3 man
 

had the pleasure of doing my first live three man game...thank God for you vets...2 of us were newbies to this system..did some camps and scimmages but was as nervous as when i did my first game...broke in on the jv game and carried onto the varsity game...finally started to flow half way through the varsity game...any suggestions for us officals that are just coming into this system?

Focus on your primary and trust your partners to call their areas.
Be aware of where your partners are so that you catch the rotations.

This is a natural feeling being nervous, this is my seventh season and I have been doing 3 man for 6 years and every game it normally takes at least 1Qtr to get the feeling and have the flow going. especially if you haven't worked with your partners before. I did a 3 man HS boys monday with partner even newer than me and it took about 10 mins for us to get the feel of each other. My 3 main things to remember of course there are more, but. 1: keep a third eye on your partners and communicate with them and watch for rotation, make sure they know what you called and visa versa 2: watch your area/know your area and then most important to me, is 3: trust your partner. Some of the vets will probably give you more and there are more. If you have a thorough pregame with your partners this will make the communications much easier. Nevadaref said it short and concise

Good Luck! Oh yea, enjoy and have fun doing it.

This may be a hard thing to do, but don't forget to call the game. If you're like me, I was wandering around my first few games going, <font size =-2>"Ok, where am I supposed to be?...where am I supposed to go?...where am I supposed to be?..."</font size>, and I forgot to make obvious calls in my area. Concentrate first on the game, then on where you're supposed to be. It will get easier the more you do.

And, as mentioned before, have fun! There's no reason to do this if you can't have fun.

If you find yourself with "nothing to look at", as if you aren't doing your job because there are no players active in your primary, remain focused, be ready to assist, and enjoy the moment. ;)

This is the best advice you can get. Don't let the unfamiliar mechanics get in the way of being a referee.

Best. Advice. Ever.

Edit: Darn. Dan beat me to it. My only consolation is that he hates it when we agree!

Don't expect to master three person mechanics right away. You will get better each time out, it will take many games for you to feel totally comfortable.

The one thing that helped me more than anything at 1st , after I did my JV game I would stay and watch the varisty guys . I would watch the rotations, where they went during timeouts etc. I also go in with them at halftime and get feedback from them about things that happened . I always would sit table side and watch there mechanics , how they reported there fouls, communications with coaches.

Where's Chuck? :D

ooops I will improve my game (spelling) in the 2nd half coach.

Over their.

Over they're what?

Over what?

Watt? <b> </b>

Watt wood Woddy do?

Depends on which Woddy we're talking about...

One would take a dump, turn around & clean himself off, bark a few times at the kids passing by, burp, lie down and take a nap.

Not sure what Woddy the dog would do tho.

One of them also drools a lot and tries to hump your leg.

I keep forgetting which one, though.

Yup, pretty much sounds like my morning.....

Why is it it that, even if there's 40 people at a party, the dog will try to hump <b>your</b> leg, M? Is it an ingrained reflex action? Or is it because they're smart enough to pick out the person who's easy?

Just wondering, is all.....

So?

I'm easy.

I'm not cheap, but I'm easy.

(I really wanna lock this thread. Is it working? Huh? How am I doin'?)

You need to get more personal in your attacks. You have to move from jocularity to character defamation.

or move from showing character to jock defamation. That usually works for me. :D

In Orlando. I'll check in but won't post much till Wednesday.

57K. eh?<font></font>

You attacking my jock?! Geesh, that <B>is</B> personal.

Ah...I get it now.

Say "hi" to the Ear'ed One.

Excellent.

Sound advice on all accounts. I would just add...when you think you got it down...watch out. 3 man is complicated but when ran right makes a lot of sense. Yes, don't forget to referee. Remember angles. If you have the angle make the call. Other words if you can see off. man def. man and ball...you probably have a good look. Ref the play. Your partners will adjust. Also, don't follow the ball. Ref your area and KNOW where the ball is. Anticipate the plays and not the calls. Angles, angles angles. Try to put yourself in the best possible position to make call. Example when at C ref plays to the basket hard. Take a good position to see it all the way to the basket. Also, be ready at t to ref rebounds and don't leak out to early to rush down the floor.
Good luck.

This is good advice for 3-whistle or 2-whistle.

I don't know why, but it seems in 3-man it's easier to pick up the bad habit of ball watching. Ref your primary area first and foremost. I'd also advise you to get a veteran or two that you really trust to watch you and critique you. I don't know if they use 3-man in all levels in your area or not, but if you can get the varsity officials to watch you in a JV game and ask them to give you one or two things to work on - and then work on it. I know guys that have been at this for 20 years and realize they don't know everything. (I also know guys that have been at this for 2 and already know it all.) It sounds like you are going to be the former and not that later - that's a good thing.

Good luck to you.

First couple of 3 mans that I did I just tried to fous on calling things in my area, and since I had I two partners who had done 3 man for years, if I didnpt have to report the foul, I hesitated a secnd, then went to where they weren't. The flow isn't bad when you don't overthink it. If I were to sit here right now and think about where to go in which situation, except for when reporting the foul, I'd have to pull out my 3-man mechanics book --WHICH IS A VERY GOOD INVETMENT, BY THE WAY! -- and review it. But if I got a call and had to go out RIGHT NOWand just do a a game it becomes fairly natural movents pretty quickly.