Bad Game

Grail · #1 (**permalink**) Wed Dec 10, 2003, 10:28am

Worked a game on Monday that was perhaps the worst game I'd ever done. From the first whistle I felt like I had forgotten everything I'd ever learned about being a ref. Tried to focus on mechanics and just seeing the game, but I was still horrible.

The question is how do others deal with this? I tried everything during the game, but to no avail. The good news is I had another game Tuesday night and had no problems. I felt like I was a completely different (and actually decent) ref.

mick · #2 (**permalink**) Wed Dec 10, 2003, 11:05am

Quote:

Originally posted by Grail

The question is how do others deal with this?

So many things can go wrong during a game.
What was wrong?

Judgment?
Partners?
Table?
Couldn't blow the whistle?
Blew too many touches?
Got to the game late?
No pre-game?
Nothing to eat?
Too much to eat?
No sleep?

Grail · #3 (**permalink**) Wed Dec 10, 2003, 11:10am

Almost all of the above. Not really. My partner was excellent. And what I called I think I was all right. I know that I missed numerous fouls, several travels and one back court violation. I also seemed to only see fouls on one team. It was just one of those games where I felt completely out of sync with the game.

mick · #4 (**permalink**) Wed Dec 10, 2003, 11:21am

Quote:

Originally posted by Grail
I know that I missed numerous fouls, several travels and one back court violation. I also seemed to only see fouls on one team.

Grail,
If you know you are missing calls, then, I assume, you did not miss them. You just didn't blow the whistle.
When you are in that funk, take a deep breath, start doing some serious dead-ball officiating to make up for the poor pre-game-get-your-head-into-the-game-ritual, get your feet moving for new and different angles, get some fluids when you can (Water quickly reduces fatigue), blow the whistle, even if it's a little late.
Make the call.
mick

You'll be back.

whistleone · #5 (**permalink**) Wed Dec 10, 2003, 12:19pm

My question is where was your partner during all of this. I've had situations where I felt like my partner was in your shoes and I'm kicking myself for not doing anything about it. If we find ourselves with a partner that's not with it that night, we need to take it upon ourselves to help them get their head on straight.

JRutledge · #6 (**permalink**) Wed Dec 10, 2003, 12:41pm

Grail,

It sounds to me like you might have taken the last call into the next call. You have to take each call and separate them. If you worry about what you called last, you might not ever make the next opportunity a good one. You really have to be careful in your overall attitude when you call the game. If you blew a call, move on. If you made a great call, move on. You really have to learn to have a short memory. I will also say, try not to take other things on the court with you. This is why it is so important to get to the game site early and have a good pregame and just get relaxed so that you can do the best job possible. Because if you take the fight with your spouse on the court with you, it will affect your game.

We have all had those games where we wish we could just hide and fade away. You just experienced what most veterans have had and will have as time goes on. The issue is to just keep it in perspective and move on. Make the next game the best game you have ever had.

I am sure it will be.

Peace

rainmaker · #7 (**permalink**) Wed Dec 10, 2003, 01:27pm

Grail --

We've all had games like this. And we've all had that Tuesday night afterward where things seemed to be fine. If you realize part-way through the game that you're not clicking, here are some things to try. I've had as many bad games as anyone probably, and these things have helped me.

Like mick said, water, water, water. Sometimes a bit or two or candy can help, too.

Try talking to yourself out loud, very softly. "Pass, ooo, fumble, okay, clean shot, look at the rebounding, long pass, sprint!," and so on. It helps keep your mind in the moment.

For me it helps to construct a brick wall in my mind, with a window, walk up to the window, and look out at the game. It takes me attention out of my head and puts it on the floor.

Try to think of yourself as an extension of your partner, and not a separate entity. This can also get your thinking on the game and not your own probloems.

When you make a call (or choose a no-call) that you then immediately question, quickly give yourself ONE replay in your head, and "store" it consciously to review later. Then forget it, and move on.

If it's freshman level or below, and at this time in the season, remind yourself that you're not ruining anyone's career here. Concentrate on one aspect only of the game, and let the rest go. You'll miss some things this way, but hey, it's not the state championship!

After Tuesday evening, say, okay, I had one bad game, but I am learning how to recover, and my averages are still pretty good. Write it off.

When all else fails, mick's mantra has helped me in more situations than I can count:

Get in
Get done
Get out.

Good luck, and welcome to the club.

Back In The Saddle · #8 (**permalink**) Wed Dec 10, 2003, 03:57pm

I had the same kind of game last week. Afterward, when my partner and I had talked about everything, he made a statement that finally got me to smile and let it go. He asked if I wanted some encouragement, and I said, "yes." He said, "It won't be the worst game you'll ever call!" He's right.

BTW, my "Tuesday" game was just fine.

Hawks Coach · #9 (**permalink**) Wed Dec 10, 2003, 10:04pm

Watch the teams that you ref and you see the same thing. Awesome one day, average the next. Or simply good one day, and awful the next. You are never as bad as your worst game - or as good as your best. You are somewhere in between and hitting those peaks and valleys. and just like a team that wants to get better, the more experience you get and the more you commit to excellence, the your valleys are fewer and farther between, and never as low.

The best part about all this is you are thinking about it, yet you don't let it keep you from having a good game the next time on the floor. Those habits will make you very successful.

Grail · #10 (**permalink**) Thu Dec 11, 2003, 12:17pm

OK, next question.

Do I acknowledge the bad game to the coaches involved? I certainly would never say anything during the game. That would be a disaster. But the next time I work with these coaches should I mention it, or just let it go?

My gut says to just let it be. If I do a better job next time it will be evident that I either had a bad game before, or that I have worked hard to improve. If I mention it and have another bad game my credibility is shot.

Dan_ref · #11 (**permalink**) Thu Dec 11, 2003, 12:29pm

Quote:

Originally posted by Grail
OK, next question.

Do I acknowledge the bad game to the coaches involved? I certainly would never say anything during the game. That would be a disaster. But the next time I work with these coaches should I mention it, or just let it go?

My gut says to just let it be. If I do a better job next time it will be evident that I either had a bad game before, or that I have worked hard to improve. If I mention it and have another bad game my credibility is shot.

Like the Beatles say let it be.

Nothing to be gained, just learn from your experiences and keep working hard.

JRutledge · #12 (**permalink**) Thu Dec 11, 2003, 12:30pm

Quote:

Originally posted by Grail
OK, next question.

Do I acknowledge the bad game to the coaches involved? I certainly would never say anything during the game. That would be a disaster. But the next time I work with these coaches should I mention it, or just let it go?

My gut says to just let it be. If I do a better job next time it will be evident that I either had a bad game before, or that I have worked hard to improve. If I mention it and have another bad game my credibility is shot.

Do not tell a coach you kicked a entire game. Maybe a call or a situation, but not an entire game. Because if you have them down the road, that might be the thing he harps on all night. Let it go, turn the page. and do a better job next time. It is not our page to spill our guts to us. They do not do that to us, we should not do that to them. An another reason you do not want to do that, maybe the coach does not think you did that bad of a job. It really is about preception anyway, why make him doubt something that he has never doubted before?

Peace

Hawks Coach · #13 (**permalink**) Thu Dec 11, 2003, 12:50pm

Quote:

Originally posted by Grail
OK, next question.

Do I acknowledge the bad game to the coaches involved? I certainly would never say anything during the game. That would be a disaster. But the next time I work with these coaches should I mention it, or just let it go?

My gut says to just let it be. If I do a better job next time it will be evident that I either had a bad game before, or that I have worked hard to improve. If I mention it and have another bad game my credibility is shot.

No. Remember that you will get better and your standard for "bad" will go up. An experienced offical may consider to be a bad game the same kind of game he would have considered great as a rookie. So just because you think you were doing badly doesn't mean the coach will even know. On your worst day coaches probably will notice, but that doesn't really matter. Just call your best game you can that day and don't apologize to anybody.

I don't think players apologize for making you ref sloppy games, do they?