cant seem to make anybody happy!!!!!!!

[chrs_schuster]

I'll start off with I,m a first year ref. thats the only good thing so far, I think I'm a good ref, but I still have alot to learn in which I know. BUT, I cant seem to make anybody happy with any call that I make or not make. If I make a call people *****, If I dont make a call people really *****. I find myself during a game hoping that the point guard or whoever has the ball pulls up for a jumpshot rather than drive the lane and I have to make the call one way or the other. What do I need to do? toughen up and let it roll off me and go on with the game. I try to get as much info from all the partners that I work with which helps a little. But sometimes there no help. Any advice would be helpful. thanks, chris

[GarthB]

The only time no one *****es is when the foul/violation is so obvious that even the player's grandma knew he had it coming. Relax, work as many games as you can, focus, study, watch the better officials in your area, learn, stay in shape.

There is one caution I would give, though. I have noticed that many of the first year officials I have watched this year get too close to the play. I watched a game last night in which the rookie, as lead, took every drive to the hoop as close as he could get to the basket and plays would just explode in his face. He would make calls at the appropriate time, but at least half of them were called the wrong way or on the wrong player. He knew "something" happened, but he was just too close to see the full picture. He heard a lot b!itching, too.

[JugglingReferee]

Find a mentor, someone in your association, typically with at least 8-10 years of quality experience.

Ask him or her to watch some of your games and help where it's most needed.

Remember, officiating is the only job where you're expected to be perfect the first time, and then keep improving from then on.

I've always liked that quote, but what about doctors, nuclear physicists, etc...?

[Mark Dexter]

Originally posted by JugglingReferee

Remember, officiating is the only job where you're expected to be perfect the first time, and then keep improving from then on.

I've always liked that quote, but what about doctors, nuclear physicists, etc...?

Doctors aren't expected to be perfect - that's why they have malpractice insurance.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally posted by Mark Dexter

Doctors aren't expected to be perfect - that's why they have malpractice insurance.

Doctor's bury their mistakes. Nuclear physicist's blow their mistakes up. All we can do with our mistakes is lie.

EVERYBODY NOTE THE DAMNED SMILEY!!!

[refnrev]

chrs....
I'm a 3 sport offical. I think it takes at least 3 years to begin to become a consitently good ref. Hang in there. Learn what you can. Don't take the comments personally. Do your best. If this avocation is for you, you'll learn to roll with the punches and enjoy it. If not, you'll know in time. Don't beat yourself up for first year mistakes. We all made our share of mistakes when we started, some us some really stupid ones. Crawl before you walk, walk before you run, run before you take off and fly. Learn everything you can from seasoned officials. And remember, everyone in the stands knows they can do better than you, but they never have the guts to get on the court to try.

[JRutledge]

You could be doing this for 10 years and you still are not going to make everyone happy. This comes with the territory. Once you realize that, you will then understand what our job is. Half the people are going to be very happy with our decisions. The other half is going to be very unhappy with our decisions. That will never change. That is what officiating is all about.

Peace

[rainmaker]

Originally posted by chrs_schuster
I'll start off with I,m a first year ref. thats the only good thing so far, I think I'm a good ref, but I still have alot to learn in which I know. BUT, I cant seem to make anybody happy with any call that I make or not make. If I make a call people *****, If I dont make a call people really *****. I find myself during a game hoping that the point guard or whoever has the ball pulls up for a jumpshot rather than drive the lane and I have to make the call one way or the other. What do I need to do? toughen up and let it roll off me and go on with the game. I try to get as much info from all the partners that I work with which helps a little. But sometimes there no help. Any advice would be helpful. thanks, chris

Chris -- Welcome to the club! It's a gas being a member, and you'll have a lot of fun. But the fun is earned, and it takes some work. When you get really, genuinely addicted, as many of us are, you'll start to develop the oily coating on your feathers that lets you shake off the fans comments. Remember, until you're working at the D1 level in college, you probably know the rules better than the coaches. If you don't, a little study will do the trick. So most of what folks say during the game is meaningless. I'm saying this because it's a lesson I'm working on too. Reminding you helps me.

What you need to find, as others have said, is a mentor who will spend time watching you, or watching tapes of you, and giving advice. Be sure it's someone who says more positive things about you than negative. SOmeone that's dumping on you is not gonna help at all. You need as many "GREAT CALL!!" voices in your head as, "Uh, Chris, hello?" Learn to hear that instructive voice, and let the rest of the gym noise turn into white noise.

Watch varsity games. Ask around as to who's the best ref to watch. Look in the paper for the schedule and choose the rivalry match ups, the tournament championships, the games from the top of the standings. Sit behind the score table, and just watch and watch. Listen. Soak it in. You'll learn a lot from seeing how those refs ignore the quack-quack-quack.

Keep a list that you write after every game. 5 things I did right and 5 things I did wrong. Learn to see your mistakes and learn to learn from them. If you know what you need to work on, the parents don't sound as authoritative.

Most of all, expect to keep working on it. You'll never be perfect, but you can keep trying to be better than you were before. Stick to it! It's worth the effort!

[tomegun]

I have a slightly different slant on things. I don't think there is really any right or wrong answers to this except you will never make everyone happy.
I think you have to find a mentor that you are comfortable with and is comfortable with you. Again my opinion differs, depending on your relationship with your mentor and how thick your skin is should dictate how much your feedback is negative or positive. Some people like to hear mostly positive feedback while others like to know what they are doing wrong. I think you should make sure your mentor means you well before all of the negative feedback starts to roll in. Everyone in this business does not mean you well. That is just the way it is.
I also think that how much and the quality of ball plays a role in how quickly you progress. For example, here in DC there is no excuse for an official when it comes to progression. There is a ton of good basketball to do.
I also believe in watching other officials work. This doesn't mean watching 2 or 3 games until halftime, it means really dedicating some of your time to stick around and see what other officials talk about in pregame, halftime and postgame. These are just some of my thoughts. Everyone has offered some good advice. Just keep at it.

[Larks]

Keep a list that you write after every game. 5 things I did right and 5 things I did wrong. Learn to see your mistakes and learn to learn from them. If you know what you need to work on, the parents don't sound as authoritative.

Excellent idea RM. What if I have more than 5 wrong!

Hey schuster, don't sweat it. Most calls are 50/50 as far as fans go. They dont know the rules AT ALL and are 100% biased. Everyone on this board has worked games where they have made a dead nuts 189% correct call and been booed. You almost...no not almost...you laugh to yourself because you know you are doing THE RIGHT THING and are amazed at their ignorance of the rules and willingness to make themselves look foolish. Sometimes the coach will pile on but a lot of the time, more often than you think, s/he wont say anything because they know you have it right.

Soon, you will be working in front of enough people that it just becomes white noise and you stop hearing the specifics. That is nice, I am here to tell you.

(Although I did work a game last week in front of the loudest female fan in Blanchester Ohio! Her voice was like a bullet in the back of the head. Able to rise above the decible level of a jet engine. Able to shatter glass....Able to penetrate 6 foot earthen walls.....you get the picture. It became a job to see if I could look 100% like I didnt hear her every utterance, which I believe could have also woke the dead!)

I also agree with the previous posts...find a mentor. Make sure he is a successful official at the level you want to get too. Don't pick your buddy only working 8 kids rec games a saturday if you want to make it to varsity high school for example. Also pick someone who will be honest with you and not someone that will tell you what you want to hear.

The only other advice I have is find a summer camp. Not a "college official try out camp" but a camp ran by a high school assignor or association. Those summer reps with very few fans probably working varsity kids will help the game slow down for you when the season starts next year.

Welcome to our passion

Larks
VIT

[LarryS]

Sounds like you truly need a mentor. I would suggest that if you are able make sure he/she is more than just a fit for your target level...they should also handle the evaluation part of the relationship in a manner that fits your demeanor.

For example...the last camp I attended the evaluator sat down with me and my partner and started in on us. Every comment was stated negatively and the guy was borderline abusive (at least that is what my patner said after the session). It didn't matter to me because I have done enough training in other areas to know that is just how some people work. However, I looked at my partner after a couple of minutes and could tell he had turned the evalutor off...wasn't getting anything out of it. For him, instead of stopping the tape and saying "You are in a horrible position right here." he needed to have it presented along the lines of "I have found it better for me to take a position here instead of where you are in this spot."

That is not always possible at a camp, but often is when finding a mentor. Since people learn differently, you need a mentor that is good at "teaching" in the manner that allows you to "learn" best.

[ChrisSportsFan]

At first, when you're getting started, it does seem like you hear every peep from the stands and the bench, then as you begin to get a number of games under your belt you don't seem to hear it so much. Is it that you are making better calls, are you making calls more confidantly or are you just a better ignorer?

I say the answer is all 3. Hang in there, like so many have already said, this is a passion, addiction and more. There is nothing like being in a packed house and having the home teams star player drive the lane, bang/bang play and you see the D player hold his ground and come out with an offensive foul call and the place goes nuts. By the time you get to report the foul, you've got goose bumps, it's awesome! Especially when you are +100% right on with the call.

[DownTownTonyBrown]

Let me add a fundamental

Officiating is salesmanship.

Okay, that is probably not enough. Let me explain. One coach is going to like the results of your call; one is not. One group of fans will agree with your call; one group will not. blah blah blah... obvious.

The true test of your mettle is can you make the call and convince people that you made the right call just by your style and delivery?

This starts with YOU BEING CONVINCED THAT YOU MADE THE CORRECT CALL. You cannot convince anyone else until you, yourself are convinced. And right now you are not convinced; you are looking to everyone else for consent that you made a good call. And that's just not going to happen. Oh occasionally, your partner, a coach, or someone will say "good call." But it just isn't going to happen with every call. You cannot look for everyone else to convince you that you are doing a good job. You must have the CONFIDENCE in your calls to convince others.

The great official has everyone convinced when they walk onto the court - before a single call is made... the worthy veteran with years of service. This is the person you want for a mentor because he will build your self confidence.

It will take awhile Chris, so stick with it. Put in the time and the reward will follow.

[nine01c]

Another big factor in being perceived as knowledgeable and competent is your general demeanor. Show you have confidence in your calls (and if you don't, pretend you do). This can be done by small measures. Stand straight and tall, hustle into position, blow your whistle sharp and loud while snapping your arm up straight and high. Then a decisive point in the direction the ball will be going (or report the foul with good communication and relaxed). Crisp mechanics will take you a long way compared to timid, sloppy ones. Slow down and show you are in control (for example, don't let a kid grab the ball out of your hands to in-bound it quickly).

Officiating a game requires all the obvious components (rules knowledge, mechanics, team work, game management, professionalism) but a smattering of acting will help you early on to demonstrate that you have confidence and ability. Be sure your appearance is impeccable (no wrinlkes, shined shoes, tucked in, trimmed hair/no 5 o'clock shadow). Most of the coaches, players and fans will already judge an unkempt referee as "no good" before the game even starts.

Lastly, it is my belief that you not announce to anyone that you are brand new. Don't use that as an excuse, just get on with your game, work hard, and learn as you go. With so much confidence, they will hardly believe it is your first season (if you tell them after the game)!

[Damian]

The only friend you will have in the gym is your partner. Since this is your first year, you will probably be working games where the players, coaches, and fans (parents) are not as skilled as higher levels. Just like them, you are working to get to the next level. You will hear very frustrated coaches trying to teach these kids something and they will just go out there and completely forget it.

Your co-official will probably be just a little more experienced than you. He just had to get through what you are dealing with now. Although not mentor material, it is a good place to start. During half time and after each game, let him know how you feel and ask for advice on positioning mechanics, and rules.

Work the hard wood as much as possible. Even youth games will help. And make sure you bring your A game to every one of them. Always be strong.

You are representing the commissioner to make sure the game is played as intended.