help request: non-NF game
 

Since my NF season ended 3 weeks ago, I have not officiated any games; however, at the kind request of a sponsor of a local youth weekend tournament I will be a member of the officiating crew. The tourney will be held in a city about 30 minutes from where I normally work games, so I'll not be familiar with the other refs nor coaches nor teams. Games are 5th thru grade levels, boys/girls, 2 x 20 min running clock. I wondering if I should employ my typical NF mechanics, mindset, and rigor to these games or should I "go with the flow"/blasay? I shudder at getting lazy and doing things like "bouncing the ball across the lane" on endline throw-ins, not switching on shooting fouls, dilligently managing the time for granted time-outs on coaches who delay, calling "palming the ball", and non-calling a shoulder high dribble that does not 'come to rest', and, etcetera...

The sponsor told me that some of the refs will be "local guys who just-refs -the- kids", but the sponsor feels that certified refs can help to improve the quality of the games, ergo he asked me and two others--likely pairing us with the non-certs refs. Because contentious issues invariably arise and require strict resolution/defensibility during the course of most games, I am curious as to how me and the other non-cert ref will interact to promote their resolution?

Thanks in advance for any advice from your collective experiences, maybe I'm over-thinking it, or maybe I'm making a mountain out of a mole hill? I really don't want my NF-practiced skills and mindset to erode. At any rate...

Informal Pregame ...
 

An informal pregame will get most of your questions answered.

I'm pretty sure that the sponsor requesting certified officials is probably more interested in the calls improving the quality of the games than in the mechanics of how you make those calls.

A few games over the weekend will not diminish your mechanics skills.

My judgement stays the same, my mechanics are flexible. I'm definitely bouncing the ball across the lane whenever possible, especially if it is 2-man.

Flexible Is My Middle Name ...
 

Billy Flexible Mac.

Did it back when I was working Catholic middle school games. Never did it in a high school game.

Also, only switched when convenient (usually shooting fouls).

Always use sharp signals, it looks good to the players, coaches, fans, parents, and most importantly, the sponsor.

I'm working Special Olympics Unified Games next week where both the rules (flexible travel rules in low level games) and the mechanics are quite flexible, but my sharp signals will make the players and parents feel appreciated.

Blow Their Socks Off ...
 

And a really strong whistle.

In a running clock game. Do mechanics right. Don’t rush... I switch on everything like I’m supposed to... if clock is running I may even take my time a little more. The more you push things the more likely it can go wrong.

Don't Rush ...
 

Agree. Just because the tournament organizer wants to "rush" (running time) doesn't mean that we have to rush.

These guys are all right (and alright).

You won't lose your season(s)-long skills if you take it easier for a weekend.

You're also liable to learn a lot about your game, and how effective it can be. As the others said, remain emphatic with your mechanics and you'll earn (and get) the respect you deserve from the players and coaches (and for what it's worth, quite often the fans).

That's not to say overdo the emphasis when unnecessary. Use common sense. This isn't likely to be the highest skill levels of ball, and there will be other issues ("Can you double-tie your shoelace this time, honey, since it's the third time this quarter you've tried to tie it?") to deal with.

Above all, don't fall prey to the lackadaisical, non-hustle too many beer-money brethren lapse into. That's like blood in the water for the piranhas.