Women Refs in the NBA

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Raymond

Examples of criteria ...

- A star high school, or college basketball player, with a name recognized and well known in the state.

- Originally from the local area, with a social, or professional, network already in place.

It wouldn't be with a bullet, but I probably would have moved up the ladder a little faster if I hadn't moved all the way across the state before I became an official; away from my high school teammates, friends, coaches, teachers, neighbors, etc., several who became basketball officials. When I first started, I could count the people that I already knew on my local board on the fingers of one hand.

[JRutledge]

I also moved from the original area to a new area. I went to everyone's camp to get noticed and got opportunities when I worked harder than others. And still there were guys that got opportunities simply because of who the grew up with or that their dad was also an official all over the place. I still got to some places but no one just gave it to me either. And I was willing to do things that others were not willing to do. I know many people that were not willing to go to uncomfortable situations at all. They stuck to where they were and they had more success. It was just hard to miss because I was willing to go everywhere.

Peace

[RefRich]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

- A star high school, or college basketball player, with a name recognized and well known in the state.

- Originally from the local area, with a social, or professional, network already in place.

It wouldn't be with a bullet, but I probably would have moved up the ladder a little faster if I hadn't moved all the way across the state before I became an official; away from my high school and college friends, several who became basketball officials. When I first started, I could count the people that I already knew on my local board on the fingers of one hand.

This was me. I knew everyone back home and was already getting varsity games in my local area after 5 years, this was back in 1991. Once I moved and didn't know anybody, I virtually had to start all over.

This was back when most of the AD's scheduled their own officials and I was the new young punk who wanted to move up too fast and needed to learn his place.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by RefRich

... Once I moved and didn't know anybody, I virtually had to start all over.

One good thing about IAABO, I believe that moving from one local IAABO board (even out of state, or out of country) to another local IAABO board guarantees one a foot in the door with the same type of assignment schedule from one's previous local board. But it's only a guarantee for the first year. After that, one falls under the "up and down the ladder" guidelines of the local board and the whims of the assigner, so one better make a good first year impression.

Things get complicated if one's IAABO membership lapses (a year, or two, off to move one's domicile, and to start a new day job career) before joining a new local IAABO board (I was on a grievance committee tht dealt with such a scenario).

Unlike the Pope, and Supreme Court Justices, one isn't a working IAABO member for life (with a few honorary exceptions).