How to quickly train officials

[Back In The Saddle]

This Saturday I have been asked to help train a group of officials for a local church league. Some will be new officials (they have been actively recruiting women to work girls games), and some will have been "doing church ball" for many years. The planned format is an hour "classroom" time followed by a tournament of sorts where they will get some floor time. The level of play will be boys and girls, rec league quality or lower. What suggestions do you have?

I have my own opinions on some of this, but I want to know what actual smart people think

* What are the most important things to teach a new official
* One approach that has occurred to me is to allow 30 mins for mechanics and 30 for rules, starting with the "myth busters"
* I've been to camps where the evaluators talk to the officials at time outs and between periods. I've been to camps where the evaluators will sometimes run the floor with you. The latter seems most helpful and by far the most distracting. Which do you prefer?
* If you were planning this, what would you do? I know many of you have trained officials, care to help a guy out?

[SteveF]

BITS

I have been to both kind of camps and feel that if the guy is following me around alot and talking to me it really keeps me distracted like you said. I would say to pretty much use time outs mostly. If something horrible is happening I can see mentioning it during play but not too much. They will be nervous enough about what to call without the added distraction. Just my two cents worth.

[SteveF]

One additional point I would make is to tell them to be careful of when they chop the clock with 2.4 seconds remaining in the game. They could be opening pandora's box.

[Bart Tyson]

Wow, you are in for it. Just get them on the floor and start critiqueing. Have plenty of help. Don't worry about how other officials critique your newbies. Lasty and firsty, make sure they all understand, they are going to be criticzed and if they can't take it then they should not be a official. O, and NO yabut's.

[Camron Rust]

I've done this very thing.

For those that have done it a few times, I catch them in breaks...timeout, intermission, etc.


For the beginners, I think shawdowing them works very well. They're generally pretty lost and don't have any idea what to do or where to look.

I remind them to cover the ball when it is in their area and find other players to watch when it is not. I'll say "you've got the ball, watch the defender" or "your partner has the ball, look off ball. watch the defenders."

Occassionally, I'll add "that was a foul, you've got to step up and call that." if they're being very timid and are missing several.

I also stress that contact does not always equal a foul. I impress upon them that in almost every situation, the defense actually has to physically do something to get a foul and that if they watch the defense, they'll see that the defender was just standing there...arms up.

I also cover the common myths.

I've got an 8 page summary of rules and mechanics that I wrote as the Sports Director for my Church. If you'd like a copy, send me your email address and I'll forward a copy to you.

[Dan_ref]

Originally posted by Back In The Saddle
This Saturday I have been asked to help train a group of officials for a local church league. Some will be new officials (they have been actively recruiting women to work girls games), and some will have been "doing church ball" for many years. The planned format is an hour "classroom" time followed by a tournament of sorts where they will get some floor time. The level of play will be boys and girls, rec league quality or lower. What suggestions do you have?

I have my own opinions on some of this, but I want to know what actual smart people think

* What are the most important things to teach a new official
* One approach that has occurred to me is to allow 30 mins for mechanics and 30 for rules, starting with the "myth busters"
* I've been to camps where the evaluators talk to the officials at time outs and between periods. I've been to camps where the evaluators will sometimes run the floor with you. The latter seems most helpful and by far the most distracting. Which do you prefer?
* If you were planning this, what would you do? I know many of you have trained officials, care to help a guy out?

If possible get the rec coaches to join as well, at least for the rules part. And spend a few minutes reminding them there's nothing to be gained from doing their Bob Knight impersonations.

As for camps, I think the best way is to videotape the game & then go over the tape afterwards. If you can't do that then probably best to keep the observers away from the refs while the game is going on, let them get together between periods or during timeouts.

[Back In The Saddle]

Originally posted by Camron Rust
I've done this very thing.

For those that have done it a few times, I catch them in breaks...timeout, intermission, etc.


For the beginners, I think shawdowing them works very well. They're generally pretty lost and don't have any idea what to do or where to look.

I remind them to cover the ball when it is in their area and find other players to watch when it is not. I'll say "you've got the ball, watch the defender" or "your partner has the ball, look off ball. watch the defenders."

Occassionally, I'll add "that was a foul, you've got to step up and call that." if they're being very timid and are missing several.

I also stress that contact does not always equal a foul. I impress upon them that in almost every situation, the defense actually has to physically do something to get a foul and that if they watch the defense, they'll see that the defender was just standing there...arms up.

I also cover the common myths.

I've got an 8 page summary of rules and mechanics that I wrote as the Sports Director for my Church. If you'd like a copy, send me your email address and I'll forward a copy to you.

Camron, thanks for the offer. My email address is [email protected].

[Dan_ref]

Originally posted by SteveF
One additional point I would make is to tell them to be careful of when they chop the clock with 2.4 seconds remaining in the game. They could be opening pandora's box.

Einstein would never let the clock stop at 2.4, and neither would Churchill or Edgar!

[Adam]

Nor would they ever allow an overtime.

[DownTownTonyBrown]

Originally posted by Camron Rust
I've got an 8 page summary of rules and mechanics that I wrote as the Sports Director for my Church. If you'd like a copy, send me your email address and I'll forward a copy to you.

Camron, please send me a copy of your condensed rules also.

[email protected]

thanks in advance. Are these available on your association's website?

[davidw]

BITS,

Don't know how much help you have, but if you have enough bodies (both observers & officials)breaking up your groups for a rotating sched. of classroom, floor time, video room is an optimal situation.

Being able to see themselves soon after being on the floor and having good feedback is very helpful.

Split time between mech. and rules is great. Beginners need lots of help learning to put some 'good air'into the whistle and not run away from the spot of the foul so quick.

Lots of luck.

[KingTripleJump]

* What are the most important things to teach a new official

Blow the damn whistle!

(but don't say "damn" at a church league.)

[Kelvin green]

Church ball.. Gotta love it. Start with a prayer and end with a fight..
When I work with church officials, I foucs on basic rules and the myths you have seen here.
Gotta be set..(Basic Block Charge)
What is three seconds?
What's a jump stop and what is legal?
Basics on lining up for FT's

Spend 1/2 hour or so on rules and then talk about basic coverage. Then get them out on the floor.

I think you are from Utah, are youare talking LDS Ball? If so There are a couple of guys I can point you to who have some good officials training manuals. A couple of them work Utah high school ball. Email me if that is true.

[Back In The Saddle]

Originally posted by Kelvin green
Church ball.. Gotta love it. Start with a prayer and end with a fight

New fan: "How long do these games last?"
Old fan: "Usually 'til about the middle of the third quarter"

[BigDave]

Originally posted by Kelvin green
Church ball.. Gotta love it. Start with a prayer and end with a fight..

I've worked many, many church league games. The above statement is the most accurate thing I have ever seen posted. Classic.