Now I'm ANGRY

mikesears · #1 (**permalink**) Mon Jan 22, 2001, 03:13pm

I just checked our state association website for any new rankings that have come in. In Illinois, you are supposed to get a ranking from 1 (best) to 5 (worst) from each Varsity contest for which you officiate. You can also get ratings from the highest ranked officials (certified).

This is what I just received:

1 "four (below average)" from a coach. (No explanation allowed). (Probably from the moron coach who was threatening me with poor ratings during a game - I've only done three Varsity games and this was early in the season.)

1 "three (average)" from a certified official. This official said I need to work on three categories: Rules knowledge, mechanics and positioning, and judgment.

Now to what makes me a little angry:

#1. No real mentoring program. I've been a member of my association for several years now and haven't gotten any kind of mentor to assist me. I really want to know how to improve. I don't want coaches rating me "4-below average". How can I find a mentor?

#2. Veterens aren't providing any insights. After many of my games (especially where I work with veterens), I ask what I can do to improve. I usually get the standard, "you did fine" or "just keep working on your mechanics". I really want specifics.

I really just want to vent but also encourage veterens out there to help us who are getting started. This board is GREAT for helping out with rules knowledge. However, no of you SEE me work so it is hard to work on mechanics and positioning and judgment.

Just venting a little over some pretty average ratings.

SCBroncos · #2 (**permalink**) Mon Jan 22, 2001, 03:20pm

Here something I have learned over the last couple of years:

Veteran officials are not going to seek you out to improve your game. Most good veteran officials I know work very busy schedules and they are not likely to just show up unannounced and evaluate you.

As a young official, it is your (our) job to find a few officials that we respect, and ask them if they would come and watch one of our games. I think most veteran officials did something similar to this at some point in their career and if at all possible, would be glad to help out a fellow official.

As far as those ratings go, I ref in CA and I am not aware of anything like that here. Is that common in other states as well? All of our ratings are done at meetings which we don't attend and we ussually never hear about them anyway.

mikesears · #3 (**permalink**) Mon Jan 22, 2001, 03:28pm

It is standard practice in Illinois. Maybe the IHSA should allow officials to rate coaches on such things as RULE KNOWLEDGE and SPORTSMANSHIP! :-0

Are camps and clinics truly helpful or is finding a mentor a better option?

SCBroncos · #4 (**permalink**) Mon Jan 22, 2001, 03:33pm

If you don't have a mentor yet, I suggest getting one before forking out the dough for a camp. They can be expensive and if you haven't been evaluated much prior to going, you may be a bit overwhelmed. I think it is easier to hear some initial comments from someone you work with, then once you have addressed some of the things that they have pointed out, you might be ready for the next step - a camp.

If you have aspirations of working at a level higher than HS, then be sure you are ready before you go to a camp. They are there to help us as officials, but they sometimes also serve as a place to be seen by college assignors. You don't want to go to a camp and look too unimpressive as your first impression may be your last...

Dan_ref · #5 (**permalink**) Mon Jan 22, 2001, 03:50pm

I would say find a good non-try out camp. You will learn
a lot. IAABO runs quite a few over the summer but they
are all on the east coast.

bob jenkins · #6 (**permalink**) Mon Jan 22, 2001, 04:20pm

Quote:

Originally posted by mikesears
It is standard practice in Illinois. Maybe the IHSA should allow officials to rate coaches on such things as RULE KNOWLEDGE and SPORTSMANSHIP! :-0

Are camps and clinics truly helpful or is finding a mentor a better option?

Camps and clinics can be useful (and they're required in IL) -- but you need to ask for specifics on what the evaluator saw. Where is "Stanford, IL?"

I'm sure you have particular things you are working on. Ask the V officials specific questions about that (did I come to a complete stop before reporting fouls?, did I close down on shots? would you have handled that strange situation any differently?)

Bart Tyson · #7 (**permalink**) Mon Jan 22, 2001, 04:25pm

Go to camps and you should be able to find a mentor. Get the game tape and review your games. Don't take any stock in what the coaches say. And finally, next time a coach says anything to you about ratings, you must give him a "T".

Kelly Kinghorn · #8 (**permalink**) Mon Jan 22, 2001, 06:14pm

Mike--

Does a mentor have to be assigned? Why don't you go and "find" one for yourself. Do you know any good officials in your area? Talk with them, go to their games (inlcuding pre-and post-game discussions), go have a drink with them, talk basketball (games, situations, philosophy, etc.) with them. You get the idea. Ask them to come see you, buy them dinner for their trouble, if you have to. Help yourself by being a friend to them and having them take an interest in you. Let them know what your asperations in officiating are and ask them how to get there.

It really isn't that tough...

BOB SPARKS · #9 (**permalink**) Mon Jan 22, 2001, 10:34pm

ask a vetern offical to come to one of your games and observe you. better yet have someone film your game to give you something to look at and evaluate yourself.

rainmaker · #10 (**permalink**) Tue Jan 23, 2001, 01:13am

Mike--

I'm also quite new, and I have two suggestions for how to improve. One, game film. If there isn't one available, hire a HS kid for $10 bucks plus the cost of admission to come and film you. Study the film closely. You'll be amazed what you can see that you can't feel. At least I always am. Two, find a camp where they are more interested in your improvement, and less interested in what you already know (ie not a "try-out" camp). The camps I went to this ;ast summer had an "evaluator" walking the sidelines giving us suggestions. It was all very concrete stuff, like "Sted down a little farther" "gotta run faster" "Straighten that arm!" "Great call!" They had a mike which recorded onto a game tape which was recording the whole thing, so I could take that tape home and see myself, hear the suggestions, replay, rewind, etc. This was definitely worth five years experience. Also at one of the camps, one of the evaluators took an interest in me and has been available to me this past year for questions, encouragement, political advice, and even one (very complimentary) evaluation. Keep asking, keep pursuing and then share what you learn, with us!

Paul in Seattle · #11 (**permalink**) Wed Jan 24, 2001, 03:51pm

Two things I've learned from:

1. As a JV official, I had my brother come to videotape me work. Before the game, I spotted the varsity official and asked him to sit next to the camera and make comments as I went. It was incredibly educational, watching that tape.

2. At camp this summer, we worked a couple of games wearing receptionists' headphones (the kind that cover one ear). As we worked, we were getting messages from our evaluator on the sideline. Once we got over the weirdness, it was really, really useful.

The second won't happen outside of camp, but if you find someone to watch your game and comment on the tape in real time, it can really, really help.

PH