Personal Posession Keeper

[tomegun]

I think keeping track of the arrow comes with experience and if you want to do it. Work on it just like anything else and it will come. IMO, this sort of goes hand in hand with play recall. The ability to recall plays will help a great deal and when you can recall plays you can recall jump ball situations and know who should get the ball.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by tomegun

I think keeping track of the arrow comes with experience and if you want to do it. Work on it just like anything else and it will come. IMO, this sort of goes hand in hand with play recall. The ability to recall plays will help a great deal and when you can recall plays you can recall jump ball situations and know who should get the ball.

I agree. I used to do the spare whistle thing but I would end up forgetting to switch my whistle and it became cumbersome. Now I just keep track in my head as best as possible and if a situation comes up I'm usually able to think back and recall the last AP situation.

Biggest thing though is the ability to recall certain plays when the need arises.

[Ref-X]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

I agree. I used to do the spare whistle thing but I would end up forgetting to switch my whistle and it became cumbersome. Now I just keep track in my head as best as possible and if a situation comes up I'm usually able to think back and recall the last AP situation.

Biggest thing though is the ability to recall certain plays when the need arises.

I keep possession in my head also.
I was working a county tournament game about two years ago and an observer saw me using a rubber ban. He told I should work on keeping possession in my head.
After that I never used a rubber ban or any thing else again.

[whistleone]

I try to keep it in my head as much as possible but I use the button on my back left pocket as a backup. If the button is unbuttoned, the ball goes to the left of the table. If the button is buttoned, the ball goes to the right of the table.
Sure, it's a physical way to keep track but I feel it's a lot less obvious than switching something between your pockets.

[Jurassic Referee]

I shift Wilbur from side to side in my pants to keep track of the arrow.

Works for me.

[BEAREF]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

I shift Wilbur from side to side in my pants to keep track of the arrow.

Works for me.

I've never tried this method....I'll try it tonight in my brand new pleated pants!

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by BEAREF

I've never tried this method....I'll try it tonight in my brand new pleated pants!

I learned it at the Ron Jeremy Basketball Officiating camp last summer.

I heartily recommend it.

Heartily, I tell ya!

[Mountaineer]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

I shift Wilbur from side to side in my pants to keep track of the arrow.

Works for me.

Maybe you should put the rubber band on Wilbur. . .

I have used the pocket method in the past - putting my whistle in the pocket of the direction we are to go when I face the table. I have, in recent years, thought it was a bit strange looking. I keep it in my head (lots of space in there) as I also keep track of team fouls and timeouts there. It's not something I trust the table to keep track of - because they screw it up regularly.

[mplagrow]

I had an 8th grade game where a parent filled in on the clock because someone didn't show up. She thought the possession arrow was supposed to point in the direction of the team that presently had possession (so everybody knew which team had the ball, of course)! She was so busy tracking possession she was having a hard time keeping track of everything else!

[Hartsy]

Originally Posted by Ref-X

I keep possession in my head also.
I was working a county tournament game about two years ago and an observer saw me using a rubber ban. He told I should work on keeping possession in my head.
After that I never used a rubber ban or any thing else again.

I agree with the observer if this rubber "ban" was worn on your wrist, or if it were switched from pocket to pocket.

I lean toward letting the table crew do the job, with a "trust but verify" clause.

[ranjo]

Originally Posted by tomegun

I think keeping track of the arrow comes with experience and if you want to do it. Work on it just like anything else and it will come. IMO, this sort of goes hand in hand with play recall. The ability to recall plays will help a great deal and when you can recall plays you can recall jump ball situations and know who should get the ball.

GOOD ADVICE -
Its getting easier every season, but its not there 100% yet and I'm not getting any younger.