Beginning of Season Focus
 

I'm curious as to what you veterans concentrate on when officiating your first few games of the season, especially those things that keep you sharp (or at least appear sharp). It seems my early games last year were more about getting comfortable all over again. I'd rather my first game this year not look my first game ever.

Actually, my first game wasn't too bad. Maybe I want to avoid looking like it is my worst game ever. :D

I'm not sure how much of a veteran I am, but I come out in every game wanting to be sharp on my mechanics and have good communication with my partners. As far as early season focus, I try to think about the points of emphasis (pregame) and this year I want to make sure I'm not dipping accross the lane to get fouls as lead. My high school crew always talk about things we need to work as a crew on the way to our games. Sometimes the conversation is short, others it is long.

Well if you went to camp during the summer, you undoubtedly came home with several things to work on. That was going to be my focus for my first couple of games, and to some extent it was. But my major focus turned out to be keeping the two rookies I was working with from stepping on their own weiners. :D

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My first "game" each year are local small college scrimmages. First few minutes I'm just adjusting my brain and eyes to the fact that I'm watching live players run around in front of me and making sure I'm getting to where I need to be on the court. My first basketball thoughts are "pick up the defense" and "what's going on with all those bodies in the paint?". After that, everything starts coming back to me.

I'm a big believer in working scrimmages. I fish for college scrimmages in the local area plus my HS Assoc requires us to work at 2 HS scrimmages in the pre-season. By the time I'm doing my first regular season games I don't feel like I'm just getting back on to my bicycle.

Left, right, left, right, left, left, (ouch! I really hope no one saw that.) Crap, the whole gym saw it! Okay, starting over... left, right, left, right...

They brought dachshunds to the game! Talk about your officials needing seeing eye dogs!

I have been doing college scrimmage for the last couple of week and the I believe all of the bugs are gone. So now I start my HS scrimmages with my first game on Saturday. I have been running since early October, so my mind, body and soul is ready!!!!

I go with my HS crew here in a few hours. I'm having a hard time concentrating on work, I'm so excited to get out there. I've even done about 5 game already (JUCO and such) but there's just something about getting out with the regular crew for the first time. I hope they're not reading this, they might start to think I like them.:D

Don't even get me started about what they did on the coach's leg. :eek:

I'm just glad they didn't bring any psycho beagles. (Chuck Elias, 1968 - 2006. RIP)