my very first scrimage ever was last night
 

Well, I have my very first scrimmage ever tonite at Canyon Springs High School here in Las Vegas from 4:30 to 6. Apparently there will be multiple games going on. I have another scrimmage tomorrow at Green Valley HS at 1 pm (I signed up for as many as I could get).

My understanding is there will be a senior official there who will watch and the refs will rotate in in 5 minute shifts (or so) and the senior guy will talk to you about what he saw, then put you back in. If there are enough senior guys they will run with us side by side. At this level it is all two person mechanics.

Also, a senior official who has been mentoring me will be there and is going to watch the scrimmage to help me out too.

I am so geeked to finally put the uni on under game conditions and blow the whistle under game conditions.

I'm sure I'll make 100 mistakes, but I know that and I am ready for that.

Wish me luck! :)

Clark

Good luck!

Good luck, Clark! You're doing the right thing by getting on the floor as much as you can. One suggestion, which you probably already know/plan on: ask around to find out which officials are really good and have excellent mechanics. Then, when you're not on the floor, watch those guys/gals. You'll learn a lot just by watching.

Enjoy!

Word of advice......

When you blow the whistle don't give it a wimpy exhale but be sure to put a charge into it. Be confident in your calls and "sell" it. Watched a state tournament game last night and one official appeared wishy washy and tentative at times simply because he did not have a good, loud blow.

Thanks for the well wishes and the advice. I'm sure I'll blow the whistle either way too loud or way to soft the first few times. Practicing in the garage isnt exactly the same as being in the gym full of people (well, players anyway).

I'm so geeked for this I cant really even concentrate on my work today.

I am meeting with a senior official who is my mentor for lunch to do what he considers a proper "pre-game". He doesnt want me learning bad habits early. I am, of course, very appreciative for that.

Clark

Have fun tonight! Remember that everything will seem like it is going 100 mile an hour. Do not be alarmed if this happens. Just relax and call what you see!

Clark,

Following up on what Robmoz said:
Strong whistle
Strong clear voice
Make your calls clear and deliberate - take your time & don't try to rush them
Same with mechanics - don't rush it, make them clear & deliberate

Most importantly:
Relax!
Don't forget to have fun!

Go get 'em Cowboy. With your attitude of humility and eagerness to learn, you can't help but do good. Listen up as it sounds like your mentor really wants to help you.

Clark, good luck tonight. Have fun and listen!

Good Luck! You'll be even more excited after you're done! I remember wanting to get right back out there and continue learning after my first game. Have fun! I echo the suggestion to not rush.... and whatever the evaluators have to say, never respond with a "yeah, but"

Clark, just hearing your excitement is making me smile. Good luck tonight. Enjoy. Got my first real game of the season tomorrow. I'm pretty excited too.

Let us know how it goes.

So I photocopied and laminated that really handy Technical Foul Penalty Summary chart fromo Page 73 of the rule book to keep in my back pocket.

Do any of you actually bring the whole rule book with you and keep it in your back pocket? I figured maybe the books were that small for a reason :)

Clark

Books
 

Good luck tonight! By now you are already in the mix. Hope everything is going good. You'll be fine. As far as the rules books I don't think anyone keeps them in their back pockets, however I do carry mine with me in my gear bag. And as far as the sheet goes, probably best to keep that with your rules book, if you're not sure of something ask the other official or look it up in between games or at half. Like everyone else has said be sure to report back on how everything went! Take care.

Never on the floor. Always in my bag for reference at halftime/postgame.

I suggest that you never pull out a rulebook or reference card to see what you should do about a call. Make a decision based on what you know. Make it confidently. When back in the locker room, look it up. If you got it wrong, you'll remember it better than relying on a reference card. If you got it right, you know it and don't need the card.

WOW.

That was a blast. I am totally addicted and cant wait for my scrimmage tomorrow (at 1 pm).

It was great. A senior guy and us 3 newbies did the Freshman boys game in the secondary gym (at a brand new school, the gym was great). 2 newbies were on the floor the whole time with the senior guy running with one of us and then changing to the other. We whistled it unless he wanted to step in to call something. The newbies alternated so there were always two pairs of officials--him and a newbie and then 2 newbies on the other side. One called, the otehr just ran to see angles and understand spacing and switching. It was really great.

We ran 5 quarters of 10 minutes each, but it was a running clock (though as officials we still did the stop clock and start clock signals, but the clock didnt start or stop).

Now I used to play ball so I found myself running a bit like a player--not straight up, but in a more athletic stance. It took me about 3 of the quarters to realize I didnt have to run that much and that frankly I shouldnt run that much. I can do less and see more. Sure, there is the occasional fast break that you have to bust it on but generally moving more slowly and deliberately seems much better and makes a big difference.

It also took me about 3 quarters to see anything other than a real narrow field of vision. By the end of the night my view was much wider. Heck, early on I was so woried about myslef and having my whistle in my mouth I was barely seeing on ball action let alone off ball action. I'm sure you all can relate :)

My best "call" of the night actually wasnt a call it was recognition of a time out. I say it is my best becaue finally I felt I was seeing more of the game--I actually noticed the coach. Blew the whistle. Stop clock signal. Move to center. "Timeout white," signal to bench, signal it was the coach, "coache's time" made full time out signal "full time out" indicated the scorer to start it. The senior guy said good job.

I found it hard to officiate the freshman kids since not a one of them was in good defensive postiion. It was so scrappy and hands are everywhere all the time. But the kids arent that big so even on contact, which there was a lot of, no one is getting hit hard. I found that hard to call. I guess that is controlled by your philosophy of how you call a game. I let a lot of contact go. The senior guy agreed it is hard to call the younger games and that the higher skill levels make it easier because the defense is better.

By quarter 3 I was ball watching less (still doing it, just not as bad). I particular I found it hard not to ball watch on transitions (not fast breaks where the ball is ahead but on rebounds or after made baskets where the ball is behind the other players coming up court) when I go from trail to lead and have to watch the players ahead of the ball. I really found myself looking back. I was bad at realizing a press. I found myself down too far and having to come back a bit.

I also had NO FREAKING CLUE about game awareness as to time or fouls. Now that didnt really matter in this game but I had no idea the time remaining, etc.

It also took me about 3 quarters to remember to look over for subs.

But I settled down, stopped running so much, was making good eye contact with my partner before throw ins etc.

Everyone on this board gave me lots of advice and I guess I heard it but didnt understand it until now. Some people said "pick one thing to work on." I thought I knew what that meant. But I didnt. Now I do. I totally see how helpful it is to say "tonite I am going to work on XXX." Tomorrow I am going to work on staying only in my area and on my hand going up with my whistle. I found myself blowing the whistle but not always getting an arm up right away with a stop or a foul indication. Those are my two things.

I felt good about my start clock signals on out of bouds. I dont think I messed up "boxing in," I think I was on the correct side every time. I chopped time in and was told I did a good 10 second count and good closely guarded counts (though paying attention to that kept me from calling a few things).

All in all I was happy with how I did and happy with the amount of attention and teaching I got from the senior guys and how willing they were to help. I stayed and watched the varsity scrimmage and a few senior guys sat with us newbies and said "ignore their positioning but see how they stand and their hand signals" and that was real helpful.

Anyway, I loved it and am totally hooked. :) Thanks for all the kind words.

I just really want to be good at this. I love seeing the kids play. They are so into it. They deserve an official that has the same fire. That really motivated me. To these kids these games are so important, even these scrimmages. I loved seeing them compete. And a couple kids came over and said thanks afterwards (including the two best players from one of the teams, which impressed me).

I'm a District Attorney, so I guess "community service" is in my makeup. Maybe I am being a dork, but I totally see this work as not only fun and athletic but a bit of community service too.

I just cant convey how much fun I had tonite.

BUT I also had an interesting experience. The last quarter an official came in late. Not a senior guy but not a newbie either. He just came right up, didnt say hi, didnt introduce himeslef, just butted right in and said "i need some work, i'm working this next quarter." we were all having fun being cool taking turns. everyone was new and we were all just trying to learn and make mistakes together and help each other out. everyone was real respectful (before this guy arrived), asking "hey you want to work this quarter and I'll run with you" and stuff like that. and then when this guy came in he was calling all over everyone reaching deep into the lane when he is trail and just being a tool. not talking to his partner. stop signing everyone. I didnt say anything because I am a new guy (and neither did the senior guy, though later he said that guy was a spaz). I'd rather just shut up. But my firend and I nicknamed this guy "cowboy" and I have to tell you I dont want to work with a guy like that. Just a hardass. Not helpful. Acting like its beneath him to run with newbies. Saying things like "you guys obviously havent called this tight, so I'm gonna show them 'I' wont let stuff go." OK stud, you go big fella.

Despite that, everyone else I met was great. And I saw a few guys who I thought were super sharp.

Thanks for listening to my newbie rant :)

Clark