I refereed a jv girls game last night. I am a 2nd year official.

The crewchief for the game said I was getting beat on fastbreaks consistently.

I am always concerned about being "straight-lined" on these plays. Consequently, I slow down to get what I feel is a better angle.

Did I do something wrong???

If you're "consistently" getting beat on fast breaks, then you're doing something wrong -- being too deep as T, not reading the play properly, ...

If it happens occasionally (once or twice a game), then you're probably okay.

suntzu45,
Welcome to the forum.

Work on anticipating the play.
Concentrate on the direction of the teams.
Keep moving for better angles.
Never plant your feet on the court.
Stay off your heels.

mick

Just curious are you in a 2 or 3 man crew?? Either way as the trail official you shouldnt get beat. You have to anticipate the change of possesion. Now, everyone is going to get beat on occasion, so dont think that getting beat once is awful or anything. As the trail, once possesion changes you are now the lead, you have to get to the baseline to be in proper position. Coaches get very upset when your not in position on that fast break and they feel that a foul was committed. Now that being said dont worry about coaches (like me) but do your best to anticipate the COP and bust it to your spot. Getting beat in a 2 man crew every once in a while is okay. In a 3 man it's almost unacceptable.

If I'm getting beat on a fast break I usually try to keep moving but alter the direction to get an angle through the play. If that is not possible, I stop just long enough to see that play then continue down.

In my opinion, if you are getting beat continously you are either out of shape or you run in the same place for too long :)

There have been times (twice in boys games) where in the first quarter and a half I was getting beat consistently...both teams just had a lot of speed. I starting setting up deeper when at trail. If you do that, remember to take two quick steps toward the foul spot when you blow your whistle...that way when everyone locates the person in the funny looking shirt that just blew his whistle they see you in better position.

That's just what I do...but then I am not the one evaluating you or assigning you games. Did you ask him what you could do as an alternative?

Getting beat from time to time is part of what we do. IMO, someone who NEVER gets beat is cheating the rebounding action from his trail position. There is even times when it's acceptable to get beat in 3-person but this should not be a consistant thing. I'm with your crewchief, you should not get beat more than once in a GJV game and maybe not even that much. Maybe get some faster shoes. ;)

If it is 2 person, it is far better to get beat occasionally than bailing on your partner too soon or working too high at trail that you miss plays or lose credibility because of the length of the call.

If you are getting beat in 3 person or on plays that are not changing possession even or behind you then you have a problem.

It could be fitness.

It could be the plow you are pulling.:)

Or it could be that you are routinely not doing what the name suggests, TRAILLING the play, or when you move you are not on the balls of your feet so you must re-set them to change direction.

In 3 person camp, they emphasized the Trail going deeper...like to top of the key. And they were willing to trade off getting beat occasionally for better front court coverage. I think they were really trying to avoid calls in the paint being made by the Trail from the division line.

I encourage the 28' mark as the initial set-up for Trail.
Anyone else?
mick

An inexperienced official who can't anticipate the COP well can compensate by being able to run like a gazelle.

An experienced official can get a few extra steps by being aware of the change in possession or by anticipating the COP well. Once you've done this for a while, you can see an uncontested clean rebound before the ball's in the rebounder's hands.

I get beat once a half or so in varsity games. I'm not a fast person. I'll get an angle from behind. Doesn't bother me a bit.

I think you will get beat more than a few times under the right circumstances in games. Many of these kids are pretty good athletes and if we all think we are not going to get beat we are not being honest with ourselves.

Mick, the 28' mark is usually a good start. On a shot I will go as low as the top of the 3 point line. If the Trail has to call a foul in the lane on a rebound he/she should not be much higher than the 3 point line in my opinion. Most of the players are going to go inside the 3 point line on most rebounds and you will get beat if the ball comes off the rim hard and a team starts throwing the ball up court. I know when I work games I might get beat 4 or 5 times if the right kind of style is played.

Peace

Jeff this wasn't boys varsity, it was girls jv.

sun -- I've always struggled with getting beat, and here are some ways I'm starting (just this season) to deal with it better.

Evaluators in my neck of the woods are pretty harsh on trail being too far back during half-court play, and especially if we take a step back during the shot and rebounding action. I try to step down one good stretch when the shot goes up, and then as soon as it touches the rim, I'll rotate myself to be prepared to beat the fast break. If the ball bounces out to the top of the key, or if a player starts back, even without the ball, I"ll start a sprint, even if it means coming right back again. If the ball rebounds way out, and I start to go, and then it goes back in for another shot, I just step back down again. This has helped a lot.

Also, if there is a fast break with the opponents side-by-side, one or two quick, long steps early on should put you in a good position out front. Stay wide enough that you can get a good angle between the players. If you see that you're not going to make it, drop back, and step toward the center, so that you can see between.

Around here the unwritten rule is that you shouldn't get beaten more than once or twice a game, except with a couple of specific teams that really make a religion of the fast-break plays.

If you work on it at the jv girls level, concentrating on the timing and rhythm of stepping down and cheating back at the right moments, you'll be able to move it up to varsity pretty easily.

Thank-you everone
 

Thank-you Rainmaker

It's my second-year with so much too learn. I've got plenty of hustle and heart and will work on this.

I understand that. The question was not just about JV girl’s basketball and how not to get beat. I just did not want anyone to walk away from this post thinking they are not going to get beat. They could work College Women's basketball and you will get beat from time to time.

Peace

Re: Thank-you everone
 

Sun...where do you officiate?? Are there any good veteran officials in your area to work with?? Maybe just go to a varsity game and watch the officials. It is very hard to go to a game and not watch the game. But try to watch as little of the game as possible. Pay attention to the positioning and footwork of each official. Hopefully you will be able to pick up some things that will help.

Rainmaker, I'm with you on the step down thing with the shot but I'm not sprinting anywhere til the rebound is secured. Just because a kid takes of on a snowbird, doesn't mean there won't be a scrum on the boards. Stay put and referee, when the ball goes to the other end, then go down there and referee. That's my take on this.

2-person is a system of compromises. One needs to choose where to compromise.

I agree, if there's rebounding action, I have to help. But if the rebound is completely uncontested, the game is better served with me on the other end. And only experience tells you when to head upcourt.

AMEN TO THAT, just said! "Someone who NEVER gets beat is cheating the rebounding action from his trail position."


Welcome to the forum, suntzu45. -excellent place learn (here) and to ask questions like this.


We usually and gotta, and hafta, and need to take a step (or 2) TOWARDS the rebounding action on EVERY (or most) shot(s). A common faux-pas -is that everything under the basket is lead's call. Of course, that's utterly ridiculous and is maybe furthest from the truth, as we all know.

Quite often, that coach who is ripping my a$$--as I'm getting beat (and running past him, table side) to the baseline, (to a 'straight-line-look')--for a no-call that he really thinks my partner missed, which had occurred on the backside rebounding play(s), where [the coach] may have actually had the same view/angle that I would've had if I'd a not turned my head to run or cheated back.

Point is IMO: -First, atleast see the play so that we know what the coach is even b1tchin about.

Second: Lead partners need that help, anyway; and most would/should want it. Good P's stay in there (as trail.)

Thirdly, as MICK suggested, "the 28' mark as the initial set-up for Trail," probably is interpretted as: "ya gotta be atleast inside that mark," and that's to start, right Mick?
IMO, try not to have a reference pt or some limit-line as to how far we DON'T hafta go. We still may (and can) miss the play. If we gotta go to the free-throw line-ext'd, then we gotta. Or if we gotta step in, we step in. It should be more about the angle--and like a Center (in3person). Atleast C is where more of the better angles are. And for me, I'd rather have the better angles. I hate to guess on the plays--so my solution: (try to not or) make it so you don't hafta guess. We may have to guess if our vision/angle is closed down--straight-lined. Or we passed on it. I say, See it so we can judge "pass" on it.

Third, if we still can't get back, timely enough--cuz there are those transitions that we just can't be back for--then we've either gotta work-out, get in shape (and it's not Pear Shape,) and be physically fit to earn our money, to earn our keep, and to earn our integrity. (IMO) :)

Lastly, we have a mechanics issue/problem.

I mean, the game's about the athletes--student-athletes that is--and we could or may rob something from that, if we're not athletes, too. And not "used-to be's."

As has been mentioned, there are ways and times to cheat, but in the majority, we can still stay and wait, and ref the play, wait for the rebound(secured), and then take off (sprinting to the baseline.) As Fronheiser eluded to: "let experience dictate."

Then there's the "button-hook." ChrisSprtsFan mentioned it: "Stay wide enough that you can get a good angle between the players. If you see that you're not going to make it, drop back, and step toward the center, so that you can see between." --the button hook. And Fronheiser: "I'll get an angle from behind. Doesn't bother me a bit." And, quite frankly, nor does it me. :)

Look it up; it's a great tool, IMO.

And I echo this, for sure:

JRutledge:

I think you will get beat more than a few times under the right circumstances in games. Many of these kids are pretty good athletes and if we all think we are not going to get beat we are not being honest with ourselves.

Mick, the 28' mark is usually a good start. On a shot I will go as low as the top of the 3 point line. If the Trail has to call a foul in the lane on a rebound he/she should not be much higher than the 3 point line in my opinion. Most of the players are going to go inside the 3 point line on most rebounds and you will get beat if the ball comes off the rim hard and a team starts throwing the ball up court. I know when I work games I might get beat 4 or 5 times if the right kind of style is played.

Peace
__________________
"The finish line is the beginning of a whole new race"—Teddy Ebersol
June 10, 1990-November 28, 2004