I love this game! (kind of long)

[Back In The Saddle]

I figure if I can lament my worst moments here, I ought to be able to crow a bit about the best ones.

It's nearly one in the morning and I still can't sleep, I'm too excited. Had a freshman girls game this afternoon. Match up between what are probably the two best teams in the region. Small gym, but nearly packed and loud. Really rockin' atmosphere--it makes me excited for what it must be like to do a varsity game with the crowd going nuts.

Visiting team plays aggressively the first half and pulls ahead by about 15. 2nd half, the home team kicks it up a couple of notches and chips away at the lead. They get to within five points, but run out of time. Hard fought game all the way to the end, with three or four players fouling out.

As exciting as the game was, however, I was more excited about what we did today. I am scheduled as the U and the R is a first year official. He's just come from a funeral and has had some very challenging things to deal with over the holiday. I work on getting him focused and we have a decent pregame.

After laying off for a couple of weeks, I'm feeling just a little odd being back on the floor, but that quickly passes. I'm also feeling very rested and I'm even beating the girls to the endline on fast breaks most of the time. I'm in the right places, seeing the right things, and getting the calls right. It just feels right!

My partner, however, is struggling and hasn't called much at all. We talk at half time and I suggest that he probably needs to get on the whistle more in the second half. Even though he's new to basketball, he's a very successful official in another sport, so he understands about getting into the game. And he does it.

Second half goes even better. Good energy, good focus, good communication. Things flow well and we have the game under control. Although I have a couple of less than stellar moments, like forgetting the number of the fouler after I get distracted on my way to the table (I guessed between two girls and got it wrong, but fixed it) and pointing the wrong way on an OOB a couple of times.

With less than a minute, home team has a real shot at pulling it out. They call time out, I huddle up with my partner and we talk about how we're going to handle the rest of the game: stay sharp and focused, make the calls; who has the clock; time out was called after a made free-throw, so home team has the run of the baseline--which they use. We finish strong.

There are a couple of aspects that I'm most excited about. First, it was really a break-out game for me. I can probably name 50 things that we could have done better or that I need to work on. But we called everything that had to be called, and we kept the game under control from start to finish.

Second, I faced my most worrisome demon and won. I successfully carried a weaker partner and made sure we got the job done well. I kept things under control while he struggled. I helped him get focused and into the game.

A friend suggested to me recently that whenever he takes the floor, he wants to be recognized as the guy you go to if there's a problem--the guy who'll get it done, and done right. (apologies to my friend for so badly paraphrasing him) Well, today, for a brief 32 minutes, I was that guy and it felt great!!!

[SMEngmann]

As a second year official, I can relate well to your post. I have been assigned as the R several times already with inexperienced partners and I find those games at least as useful as games in which I work with an established vet or I get evaluated. Those games have strengthened my game management skills considerably as I know that if I'm not on top of my game, especially in terms of dead-ball officiating, that the game probably won't run smoothly. Also, with less experienced partners, I find that I'm most likely to have a meaningful pregame with them and to effectively take care of business than with an experienced ref, not always though. Often dealing with "the veterans" can be tough as they give the "rookie pregame" and some dramatically expand their court coverage early, not trusting me because they haven't worked with me. While most vets can give valuable feedback, occasionally they can come off as unapproachable or as know it alls.

[Rich]

Originally posted by SMEngmann
As a second year official, I can relate well to your post. I have been assigned as the R several times already with inexperienced partners and I find those games at least as useful as games in which I work with an established vet or I get evaluated. Those games have strengthened my game management skills considerably as I know that if I'm not on top of my game, especially in terms of dead-ball officiating, that the game probably won't run smoothly. Also, with less experienced partners, I find that I'm most likely to have a meaningful pregame with them and to effectively take care of business than with an experienced ref, not always though. Often dealing with "the veterans" can be tough as they give the "rookie pregame" and some dramatically expand their court coverage early, not trusting me because they haven't worked with me. While most vets can give valuable feedback, occasionally they can come off as unapproachable or as know it alls.

I'm enjoying this thread, because for many of us we've started taking for granted how hard officiating is.

Last night, like every night, we made the R/U determination in the locker room, actually while heading out to the floor. I work with the same few partners just about every night, so our pregames are usually fairly quick and happen more informally as we're driving to the game.

I haven't worked any subvarsity games this season but have worked some rec ball. And the one thing I will not do is call my partner's court. It does nothing for the game and does nothing for the development of my partner. Actually, if I get a partner who is a ball-watcher (which newer officials tend to be until they realize how much fun and how important off ball coverage is), I tend to expand my off-ball coverage a bit -- in the gray areas, I'm always looking off the ball and finding other competitive matchups, cause I know my ball-watching partner isn't doing that.

I'm glad you had a great experience. I'm almost ashamed at my whining about how long the JV game was last night (see the parallel thread going here) -- many people would love to just work that varsity game and that is something I need to remember more often.

Best regards,
Rich

[dhodges007]

Originally posted by Back In The Saddle
I figure if I can lament my worst moments here, I ought to be able to crow a bit about the best ones.

It's nearly one in the morning and I still can't sleep, I'm too excited. Had a freshman girls game this afternoon. Match up between what are probably the two best teams in the region. Small gym, but nearly packed and loud. Really rockin' atmosphere--it makes me excited for what it must be like to do a varsity game with the crowd going nuts.

Visiting team plays aggressively the first half and pulls ahead by about 15. 2nd half, the home team kicks it up a couple of notches and chips away at the lead. They get to within five points, but run out of time. Hard fought game all the way to the end, with three or four players fouling out.

As exciting as the game was, however, I was more excited about what we did today. I am scheduled as the U and the R is a first year official. He's just come from a funeral and has had some very challenging things to deal with over the holiday. I work on getting him focused and we have a decent pregame.

After laying off for a couple of weeks, I'm feeling just a little odd being back on the floor, but that quickly passes. I'm also feeling very rested and I'm even beating the girls to the endline on fast breaks most of the time. I'm in the right places, seeing the right things, and getting the calls right. It just feels right!

My partner, however, is struggling and hasn't called much at all. We talk at half time and I suggest that he probably needs to get on the whistle more in the second half. Even though he's new to basketball, he's a very successful official in another sport, so he understands about getting into the game. And he does it.

Second half goes even better. Good energy, good focus, good communication. Things flow well and we have the game under control. Although I have a couple of less than stellar moments, like forgetting the number of the fouler after I get distracted on my way to the table (I guessed between two girls and got it wrong, but fixed it) and pointing the wrong way on an OOB a couple of times.

With less than a minute, home team has a real shot at pulling it out. They call time out, I huddle up with my partner and we talk about how we're going to handle the rest of the game: stay sharp and focused, make the calls; who has the clock; time out was called after a made free-throw, so home team has the run of the baseline--which they use. We finish strong.

There are a couple of aspects that I'm most excited about. First, it was really a break-out game for me. I can probably name 50 things that we could have done better or that I need to work on. But we called everything that had to be called, and we kept the game under control from start to finish.

Second, I faced my most worrisome demon and won. I successfully carried a weaker partner and made sure we got the job done well. I kept things under control while he struggled. I helped him get focused and into the game.

A friend suggested to me recently that whenever he takes the floor, he wants to be recognized as the guy you go to if there's a problem--the guy who'll get it done, and done right. (apologies to my friend for so badly paraphrasing him) Well, today, for a brief 32 minutes, I was that guy and it felt great!!!

Way to go!! Congrats on a game well done.

[rainmaker]

Originally posted by Back In The Saddle
A friend suggested to me recently that whenever he takes the floor, he wants to be recognized as the guy you go to if there's a problem--the guy who'll get it done, and done right. (apologies to my friend for so badly paraphrasing him) Well, today, for a brief 32 minutes, I was that guy and it felt great!!!

Ray -- Hold onto that feeling! You deserve the pat on the back, and you are right to take it to heart. Congratulations!

Be sure to "bookmark" the place in your brain where you were standing. It's "The Zone," so to speak. Try to get back there before every game. You won't make it every time, but you should be able to hit it more and more often.

Great Job!

[Edited by rainmaker on Jan 7th, 2004 at 10:02 AM]

[Dan_ref]

Originally posted by Rich Fronheiser

I'm enjoying this thread, because for many of us we've started taking for granted how hard officiating is.

I was just thinking exactly the same thing, in fact I envy BITS for that "can't sleep 'cause I'm too excited about that game" feeling he's got. Interesting that it was during a girl's freshman game when I felt I had somehow finally "put it all together". Those games ARE fun, being a new guy and working hard to improve IS fun. Let's not take the FUN part for granted either.

[rcwilco]

My 19 year old son started reffing this year and it has been all the expected feelings to work with him and share his feelings and thoughts. The excitment he has when a mechanic clicks that we have discussed or a block/charge that he nails, is great. I have been so focussed on trying to improve and perfect my game that I haven't enjoyed games this way for a bit. Don't get me wrong, I am enjoying where I am at but it is fun to see excitment when a new perosn accomplishes something basic. It is also fun to have a built in partner at home to discuss the whole aspect of reffing. Congratulations on your game and your excitment.

[stripes]

Way to go BITS! It is always good to get a game when things "go right" for you. I am impressed that you felt like you stepped up and took charge regardless of who was assigned as the R. Keep it up.

[ChuckElias]

That game gets an "Attaboy"