New guy advice...

[footballguydoingroundball]

Big fan of this forum! I'm a 1st yr basketball official in AZ; just completed my 3rd yr in football.
Any advice for a new guy in Basketball? Any thing specific to tranistion from football to basketball?
Thanks!

[blindzebra]

Originally posted by footballguydoingroundball
Big fan of this forum! I'm a 1st yr basketball official in AZ; just completed my 3rd yr in football.
Any advice for a new guy in Basketball? Any thing specific to tranistion from football to basketball?
Thanks!

Were you the R in football?

You want to stop the play on an infraction with the whistle, unlike in football, so that will be the biggest adjustment.

I know a lot of guys that have made the opposite move and they suffered through a lot of accidental whistles when they started football.

Having worked other sports makes it easier.

Where in AZ are you at?

I'm in Phoenix.

[footballguydoingroundball]

Thanks Z; I am in area 4, Casa Grande. You are correct about the whistle; it has been an adjustment for me. Worked primarily as an Umpire, so not much whistle blowing there! I did alot of R in youth and sub V football though. I was really intimidated when I arrived at my 1st scrimmage...me and one other official!
Baptism by fire I guess! I struggle mightily with determining on the fly what I need to report to the table and what I need only whistle, verbalize and indicate inbounds spot.
Did you get to work any FB playoffs?

[blindzebra]

Actually, I just do basketball. I know a lot of guys that do multiple sports. Football/basketball is usually the whistle. Baseball/basketball is usually giving the hammer on fouls instead of the straight arm.

The reason I asked if you were the R, was that would make you more comfortable reporting fouls.

Basically from a mechanics stand point you will be about where all first year officials are.

You should have an edge in being comfortable making judgments and understanding how the rule book works.

I'll give you the same advice I give all new basketball officials.

Have a strong whistle and voice. Give a good blast and vocalize what you have.

Practice signals and foul reporting at home in the mirror.

Work as many games as you can get.

Watch experienced officials work and ask questions.

Find an experienced official in your area, perhaps someone that does football too, that will watch you work.

Good luck, and if I can help, just let me know.

[JRutledge]

Having been an R in football for about 5 seasons some of the football mechanics will not translate. It is not required that you use your voice in football (unless you choose to verbalize every penalty), it is required that you use your voice in basketball. Also just because you were a referee does not mean you had good signal mechanics either. I see a lot of football Referees that never would stop to signal penalties. The biggest thing you will have a leg up on most officials is making calls and dealing with coaches in tough situations. Coaches in football yell about the same stupid stuff that they will in basketball, you just are in a more confined space when working basketball games. A basketball game can be a little more intense than football as well from beginning to end. The biggest advice is to work some camps during the spring and summer. Then you will be observed by veteran officials and assignors and they can tell you what to work on. Just watch as much basketball as you can and see how the officials handle themselves during calls and how they deal with coaches. If you do nothing but pick up on the demeanor of those officials, you will be ahead of many officials that have worked longer than you have. Also some of the very same principles of football will apply to basketball as it relates to advantage/disadvantage and hustle and positioning. So the fact that you have officiated another sport in the past will help you greatly if you applied the proper philosophies and worked hard in football. Good luck to you and I hope everything will work out for you.

Peace

[refnrev]

Don't wear your cleats or turf shoes on the court. Seriously, welcome aboard. You've already got officiating experience so making the calls should be easier than for other beginners. My biggest problem is transitioning from season to season and using the proper mechanic. In my very first basketball game several years ago when the coach called for a time-out I crossed my arms over my head. Time out in soccer. Intentional foul in basketball. My first game this fall I formed a T with my hands above my head and pointed toward the coach. Time-out in volleyball. Technical foul in b'ball. After the first game this stuff usually goes away. Also, remember that you are much closer to the coaches and fans so you'll hear the complaints and the the mating calls of the howler monkeys much more clearly than in football.

[paysonref]

Same advice as above basically... verbalize your calls and hit the whistle on every violation and foul. No flags to throw in basketball! Use your game management skills to your advantage, because the coaches in general are closer and you can hear them clearer when you are running by the benches. By the way, I'm from up north... Payson. It's cool to see some other Arizona officials on the board.

[Mark Padgett]

Do I need to tell him the first rule of officiating, or do you think he already knows it - being a football zebra?

[footballguydoingroundball]

Thanks guys! All great advice, and taken with much gratitude!
I have to laugh at the mechanics mix ups you mention REFNREV.... first time out I called for a coach, I waved my arms over my head ...just like in football. I turned to see my partner doubled over in laughter!! Its ok, hes my white hat in football, I have had a few chuckles at his expense.

Whats a good key for determining quickly afoul versus a violation? In football I have "plenty" of time to think about the call/foul.
I have founs so far that my experience in whitehatting a few games in football has helped me to deal with coaches in basketball so far...
thnaks again guys!
Go the AZ officials!

[Stan]

Originally posted by Mark Padgett
Do I need to tell him the first rule of officiating, or do you think he already knows it - being a football zebra?

Better tell him, football folks hold their whistle in their hand. Maybe they have a variation of the first rule.

[ChuckElias]

Originally posted by footballguydoingroundball
Whats a good key for determining quickly afoul versus a violation?

The main difference is that most fouls are due to contact with an opponent. Most violations are due to breaking one of the "floor" rules (traveling, double dribble, etc.).

[BktBallRef]

Originally posted by blindzebra
I know a lot of guys that have made the opposite move and they suffered through a lot of accidental whistles when they started football.

That's true of all new football officials, not just those who have previously worked basketball. Also, in football, it's an inadvertant whistle.

[BktBallRef]

Originally posted by Stan

Better tell him, football folks hold their whistle in their hand. Maybe they have a variation of the first rule.

Stan, I believe that Mark is referring to Officiating Rule #1 - Never let a game go into overtime!

[ChuckElias]

Originally posted by BktBallRef

Stan, I believe that Mark is referring to Officiating Rule #1 - Never let a game go into overtime!

That's not Padgett Rule #1, tho. Let's just say that basketball refs have their own "tuck rule".

[Mark Padgett]

Originally posted by ChuckElias

That's not Padgett Rule #1, tho. Let's just say that basketball refs have their own "tuck rule".

OK - here it is by popular demand - the first rule of officiating:

"Tuck your whistle in your shirt before you take a leak".