How long to master?

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Working games alone is not what makes you good or gives you experience.

Old School has posted that he has officiated over 10,000 games in his 16 years.

'Nuff said!

[Kostja]

I have been refereeing since I was 17 years old. Now I'm 28 and I don't think I have mastered refereeing, even though I referee on a professional level in my country.

As many before me said, it is a never ending learning process. As you advance you will discover a new world in every league you set your foot into. It really is like that. Then, as you grow older, you will every now and then feel like something you thought you were doing really well in the past doesn't suit you anymore because your personality changes with time. And the behavioral patterns and solutions we discuss here are not always for everyone .

Regarding rules, this is the easiest part by far. You can master the rules in less then six months. If you can spend as much time as you say on reading the rule book, case book, interpretations, the discussions on this forum, old rules tests, and so on, you will gain excellent rules knowledge pretty soon. Applying the rules in a game situation is different though, because before you can apply a rule you have to be in the right position, see what you are supposed to see, and then make a judgment call. And what you see on the court is rarely as black and white as the text in the rule book.

Mechanics are a bit harder to master. That's because it doesn't help at all if you can recite what's written in the book. You have to get your body to do what you know you should do. And where can you practice this? Yeah right, in games only, there is no computer simulation to replace this experience. So, you either have to referee a lot of games to learn the mechanics quickly, or you can go and watch a lot of games. Another difficulty with mechanics is that it is impossible to write (and find) a book that tells you about the perfect mechanics for every possible situation. So, you will rely on what you hear from more experienced referees and on your own analysis of game situations where you were (not) in great position to make a call, were (un)able to communicate effectively with players/coaches/partners/table, and so on. Still, to master the basics is relatively easy, just referee as much as you can focusing on mechanics first (in scrimmages etc.).

I think that it is a great idea to go to camp after 6 months of refereeing and reading a lot because in camp you will get more and more competent feedback in a couple of days than probably during those 6 months altogether. So, you will be able to put to a test everything you have learned so far. Some things will get approval from observers, others won't. And they will offer you a lot of new stuff, often little things, from the large buffet that is know as officiating ... Go for it, enjoy it!

[Big2Cat]

I have been officiating since I was 19 and am now 38. There are always things to learn. However, I love officiating because of all the guys I work with. They are such good friends, and the camaraderie on the court makes all the crap from coaches worthwhile.

What is really funny, you will find, is that a lot of officials don't even know all the rules. They know the main ones, but when a tricky situation comes along they might get themselves in trouble. What is even scarier is that they consider me the "rules" guy. Then I come in here and realize all the things I still don't know. And you will find that as good as you get--in judgment, rules, mechanics, dealing with coaches--there is always somebody better. Aspire to be that guy in each area.

But more than that, have integrity, do what you say, call your partners and see how their lives are going, take an interest in their kids, be there when they need help outside the game. It is an awesome path that we have chosen and the people we meet along the way keep it fun. Don't forget all the other guys we meet along the way--some won't become your friends, but they still make it a great experience.

Anyhow, I digress. I am probably taking the next year (or years off) and I am finding that I won't miss the long drives, or the long nights, or the time away from home--but I will miss the guys I spend most of my nights and weekends with tooting the whistle and having a good time.

[Splute]

Well said, I will remember that when doubt sets in.