I have recently found myself anticipating foul calls especially on fast breaks. It has gotten to the point that I catch my hand going up to the half way point. This is my first year officiating and I am working on applying the advantage/disadvantage rule instead of just officiating in black and white. Has anybody else out there foud themselves commiting this error? If so, what do you do short of putting your hands in your pockets?

Sarge: I've had this problem longer than most. The way I have tried to refrain from raising my arm is to just grab a little pant leg as you see the play develop under neath. It has helped me greatly. But I think the thing that has helped me most, is being patient with the whisltle in situations where contact may occur but not cause advantage/disadvantage to take place. Such as when a player goes up for a shot and is bumped sightly but the bump does not affect the shot from going in. Our association has said to try and call fewer 2 and 1's, because if the basket goes there was no advantage gained. Hope this helps, Just keep working on it!!!!

Slow down. Slow down, slow down, slow down!

And I'm not just talking about on fast breaks. Start slowing yourself down in all phases of the game. When you're at lead during a half court and have a foul, make yourself slow down. Blow the whistle. Raise your fist. Point to the player. Call your foul. Give your preliminary signal. Tell you partner who the shooter is. Proceed to the table. Stop. Verbally and visually signal the foul. Give the # of shots. Return to your spot.

Start with fouls and move to violations. Soon your entire game will have slowed down. It will translate over to fast breaks and intense situations. You'll also stop making marginal calls that you could have passed on or fouls where, if you hadn't blown the whistle, the players would have played through it.

Oh, did I mention that you need to slow down? :)

Great advice! Telling myself to slow down is one thing that has really helped me this year, (I am also a first-year official). As a player you anticipate, as an official we must react to fouls and violations as they occur. I too have found my arm half way up as I anticipated contact (coaches LOVE that):).

Another thing I do is put my tongue over the mouthpiece of the whistle. It helps remind me to wait until I know what I have seen before I blow.

Mike

Another Newbie (2nd yr Official)
 

SLOW DOWN is some of the best advice you can get.... BktballRef is AGAIN "right on target".

TMI, Mike!!! :)

As a vet, one of the biggest things I tell rooks I work with over and over is to slow down. The most important thing to remember is, no one can do anything with out us. Take your time, and get it right the first time. Tis easier to do it right first, then fix it later.

Especially when that MS coach just watched his "how-to-be-a-coach in 20 minues by Bobby Kinght" video.