Teen-age Officials

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

Does starting my basketball officiating career just after I turned nineteen qualify me as an official who started out as a teenage official?

MTD, Sr.

Mark, technically it does, but I'm looking more at HS age. My son is only 13. When, or if, he feels the urge to give this a try I will be able to take care of all the mechanics, court coverage, & positioning stuff. But getting him to comprehend, recognize, and then apply the rules seems like the more daunting task.

It's hard enough to get him to read a Social Studies handout then answer 10 fill-in-the-blanks questions.

[smoref]

I started officiating when I was 12 years old. A guy who was a father figure to me ran tournaments and he needed a ref so I was thrown in. I didn't join the high school association until I was 26.

I have always thought back to where I would be if I started doing is seriously while I was in high school, but I am very happy with the progress that I have made in the 6 years that I have been doing it.

I can't wait for the day that my daughter or son come up to me and ask if they can ref, but if they don't it will be okay as well.

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

Mark, technically it does, but I'm looking more at HS age. My son is only 13. When, or if, he feels the urge to give this a try I will be able to take care of all the mechanics, court coverage, & positioning stuff. But getting him to comprehend, recognize, and then apply the rules seems like the more daunting task.

It's hard enough to get him to read a Social Studies handout then answer 10 fill-in-the-blanks questions.

Since I am now 54 years old, I guess I was trying to recapture my boyhood and boost my self esteem.

MTD, Sr.

[ref18]

I started officiating at 15, I am now 19. I'm in college now, but was officiating JV basketball and V football while I was still in High School.

[fonzzy07]

Originally Posted by ref18

I started officiating at 15, I am now 19. I'm in college now, but was officiating JV basketball and V football while I was still in High School.

How were u able to do that? are state has a rule that you can't do highschool until you graduate.

[Snake~eyes]

Originally Posted by fonzzy07

How were u able to do that? are state has a rule that you can't do highschool until you graduate.

He's from Canada.

[ref18]

I'm also hoping to be doing college football by the time I'm outta college, although I'm not sure how that's gonna work out.

Also, back in my day, when I started we didn't have the cartoon book. I learned by reading. This was the first year I ever saw the simplified and illustrated book

Moving to a new association will do that to you.

[26 Year Gap]

Originally Posted by ref18

I'm also hoping to be doing college football by the time I'm outta college, although I'm not sure how that's gonna work out.

Also, back in my day, when I started we didn't have the cartoon book. I learned by reading. This was the first year I ever saw the simplified and illustrated book

Moving to a new association will do that to you.