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  #61 (permalink)  
Old Wed Jul 20, 2005, 07:52pm
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RefTN-

I don't know you personally, although I would definitely like to meet you, so I may be overstepping a bit here. . . but oh well.

Some of the best advice I can give another young official is-- find some balance. I know that you said that you don't have any other priorities right now, but I would suggest that you find them now, before you find them and don't have the time to appreciate or enjoy them.

When I started officiating, it was all I wanted to do. I still have a number of lofty goals that I want to acheive in officiating. It is still very important to me, but now I have a bit more balance in my life. I just got married in November. I am lucky in that I met my wife in High School, so she was accustomed to my athletic participation. She still attends most of my games (she usually skips the girls' games). I can tell you that having a life away from officiating makes your life inside officiating much easier to handle. It also makes you more appreciative of what you have.

Even having a job is a good thing. There are a lot of things that happen in my regular occupation that help me when I am on the court. It also teaches you some time management and some sacrifice.

Someone on this board has a signature line that says something like, "If all I am remembered for is being a good official, then I have failed," I think that is a very true statement.

I met a lot of guys this summer at camps that wanted to succeed so bad that they mortgaged their home lives for it. Sure, they are successful officials, but for what? Who wants to be around a guy who is a great official, but can't keep a job, never sees his kids, and avoids his wife?

I guess I may sound a bit preachy. If that is the case, I apologize in advance. It is just something that is important to me, and I think that alot of guys overlook it in that search for the next "big assignment." When I look back on my life, I don't want to have only "big assingments" to remember. Again, all I can say is good luck to you, I hope you do reach all of your goals, but just search for that balance. It will pay big dividends both in officiating and in life.
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  #62 (permalink)  
Old Wed Jul 20, 2005, 08:20pm
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Thanks for the advice drothamel, but like I said I just haven't found those things yet. As far as a job, I get enough games to make enough income to make it through college. College is paid for. And, well a woman, I am still very young, and don't get me wrong I am looking.

I love what I do and I can't help it? I apologize because it makes me very on edge and people who dog it and hate on kids my age upsets me. Yes I am young, but that doesn't mean that my lack of years in experience has made me a liability. I have been eating, sleeping, and breathing this stuff for at least the last 2 yrs. I almost lost my scholarships from school last semester because I had my head in this forum, in my rulebook, in my casebook, and at games watching other refs more than in my school books.

Thanks again for the advice drothamel. I do need to get some more things in my life, but RIGHT NOW this is all I care about. If I find any of those things though I will write you. A woman would definitely be a plus, but this is kinda why I don't have one is because she would have to accept the traveling that I will do, and if she can't.. bye, bye.
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  #63 (permalink)  
Old Wed Jul 20, 2005, 08:49pm
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refTN-

Fair enough. Like I said, I really would like to meet you. Since I am only in VA, perhaps our paths will cross one day.

Keep up the good work. Dedication is important; and it is obvious that you have the dedication and desire, espcially from your posts.

BTW-- I am assuming that you are attending Middle Tennesee State, the Blue Raiders, I believe. That is one other thing we have in common, I am a proud BLUE Hen, you a BLUE Raider. Two obscure Blue mascots.
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  #64 (permalink)  
Old Thu Jul 21, 2005, 05:04am
Huck Finn
 
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Quote:
Originally posted by refTN
I have done about 65 middle school REGULAR SEASON games, and no varsity high school REGULAR SEASON games to answer your question.

[Edited by refTN on Jul 20th, 2005 at 08:51 PM]
How many times have you been to an SEC camp?
Has coach Guthrie given you any games in any of his leagues?
If so, which league?

I'm asking because I know a lot of guys who work for coach Guthrie and I know some guys who were at IIOC this year. You may very well be a natural on the court. However, the odds are always against that so if we are to go with the odds you have a lot to learn. Middle school games can be fun but they still don't have the atmosphere of a high school game. Of course a high school game doesn't have the atmosphere of a college game either. Your story could very well play out that you never do a high school varsity game but I doubt it.

When you go to these camps, what makes you so special? At this point you should know what the evaluators and your mentor have told you that makes you good. We have to stand out and when someone watches you for five minutes they will not be able to see the fact that you know the rules and they surely will not be able to see unique mechanics if you are like many others in the system. I don't think you will take that question the wrong way because I know you have been to camp and everything isn't roses there.

I would have thought you had at least some high school experience. Oh, well.
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  #65 (permalink)  
Old Thu Jul 21, 2005, 11:44am
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Quote:
Originally posted by tomegun
Quote:
Originally posted by refTN
I have done about 65 middle school REGULAR SEASON games, and no varsity high school REGULAR SEASON games to answer your question.

[Edited by refTN on Jul 20th, 2005 at 08:51 PM]
How many times have you been to an SEC camp?
Has coach Guthrie given you any games in any of his leagues?
If so, which league?

I'm asking because I know a lot of guys who work for coach Guthrie and I know some guys who were at IIOC this year. You may very well be a natural on the court. However, the odds are always against that so if we are to go with the odds you have a lot to learn. Middle school games can be fun but they still don't have the atmosphere of a high school game. Of course a high school game doesn't have the atmosphere of a college game either. Your story could very well play out that you never do a high school varsity game but I doubt it.

When you go to these camps, what makes you so special? At this point you should know what the evaluators and your mentor have told you that makes you good. We have to stand out and when someone watches you for five minutes they will not be able to see the fact that you know the rules and they surely will not be able to see unique mechanics if you are like many others in the system. I don't think you will take that question the wrong way because I know you have been to camp and everything isn't roses there.

I would have thought you had at least some high school experience. Oh, well.
Tomegun I always have alot to learn. Always. I don't think any of the posts in this thread have, first of all, shown that i know all there is to know. I am always willing to learn. When it comes to basketball I am the most receptive person you will ever meet, and that is why I feel I am where I am at today. I say basketball I am a poltician and I will argue with a wall on things that I believe, but not when it comes to basketball. I am too young to do that crap.

I have a tape of a game that I did from IIOC and if you would like, I would love to send it to you for a critique, so you could tell me what I have that is special or what I could work on to make me special. From earlier posts I have read, I think you ref college, I would love to hear what you would have to say. Don't take this sarcasticly, I would sincerely like to send this tape to you, so if you want to you could send me your info to my email which is [email protected]. I will pay for postage and everything.

I haven't thanked you for the posts you have been writing, but I do appreciate them.

drothamel- who are the blue hens? Sorry for not knowing and good job on knowing the Blue Raiders. You need to because we are going to be a powerhouse in a sport someday, besides of course for our women's rugby team.
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  #66 (permalink)  
Old Thu Jul 21, 2005, 01:12pm
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It would appear summer ball's about over and the start of the season is still a long way off....anyone up for a beer which may be the best place to have such a discussion.
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  #67 (permalink)  
Old Thu Jul 21, 2005, 01:16pm
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Quote:
Originally posted by ditttoo
It would appear summer ball's about over and the start of the season is still a long way off....anyone up for a beer which may be the best place to have such a discussion.
Sure!

You buyin'?
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  #68 (permalink)  
Old Thu Jul 21, 2005, 01:32pm
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refTN--

The Fightin' Blue Hen is the mascot of The University of Delaware. It is kinda wierd, because the depiction of the mascot is clearly male, but that is a different subject entirely. I love unusual mascots.
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  #69 (permalink)  
Old Fri Jul 22, 2005, 05:13am
Huck Finn
 
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refTN, I sent you an email with the information.

You still didn't say where you are in the system. I know of the OVC and A-Sun but I forgot what the other leagues are. Peachbelt or something like that right?
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  #70 (permalink)  
Old Fri Jul 22, 2005, 12:43pm
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Tomegun I just got into the program so I don't know where I am at yet but here are the confrences in the SEC umbrella: Florida Sun(NAIA), Sunshine State(DII), Southern States Athletic(NAIA), Peachbelt Athletic (DII), Ohio Valley(DI), Atlantic Sun(DI) and Southeastern(DI).
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  #71 (permalink)  
Old Fri Jul 22, 2005, 01:05pm
Huck Finn
 
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Location: Las Vegas
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Quote:
Originally posted by refTN
Tomegun I just got into the program so I don't know where I am at yet but here are the confrences in the SEC umbrella: Florida Sun(NAIA), Sunshine State(DII), Southern States Athletic(NAIA), Peachbelt Athletic (DII), Ohio Valley(DI), Atlantic Sun(DI) and Southeastern(DI).
Did you get my email to send me the tape? I guess we will be able to meet face to face in Atlanta for the NCAA meeting.
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  #72 (permalink)  
Old Fri Jul 22, 2005, 03:49pm
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I did get your email and I will have it sent out tommorrow or monday. Thanks for taking a look.

I don't know if I am going to come to the meeting or not.
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  #73 (permalink)  
Old Fri Jul 22, 2005, 03:56pm
Huck Finn
 
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Quote:
Originally posted by refTN
I don't know if I am going to come to the meeting or not.
I thought coach Guthrie requires everyone on staff to attend the NCAA meeting. Is that not the case?
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  #74 (permalink)  
Old Fri Jul 22, 2005, 05:12pm
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Tomegun,

I just went to IIOC this year so I would have to say I am not on Guthrie's staff, but we were invited to attend the meeting in Atlanta.
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  #75 (permalink)  
Old Mon Jul 25, 2005, 05:15am
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In response to the comments that everyone has made here, as a young official, I think it's very easy to get caught up in the praise that you will receive, especially at camps, and if you have talent and a desire to learn, and also when you're better than a lot of your fellow campers. The hard part is stepping up and encountering a situation where you might get some criticism and you are not one of the elite campers. That feeling is not a great feeling, and that's where the strong support network, and things outside of officiating come in. It's very easy to get caught up in the praise and put everything into officiating when you're being told how great a job you're doing, but what happens when you've invested everything into something and you hit a bump in the road. In order to continue to succeed at that point, you need other things to help you keep a positive mindset that is necessary to overcome those obstacles. That's why I think the most successful officials always say officiating in not priority #1 in life. There's too much pressure already on us than for us to be impacted on too personal a level by failures on the court.
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