"Fat" officials

[CLAY]

You try to do what it takes to get the upper level games. You read and read the rules, you know them forwards and backwards, go to camps, you work in front of the mirror to practice your mech. You ask other officials to give you feed back. People in this forum talk about how important appearance is. Beltless pants, high gloss shoes, no facial hair, etc. Then can someone tell me why over weight officials are getting the varsity games.

Last Night I went to watch a local high school basketball tournament. Championship game. The three officials must of had a combined weight of 750lbs or more. Their guts hung way over their pants and their shirts were stretched way past the limit the manufacture ever intended the fabric to withstand. These guys were slow, out of breath, sweating like 3 stuffed pigs. They must be great officials.

[Ref Daddy]

What does their scheduler weigh?

[bob jenkins]

Originally posted by CLAY
People in this forum talk about how important appearance is.

Appearance is important for making a first impression.

These guys have made their first impression.

Advice: Don't be so bitter. Too soon, you'll be the "old guy" out on the court and some young whippersnapper will be wondering why you're working and s/he isn't.

[DJ]

They have experiences that let them overcome their weakness but I do agree that if you can't keep up you will not have the angle and physical fatigue leads to mental fatigue and this leads to poor judgement. It is a reflection of our society as a whole. Believe in yourself because appearance and contioning is an important part of a professional look and it is helping your officiating more than you think. There will be a time when their conditioning will hurt their officiating to the point that it will affect their ability to work and be effective and for you justice will be served.

[rainmaker]

I saw a guy this Christmas break who wasn't particularly fat, but he WAS slow, and extremely out of shape. But I know for a fact he got the game because he was requested by name. I also got a great game in that tourney by being requested by name. I choose to look at the really high caliber refs, and think of myself as being in their category, rather than at that one guy. In this field, politics do count, and that's just the way it is.

[ronny mulkey]

People in this forum talk about how important appearance is.

People on this forum also talk about experience(s) and those fat guys may have a lot of them. There is no substitute for experience. When your assignor thinks that you are both ready and a better selection than the overweight guys, I am sure that he/she will let you know. In the meantime, continue to do all the things that you previously listed.

Mulk

[zebraman]

We have a few officials in our association that are overweight. Some of them have fallen far in the rankings because they can no longer keep up and/or call a good game. Some of them still call a great game and are able to be where they are supposed to be on the floor so they are still rated where they get some big games. Apparently, your assignor feels that they fall into the latter group.

Instead of worrying about the games they get, keep trying to figure out what it is in your game that is preventing you from being assigned to that game.

Z

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally posted by zebraman
We have a few officials in our association that are overweight. Some of them have fallen far in the rankings because they can no longer keep up and/or call a good game. Some of them still call a great game and are able to be where they are supposed to be on the floor so they are still rated where they get some big games. Apparently, your assignor feels that they fall into the latter group.

Instead of worrying about the games they get, keep trying to figure out what it is in your game that is preventing you from being assigned to that game.

Couldn't have said it better, Z-- and I'm an assigner.

[CLAY]

zebraman,

I am not worring about the fat guys, I have my share of top varsity games. I was posting a fact. I come in here to read about how to get ahead. I hear how apperance is important, how you dress, and being in good physical shape, and how you conduct yourself on the floor. The three guys I was refering to are doing none of the above, and yet they are doing games they have no business doing. I don't care if they could read the rule book word for word. They were fat, out of shape and having a hard time keeping up with the pace of the game. If I do or new officials do what they are supposed to do to get ahead like the above mentioned and then see what I seen on the floor, then you have to wonder why they are getting games of that level.

[zebraman]

Clay,

Having not seen the three officials that you are talking about myself, I can only conjecture. I would say that your assignor does not share your opinion that the three officials have no business doing that game. Is there no rating systems in your area that has a hand in determining who gets which games? Or is it strictly up to the assignor. There are always problems (perceived or real) when one person (I.E. assignor) has all the power to assign.

Like someone else already said, appearance is extremely important in making that first impression. Then you gain a reputation over time based on how you call the games. I can only surmise that these three officials have gained a reputation over the years as being good officials. I think a professional appearance is extremely important and it bothers me when my partner doesn't look like an athlete. That being said, I'd rather have a competent chubby partner than a questionable partner who can run like Carl Lewis.

If these three are getting to the point that they can no longer keep up, it will catch up with them and they'll stop getting games.

Z

[JRutledge]

You would have to ask your assignor or the person that assigns that conference. It is not that common to see guys that are slow and fat around me. Not so much because they assignors, the coaches do not want them. The assignors ultimately work for the schools and the conferences, so they tend to put individuals that are more athletic looking. I have known guys to be told, "you must lose 10-15 pounds."

Just like anything there is no one factor that can make or break you as an official. You could wear belted pants and still work, you must might not be working as much or get the same respect. Weight is no different. But I would not worry about it. Your time will come.

Peace

[rainmaker]

Clay -- Been thinking about this today, and I think I have found a way for you to get an answer to your question. You go to a game that one of these guys is doing. You watch, you try to see what they are doing right. Then you talk to your assignor about it, using these exact words: "What do I need to do to be as great as they are?" This will get at the thing you want to discover -- not why the heck they get the good games, but what you can do to get to their level. Of course, when the assignor answers, you listen carefully, take notes, nod your head, and don't argue. Then go work your butt off, doing what you were told. You'll have gotten the attention of your assignor, and then all you have to do is earn his respect.

[ref18]

I don't think that physical size has any bearing on your officiating quality. I'm not the thinnest person, but i can run up and down the court. I just get slow after 4 or 5 games . As long as you're running up and down the court, and not looking like you're about to die, physical size shouldn't matter. Why would honigs make pants for someone with a 52" waist if physical size determines your ability to ref.

[Tim Roden]

Just remember those guy's have called the best game they can get. If they go to camp and try to get a college schedule, they'll be laughed out of the building. They want guys with an athletic appearance. In the meantime. others here are right. Experience is what got them that game that night. Not their weight. You'll get your chance.

[PS2Man]

Originally posted by Tim Roden
Just remember those guy's have called the best game they can get. If they go to camp and try to get a college schedule, they'll be laughed out of the building.

You got that right.