Got my first metro conference assignment!
 

Just thought I'd share the news here because I've learned so much from you fellas and would not be where I am if not for the great conversations and advice I've read here. I live near our states largest metro area and it's pretty hard to break into the metro league ranks. The league is pretty solid top to bottom, usually has a state finalist, and is in the biggest class (4a) in our state. I have quite a few open dates still this year as I decided to no longer do JV games because of advice I read here-- you don't want varsity coaches and officials to see you as a JV official. I took any game the assignor threw my way and made sure to thank him for my games. A couple guys I worked a game with really gave him a hard time when he moved us from a game that was 2 hours away to a worse game that was 3 hours away but I didn't say a word. I got my first post season game last year and worked hard to be the best I could be that night and was really vocally grateful to the assignor for the game. I'm guessing a guy from their regular crew had something come up so the assignor threw me in there for a varsity double header in the metro league but I'm pretty excited. Now I have 2 1/2 months to be nervous.

I didn't get to a camp this summer because something was already planned with my family for both of the weekends that our association had camps. After getting this little shot, I'll definitely be attending one next summer to try to slide into a few more of these games. In the meantime I'm hoping if I do an alright job our assignor will use me when he needs a sub in the metro league.

I am thinking about contacting those other two guys and asking what their early season games are to go watch how they work a game. Hopefully that will show them that I'm taking this seriously and will give me a good idea of how to fit in the best I can with them. Any thoughts you have about that or other advice you guys have would be great. Thanks, in advance.

Congraulations!

MTD, Sr.

That is gr8 to hear ! Also, it is showing a lot of initiative when/if you are able to go watch some of the senior refs games before your own game--see how they call things, manage each other, manage the game. I believe you will do an excellent job in this new officiating duty.

True but don't overdo it. No need to hover with goo-goo eyes for multiple games. I'd go to one game, film it (or get a tape), and then ask to do a film breakdown with them over a beer later. Couple that with a good pregame the night of the game and you'll be fine.

Just another regular season game. Overthink it at the risk of jinxing yourself.


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Congratulations. I wouldn't go overboard with the thank yous and shadowing. There is a fine line between truly trying to improve and giving an appearance of playing politics.

Find a mentor and always seek to get better. When you are good, opportunity will find you. When the opportunity finds you, be great.

Our assignor is a great guy-- very friendly and approachable-- and I am genuinely grateful to him for the opportunities. I'll continue to show my gratitude and take a risk of looking political in favor of being a decent human being. There's not enough of that in our world.

I emailed the partners to go observe, but never heard back so I'll just see how things go as we get closer to the season. I teach and coach at a high school in this conference, so on some off nights I may see if I can sit in on a pre game or two with the guys that have the games here and observe a couple of games.

Thanks for all of the input, and anything else you guys can think of that helped you when you started to get bigger games is much appreciated.

Oh and as a final note I might add: Remember now you yourself are a fine basketball official--as evidenced by your selection to work that new conference--so those refs that are already there may also learn something from you.