what do i do...

[JohnBark]

in my girls jr. high tonight, my partner was a total newbie. not that i'm a veteran official by any means. but, this guy didn't know squat!!! out of position, wrong mechanics, bad calls, bad no calls. both coaches were upset. and i quite frankly don't blame them. i had to settle several discussions and calls made by my partner.

he made us, meaning our crew (2 man), look very, very bad.

i didn't tell him what to do. i didn't feel it was my place. but, he made me look bad because of some of his non-calls. coaches were wanting explanations. and he had none.

missed called like missing the ball go out of bounds. both coaches looked at me for help. all i could tell them was i wasn't watching his area and that it was his call.

what was i suppose to do? i have never worked with another official that just didn't know where he was suppose to be or to do or anything related to officiating a basketball game.

any suggestions?

[ChuckElias]

All you can do is talk to him about it during breaks or at halftime. You can't do his explaining to the coaches, you can't make (all) his calls. You get thru it as best you can and then -- if he's receptive -- you try to point out to him some things he needs to work on.

[JRutledge]

Welcome to the world of JH ball. That is where most of us started. I am assuming it is early in the year and he might not really know anything at all (like you stated). Be patient with him. These situations are going to happen from time to time. Maybe he will get it in the future. But all you can do at that moment is work with him and understand you are the veteran. These are the situations that you just have to step up.

Peace

[cloverdale]

this season is the first time they have trusted me enough to help the new refs break in...what a privilage(sp)...frustrating some times but all I have to do is remember how I was treated, put up with , how they handled the blown calls and mess ups...the thing I remember is them telling me to take 1 thing and work on it and work on it and work on it...mechanics first, partner needs to know what you know...be an encouragement much like this forum is to me...sometime I feel like im asking dumb questions but ALWAYS get good advice and treated with respect...lots of layers to this onion.

[canuckrefguy]

There is a saying....you live as a crew and die as a crew.

It must have been very frustrating, indeed. We have all been there - on both ends, I suspect.

But Rut had a great point - you have to step up. And that's not just perhaps helping out with calls more than you're used to. What kinds of conversations did you have during timeouts? At halftime? After the game?

Ask yourself what YOU did to try and make your crew work. After you've established that your partner is struggling, ask yourself how YOU can maximize the situation. Obviously you can't do it all, but you are the veteran in this situation - you need to show leadership - and real leadership is ACTION, not a position.

Let's say you were working with a much more experienced official in a game where you were struggling. Would you be looking to your partner for help?

I remember a pair of games my first season....in one, I was screwing up everywhere. My partner spent the game changing my calls, cleaning up my messes, and fuming at the other end of the court during timeouts. The other one I struggled just as much, but my partner went out of his way to try and keep me as relaxed and focused as possible. Which senior partner were you?

It's no fun having to spend an entire game cleaning up after your partner. But use the experience to see if you can act POSITIVELY on it next time.

[Edited by canuckrefguy on Oct 15th, 2004 at 01:46 AM]

[SMEngmann]

I think the key here is whether your partner was just a newbie getting his feet wet, or a newbie who is lazy and just doesn't care. As long as my partner shows effort and looks like he's trying out there and wants to improve, this game is a good game to point him in the right direction and help him work on things. But if this is simply a guy who doesn't care, I'd let the assignor know what happened. I absolutely hate working a game, no matter what level, with someone who doesn't care. I give my best effort in every game, whether it's varsity, intramurals, rec ball or 4th grade girls, and anything less is disrespecting the game and the players. I once worked with a guy in a rec game who I thought was a rookie, calling out of his area, not going all the way down as the lead and even not stopping the clock on fouls and violations. I found out later that this guy was a former collegiate ref and I was floored. I'd work any game, any time with a newbie who tries than this "college" ref who doesn't care.

[Back In The Saddle]

A friend once gave me this piece of advice. He told me that when he takes the floor, whether he's the R or U2, he wants to be the guy who everybody knows they can turn to when something needs to be fixed. In this situation, I think you have to step up and be that guy. Do what you can to help your partner. But your primary responsibility is to the game.

[JohnBark]

thanks for all the advice and suggestions. i certainly hope my partner works on his game a little more. being new this year to school ball, i don't want any coach thinking i'm not worthy to be out on the floor.

and as one of you pointed out, "you live as a crew and die as a crew", i guess i died last night. but, the good thing is i have another game next week at the same place to correct that. i only hope i have a different partner!

thanks again!

[mick]

Originally posted by JRutledge
Welcome to the world of JH ball. That is where most of us started. I am assuming it is early in the year and he might not really know anything at all (like you stated). Be patient with him. These situations are going to happen from time to time. Maybe he will get it in the future. But all you can do at that moment is work with him and understand you are the veteran. These are the situations that you just have to step up.

Peace

Rut,
I had a girls' JH game last night.
Final 51-2.
Wasn't as close as the score indicated.
mick

[Lotto]

Originally posted by mick
Rut,
I had a girls' JH game last night.
Final 51-2.
Wasn't as close as the score indicated.
mick [/B]

Ouch---I've been there too. There's nothing more painful than a basketball game where the home team has a goose egg on the scoreboard in the second half...

[Stat-Man]

Rut,
I had a girls' JH game last night.
Final 51-2.
Wasn't as close as the score indicated.
mick

Had a JV game last week that was 50-2. (A very tight 10-2 at one point ). I had to check twice to make sure you're trying to say you were at our game.

[mick]

Originally posted by Stat-Man

Had a JV game last week that was 50-2. (A very tight 10-2 at one point ). I had to check twice to make sure you're trying to say you were at our game.

Stat-Man,
Was your clock running also?
mick

[Kelvin green]

My advice

1) you need to havee discussions at breaks, half times etc
2)If you know you have a weak partner you better know what is going on evrywhere on the court. You wont call them but you better know because if there is something that HAS to be called and it isn't you both lose!
3) You have to be good in your areas. Coaches know when they have good refs and poor ones. Most of the time the good coaches will complain to the good ref most of the night because they know if they did it would just whistle in the wind

Like most of the others have said:

1. Good pregame - if there is enough time you may have a feeling for what your partner may be like before you step on the floor

2. Discuss when you can during the game (timeouts, halftime...)

3. Expand your area to help out - don't make all the calls make the necessary ones.

4. Don't overrule your partner - bring them information (if you saw it the other way) and let them change it. Help them keep calm.

5. Post game - discuss with them how they feel about the game. Do they have any questions. It won't help with the current game but it can help them improve for the next one.

Good luck with the next ones.