I have been invited to referee at the Pro-Active Super Showcase at Disney in Orlando. They are treating it as a camp with a cost of $525. I was wondering if anyone here has heard of this and what advice you would give. Should I attend this camp? Is it a great opportunity or is it a way for someone to make money off referees and get their games called for free?

I've heard it's a great opportunity - especially if you get to work the game between the Seven Dwarfs and the 3 Bears. Be sure to work on your mechanic for "illegal eating of an opponent". :p

Chuck made one of the teams?

Great!

LOL!!!
 

I just about fell out of my seat when I read this post. ;)

Re: LOL!!!
 

Why? Dan was serious.
http://www.sodamnfunny.com/Picture/Sport/basketball.jpg
Chuck playing good D.

Re: LOL!!!
 

Me too lol. That was good.

I too was invited, had to turn it down due to a family obligation that is unchangable. I hope I didn't burn a bridge.

This camp takes the place of Nunn-Better. When Ronnie Nunn was promoted to Supervisor of Officials by the NBA, he was contractually barred from using his name to sponsor or promote camps. So he is not running his camp any longer.

Pro-Active is now (I believe) under the umbrella of John Guthrie's camps. I think he is the Supervisor of Officials for the Atlantic Sun Conf and a couple other mid-majors.

I went to Nunn-Better last year. For a little idea of what it was like, see http://www.officialforum.com/thread/9469

As far as whether you should attend it, I believe it is invitation-only, which means that somebody has to recommend you. I don't think you can simply apply for it.

Is it a great opportunity? It's a great learning experience. I have no idea if it will help you to get hired or not. I personally did not get hired by a D1 conference by going to this camp. Obviously, I can't speak for anyone else's experience there, tho.

Hope that helps a little.

[Edited by ChuckElias on Jun 15th, 2004 at 08:09 PM]

Sounds like the invitation means something, ReadyToRef. If it were me, I'd consider it very seriously.

OK, advice:

Yeah...$525 is a lot of money. Make sure you understand going in what you're gonna get. If you're looking to get hired then call the camp director & ask him who the observers are going to be. If you live in Seattle it doesn't make sense to impress some guy who assigns D2 in Georgia. If you're looking to learn call the camp director and ask him if this is a teaching camp. $525 is a little rich for a learning camp, IMO, but it's your money and you will be close to Disney! :)

[Edited by Dan_ref on Jun 15th, 2004 at 09:03 PM]

Chuck,

Thanks for the info and the link, it was very informative.

Rainmaker,

I was a little thrown off by the invitation because it said for "Division I prospects" and I don't consider myself in that elite class after officiating only three years but I am giving it great consideration.

Dan_ref,

Yes, $525 is a lot of money for a teaching camp and I have no real desire to be near Disney especially if I have to drive 30-45 miles to other gyms to call games like Chuck mentioned in his link. Since I am already attending three teaching camps this summer, I think I'll have to pass on this one.

Even though this was a tough decision, I appreciate everyone's input.

Chuck,

After reading the entire thread about your experience at the camp last year I am totally bumed out.

I had a chance to go to Violet Palmer's camp in LA this year but I had to pass because I have to fly down to San Diego for a camp and couldn't get away for 2 weekends so close to each other (2 weeks apart). I have heard that she is a great person to talk with and work with.

I am really going to try to get into her camp next year.

I believe that this year, camp officials will be assigned only to games at the Milk House in the WDW Wide World of Sports Complex.

That's what we were told at the end of camp last year.

"I invite you to pay me $525 to come to my camp." :rolleyes:

Sound like you've made a wise decision to me. You made the decision baased on information given to you, not because you were "flattered" to be invited. Good choice!

I believe that this year, camp officials will be assigned only to games at the Milk House in the WDW Wide World of Sports Complex.

[/B][/QUOTE]The "Milk House"? The "Milk House"? I'd be ashamed to tell anybody that I actually PAID money to referee games at a Milk House.

Don't they have a Brownpop House?