Remember the Jitters?

[RollTide]

WOW!!!! What a season

Talking about a great ending to a great season. I had the privilege of calling the finals of 3 big tournaments this year (2 Varsity Boys County Tourneys and 1 HUGE Girls Christmas tourney) during the regular season.

This was my 4th year (partially 5th) season as a regular varsity level official. Had the privilege to work a lot more 'big' games this year than ever before.

A couple of years ago I was selected to work a state playoff sub-regional girls game. To date, that was the only post season contest I had called.

This year, I was fortunate to get to work 2 area tournament semis (1 boys & 1 girls) as well as 2 area tournament finals (1 boys & 1 girls). Progression didn't stop there. I was again selected to work both a boys and girls sub-region playoff game.

Then, to my surprise, I received a phone call from someone from the state office. The call informed me I had been selected to work one of the 4 regional tournaments being held this week across the state.

Yesterday was the day I was assigned to work. All I knew was I had the two 4A (6A largest) classification Boys games (had to sit out a girls game in between).

The tournament site I was assigned to was Jacksonville State University. I was scheduled for the 10:30 and 1:30 games. I was told to be there an hour early. It's a 2 hour 45 minute drive. I got up at 5:15. Was on the road around 6:00 a.m. Arrived at the university a lil before 9:00. Got in the gym just as the 1st game of the day (4A girls) game was getting tipped off.

Walked down and found the officials supervisor. I had no knowledge of whom to look for (other than the name to ask for, lol). Located him, introduced myself, and he took me to the officials dressing room.

Four officials are assigned for each game. Three are on the floor and one is at the scorer's table (keeping fouls (personal and team), possession arrows, timeouts, etc). The one at the scorer's table is also the alternate in the event one of the officials on the floor goes down with an injury or illness. I was fully expecting to have one game on the table and one game on the floor. Biggest reason is because I knew they didn't know me, plus the fact I've never attended any of the state camps or even the district camps these guys put on.

When the supervisor took me to the officials dressing room, he showed me the assignments. Somehow, I was getting to work the floor in both games. Not only was I on the floor both games, they had designated me as the R for the 2nd game. This shocked me greatly because the two district coordiators at this regional have never seen me work. However, when I saw the assignments, it pumped me up. I realized right then that I MUST step up and meet this challenge that these guys had placed upon me.

I was expecting to feel a lot of queaziness, anxiousness, nervousness, etc as game time approached. I was calling with four rank strangers (2 different partners in each game). We had great pregames. The two keys that our R in the first game stressed were 1) make sure to work strong as the C - L and T are trusting our C to step up and be strong .. 2) have fun ... I followed this up for the 2nd game as well as making sure we all understood how we worked certain situations, rotations, etc.

Well, we get the game underway. Classic game. We almost went the entire 1st quarter with zero fouls called. First foul came with around 1:30 left in the quarter. 1st quarter ended with each team having 1 team foul.

The first game goes back and forth the entire game. Both teams largest leads were seven. Tie game entering 4th quarter. 62-60 with less than 30 seconds. Around 10 second mark, trailing team attempts a shot, misses, offensive rebound (I'm C and rebound is on the strong side), kid goes back up for a shot and gets fouled. Calmly drains both free throws with 6.7 seconds left to tie the game. The team inbounding the ball is already out of timeouts so they can't call a timeout to set up a play. They get the ball in and the kid races up the court. I'm running trail on tableside, kid starts to break to my side but gets cut off by a defender and heads the other way. Knowing the time is about to run out, the kid attempts to get his feet set for a 25 footer or so. He sees a defender coming toward him from the right, so he leans a lil to the left and goes up for the shot. Wham, from the left side, here comes another defender. The defender didn't stop though, and runs into the shooter just before the horn sounded (and backboard lit up - college gym). Our C official blows his whistle and runs in (closes down) and gets the foul. 3 Free throws. Misses the first one badly. Nails the 2nd one. GAME OVER!!

I go out on the court for warmups for the 2nd game. A few guys sitting on the first two rows start talking to me about our first game. They said they had watched every game since Tuesday morning (8 games Tuesday, 8 games Wednesday and now 3 games so far completed on Thursday morning). They said our game was BY FAR the best officiated game so far during the entire regional. Talking about feeling a lil humbled, proud, excited, thankful, all in one (cause these guys were neutral fans - about 6 middle age guys that say they take off every year to go to the regionals and the following week to the Final 4 in all six classifications in Birmingham (all regional tournament winners advance to the state Final 4). Just to sit there and think about being a 'playoff level rated rookie' and to be told our crew had done the best job of officiating to date was very rewarding.

Great season .... GREAT ENDING .... reminds me of birdies on #18 lol

Here are a couple of newspaper articles covering these games:

http://www.al.com/sports/huntsvillet...6502240190.xml

http://www.gadsdentimes.com/apps/pbc...502250354/1108

http://www.al.com/sports/huntsvillet...6665240190.xml

[tjones1]

Congrats RollTide!!! I feel like I had a great year too!! So have you started counting down to your first game next season yet?!

[RollTide]

Heck no, lol... I attended district baseball camp 2 weeks ago tomorrow, so I got my baseball equipment out then. But, my baseball season starts tomorrow. We have 2 large season opening tournaments around here. I have a doubleheader beginning at 10:00 in the morning.

I was called this morning to see if I wanted to pick up a game (baseball) this afternoon. But, I'm still too keyed up from yesterday, lol.. Needed a day to try to get my mind shifted into baseball mode.

Very strange, because, up until this year, my mind has always stayed in baseball mode, lol. Everyone around here knows I'm a baseball guy first. Baseball has always been my passion. Officiate high school, coach American Legion during the summer.

But, with as much fun as I had this basketball season, who knows. I do know I've committed to go to a college basketball camp this summer (actually giving up a weekend 'Thurs-Sun' of baseball for basketball, Vegas could've made $$ on that ever happening, lol).

[JugglingReferee]

[font size = +4]ATTABOY![/font]

I'm very happy for you, Tide.

Reading accounts like those makes me feel that with all the political BS that goes on, sometimes the right person is identified and is rewarded!

Congratulations!

[Edited by JugglingReferee on Feb 26th, 2005 at 10:07 AM]

[eventnyc]

Originally posted by RollTide
WOW!!!! What a season

I go out on the court for warmups for the 2nd game. A few guys sitting on the first two rows start talking to me about our first game. They said they had watched every game since Tuesday morning (8 games Tuesday, 8 games Wednesday and now 3 games so far completed on Thursday morning). They said our game was BY FAR the best officiated game so far during the entire regional.

RollTide, these guys told me the same thing!

Just kidding. Isn't it a great feeling, and to think, they pay us for this! Congrats!