help a total newbie get started

[FHSUref]

When you go to the games to watch. Pay attention to the other officials court positioning. Is it 2man? 3man? Look at their rotations on fouls and violations. What are they doing during timeouts, things like that.

When I first started, I had a pretty good feel for what a foul was. My problem was; where do I stand, where do I go when I call a foul and after I call a foul, Am I too close to the action or too far away from it, why do the officials rotate while the ball is live etc... If you can pick up on these things that seem tiny right off the bat, you'll be ahead of the curve when you first step out there.

Once you blow your whistle (foul, violation, out of bounds)the first time, you will start to settle down. The first whistle is what it takes for me EVERYTIME out!