Officiating in the JBA

[deecee]

I can tell you from experience making it to the NCAA level of officiating isn't easy. It may appear so for some but you don't know their circumstances, and you most likely don't have what they have (be it connection, skills, knowledge, etc.).

I was 2 years (almost 13 total) into officiating in NY State when I went to a D2 and JUCO assignors tryout. He called me in to work a couple games he assigned in a local HS summer league and picked me up. I worked for him for 2 years before I hung it all up last year. I did about 8 JUCO/D3, and a couple D2 games. It was fun but it was a grind (long travel, many hours commitment per game day).

I also went to a D1 tryout camp and heard what I expected. I needed to lose some weight and that was the really the main reason I was passed over. Between a full time job, family (2 young kids), a business my wife and I run I had to give something up. If getting to D1 was/is a priority I would need to get in shape (about 1 year) and then about another year of proving at camps and assignor tryouts but I think it was possible. Also my age was getting to also be a factor so I don't have much time to mess around if that's what I wanted.

I could have made it to the NCAA level earlier but I was a bit headstrong and very stubborn and it took me a few years to actually listen to advice. Although I was humble in a lot of things in life, for some reason as an official that humility came a bit later (probably in my late 20's).

I guarantee if you look to far down the road from where you actually are, you wont pay the time necessary to get better in your current state and allow yourself to progress when the time is right.

In the end there is no shortage of a need for capable officials from one level or "league" after another. However the real path is HS-->D3/D2-->D1 OR alternatively NBA or BUST. I would pick the first path anyday of the week. It's more fun and more opportunity. However there is no shortage of officials that want that too.

In the end about half the advice you hear at camp is BS, the other half is useful. Figure out the half you need. Also not all clinicians are good. Know who the good ones are and learn from them. Finally you need to gain the trust of the assignor and his/her close advisors (usually other officials) as he/she will lean on them in evaluations.

I also did all this with very little HS playoff experience too, so you don't need that under your belt. What is most important for any official is getting to work in games that count with weird scenarios that come up (fights, flagrants, intentional fouls, tough coaches, trouble kids, scoring/timing mistakes). The more comfortable you are in real world application of the rules the better you will be. You also need a decent grasp of the rules. You don't have to be a master, but you need a rule master on your crew (if that makes sense).