I think Chuck you make a great point. Division 1 basketball is a different animal than working than D3 or JUCO ball.

Peace

I might add here that if you took the average height of all the men's D-1 officials and compared it to the average height of all the women's D-1 officials (men only, for comparison sake), I'm pretty sure the average on the women's side would be shorter. If you're under 6', you'll probably have a better shot climbing the ladder in women's ball. Perhaps this is because women's players on average are shorter than men's players. I don't know, but I'm sure these statistics would pan out.

The more I read these posts, the more I think "So what?"...I agree with the things Chuck and JRut have posted, but when it comes right down to it, a person's height is not one of the things they can control. Chuck and I can't do anything about the fact that we are both 5'7" (altho I've got about 10 pounds of "muscle" on him)...we CAN make sure that when we go to a camp we are among the best of the group - we can out-hustle, out-ref, out-mechanics, out-whatever all the others there so that the assignors think "Now that's the kind of official I want on my staff"...control the things you can control and don't worry about the things you can't control!

If your cash register drawer is often less than the amount shown by the register totals, then you will have a hard time officiating at the college level, since many retail outlets and even some fast food chains will prosecute, and this will show up on the NCAA background check.

Oh, not that kind of short?

Never mind.

(In memoriam, Gilda Radner, 1946-1989)

Rocky, Chuck, JRut, and everyone else...THANK YOU so much for your in-depth thoughts, analysis, and opinions. I was looking for understanding and clarification and I got it...I think! :)

And yes, I wasn't talking about D1, but rather JUCO or DIII for starters. Sure, I'd LOVE to (someday) make it to the Big West, Mountain West, or Big Sky Conference, but I realize that's far down the road and not very realistic (yet)! :)

Thanks again all for the good discussion and inspiration, I sincerely appreciate the feedback guys!

As a sub-5'10", white, male official, I can relate my experience of attending a camp last year for the assignor of the Big 12, C-USA, Sun Belt, Southland conf's. I've been told that this assignor prefers taller officials, but he (and his camp clinicians) continually stressed he will hire officials that do the "little things" - mechanics, judgement, game management - all the time/everytime.

There were guys from Orlando, FL. to Boise, ID. at this camp and many "looked the part" (6'3", 220lbs, and large upper body builds). Physically, these guys were impressive, but they have watched WAY too much TV; their mechanics were a combo. of the NBA and ACC/SEC. They won't get hired if they continue that.

Here's the advice that I've received from "shorter" officials: work tall (arm motions, hand signals, etc. should all be higher than you're used too - make yourself seem taller); use a commanding voice (sound big and have a larger prescence); move extremely well to be in the perfect position everytime; and finally (here's my favorite), wear a shirt one size smaller than normal (makes your arms look bigger) and make sure your pants are tailored to the correct length (you never want your pants to look too long - it makes you look even shorter).

If you can work, you can work and you'll get hired.

Hmmm, is it possible to "work thinner?" :D

Make your stripes wider, so you have less of them on your shirt! :D

It's good to hear that the pedulum is starting to swing back a little from 5-6 years ago. My personal experience was supervisors and clinicians were telling me "the look" was important to getting hired. Since then, in a couple of my JUCO leagues there were a couple of officials that certainly looked the part, but they were not very strong officials and therefore did not stay in the league. I think conferences were starting to notice that just having "good-looking" officials was not preferable to having good officials. So, as many people have stated already, if you know how to work, you will find a place.

I was just trying to think of something to say about the stripes.

In Earl Strom's book I remember him speaking of a part of his mechanics book that told the referees never to stand parallel or perpendicular to your out of bounds line for the sole reason that it looked bad on TV.

Personally, I may be a nice tall 6'2" or thereabouts, but I only weight 125 pounds, yet I can take on anyone. :D

:p

Not all look the part
 

Basketball officials are like a kettle of fish. There are large fish, medium fish and small fish. Large fish are alway the first one notice and then medium and small. It's the small fish that gave the good fight. The one that worked so hard not to be caught and taken.

I have been a coordinator for the past 5 years at the collegiate women's level. I would say, that I am partial to developing women official because it's their game. But I will add, there are many good men official who can officiate at the Division III level. I have not chosen officials because of their size but there compentence to officiate college basketball day in and day out.
I made to the pro's, Division I and Division III. I attended many camps before given the chance to move up at the different levels. It is a process that has been around for many years. Pay your dues and be ready when you get the call to work the next level. You do not move to the next level because of the years you have been officiating. If you thing you are that good then get to a college camp and see how good you are. High school clinics are good but not as good as a collegiate camp. You will be very humble after attending a college camp because of the talented officials.

Spoke my piece.