Comfort Level
 

As our career as an official progresses we all develop a comfort level with the level of games we work. But as we move up the ladder from middle school/junior high to lower level HS to HS varsity to JUCO and for a select few D1 we have our comfort level stretched as we enter that next level. The players are quicker, more athletic, coaches more vocal and lets not forget about those wonderful fans. Other than just working the games what are the tricks of the trade someone can use when working games at the next level in order to accelerate getting comfortable at the level. For me, this last weekend work a HS varsity boys game in which I never felt comfortable. Two of the top teams in the area, a little barking from the coaches which I was able to deal with, but I never felt comfortable on the court even though during the summer worked 50+ Varsity Boys games. My partner was one of our top officials who said I fine and said doing a game like this will help me become comfortable working these type of games during the season. I tried to stay focused, good mechanics and good positioning, especially being active as T. Other suggestions from the masses will be appreciated.

One thing I have found even though you may have the call totally wrong which you don't, you have to be a good sales ref. Sell the call. If you come across with comfort, not everyone is going to like your call, but doing a great job of selling the call will not raise any doubt. That was drilled into my head by my mentor who is ACC/Big East and CAA referee. Be confident with your call. I'm sure the rest of the Veterans on this thread may or may not agree but will give you great tips.

Well, I'm not sure there is another good short-cut. It's been true since I started, the more I work at a certain level, the more comfortable I've become. And, I don't think it's necessarily backwards-compatable either. A few years ago I was asked to work a grade school playoff game because a friend of mine had to get off the game. I hadn't worked a grade school game in over 5 years before that, and I found myself more nervous before that game than before a big HS rivalry game. It was just a situation I hadn't been in in a while, so I wasn't real comfortable. I'm also a little more nervous about a game in a gym or school I've never been at, compared to a location I've been at a couple of times before. The less things are unfamiliar, the more comfortable I am.

There are two things I have done consistently, again and again, that have helped me a lot.

1) Just working games isn't enough. You have to talk to someone about them so your mistakes can become lessons. Camp is a great place for this, but there are other situations you can create for yourself. you might even pay someone to come and watch, and give advice, and discuss questions about things that happen. The advantage of this system is that you are paying, so if you want to argue, they have to answer your objections. I know you pay at camp too, but somehow it just doesn't work there. Another situation you can make for yourself is at a tournament where there are a whole bunch of refs on site, and you can banter and cajole someone to give suggestions, or to answer quetsions.

2) The other thing you can do to move up and be comfortable more quickly is to watch a lot of games at the level you want to move up to. And then talk to someone about what you're seeing. You also have to be certain that the refs you're watching are good at it, so you can learn what to do, rather than what not to do. As you're watching, you need to assume they are always right, and then when you have a game, you can sort of put yourself into the "Lea-mode" (that's how I think of it for myself, since my role model is named Lea) or whoever, and try to act like that person.

Let's make sure we differentiate (for Jurassic, that big word means to see a difference between :) ) being comfortable and being complacent...being comfortable is just a matter of "acting like you've been there before" which comes with having been there before...as others have said - work more games at that level. But don't get complacent - don't ever get so comfortable at any level that you take it for granted...speaking from personal experience - that is NOT a good thing.

Agreed. I think it's probably safe to say that getting complacent leads to a lot of discomfort!

Amen. <font = font>

Oh, thank Goodness that's what it means. I was worried about you going blind....again.

Carry on differentiating. I won't tell anyone.

Hhmmmmm....

Interesting combination of perky, sassy AND crotchety and growl-ly. Also indications that you've never differentiated?? Not that I"m asking...:eek:

WOW!! Juulie comes in big! Talk about piling on the defenseless old geezer... way to go Juules! That retreat was good for you!!!

You have no idea..... :D

Umm...any pictures? Videos?

I'd even settle for court-artist drawings.

I already told you --- old ladies in pedal pushers. And there was no need for court-artists.

Is it Roger or Mike?

Nope, not me! No! Never! Nuh-huh! Nosir! Not!

Weeeeell, maybe I took a chance with one eye. Once.

I think what you are experiencing is forever present throughout your career. i also find myself a little uncomfortable when working in a new gym. But that experience that we all need to gain before going to the next level is part of the process of gaining "your stripes". With getting the experience, you learn to adapt and perform.

The thing is....you are always asked to perform. To focus on the task at hand and to be perfect and then get better. lol. That focus for the game is the fun part to me. To referee and be part of a team. Getting the calls right and being a good partner. if you are not enjoying the moment and learning from your experiences...the time to do it is now.

One major thing that I have been told to do is to have someone video-tape the game, and then to watch the entire game first,then to go back and watch the game and see what you did as an official. You can see a whole new picture of yourself when you can pause, rewind and see what position you should have been in. Our commissioner will sit and watch the game with us and tell us what he thinks.

This is excellent & sound advice. Looking at tape helps your game to the highest level. It helps you in so many ways. From proper positioning to whether you look athletic (for those of you who are into that)- tapes don't lie. Usually. To me watching tape helps you from making the same mistakes over and over. You can correct yourself.

The best camps I've been to are ones where you go to the tape. This summer we had a really good one where they really raked you over the coals so to speak. We recieved lots of feedback about little things like not leaning on one leg during plays because it slows you down just a little when you go the other way. It was great. As far as working up a level, when I do I really concentrate on the things I know I can control, my mechanics and my hustle. Make sure to get the obvious and ask questions of the more experienced members of the crew. I'll ask, "Are you seeing anything I should be getting that I'm not?" and such.

That's good stuff. Caution: Don't be overly critical. They remember what you call and not what you don't. MOST OF THE TIME. Call the obvious. Don't go looking for stuff to call. Most of the time they (the infractions) call themselves. When you go looking you run into trouble. I hope that makes sense.

Thanks for the great input. Many of the comments hit right on the mark and confirm the things I have been doing. However, thanks for reminding me of selling a call and taping a game. During the summer I talked to a mentor of mine and we discussed taping each other this season. The tape never lies. I have been taped at camps I have attended that included voice over comments from the trainers and I need to pull them out a look at them again. Probably one of the best things I did a few years ago as I started doing HS BB was watching the varsity games. My focus was on game management and what calls did they make that I might of past on. I know these 2 small but incredibly important areas helped my progress.

They will. One last thing...don't ever lose that "student of the game" mentality that you have. I'm serious. If you referee the FINALS of your ultimate game don't feel like you have arrived. Keep getting better and help others and remain humble. That's class.

I know roger, but not him, It's Charles R.....

the original topic was......
 

When moving up from one level to the next tell yourself (this has a large degree of truth) that this will be easier. In a way it is easier because the higher the quality of the game, the easier it is to call. (less than 40 held balls per half) The speed of the players involved may make an official's job more physically demanding, but better players tend to do more things right, less violations to call, less trips up and down the court because of unforced errors (a pass 10 feet over somebody's head) etc. To me, if you call a 6th grade girls game first, calling an 8th grade boys game afterward is like getting out of jail.