Thanks, all. I had a very wondervful birthday. Today I have my first Jr. High game. A bit nervious, but ready, I will be sure to post how it goes. Thanks for all the help..

I MADE IT :).. The game went really well, however, one of the things I think I need help or practice on is coverage. Where to stand and all of that good stuff. :)

Good for you. Just keep watching others and never stop learning ;)

I'm a soccer referee since I'm 12 (I swear!). I started refereeing basketball this season and I really enjoy it. These two sports are definitly different thrills to officiate! I turned 17 on October 29.

Happy (late) birthday brendan89! :)

Congrats! Get a copy of the official's manual. Talk to other officials. Go to high school and college games and watch the officials. Attend any camps or clinics you can find. All of these will help you learn the basics of positioning, etc. But the most important piece of advice I've ever been given is this: Go where you need to go to get the angle and see the play. If you're standing where the book says you should be and you can't see what's happening, you're in the wrong spot :)

Brandon, I'm 28 and this is my second year. I read the books and look online for tips almost every day. When I watch games now, I watch the refs. As I'm finding out, you can learn a rule by reading it, but you won't know it until you have to officiate it. That comes from working games.

These old guys (anyone 29 and up) know a lot so make sure you stay on boards like this.