Ive been doing baseball for 6 seasons now, and am thinking about jumping into basketball this fall/winter. What advice do you guys have and your overall thoughts after being around for a while? Thanks.

Having done another sport helps, but basketball is hands down the most difficult sport to officiate. You run more than any sport but soccer. The speed of the game itself gives you less time to think about what you have to call. The players are moving, you are moving, so the play can be viewed drastically different from one spot on the floor to the next.

Your main obstacle will be not to use the "hammer" on a foul call.:D

It's a challenge, but that is one of the things that most of us love about working basketball.

Advice?

Do it.

Be in shape.

Good luck!

Lacrosse?

You always gotta stir the pot..;.... ;:

Argue? Me? I don't argue! When did I ever argue? Arguing is pointless, so I don't do it. Why would you say I always stir the pot?

I worked baseball for 8 years before starting basketball. They are nothing alike. In baseball on each play/pitch, everyone waits for a call. In basketball the game flows, and you are constantly making decisions/rulings (IAABO loves that term) about things that are legal/illegal. If you don't blow the whistle the game won't stop.

First you need to learn to blow the whistle to stop the game. Second, you need to learn how to see things while they are moving and while you are moving.

It took me a couple of seasons to get the differences worked out.

Gook luck, (oh, and get in shape. You will run!)

Aepitaz

I actually already thought about that, esepcially since I ref it but I decided not to 'stir the pot' :)

You could be the best baseball umpire and be the worst basketball officials.

Basketball requires you to be in better shape. You have to make many more decisions within a very short span of time. Whether you blow your whistle or not. And you have to have better people skills to work at a high level of basketball. You have to no when to say thing and when not to say things even more as a basketball official. Most of your confrontations in basketball are short and sweet and if you do not handle them correctly, they will continue throughout the game. The fans are closer, the game is more intense and in my opinion more fun. And most of all your games are not determined by the weather outside.

I started my basketball career before I did my first baseball game. Baseball was a cake walk as compared to working baseball.

Peace

We can use all the good officials we can get.
Read the rule and case books a lot.
Take all the game experience you can get.
Visit and participate in this forum frequently.
Have fun and enjoy the interaction with the coaches, players and fellow officials.
Smiling also helps alomg with a sense of humor.

Back in MD/DC I did lacrosse, and still officate soccer. My opinion is that soccer is more running because lacrosse tends to settle in the offensive end, similar to basketball, giving the officials somewhat of a rest. Soccer tends to have more of a back and forth flow. Of course, this is not always the case, but generally speaking.

I'd say that basketball, lacrosse, hockey, and soccer have much in common for the officials.

Oh I definitely agree. From what I've heard, talking to peopel who do hockey, they say it is really easy on the ice because you don't have to do a lot of work to move around.

I've never done soccer so I can't speak from experience. I agree though, the ball does settle more in lacrosse. I just thought soccer was kind of more of a jog, didn't have to sprint as much. Lacrosse you have to get into position just like basketball. But you're the one with both sports under your belt so what do i know. :)

mrm21711

Be in shape, know the rules, skin must be at least 3" thick. If you do not drink now, you will after your first season of girls basketball.

I don't know if it's the same everywhere, but when I was doing baseball/softball there were few enough officials that I could work every day of the week, often twice a day. In basketball there's a lot more officials so you get fewer games.

Great line! Where'd you get it?