One-man officiating

[Jimgolf]

I've done a lot of one-man at the youth level. At this level, the parents are happy to see their kids running up and down the court, so there isn't too much grief fom the coaches and fans. For the most part, you're an instructor as much as you're a referee.

With kids over 12, you really need a partner to control the game. There is too much action and the players are catching on to what they can get away with. Rec leagues in particular are filled with players whose minimal knowlege of the game is from watching the NBA, so you're sure to spend much of your time getting yelled at for no particular reason.

One man officiating is not a job for a beginning ref. The quickest way to learn is from working along side an experienced official. What you end up doing is re-inforcing your errors instead of having them corrected.

On the good side, you'll learn your game management skills without risking future employment, since I hope you won't get rooked into this arrangement again. Mo pay and high abuse is a sure recipe for burnout.