I just want to publicly thank Rockyroad for all the advice and assistance this weekend at camp. The coolest thing about this was all the advice and suggestions helped a lot! Also, Rr, please tell Robby the same to him. I'm afraid I was exhausted to the point of tears, while he was talking to me, but I wasn't upset, just TIRED!!

Here's what I learned:

1) Hustle! I thought I was working hard, but it didn't show, and I wasn't working as hard as I could.
a) Lead MUST beat the play down the floor, using the pull-in-behind-the-shot move only once or twice during the whole game.
b) Trail MUST keep up with the pack.
c) Never walk when you can run. When you walk, walk only fast. Never saunter -- standing is much better.
d) Good posture adds a tremendous amount of hustle to your appearance.

2) Saying a little to coaches early on, is better than saying a whole bunch in a crisis.

3) Legal guarding position is different for screens and other off-ball movement, than for block/charge. The three requirements for off-ball guarding are 1) be at the spot first, 2)..without contact, 3)"time and distance" apply.

4) Write down and memorize certain sentences to say to coaches. This helps avoid accidntal bad explanations.

5) Consistency counts for a lot. Teamwork with your partner helps assure consistency.

Which leads to the most important lesson from the weekend:
6) Communication with your partner makes or breaks the game. Always work together, always communicate, lots of eye contact.

I know this will seem elementary to many of you, and it's not brand new to me, but I was able to take it to a whole new level this weekend and that was very good!

What are you saying in #3-3 ?
 

Jewel,
How does time and distance apply, or not?
mick

Glad to have been of some assistance! Like we told everyone when the camp started - if you hear something once, think about it...hear it twice, better think about it really hard...hear it three times, better change it! I really liked your judgement and consistency on calls and no-calls...again, I am glad you came away with some constructive things to work on...as for Mick's question - I think she is referring to a discussion I led on post play in which I differentiated between the requirements for establishing legal guarding position on a dribbler (both feet on floor, facing player, yada-yada-yada) and establishing legal position in the post (first to spot, get there w/out causing illegal contact)...a question was asked about time and distance on a post player moving across the key and defender jumping in front to pick them off...

dj

Everyone's first camp is a learning experience. You think you can officiate until you go to your first one!

Any nuggets of gold that you can share? :)

Hmmm, I like "Sit down and shut the f*** up!" :eek:

Oh, right Sparky.
 

Like you'd say that.

Re: Oh, right Sparky.
 

Well, I might think it!

"It was his teammate who hit him, coach"

"He still had control of the ball" or "He didn't have control of the ball"

"If you'd like, I"ll explain the 3-second details later"

"It didn't look that way to me"

"Coach, that's enough"

And this one that I actually got to use, "It's a new rule this year, ask me about it afterward"

Examples of what NOT to say: (I've got a long list in my notebook!!)

He tripped, Coach. (Coach responds, "I know he tripped! Tripping is a foul)

"He didn't dish the ball until after his knee hit the floor" (too long)

"3-seconds doesn't start until the ball is across the half court line, and it stops when the shot goes up and if the player in the key has the ball and is....."

"Actually, the contact wasn't on the arm it was on the body, with just enough displacement"

"Not one more word!"

"Don't you read the rulebook, Coach?" (too arrogant)

Re: Oh, right Sparky.
 

Dave actually said that once in a rec league game. I am not making this up.

My favorite comment when a coach yells is: "Sorry, coach. I left my English - Jibberish dictionary at home."