I had a game recently, the last game of four. I blew the toss, badly. It took my totally by surprise and by the time I'd realized how bad it was and got my whistle in my mouth, the first bucket had already been scored. Bottom line--I lost my focus.

What do you do to keep from losing focus? How do you make sure you're in the game starting with the opening toss? Even at the end of a long night.

Correct me if I'm wrong but shouldn't the other official(s) who is/are not tossing the ball observing the toss making the call if it was bad?

The umpire should blow back a poor toss.

Too true. The fact is, he didn't. But I can only fix one of us.

I don't know how to if you are doing multiple games. I do my toss the same way every time, so focus on your routine.

I once had a 4th game of the night that went 3 overtimes, so I had FOUR tosses. Not a bad one in the bunch...as he pats himself on the back.:D

just 1 time I want the throw the ball into the corner and let the kids race for it.

You could move to Iowa and flip a coin for girls' games.

Do less than four games. :eek:

Z

Seriously, Ray, I don't think this is a bad suggestion. Nor is the one from BZ about establishing a routine and sticking to it.

What I do anytime I have trouble keeping my head in the game is talk to myself out loud, describing what's happening, and my judgements and decisions. It really does work.

Just one time I would like my toss not to look lke I'm tossing it in the corner... :p

School me...
 

Slightly OT but:

why in the world do they do a coin toss? What possible reason could there be to do that instead of a jump ball. There must be a reason, but it seems just STUPID to me!

Help me understand this one..

I believe the thinking is that the girls are not good enough athletes for a toss, but I'm not sure. Then again, in Iowa we've only been playing girls 5 on 5 for about 10-15 years. There are other differences between boys and girls. One example is that for girls in Iowa, if a player is knocked unconcious they may re-enter the game with a school officials approval, rather than a doctor's. One rule change that I do like is that they leave the bottom blocks of the lane empty for free throws. I think it cleans up a lot of pushing. Early in the season in G/B double headers I make sure I go over the adaptations before the girls game just so I don't mess something up.

Re: School me...
 

I visited the Iowa High School Activities Association web site. Buried inside the girl's basketball section was this explaination.

"Beginning with the 2001-2002 season, each game will begin with a coin toss. The winner of the toss will be awarded the ball for a throw in to begin the game.

Be assured that the change was not undertaken lightly. A large working group consisting of coaches, administrators, officials and state office personell studied this issue for more than three years before recommending this action. Although the jump ball has always been a somewhat controversial element of the game, the committee stated that the deciding factor was ultimately that Dan_ref was unable to produce a toss that did not look like he was tossing it into the corner." :D

Re: Re: School me...
 

Well, I personally think they should re-consider now that they've run him out of the state.

I'd rather toss a ball than a coin... anyday.
 

I guess title 9 does not apply to jump balls..

I will add, on a strictly personal note... with my particular skill set, I'd rather toss a jump ball than a coin. As a run-of-the-mill American kid, I have been throwing balls since I was 2 years old... and I am actually compitent at that.. but flipping a coin.. forget about it.. I am lucky if you can find it after I flip it... it will likely land out of bounds if I toss it at the center circle...

If I were reffing in Iowa, I'd make the girls do rock-paper- scissors for the first possesion, it is just as legitimate as a coin toss.

What are those hawkeyes thinking.

On occasion at lower level games we've had to pick a number between one 1 and 5 because someone didn't bring a coin. I have to agree that my coin flips are often not as good as my jumps. I need to spend some time working on them. I think rock papers scissors would add some suspense to the game. Maybe folks would show up to see it.

Re: Re: Re: School me...
 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by rainmaker
[B]I'm famous! I made a difference! Yipeee! :D Hey c'mon....I was only in Iowa once and I was no where near that bank!

(Actually I was there during February a long time ago. Minus 30 degrees on a clear windless night, more snow than I've ever seen in 1 place my entire life.)

"Hey c'mon....I was only in Iowa once and I was no where near that bank!

(Actually I was there during February a long time ago. Minus 30 degrees on a clear windless night, more snow than I've ever seen in 1 place my entire life.)"

The scary thing is that when I was living in Missouri I actually missed this place in the winter. That along with the fact that I ref could probably prove me legally insane. Besides, Minus 30 is beach weather in Northern Iowa. You should be here when the wind is blowing!

Whichever captain is better-looking gets the ball! :eek:

I live and ref in Iowa and the coin toss is absolutely ridiculous. I also ref across the river in Illinois and Illinois and Iowa teams somtimes play each other. It is quite humorous to see how lost the Iowa girls are trying to line up for a jump ball. We have different state associations for boys and girls sports in Iowa and I believe that the only reason that the girls union comes up with their own adaptations is so that they can continue to justify their existence. Funny how girls in every other state of the union can manage a jump ball.

[Edited by IowaMike on Oct 24th, 2004 at 10:56 PM]

Well, I tried to limit it to three. But the assigner wouldn't give me just three. It was four or nuthin.

I have never tried doing the play-by-play thing you describe. I should try it. Of course, I used to do basketball play-by-play on the radio when I was younger. So if I did it, it would probably come out sounding like Hot Rod Hundley. Or worse, Billy Packer :D

I do have a kind of routine on free-throws where I think through what I'll be looking for. It goes something like, "Hold your whistle on white, blow on red. Watch for the second player to push. You've got your half of the key on any rebound." Just the act of saying it in my head tends to force me to focus. Perhaps something similar for the jump ball would be effective.

By Jove, I think he's got it!