Ok, guys.

Many of you know me from the football, baseball, and softball sites. Our local area has had repeated problems getting folks to show up to referee youth basketball... and being a known "impartial" party who actually gives a crap (and can be relied on to show up!), it sounds like I'm going to be asked to jump in, put on the stripes, and work games the next 3 weeks.

No clinics.

No experience.

Everything I learned, I learned from TV (and from being a football ref, I know that's often the WORST place to learn how to officiate).

I plan on blasting through the rulebook a couple of times before Saturday. But you guys know what I should worry about - what am I going to miss on a quick pass through the rules, and what tips can you give me to survive week one. (PS - it's actually likely I'll be calling these games alone!)

PPS - I think (THINK!) I'll have no problems with coach-ref interactions, as I know most of the guys from refereeing their teams in football or baseball/softball --- and they know what lines not to cross (I hope).

What age are the players?

Is it an instructional or competitive league?

You may even have league rules that don't even follow the NF rules.

[Edited by blindzebra on Feb 7th, 2005 at 04:40 PM]

Ages 6 to 14, earlier games will be younger kids. Fed rules, but with modifications (which I've read a few times, and probably will read again right before each new age group). I'm told I'll likely get the "less competitive" games.

The younger kids should not be a big problem, because many leagues below 10 years old, just stop the game and explain what the kid did wrong and pick right back up.

Know what the expectations are before the game with the young kids.

The older kids are different, and no way should anyone who has not officiated basketball before, be going solo with 12-14 year olds.

Absorb what you can, get a feel for it with the younger kids, and remember to blow your whistle.

If you are by yourself, work free throw line to free throw line, and even though you should never guess, if it looks bad call it. Controlling the game is as important as seeing it for sure, if you are alone.

Good luck.

Curious, what has been the problem getting refs to work these games?

Do you offer a reasonable fee paid on the spot?

Do you offer more than one or two games to work in an effort to sweeten the pot and make it worth the official's time?

Have you contacted your local association and let them know you have a need to fill? And are you willing to accept young rookie refs that may be high school age?

In any event, a few pointers for your basketball baptism....

Referee the defense, call the obvious, and hustle.

You will have a ton of held ball calls, travleing will be rampant, and there will be many fouls. Make the held ball calls quickly to avoid unneccessary roughness, make the travel calls that are TOO OBVIOUS to pass on but let the 'happy feet' calls go in an effort to keep the game moving.

If you are working alone you should position yourself near the sideline in line with the top of the key moving back and forth from FT line to FT line as the play dictates.

You will not be able to see the far sideline on OOB calls so let the coaches know that ANY calls on that far side for OOB will go to the possession arrow (you cannot count
on any help to make that call fairly).

Oy yeah, be sure to "look" like you know what you are doing by having confidence, use a strong whistle, and crisp hand signals (review the chart).

Good luck!

On ALL dead balls be sure to glance towards the table to see if any subs are waiting to come in.

Thanks - both of you. All of that should be very helpful (I'll print and review before the game).

Honestly, I don't know what the problem is with their refs - my entire contact with basketball is my 6-year old son playing in the lowest league. I usually score-keep (ie hit start on the clock and relax each quarter), so I'm away from most fans, and near most of the people running the league. We have one ref who's there EVERY week, and I always chat with him - he doesn't belong to any association at all. So maybe the problem is that the powers that be didn't go through an official's association or even work with a scheduler. In football, the area hired a scheduler who is on a varsity crew and knows everyone. In softball, they hired me to schedule, and I know most everyone as well (plus I get all my guys certified). Maybe in basketball they are kind of on their own. I'll talk about things with her when I get a chance to see what the deal is.

As for me, I don't much care what they pay, I'm just doing it to help out. But in softball, baseball, and football, the pay is actually better than competitive (I make more on a Peewee football Saturday than I do for most Varsity games).

Hey - most of us were in your shoes at one time (personally, my time was in the time of Dr. Naismith). Just relax, do the best you can and remember it's only a game. This doesn't go on your permanent record.

Come back after the games and let us know how it went. I'm anticipating you'll have a "few" questions.

Oh yeah - it's great that you stepped up. We need more guys like you.

If I were you, I'd go watch some games the week before to get an idea of how things go at the levels you'll be working.

You should be a leg or two up on most people just starting. Officiating a basketball game is another animal then those sports you work. It is one thing in football to have a coach complain about a play, but in basketball you have very little time to explain yourself. In baseball/softball they will complain when a close play happens. In basketball they will complain every time up the floor and several times in the same possession. It will take you some time to figure out what exactly they are screaming about, but they usually will be screaming a great deal of the time. Especially at they lower levels.

Also there are more myths in the game of basketball than the other sports. At least many more myths then you will hear in one setting. You will hear most of them in one game (reach, over the back, moving screen, his feet must be set to take a charge). That aspect of the game just takes a lot of time to master and you still will have to make adjustments.

Peace

The easiest thing to do in your spot, in my opinion, is to just rely on what you know, the game of basketball. Understandably you will learn a great deal from the time that first ball goes up, but as the games flow you will see things that happen on every court in every game.
Like some others said just relax and take your time. You will a have a million different things going through your mind but you will find by even the end of that first day, things will start to "slow down" for you.
Thanks for taking that step to help out.
Just a couple of things to end on:
Remember - When you blow your whistle, everyone stops(supposedly) and they are waiting for you to tell them what to do next. The mechanics will come with time but just remember to blow your whistle.
Also - You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. A smile will get you a long way in sitches like this.
Get back to us when you get done. I would like to hear how it went.
Good Luck!
AAR

mcrowder,

Smile a lot.

Practice saying: <LI>"Okay, coach."<LI>"I'll look for that, coach"<li>"I may have missed that, coach."

Remember who the fouler was. Call the number right after you call the foul. (Makes it stick in your head for reporting.)

Call the rules you know well.

Good luck.
You have some fun. :)
mick