I'm not feeling challenged. Advice please...

WyMike · #1 (**permalink**) Fri Feb 25, 2005, 03:33pm

It's the last couple of weeks of my 1st season and I didn't bother to sign up for any more MS games. I've been to the same schools, worked the same teams, have talked to the same players and same coaches enough for one year. On top of that I'm still working mostly with other 1st year or 2nd year guys whom have little regards for the proper mechanics.

I want to become a better BB official and move up through the ranks and have asked other 'older' officials to 'mentor' me. They'd like to, but they get assigned to games and "don't want to take away the other games for the younger officials".

Should I resign myself to working small games the assignor doesn't even bother with (Assignor leaves these games open and we all 'volunteer' for them as they fit our schedules.)? Should I mention to the other new guys what we need to be doing better? Like proper signals, court coverage, etc?

I have done a few soph girls and boys, and a couple of girl JV games with a couple of 3 year guys and have gone out of town to do a few all day tourney's. But this first season seems unfulfilled for some reason and I cannot wait for the football season to begin again.

Any thoughts, comments or advice?

ref18 · #2 (**permalink**) Fri Feb 25, 2005, 03:44pm

I know exactly how you feel, I didn't start doing high school ball till my third year. I did a lot of the other stuff and still do. It's part of a learning experience. Just keep working hard, go to camps and soon you will start gettin the good games.

BTW I also can't wait for the football season to begin, because it looks like they're advancing me faster in football than in basketball.

eventnyc · #3 (**permalink**) Fri Feb 25, 2005, 03:52pm

Quote:

Originally posted by WyMike
It's the last couple of weeks of my 1st season and I didn't bother to sign up for any more MS games. I've been to the same schools, worked the same teams, have talked to the same players and same coaches enough for one year. On top of that I'm still working mostly with other 1st year or 2nd year guys whom have little regards for the proper mechanics.

I want to become a better BB official and move up through the ranks and have asked other 'older' officials to 'mentor' me. They'd like to, but they get assigned to games and "don't want to take away the other games for the younger officials".

Should I resign myself to working small games the assignor doesn't even bother with (Assignor leaves these games open and we all 'volunteer' for them as they fit our schedules.)? Should I mention to the other new guys what we need to be doing better? Like proper signals, court coverage, etc?

I have done a few soph girls and boys, and a couple of girl JV games with a couple of 3 year guys and have gone out of town to do a few all day tourney's. But this first season seems unfulfilled for some reason and I cannot wait for the football season to begin again.

Any thoughts, comments or advice?

You have to practice, practice, practice.

I'm not sure if the 1st or 2nd year guys have little regard for the mechanics. Do you discuss mechanics during your pregame? Make sure that when you work with the newer officials, and seasoned officials, you mention that you are trying to "become a better BB official and move up through the ranks." Many officials will take short cuts like failing to switch on fouls, bouncing the ball across the endline so that the trail doesn't have to move. Tell them your concerns during the pregame and ask that they follow proper mechanics. If they do not, and you know the proper mechanic, follow it. Force them to move over rather than bouncing the ball. Move yourself!

Without working a lot of games and practicing, you are dooming yourself and your aspirations to move up. Ask an older official to mentor you. They don't have to work the game to mentor you. They can easily watch your performance and offer critique afterwards. Offer your game fee if you have to or take them out to lunch to discuss the game. I'd bet you'd even find a few who wouldn't accept the offer.

Don't "resign yourself to working small games the assignor doesn't even bother with." WORK THEM! Learn during them!

Your first season may seem unfufilling because you haven't worked with the right frame of mine! Just my opinion.

I can't wait for football season either! But, I will work basketball up until it arrives. I suggest you do so as well.
After all, you can't get to Carnegie Hall without practicing!

drothamel · #4 (**permalink**) Fri Feb 25, 2005, 04:02pm

Hang in there, the first year can seem brutal to everyone. This is especially true for someone like yourself that has advanced in another sport and is not brand new in officiating in general. Take the things that you have helped you advance in football and apply them to basketball. I am sure that you had to start somewhere in football as well. Concentrate on what makes you a good official. Go to camps, and work as much as you can. The more experience you can gain, the more you are seen by coaches and other officials. It will come, just stay true, and hang in there.

Daniel

gostars · #5 (**permalink**) Fri Feb 25, 2005, 04:47pm

I am in the same situation. This is my first year and I have worked with all first year officials save for one game. Our chapter told us that we only need to be on site 15min. early for a MS game. With captains meeting and checking the book that doesn't leave much time for pre-game. I did get a JV game and a couple of freshmen games. I had a 1st year partner for the JV game and my partner for the freshman game didn't show at all. I would really like to move up but I don't know how I am doing. I am planning on going to as many camps as I can this summer. Any other advice?

WyMike · #6 (**permalink**) Fri Feb 25, 2005, 04:54pm

How about we charter the http://www.FirstYearOfficialsSupportGroup.com I'll begin...

Mike: "Hello my name is Mike, and I too am a first year official"

Group: "Welcome Mike"

FrankHtown · #7 (**permalink**) Fri Feb 25, 2005, 04:55pm

Somebody is assigning freshman and JV games. Find that person. See what camps they are going to be at. Go to those camps. If they see you are working hard, they will reward you. They are looking for people to fill spots, too. I've never met an assignor that has too many refs and not enough games.

JRutledge · #8 (**permalink**) Fri Feb 25, 2005, 05:08pm

If you are truly an independent contractor, then work the levels that make you happy. Of course you need the practice, but all levels do not give you the same level of practice. MS games can be very frustrating when you keep seeing the same teams over and over again. Actually that is the case at all levels. You do not have to work MS games to get better. The only thing you need to do is work and watch other officials at higher levels work. I know many officials that barely work any of these games and they do fine. At least here there is enough summer ball, AAU ball and any other organized league to avoid working MS ball altogether.

Peace

Snake~eyes · #9 (**permalink**) Fri Feb 25, 2005, 05:57pm

Rut always says what I planned to say.

Do that and go to camps, you will be challenged at camps.

Back In The Saddle · #10 (**permalink**) Fri Feb 25, 2005, 09:34pm

I feel your pain. Well, I felt your pain. I'm a second year guy (Hey, now that my season is over, can I claim to be a 3rd year guy? Anyway....). My first year was also very frustrating. Too few assigned games, working with inexperienced partners or vets who were saving their A games for another day, etc. But I tried to work each game my best. I tried to learn from every game and every body. And I tried to do all the things that the veterans in my area told me mattered. This year was like night and day from last year.

Hang in there, do your best, and work so hard that you drag the disinterested newbies along in your wake. A strong official can make a weak partner look good (and thus make the crew look good). So pull up your socks, determine that you are going to make each game go well, force the switches, use good mechanics, be stubborn about it, and be the guy who does what it takes to make the crew look good. You be that guy, and you will move up.

Forksref · #11 (**permalink**) Fri Feb 25, 2005, 11:04pm

I worked my first varsity game in my 3rd year. After the game, I realized that I wasn't ready. (That was 29 years ago.) There is no substitute for experience, if you have been trained and mentored properly. I believe that (1) rules knowledge (2) mechanics (3) handling coaches and players and (4) signals are the areas to work on. You will get noticed pretty quickly if you stand out in those areas. Keep up to date with the online forums and talk basketball with other officials. Your experience and knowledge base will increase faster than other new officials. Good luck!

mick · #12 (**permalink**) Fri Feb 25, 2005, 11:47pm

Get a friend to tape a game.
Bring the tape to the assignor and ask him what you need to do to move up.
mick

cmathews · #13 (**permalink**) Mon Feb 28, 2005, 11:56am

Mike,
I forget exactly where you are from, but I know it is the NE corner somewhere. I know that it is a long way to drive but consider the UW Team camps too. Find one of the veterans that you are comfy with, and see if they will head down there with you. That way you work with one of the vets, they see you work and you can go from there.

Another thing that happens down here is this. In order for the vets to take you some where they have to feel comfortable with you. What it took for me to get my foot in the varsity door was socializing with the group of guys I wanted to do games with. After our meeting they always went to have another "meeting" at a local establishment. I started going there, hanging out with them, finding out we had more in common that just basketball etc....before long, when they had games out of town, they would ask me to go along and the rest is history...Along these lines, when you do go with veterans or have veterans watching you, you need to ask for and accept constructive criticism...

lrpalmer3 · #14 (**permalink**) Mon Feb 28, 2005, 05:58pm

Video tape yourself. You will look like a fool when arriving at the game site early to set up your equipment, but it is well worth it. You will notice many flaws in your "look", which is just as important as your calls when trying to move up.

Work on little things. At camp, a clinician told me to use my outside hand when calling fouls. This is hard to think about during a competitive match-up, but you can work on things like that at a middle school game.

Work rec leagues in your area. Plain and simple, the competition is better in a rec league than it is in MS. Plus, it's a change of pace, something to break the monotony.

stmaryrams · #15 (**permalink**) Tue Mar 01, 2005, 08:53am

While only a third year myself, I have two second year officials I support partly because I suggested they get into officiating. One was talking about how when she does rec games, her mechanics get all botched up. Her partners do the same things you were talking about. I told her to work on her game and force the switches if possible. I had an experienced official work with me this year in a CYO middle school game. He not only didn't switch unless I forced it but he wouldn't even go across from table as trail on free throws. He just stayed on the side he was at. This was very frustrating as I have enough to worry about in calling a good game and getting good position without trying to figure out where he was or wasn't going.