New season, some observations (LONG)

[Rich]

I worked my first high school game of the season last night, a 66-43 boys game that was essentially over by halftime. We work 2-official games in Wisconsin. Some quick observations by just another official:

(1) I absolutely, positively hate the new on-the-blocks positioning. That positioning may be what the college officials use and the 3-official crews use, but it is stupid to use it in a 2-official game. It puts the officials about 80 feet apart during the timeout. There were several instances that I wanted to have a brief word with my partner and the distance was a barrier. Besides that, we found ourselves gesturing quite a bit regarding the subsequent throw-in spot in case the non-administering official was asked by the bench closest to him.

(2) I'm also unenamored by the non-calling DQ foul provision, which I mentioned in another thread. Another contrived way to keep an official from having to communicate with a coach after making a call. Didn't happen last night, though.

Some general notes about my game and how it fits into my goals for this season:

(1) My number 1 goal this year is to be a better trail official. I found myself coming down the court last season too close or even with the ball-handler instead of TRAILING. My goal this year is to be more patient and realize that I am able to see what's going on from a few feet behind the ball-handler. Heck, I can see the sun and it's 93 million miles away.

Last night, I didn't get in front of the ball once as the trail. I stayed out of bounds until the ball was on the court every time, too. I was very pleased with that. I also found that by doing this things felt a lot less "frantic."

I tried to take this into the frontcourt as well. Last season I would find myself moving around rather frantically, trying to find good angles. Watching some other smooth officials, I found that they moved around but always with a purpose -- to get an angle or to close down on a rebound. I felt better in the frontcourt, as well.

(2) I wanted to communicate better this season, remaining at the spot of the foul longer and communicating the foul better to my partner. This is a goal for me every season, but for some reason when the score becomes lopsided, I tend to start getting "faster" in my reporting. I was a little better then usual last night, but I need to exaggerate this for a while until it becomes routine.

(3) Regarding coming ballside. I did it 5 times during the game last night, all in the first three quarters. Once I had a foul against the post player as he laid the ball in. The other times, the ballended up going the other way.

Truth is, I've been doing this for years and it just seems to be more of an emphasis this season, which means that my partners won't think I'm strange for wanting to come across.

(4) After all the talk of bad tosses in another thread, I told my partner to be the referee last night. I work about 10-15 games with him this season, so I'll get my turn.

(5) My new shoes are exactly what I needed. I have no foot pain whatsoever today and that has never been the case for me. Anyone who has to buy bigger shoes because of wide feet needs to look at the New Balance 608/609 shoe. Go to a store that sells New Balance and have your foot measured. The officiating supply stores all have the D and EE sizes, but when measured the pedorthist suggested a EEEE for me because of my orthotics and nobody seems to carry those except the local New Balance store. And before you say I have fat feet, I also found out that New Balance sells a EEEEEE width.

I'm sure I'll have more as the season goes on. But I felt really on top of things last night, which is great since I haven't worked an actual game since February (I don't do rec ball).

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

Rich

[rcwilco]

I have also been thinking about the DQ mechanics, I posted the question on the other thread. I am going to try a couple of things to make it as seamless as possible. I think an important key will be game awareness when we start seeing three or four fouls on the scoreboard and being prepared plus the pre game. I must admit there have been some times when as the non calling official I have gone to the table and had my partner leave because of an intense game with a lot of emotion. I feel that it has saved some T's as a result, who knows. I have even on rare occasion switched on a violation in the same kind of a game to give the coach a chance to cool down and get my patner away, right or wrong the very few times I have done it has been a huge help and kept the flow in the game.
You mention goals, mine are to:
1)mechanics, mechanics, mechanics!!!!
2)perfect my shot clock understanding (we use it with girls high school here)
3)bounce back- I say that becasue I went to a camp, summer before last, where everythig that could go wrong did. It was my third camp and I had been working very hard. In the first two I got high marks and was very excited about working towards varsity,etc. But in the last one,really got ripped on, told at one time to never quit my day job, got on the wrong side of one trainer somehow I guess, but every comment to me was extremely negative. I was surprised at how it affected me as I am almost always pretty thick skinned(even in the other camps whrere they got on us pretty good) but felt like (and I hate to admit but still do) I have lost my confidence after that last one. Did not ref last season because of that and returning to college (even an old man can learn) but will try it again this year.
So sorry for long post but I am enjoying and learning a lot from this board.

[WindyCityRef]

I agree with your view on the timeout positions. I hate it too. What we should do is have the inbounding official stay at the spot with the ball held in the direction it will be going and the other official stands at halfcourt. We really don't need two officials to round up the teams when the time for that TO has expired. I've done two games this year and had to answer several questions about the inbounds spot.

[David B]

I agree on the full time out that might be a problem, but what we do is if we have to communicate about a ball placement or whatever, we simply go to center court or top of the key whereever we happen to be and review our situation.

Then we move to our spots.

One thing I have noticed at least with our coaches, they tend to save their 30's till late in the game and that makes it a little easier.

Usually communication between officials is more necessary later in the game.

As far as the DQ, we've done it that way since, well since I can remember. I think in the long run you will realize that you really didn't have anything to say to a coach anyway.

One of the keys to make it work quickly is for the scoretable to be aware of fouls and tell you immediately that is 5 on # etc.,

Then you know immediately and can communicate quickly with your partner etc.,

Happy Thanksgiving.
We are Blessed.

Thanks
David

[Back In The Saddle]

Originally posted by Rich Fronheiser
Heck, I can see the sun and it's 93 million miles away.

Careful on this one. Every so often you'll get screened off by the moon!

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by Rich Fronheiser

(1) I absolutely, positively hate the new on-the-blocks positioning. That positioning may be what the college officials use and the 3-official crews use, but it is stupid to use it in a 2-official game. It puts the officials about 80 feet apart during the timeout. There were several instances that I wanted to have a brief word with my partner and the distance was a barrier. Besides that, we found ourselves gesturing quite a bit regarding the subsequent throw-in spot in case the non-administering official was asked by the bench closest to him.

Rich, I have been doing this mechanic for years. Never ever had a single person say anything about it. We even used what is called in some circles the "swinging gate." The official without the ball will "sweep" across and inform the coaches and players of the horn and move to their position on the side of the court where they are going to be located. This is usually done inbetween quarters. Just because you are far away by mechanic, does not mean you cannot talk to you partner at all. You will get used to it.

Originally posted by Rich Fronheiser
(2) I'm also unenamored by the non-calling DQ foul provision, which I mentioned in another thread. Another contrived way to keep an official from having to communicate with a coach after making a call. Didn't happen last night, though.

My first game, we had the calling official tell the coach himself. I think still it is much better to tell the coach of your own foul. You called it, you can tell him or her what the deal is. It also eliminates more confusion on calls that everyone cannot see. If I call an off-ball foul on a screen, it is very possible that no one knows what was called by the official that made the call. None of the other officials if doing their jobs are watching the reporting of the foul and probably are caught a little off guard by who fouled. It is much better to have the guy that made the call, to tell the coach. You do not have to stick around and have a lenghty conversation, you can still get out of there.

Peace

[Mark Dexter]

Originally posted by Rich Fronheiser

Last night, I didn't get in front of the ball once as the trail. I stayed out of bounds until the ball was on the court every time, too. I was very pleased with that. I also found that by doing this things felt a lot less "frantic."

A good mechanic that I've learned - which may be able to help you on your point of staying OOB until the ball is inbounded - is to stay on the endline until the ball/dribbler breaks the FT line extended. That way, if there is a quick turnover, you're not in the way.