (sp?), Darron George and 1 or 2 others. Now it seems everyone is doing it. Is it that really that important in reaching that level? I might say they are 2 of my favorite referees to watch and in my opinion 2 of the best.

Appearance isn't irrelevant.

I had all of my shirts tailored this past season. Got tired of buying shirts that fit like a box when I am not shaped like a box. I have a Honigs shirt that is about five years old that is tapered and fits really well, but every new shirt I have is way too wide and looks terrible when tucked in.

Glad to hear you're not averse to the WNBA. Season's coming up, I'll be hitting you up with some tix.

Baby Needs A New Pair Of Shoes ...
 

I just like to use it as an excuse to go to the Mohegan Sun Casino. I tell my conscience that I'm just going to a basketball game, not a den of vices.

You should always wear clothes that fit correctly - not just in officiating. Nobody likes a tucked-in shirt muffin top, or a flying squirrel wing when you call a foul.

Or they fill out the shirts. That is possible ya know (in the good way).

Peace

And the bad way....ugh:eek:

Leave me out of this.

I`d do the same!
:cool::cool::cool::cool:

Older or Younger
 

I live near a D3 school and most of the officials I see there--men and women--are younger. I guess you have to climb that ladder to get to D1.

VIA my experience and mistakes and conversations I have with substantially higher level officials than me.

1. It is more important to be consistent with your crew and the expectation of your assignor/conference/etc then it is to be right. You want to make the correct calls, but which correct calls to make, let go, and how the game should be managed needs to be a direct reflection of your management. Once you are so good you can be a cowboy that everyone tolerates because they are so good do what you want, until then following the law of the land is more important than how you see the game (if they conflict).

2. Only officials and losing coaches/fans care about violations. Make the right calls when it comes to travels, and clear violations but if any violation is your best call or what you are known for then it probably won't translate to upward mobility.

3. Coaches/Conferences/Assignors etc all need to know you can manage different styles of games different ways. If you can get all the calls you need to get in a slow grind em out game, and do the same in a wide open emotional train wreck without trying to let/turn one into the other that will go a long way.

4. Working levels and games with high level (D1 and Potentially Pro) athletes even when they are just young in high school or junior high. Is still a different animal than a regular high school or middle school game. You have to call the game in front of you but can't punish the best player(s) on the floor for being able to do or live with more than the other kids on the planet.

5. You can be concerned about sportsmanship and the integrity of the game as it applies to your job of officiating the game in front of you. If you want to impose your expectations in a blow out, or how coaches interact with their athletes, or style of play etc. You can in good conscience do that, but its not what assignors want their big time officials in big games doing.

6. Must be willing to accept that balls and strikes are important but so is appearance, how you move, how you communicate. Being unapproachable, sloppy mechanically, physically not meeting standards or visible expectations will be just a damning as not knowing rules/calling a game poorly when it comes to upward mobility beyond high school.

7. You have to call a good game. Not perfect and not your best everynight, but your floor as an official still needs to be where most of your peers ceiling would be night and night out.

I could talk about "the path" for a long time but will try to keep it simple. Also, don't want to dissuade you or anyone else.

1) Many have discussed appearance, specifically shirts. I'd suggest one size down and really work on your upper body. You can tailor shirts if you have the money.

2) Many have discussed being "in shape". Huh? Have you seen all of the D1 officials on TV? You do not have to do much to look like them. Distance traveled for a game is around 2-3 miles, with much of it walking or barely jogging. If you can't do that, then you have issues far beyond officiating.

3) I found that getting advice from mentors and experienced officials was a bit contradictory to directives handed down from Adams/Collins/etc. Just before Adams, big-time officials were stuck "in their ways" and called a game they way they wanted, based on experience/level/score/etc. They were not as black-and-white (as far as rules). So, you might get great advice from some experienced mentor only to have someone like Collins tell you otherwise after the fact. Then it is too late, you have already made the mistake in some game. Find a mentor that is not too old/experienced or one that will advise based on NCAA leadership.

4) You may want to forget a lot about #3 because it isn't what you know but rather who you know. Find a D1 assigner and become their friend ASAP. To get into the Good 'Ol Boy network, you have to become a Good 'Ol Boy right? You asked why there were mostly older refs at the D1 level. That is because the money resides there. People tend to not want to give up money

5) Fork out lots of many and attend camps galore. That is where the path ends for everyone. After that, see number 4.

6) Work on spelling/grammar. ("latter" from your post) :p

zombie thread

Bryan Kersey is hiring and utilizing young guys on his staff.

You have to be athletic and you have to be in shape.

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Be professional.
Be in shape.
Hustle up and down the court. Get in position to make the call.
Speak clearly and confidently.
Don't rush your calls.
Know the rules forwards and backwards. Read all the new material each year.
As someone else said, don't be sloppy with mechanics (e.g., Don't just yell over to the table from where u are "#2 white").
Be approachable by coaches. Don't be a hard ass that won't discuss anything. But, don't be the laughing/joking guy.
Don't be afraid to admit a mistake, or at least say "If it happened that way, we missed it." As a coach I am always forced to accept that answer. A veteran official told me that always de-escalates the situation. Of course, you don't want to have to say that very often.
I like at the college level an official will explain a call, e.g. "This is the rule: If he jumps straight up in the restricted area, he's good. From my angle, he jumped into him..." Don't see this much at the high school level but would like to.
No matter the score, officiate to the final buzzer.
No matter the level, varsity, jv freshman, aau, travel, always give your best effort. You never know who's watching, and it's good practice.
Hard work, skill, and professionalism and you'll go far.