Please understand that I am not tooting my own horn-----This is my second year calling HS ball after 8 years of calling Rec league men and kids of all ages. I called with the guy who has the rep as being the best in our Association last night. As we were on our way back to our meeting place,he said to me "Now I know what everyone has been talking about.". I said,"What are you talking about?".He said," You have some of the best mechanics I have ever seen,you are always in position,you make your calls with authority,and you hustle and know how to handle the players and coaches. Some have said I do the best job here but I think you are a more sound official than I am."

I was FLOORED. He said our President had received numerous calls from coaches commenting on my officiating. He then paid the compliment of all compliments--"I'll call with you anytime."
This got me fired up and I got home last night and studied that rule book like I had never studied it before but my question is-where are some referee camps I can go to to get some more instruction (in the SouthEast preferably Alabama)? I have always thought about calling college ball but don't know who to contact to get started?I know I'm not ready to call college but I want to get better so I would be able to.

You really need to ask this question of people in your area. We really cannot answer that question unless someone knows about the area you live. Usually you have to get someone that assigns JUCO and D3 levels to hire you. To work D2 and D1 in many cases you have to have some background at those lower level college ranks. It really all just depends on where you live and the people that hire officials for those levels. All I can tell you is that it is a process and just because you work some HS games does not automatically qualify you for college ball. It is another game when you work college ball. Your understanding of the game of basketball has to be much sharper and the partners you work with are much sharper usually. Coaches at the college level are literally coaching as their main job in most cases. This is not just a small part of their life. It is a much bigger part of their life. The stakes are usually much higher and everyone involved will lose their jobs if they do not get results.

I wish you the best, but talk to someone in your area. Or tell someone here where you live and maybe they can contact you about who to talk to. Usually you will have to attend a camp before you ever get a chance at any college level. And even then there are no guarantees when and if you will be picked up.

Hope that helps some.

Peace

Having observed my wife go from calling jr high and high school to small college to D-1, I would suggest the following. Conferences hire someone to be there assignor, commissioner, whatever name they give it. Most of these people have their own camps in the summer. You pay to go there. They have, for example, an AAU national tournament going on in the same city. The camp attendees (you) ref the tournament games, while refs already in the league and the assignor observe. They often film the games, and afterwards you get critiqued. The assignor then decides who he or she wants to pick up. Also, many are assignors for more than one conference. So, first you may get picked up to do the smaller conferences, and after a few years, if they keep you, you get into the bigger conferences. Basically, you have to pay your dues. And it often takes attending the camp more than once to get picked up. So, find out who the commissioners are in your area for the conferences you are interested in, and find out about their camps.

For the area you live in I would imagine going to one of John Guthrie's camps would be the place for you to start. If you email me I might be able to get some information for you.

I agree with the previous posts, and want to add a couple of points. In college, most officials already look good and know the rules, for the most part. That's what gets them hired in the camps. What keeps them on staff is how they deal with people. Not just players and coaches, but the supervisors/assigners as well. Also, how will college ball fit into your personal life? In most cases, the travel is farther than your HS games - can you get off work earlier to get to these games? Are you married or have kids? Can they handle you being gone longer in the evenings? Finally, if you get that far, many D-2 and D-1 assigners will require you to give up lower levels altogether. Are you willing to make that commitment? Only you know the answers, but if you feel you can do it, it can be rewarding. Good luck!

Well, you take the SAT's (or ACT's in some parts of the country), then you write a lot of essays. Maybe you'll even go for an interview, then you wait for admissions letters . . .

Oh - moving up to college officiating? Never mind.