I'm am 17 and would like to learn to officiate basketball. I contacted my local association and they said that when I turn 18 (in November) I could join and they would train me. I was wondering if I should try to find a rec league that offers training to practice this summer before I join this fall? Does any one know of a rec league in the Dallas area that offers training?

Working games is always good. I'd try to find a league where HS officials work. Also look to see if there are any camps that your local association puts on over the summer.

Good luck.

I'd be careful with the summer rec leagues - make sure they actually train you (not just 2 hours on a random night) and that they use high school mechanics (or whatever your local association uses).

Point here is that if you pick up some bad habits over the summer, they're going to stick with you in the fall. The small benefit of working a few games might not even out.

Gostars - nice to see such initiative and drive. You are bound to be a top-notch official some day real soon.

I agree with Mark about danger of picking up bad habits. Instead of refing rec league, see if you can take in some local AAU games and watch the officials very closely. I did that when I first started years ago. Look at lead for a half, then trail for a half. Watch how they position themselves, watch how they "switch" on fouls. Get as close to the table so that you can see and hear them report fouls. See if you can talk to the officials at halftime.

Also see if you can get your hands on the rulebooks before clinics start in the fall.

Best of luck!

In general, I would agree that rec leagues could be a bad thing. However, if you could find a HS official that would be willing to work with you in some rec games, you'd be miles ahead when you start your formal training in November. I'd contact the association again, and see if the contact person could recommend someone who does well during the season, and also works during the summer. If you work some, and then watch quite a bit too as the Traveller recommends, you can learn tons and be really ready to hit the ground running when the season starts in the fall.

Geez, I sure am in an agreeable mood tonight. But what Rainmaker says rings true and I also remember when I first started out working a few games gratis with an experienced official who was also a good friend of mine. I picked up tons of useful information from those games like NEVER take your whistle out of your mouth while you are on that floor, remember who the foul shooter is when a timeout is called, quickly count the number of players on the floor before you hand the ball OOB (more than 5 is a T and you look stupid). The lsit is endless.

Thanks for all the advice. I have read the NCAA book (because it was free) and will order the NFHS book soon. I have also downloaded and gone over the NFHS mechanics sheet. Should I order just the rulebook or the rulebook, casebook, simplified and illustrated rulebook, official’s manual, and handbook. Which would be most helpful now and which should I wait on?

Wait until the new rules come out. You do not want to order books now and have to order new books when some of the rules will change. If anything, order the Simplified and Illustrated one, that is a great starter book to get some visual sense of how the rules are to be applied. But I would wait a few months.

Peace

You do mean while the ball is live, right? I just get a picture of someone NEVER taking the whistle out of their mouth while they are on the floor and that isn't correct. It should probably be clarified for someone just starting out.
During live ball situations communicate with players and coaches, if you choose to do so, with the whistle in your mouth.

Rulebook/casebook
 

I would suggest just getting the rulebook and casebook. Getting one without the other is an exercise in futility for first time users of either. Read the case book, and then look up the rules as you go along. IMO, that is a far better method than just reading the rulebook as it is not exactly a literary masterpiece. Yes, eventually you will be able to just "read" bits and pieces of the rulebook, but for now, don't overwhelm yourself. As for the illustrated rulebook, it is a bit like a primer, it won't have much real use as you get a bit more experienced.

I'd say BE CAREFUL which so called "experienced" officials you watch and learn from. You may just learn the wrong thing.

I'd say. Find ONE person you trust and you KNOW has had success and learn from him or her. If you go around watching AAU (or whatever refs)... chances are 1, maybe 2 of the three is gonna be out there coasting and not working hard... so they would not be a good person to emulate.

Watch game tapes of NCAA games.. those guys are working hard and they know what they are doing. Most of the time.

For camp. Be sharp... perfect your reporting mechanics.. and hustle. And above all.. SHUT UP and listen. You might just be working a college game the following year if you do well !

I agree completely. But watching people who are coasting can be a good way to learn what NOT to do. It won't take a lot of guidance from a good teaching-partner to be able to see the different.

And I agree about camp. Shut up and listen. The most contentious question you should ask would be, "I seem to be having trouble accomplishing that. Could you give some more details?"

One more point I'd like to add. If you go watch the officials, as has been suggested, and see something you don't understand, ask them. If they aren't available, bring your question here. I've found this board to be an invaluable tool for developing my rules knowledge (and application).

One of my first games this year was with a brand new official, and basketball was after football season . . .

First half, he just had his whistle hanging down around his neck. I tried signalling him to keep it in his mouth, but had to wait until a TO to talk it over with him. Needless to say, he made a lot more calls after that . . . :p