Being young...

[JRutledge]

I think what most people have said are pretty much right on. I can only add a couple of things that I feel are relevant.

I think you need to ask the people around you directly what you need to do or what you need to improve on. It is one thing to feel you are good, but I am sure other people have an opinion beyond what you are thinking. Not to say you are not good or are not one of the better officials around, but do other officials/assignors feel the same way? You have to have people that feel similar to the way you think your ability is. It is very possible that two things do not match up the way you think they do. No one here realistically knows what you need to work on and what is going to help you advance or hold you back.

Secondly, the amount of focus you take to officiating is very personal. Even though I agree with what Texas Aggie said on many levels, but that might not apply completely to you. If you are not married or do not have kids, your focus can be very different. Not all of us have the same family obligations to consider. I do not have any children and I like to be out of the house as much as possible. I also do not want to officiate every single night either. I admit that I work my regular job to officiate. That might not work for everyone but that is OK. You have to find the balance that works for you. That also does not mean that you already do not have that balance. You might have to take your officiating more seriously than you already are taking it. There is much more to being a good official than showing up and working the games. You might need a mentor at the college level. You might need to attend more meetings or more social events to meet other experienced officials and talk to them. I learn more at social events about how to get assignments and learn new contacts than any other place. I also would suggest that you treat this like a business. I know that you might not hear that from other people, but if you are making money doing something, it does not make a lot of sense to me to treat this only as a hobby. All your expenses, your schedule and how you are perceived are no different than any other business you might be involved in. If you go to a camp you have to convince assignors that they want to use your business. Everything needs to be in order or you will not get hired. You are only 23. You have plenty of time to get it together. By the time you are 30 you will be more than ready for that first opportunity than you are right now.

Peace

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by rainmaker

Of course your uniform should fit, but you may not need to "get it fitted". Of course you should dress nicely when you go to games, but coat and tie is overkill for going to a girls' jv game. Unless that's what you wear all day, and it's just fastest and easiest to show up that way

I have to disagree with this comment as well. The better your uniform fits, the better you look, the better you will be perceived. Your uniform is your business card. It is not much different than how you dress going to job interview. And in reality we are being judged as officials the same way on the court as someone is going to a job interview. Someone is going to see us for the first time and they will make judgments about us based on those first impressions. Maybe we will eventually prove them wrong, but we might not get another change to achieve that.

Peace

[Snake~eyes]

Originally Posted by rainmaker

If what you're doing isn't working, try something else. Perhaps relaxing and getting a life would be a good thing to do, and it might actually help your game.

Of course your uniform should fit, but you may not need to "get it fitted". Of course you should dress nicely when you go to games, but coat and tie is overkill for going to a girls' jv game. Unless that's what you wear all day, and it's just fastest and easiest to show up that way.

If officiating really, truly does run your life, you need to deal with that. A lot of refs joke around about that, but we don't really mean that we are literally addicted. If you are, it's not a good thing. Get some help. I'm not saying this to be critical or harsh, just to express the reality that I see. If you really, truly never get picked up for college ball, will you be able to let go and find something else to do with your life? You've got to keep a perspective now, or you'll won't be able to find one later.

I also have to disagree. Getting your shirt to fit well at the HS level may be uncommon, may be uncommon at the lower levels of college but that's irrelevant. It looks so much better when your shirt fits nicely. This goes to first impression and court presence.

Also have to disagree with dress to a game, this differ by area but I think its great to wear that to go to a game - first impression is everything and hopefully that will give you that little "extra"



Anyways, I just want to say I am in a similar boat. First thing off, be patient! Your time will come. You have to be in the right place at the right time. So keep learning and keep going to camp. Try to network with more people at camp, this helped me greatly and I continually try to email these people occasionally. Try to talk to a well respected official in your area who may be at the college level and see if he can give you any advice. You are still young and have plenty of time to get to the level you want to get to - be patient!

Good luck!

[FrankHtown]

At our State Meeting a few years ago, Monte McCutcheon (NBA) was the keynote speaker. Along with the great stories he had, he also mentioned he used to go on to the court with the attitude of calling a perfect game. And, he said, usually within the first 3 minutes, that goal was shot. So if perfection is your goal, and it's gone in the first 3 minutes, what is left?

He said now at every game, he picks something to work on. Signals, voice, presence, positioning, communicating with coaches....something that at the end of the night, he can say he got better at it, rather than trying to be "perfect."

I think it's an educational alternative to "perfection."

[refnjoe]

Well, as a new official who is a few years older than you, I envy the position you were in. I wish I had gotten started a long time ago!

I've already seen how intense the competition is, and I've decided not to focus on getting to the next level, or what everyone else is doing/getting.

Instead, my goal for each time I get on the court: learn something, and improve. I had a mentor (non-officating) when I was in high school who would always ask me how things went anytime he knew I had been involved in a competition. My knee-jerk reaction was to tell him how I did and whether we won or lost.

No matter what I said, he would always ask, "But did you learn anything?" He always said no matter if I won or lost, if I didn't learn something to make me better next time, it was a waste of time.

Another thought- see if you can find a younger rookie that wants to learn, and help them. If you take advantage of opportunites to teach, I bet you will improve your game!!

Keep it fun and have a great season!

[LarryS]

When I add my time contraints during the last few summers to the fact that college ball is not a goal of mine, it adds up to me having never attended a college camp...so forgive me if my thought is taboo.

When you go to a college try-out camp and don't get picked up, do you ask the reason(s) you were not selected?

About a year ago I interviewed a young man for a position in my company. He was a good candidate but seemed a little "high brow" during the interview...and that worried me when I thought about how he would fit in with the company culture. When I offered the position to the other finalist, he called me and we spoke for about 30 minutes. While he was disappointed, he thanked me and said he would keep my thoughts in mind while working for his current employer and in future interviews. Six months later, he called and thanked me again when he was offered a better position with another company.

While it may not be possible to get post-camp feedback from the assignor, there should be someone that can give you insight. It may simply be a case of you looking too young for their personal taste. If so, there is nothing you can do but keep working hard, enjoy the games you are calling and keep saying "Good morning" to people for as many mornings as possible.

Sounds like you are willing to work hard and educate yourself...fine virtues. Patience is another good virtue...

[BEAREF]

I officiated my first varsity game right out of high school back in 1976. Over the next couple years I found other things that were more important to me than officiating so I got out. I kept involved by playing pick up games and helping to coach traveling teams. About eight years ago I was asked to officiate a Freshman Team (boys) game and was hooked. I got recertified for high school the following year and have been enjoying a pretty full schedule since then, however, mostly JV and with a few varsity games. I feel that I'm on the other spectrum...being old. In this part of the country it seems as though the younger officials are getting the assignments because they will be around than us older guys. It's not my appearance as I've been told many times that I don't look any older than 30. I'm just hangin in there hoping that the hard work and preparation makes me better and that someday I'll make it to the next step on the ladder. If not...I will continue to do the best than I can.

[tomegun]

I cringe when I hear talk about "college camps." Has anyone ever heard of someone going to play a sport with the bigger boys because it will help them get better at the level they are at? That is what I think about "college camps." Also, the term "try-out" is probably thrown around too much. IMO, true try-out camps cost zero and may include being put up in a hotel and per diem. Most other camps are just teaching camps or money pits. Just my opinion.
I wish nobody felt the need to explain why they don't want or have time for college ball. It isn't for everyone and sometimes it makes me sick. Family (kids especially) are more important and everyone doesn't have a career where they can take the time off. I would suggest every official remain open to what a camp could offer. High school basketball needs good officials, bad!

[Texas Aggie]

Mike Tanco worked a lot of college basketball in the old Southwest Conference and other leagues. He worked one NCAA final in the early '80s as well. At one camp I attended in the early '90s, Mike spoke a bit. He said, and I paraphrase (but not much): officiating isn't more important than your spouse; it isn't more important than your family; and it isn't more important than your career.

At the time, I shrugged that off. Being ~23 without a spouse or family and just barely into a career, I didn't think he was talking to me. But he was, only about 2-3 years later.

I agree with JR that everything is a very personal decision. Just think about how your choices now about how you spend your time will affect you the rest of your life. You aren't 16 anymore without a worry in the world and unable to make objective decisions.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by tomegun

I cringe when I hear talk about "college camps." Has anyone ever heard of someone going to play a sport with the bigger boys because it will help them get better at the level they are at? That is what I think about "college camps." Also, the term "try-out" is probably thrown around too much. IMO, true try-out camps cost zero and may include being put up in a hotel and per diem. Most other camps are just teaching camps or money pits. Just my opinion.

I really, really, really think this depends on where you live and what conference you are trying to get into. The reason I say that is because there are conferences around me that do not charge a lot of money for the camp, but are the only camps the "conference" runs to get a look at newer officials. Not that a lot of guys get hired to the D1 level, but they might get a D2 or D3 opportunity that gives them a shot down the line.

Originally Posted by tomegun

I wish nobody felt the need to explain why they don't want or have time for college ball. It isn't for everyone and sometimes it makes me sick. Family (kids especially) are more important and everyone doesn't have a career where they can take the time off. I would suggest every official remain open to what a camp could offer. High school basketball needs good officials, bad!

I agree with you there. It is not for everyone. But you can learn something from these camps if nothing else how to manage people. I learned more about managing the game this summer than I ever have when I decided to go to a couple of D1 camps. My game has improved greatly just for what I learned.

Peace

[LarryS]

Originally Posted by tomegun

I cringe when I hear talk about "college camps." Has anyone ever heard of someone going to play a sport with the bigger boys because it will help them get better at the level they are at? That is what I think about "college camps." Also, the term "try-out" is probably thrown around too much. IMO, true try-out camps cost zero and may include being put up in a hotel and per diem. Most other camps are just teaching camps or money pits. Just my opinion.
I wish nobody felt the need to explain why they don't want or have time for college ball. It isn't for everyone and sometimes it makes me sick. Family (kids especially) are more important and everyone doesn't have a career where they can take the time off. I would suggest every official remain open to what a camp could offer. High school basketball needs good officials, bad!

The point I was attempting to make was that I did not know if it was appropriate to ask the assignors why you were not picked up.

You do not, at least in my area, need to go to a "college camp" to improve as an official...as least in my opinion. There are several camps with college officials and assignors present and making evaluations but the focus is on NFHS rules and mechanics and the teams are local summer league and travel teams.

And if my post make you sick...feel free to not read the d@&% things.

[tomegun]

Originally Posted by LarryS

And if my post make you sick...feel free to not read the d@&% things.

Maybe I wasn't clear or you are touchy. What makes me sick (sometimes) is the politics associated with college ball. Don't be so defensive.