[QUOTE]Originally posted by mick

Quote:

SpeedyGonGoalie, We put our knowledge on the block every game. We deal with your suggested "blah, blah" every game. What's the difference? The environment, ... as a protagonist in an educational, close and non-confrontational setting. mick

I have no problem with the setting of the talk, I have a problem with what people tend to with the knowledge they recieve. If it meant people had a better understanding of how a referee views a game, and approached being a fan or coach differently, then fine. My problem is here you have people who learn the rules, and are being told my a referee how he/she (and only him or her) views a game. They are not learning the self-control, the ability to look at a game unbiasedly (although many officials do not learn that as well). They then think that they have some sort of authority and right to question you. I understand that officials have to deal with disagreement every game, but now you're having the other party believe, with justification (in their mind) that they know better. This would work better if there was a way to explain to people "We've taught you something things here, and we expect that they are not used against us, because that's not our purpose here. Our purpose to give you a better understand of how and why we do what we do."

[QUOTE]Originally posted by SpeedyGonGoalie

Quote:

Originally posted by mick Quote: SpeedyGonGoalie, We put our knowledge on the block every game. We deal with your suggested "blah, blah" every game. What's the difference? The environment, ... as a protagonist in an educational, close and non-confrontational setting. mick My problem is here you have people who learn the rules, and are being told my a referee how he/she (and only him or her) views a game. They are not learning the self-control, the ability to look at a game unbiasedly (although many officials do not learn that as well). They then think that they have some sort of authority and right to question you. I understand that officials have to deal with disagreement every game, but now you're having the other party believe, with justification (in their mind) that they know better.

Literacy and knowledge do not just happen.
They take time.
They require a first letter, a first word.
They need to be available.
They may be ignited by a speaker, a book, a picture.

They are not born of frustration and apathy.
They are not given light in a dark hole.
First there is the spark.
Then, ...it takes time.

mick

Good grief. We're not talking about the secrets to the universe here. They're basketball rules, for crying out loud.

I like the shirt idea, personally. I personally wouldn't ask for money. But a shirt with the state association logo (no squirrels, please) is kind of sharp and would be a nice gesture.

I have exchanged email with the secretary/treasurer of our local board, and we are already having a discussion about whether we should offer ourselves for such sessions. We might send a letter to the AD's in our area (only about 10 or so high schools in the southwest corner of New Hampshire) informing them that officials would be willing to come to their schools and present. This is very early planning stages and more planning and coordination among our officials will be required. I don't know if we can make it work from a standpoint of logistics and details, but I like the idea. Thanks, whoever had it.

[Edited by Rick Durkee on Feb 23rd, 2005 at 09:33 PM]

There's a basketball camp that our local boards referees camp is held in conjunction with. Our camp lasts 3 days, while the players camp lasts a full week. Usually the day after the officials camp is done, our high school ball assignor goes and gives a presentation to the kids on rule changes and misconceptions. He does a really good job of it, I was lucky enough to be going in to do the afternoon session last year, and I got to listen in. The guy is so dedicated to the game.

I've only ever done this at the beginning of the season like just before they started games.