What's in your pregame?

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by ilyazhito

I was being serious about the reminder [/sarcasm]. Maybe I need to overload my posts with emoticons, to assist the humor-challenged .

However, veteran officials who work mostly one game or the other might not be familiar with the aspects of the other game, such as a college official being invited to work a high school playoff game (assuming he works the minimum amount of varsity required in his state to be eligible for playoffs), or a high school official being occasionally called on to do the odd JuCo or DIII game. In that case, a short "OK, we're doing high school/college tonight. Any questions?" might be good to start the discussion. Officials new to the college level might also benefit from a reminder, as well as going over the differences in rules and procedures. However, this would be up to the judgement of the R that day.

Unless I'm working with a friend, my partners at either level do not know that I work in the other level. I don't bring up HS when I'm in a college locker room. In my HS locker rooms, I know the HS rules better than 95% of my partners, so even if they know I also work college ball, they have no reason to remind me I'm working a HS game.

Safest bet is again, when at a HS venue, discuss HS officiating. When at a college venue, discuss college officiating. Don't try to get in everybody's head.

Every summer I work a local Pro-Am that uses NBA rules and mechanics. The 2 NBA officials who oversee the officiating (and occasionally work on the court with us) never bring up HS or college rules/mechanics/signals. They talk to us about NBA rules/mechanics/signals. Only reference to HS or college is "do what your are supposed to do at the level you are working that day".

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Raymond

... my partners at either level do not know that I work in the other level.

I wish that you worked on my local board. Although not many, I've worked with a few partners over the years that couldn't wait to tell that that they're a college official. Some even warned me and insisted that they can't switch from college interpretations, mechanics, signals, etc., to those of high school.

I have a few friends that I know work college and high school games. It's always me who initiates a discussion along the lines of, "So, did you have any great college games lately?", or, "I've got a question about a college rule that I saw on television a few nights ago". None of my college friends would think to initiate such a discussion on their own.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

I wish that you worked on my local board. Although not many, I've worked with a few partners over the years that couldn't wait to tell that that they're a college official. Some even warned me and insisted that they can't switch from college interpretations, mechanics, signals, etc., to those of high school.

What was a way those officials would try to tell you, "I am a college official." I would just laugh, because I have done college for some time and almost never talk about what I do unless asked.

Originally Posted by BillyMac

I have a few friends that I know work college and high school games. It's always me who initiates a discussion along the lines of, "So, did you have any great college games lately?", or, "I've got a question about a college rule that I saw on television a few nights ago". None of my college friends would think to initiate such a discussion on their own.

No reason to talk about it unless asked. I might talk about college to other college officials, but not to officials that have never done that level for sure.

Peace