Connecticut Shot Clock ...

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I do not think it is too hard for kid to play with a shot clock at the high school level. The shot clock to me is not much harder than other rules we use for a player to adjust to ... But the players are the least of my concern.

Agree 100%. Players always gonna play.

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I have always felt the issue would be the official that have to stay on top of issues with the clock because we will have people running the shot clock that will not understand the rules.

Also agree. Three problems I'm worried about:

1) Table personnel. I've worked Connecticut private prep school games with shot clocks over the past forty years. Seems that every single game there was a shot clock issue due to poor training or lack of attention to details.

2) My partners. Working Connecticut private prep school games with shot clock games, the best shot clock partners were those with NCAA experience, but even some of those were shaky at best.

3) Me. Old dog, new tricks. I now work mostly middle school games, where there will probably not be Connecticut shot clocks (expense of clocks, expense of timers), but I usually work a handful of freshman or junior varsity games every year, where there may be shot clocks. They say that practice makes perfect. I'm just not sure that I will get enough "practice" (shot clock experience) to be considered an "expert" deserving of a paycheck. There's a limit to how much one can become proficient at something after just studying a book.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Also agree. Three problems I'm worried about:

1) Table personnel. I've worked Connecticut private prep school games with shot clocks over the past forty years. Seems that every single game there was a shot clock issue due to poor training or lack of attention to details.

I do small college and we have shot clock issues all the time. Some are not a big deal, many are a very big deal. We deal with it and move on.

Originally Posted by BillyMac

2) My partners. Working Connecticut private prep school games with shot clock games, the best shot clock partners were those with NCAA experience, but even some of those were shaky at best.

Of course. We have to become better clock people anyway. I remember when people say 3 Person was too hard and people learned it now many things we do are not even thought of. It is just like officiating anything else.

Originally Posted by BillyMac

3) Me. Old dog, new tricks. I now work mostly middle school games, where there will probably not be Connecticut shot clocks (expense of clocks, expense of timers), but I usually work a handful of freshman or junior varsity games every year, where there may be shot clocks. They say that practice makes perfect. I'm just not sure that I will get enough "practice" (shot clock experience) to be considered an "expert" deserving of a paycheck. There's a limit to how much one can become proficient at something after just studying a book.

With all due respect, I doubt they are seriously bringing a shot clock to middle school. I would even suspect that lower levels are not doing any shot clock for obvious reasons.

Peace

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I doubt they are seriously bringing a shot clock to middle school. I would even suspect that lower levels are not doing any shot clock for obvious reasons.

Regarding middle school, agree 100%.

Connecticut freshman and junior varsity games will have the shot clock as an option that could vary from school to school and/or league/conference to league/conference.

[Lcubed48]

IMO, high school can exist just fine without a shot clock because in today's game most shots happen prior to the end of timed period. However, after last season I'm not that opposed to its implementation here in Virginia. As a matter of fact, a lot of the bigger private schools do use a shot clock in their varsity games. I had 5 or 6 shot clock games last year with no issues. Actually, I kind of liked it once I got used to it. This old dog can learn new tricks.

In my very first shot clock game ever, the home team committed a shot clock violation in its very first possessions of the game. They also ended up be blown out, but because it wasn't a public-school game there was no running clock at any point.

[ilyazhito]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I do small college and we have shot clock issues all the time. Some are not a big deal, many are a very big deal. We deal with it and move on.



Of course. We have to become better clock people anyway. I remember when people say 3 Person was too hard and people learned it now many things we do are not even thought of. It is just like officiating anything else.



With all due respect, I doubt they are seriously bringing a shot clock to middle school. I would even suspect that lower levels are not doing any shot clock for obvious reasons.

Peace

That was never on the table in DC or MD. Shot clocks were strictly for HS. In DC, shot clocks are mandatory for varsity, but optional at the JV level (public schools only have boys JV, though Wilson also has girls JV and boys freshman teams as club teams). In MD, shot clocks are used for varsity, JV, and freshman (where freshman teams exist) games.