Personal Posession Keeper

[ranjo]

I have in recent years always switched the spare whistle in my pocket to keep track of the posession arrow. In some of the camps I have attended, this practice was looked down on as something only a rookie would do. I thanked the advisors for the advice, and have continued to do it. I do try to change it without drawing attention to what I am doing. Other than a little extra wear on my pants pockets, it has worked well for me.

I know some of you big dawg's claim to keep to keep the arrow in your heads, but my brain tends to loose track after the 7th or 8th held ball in a girls game.

How many others of you use this or another system to keep track of the arrow? Do you think its not professional?

[Terrapins Fan]

Why not let the table do their job? I don't keep it. It's the tables job, the book keepers and rarely do they get it wrong in my experiences. I do keep track that the arrow has been turned properly.

But do do mostly high school ball, I will do my first middle school game, of this year, next week.

[ranjo]

Originally Posted by Terrapins Fan

Why not let the table do their job? I don't keep it. It's the tables job, the book keepers and rarely do they get it wrong in my experiences. I do keep track that the arrow has been turned properly.

But do do mostly high school ball, I will do my first middle school game, of this year, next week.

Part of my job is to be sure the table is doing their job correctly. I watch the clock to see if it starts and stops properly, I check the book and make sure the home and visitors agree on score,time-outs, and individual fouls, and I keep check on the posession arrow because I know they don't always do their job.

[stewcall]

Originally Posted by ranjo

I have in recent years always switched the spare whistle in my pocket to keep track of the posession arrow. In some of the camps I have attended, this practice was looked down on as something only a rookie would do. I thanked the advisors for the advice, and have continued to do it. I do try to change it without drawing attention to what I am doing. Other than a little extra wear on my pants pockets, it has worked well for me.

I know some of you big dawg's claim to keep to keep the arrow in your heads, but my brain tends to loose track after the 7th or 8th held ball in a girls game.

How many others of you use this or another system to keep track of the arrow? Do you think its not professional?

Rec Leagues and Middle school- be prepared to keep track of the arrow.
Penny, Whistle or whatever.... otherwise leave it to the table-- make sure it is pointed correctly after the initial tap and the beginning of each quarter
Stew in VA

[mj]

Originally Posted by ranjo

I have in recent years always switched the spare whistle in my pocket to keep track of the posession arrow. In some of the camps I have attended, this practice was looked down on as something only a rookie would do. I thanked the advisors for the advice, and have continued to do it. I do try to change it without drawing attention to what I am doing. Other than a little extra wear on my pants pockets, it has worked well for me.

I know some of you big dawg's claim to keep to keep the arrow in your heads, but my brain tends to loose track after the 7th or 8th held ball in a girls game.

How many others of you use this or another system to keep track of the arrow? Do you think its not professional?

For some reason this is a pet peeve of mine. I will never claim to big a "big dawg" but when I see someone digging in their pocket every a/p situation it drives me nuts. I don't remember it in my head either unless we had one in the last couple of minutes. The table has 2 people that should be keeping track of this.

I just make sure that it is switched after the proper team inbounds the ball.

[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.

[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.

[CaliOne]

Originally Posted by mj

For some reason this is a pet peeve of mine. I will never claim to big a "big dawg" but when I see someone digging in their pocket every a/p situation it drives me nuts. I don't remember it in my head either unless we had one in the last couple of minutes. The table has 2 people that should be keeping track of this.

I just make sure that it is switched after the proper team inbounds the ball.

My personal favorite is the rubber band on left or right wrist. My problem would be, trying to rembmer which team is which hand....

[Rusty Gilbert]

Originally Posted by CaliOne

My personal favorite is the rubber band on left or right wrist. My problem would be, trying to rembmer which team is which hand....

I use a small, flesh-colored rubber band on my index finger. I bought a bag of the rubber bands at an office supply store, and go through about 5-10 rubber bands each season. (Either get lost or break from the wear.)

When the arrow should go to the team in white jersey, the rubber band goes on my right hand's index finger (white - right).

When the arrow goes to the other team, then the rubber band goes on my left hand's index finger (all others - left).

In those rare instances when no one wears a white or a real light-colored jersey, then someone usually is red. (red - right)

Been doing this for many years. You never would notice it. I move it after the A-P throw-in ends and use that moment to check the table for its change of the arrow.

When a held-ball situation occurs, a brief "thumbing" of the index fingers tells me which team has the arrow.

Interestingly, I went without this for the first time 2 weeks ago (changed whistles just before the game; I keep the rubber band on the whistle and lanyard between games). Missed it greatly!

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by Rusty Gilbert

I use a small, flesh-colored rubber band on my index finger.

Would you let a player wear one of those?

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

Would you let a player wear one of those?

Would you let a player wear a wedding ring? Huh, wouldja?