One Is The Loneliest Number That You'll Ever Do ...

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by ChuckS

I have had a few situations where I started a game alone, and then my partner shows up, it was very disconcerting. I was so into the "solo mode", that it took awhile to adjust - weird!

Originally Posted by Kansas Ref

... experience of starting with one-man and having officiated the game for 2 quarters alone, and gotten used to it, then your partner shows up and it causes you to have to adjust ...

It's physically easy to work from free throw line extended to free throw line extended, and mentally easy to not have to worry about primary coverage areas.

Then all of a sudden one has to run from trail to lead, and lead to trail, and also worry about staying in one's primary (and switching after fouls).

It can be a real jolt to one's system. It takes a few minutes to get used to "normal".

I understand why some associations get a 150% game fee for a one-person game (to discourage athletic directors from requesting only one official for non-varsity games to save money), but while mentally challenging, one-person games can be physically easy, they're definitely not 50% physically harder to officiate.