First varsity game, any advice?

[stripes]

Originally Posted by Back In The Saddle

I've got my first HS varsity game this Friday. It's pretty exciting to be able to say that. I'm there to be evaluated by my board to see if I'm ready to move up to varsity. So there's some pressure to step up and show that I'm ready.

Any advice on how not to screw this up? How to make the most of the opportunity?

Ray,

Just a couple of thoughts. First congratulations. Second, remember that once the ball is in the air, it is a basketball game and you know how to officiate the game. Third, Do your job...Hustle, use proper mechanics, be in position and control the game. Finally, enjoy the experience. A friend of mine did his first D1 TV game a couple of weeks ago as a fill in. He said he decided he would "smell the flowers" while he was there because it may never happen again. He made sure that he would enjoy the experience.

Don't worry about Greg and the rest of the people there, just do your thing.

If you want to talk before or after, call me.

[chrs_schuster]

Congrats! I myself had my first Vasity game last Friday. It was very exciting and a thrill to do. My partners were very helpful and explained the same thing that everybody else is saying on this post. I was a little nervous and apprehensive in the first Q but just let the game come to you and sell your calls. Good Luck!

[Rich]

I hadn't worked basketball since early March. I had a long baseball season and football season between my basketball games and I don't work off season and only attended one camp this summer.

Saturday night I did a girls varsity game and tonight a boys varsity game -- normally I have 10 games in by now, but this season I wanted a bit of an extra break from officiating. In small ways, it felt like my first time out, even though I haven't worked anything but varsity games in years. It clicked, though. Tomorrow I'm back to 2-person girls varsity, though, and I dread not working 3-person.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by chrs_schuster

Congrats! I myself had my first Vasity game last Friday. It was very exciting and a thrill to do. My partners were very helpful and explained the same thing that everybody else is saying on this post. I was a little nervous and apprehensive in the first Q but just let the game come to you and sell your calls. Good Luck!

My first varsity game was 17 years ago now, in my third season of working hoops. Long time ago, but I remember how nervous I was. Last night after not working a game in over 9 months, I felt the same way.

[Junker]

I'm also kind of going through those first game excitement issues. I have 2 pretty big matchups (at least they look big to me on paper, good teams, rivals and all) this weekend on Friday and Saturday, both in a very good 4A conference. Friday night I'm with a couple of very experienced, very respected, and just downright very good officials. Saturday night I'm with one of my regular partners and another official that I've heard good things about. Last night I had a terrible Varsity blowout and it was hard to stay in that game. I found myself thinking ahead at times. I still managed to call way too many fouls in the game I was working though.