Hello Everyone
 

Hello everyone, I've been reading this forum as a guest for some time now and have decided, at the tail end of my fifth season officiating high school basketball (eighth season overall) to register. My name is Jake and I referee in Vancouver, British Columbia, where there aren't too many guys willing to really sit down and talk basketball. I have long felt the need for a community of officials and hope I've found it here!:)

Welcome, Jake. I've been to your city. I do have one question, however. Why is Victoria on Vancouver Island but Vancouver is not? :confused:

<TABLE class=tborder cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=6 width="100%" align=center border=0><TBODY><TR title="Post 384257" vAlign=top><TD class=alt1 align=middle width=125>The Canuck</TD><TD class=alt2>Hello everyone, I've been reading this forum as a guest for some time now and have decided, at the tail end of my fifth season officiating high school basketball (eighth season overall) to register. My name is Jake and I referee in Vancouver, British Columbia, where there aren't too many guys willing to really sit down and talk basketball. I have long felt the need for a community of officials and hope I've found it here!:)</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Welcome, Jake.
Yeah, this is such a place.

Vancouver the city and the island are separately named for Captain George Vancouver, the British explorer. Vancouver, Washington was also named for him. Victoria was named for the former queen of England, again independently of the naming of the Vancouvers. My guess would be that it's a bit like Washington state and Washington, DC in that respect.

Jake, my friend Steve T. is in Vancouver. Do you know him? He'll talk baskbetball anytime!

Hey Jake,

Welcome to the forum. 5 years ago I spent a couple of months in Vancouver and I even got to referee high school games there. Maybe we have refereed together or attended the same referee course ... Unfortunately I don't remember many games but I met a lot of people who loved to talk basketball :)

Cheers,
Kostja

So take that, Mark!

Actually, it's very confusing to people from outside this area to see a city in Washington state named Vancouver. People driving north on I-5 through Portland who see the Vancouver exit signs think they're about to enter Canada.

There's a movement to change the name of that city to Diebler. :p

I'm sorry, but then those people are idiots.

Don't be sorry.
No need to apologize for them.

You're right. I can't imagine someone crossing over the I-5 bridge and thinking "Wow, it's THAT easy to get into Canada?" Not to mention the fact that they would have to think Portland is on the Canadian border.

:confused:

Jake, This is a great place to communicate about officiating basketball. One suggestion, grow thick skin and don't take anything personal. You have some of us that seem to get gitty at times of the year... Welcome!

Not me !

The word you've entered isn't in the dictionary. Click on a spelling suggestion below or try again using the search bar above.
Suggestions for gitty:

1. Getty 2. jetty 3. gutty 4. jutty 5. Kitty 6. gittin 7. gittern 8. gits 9. gritty 10. Giotto 11. git 12. JIT 13. Gita</PRE>

See what I mean! LOL

Snow getting to you mick? :D

You forgot: giddy

Please note who forgot what.
I only searched for a word that I did not recognize.
Now gitty away or giddy U.P.

Then I'm gonna git on down to the bowling alley for some Friday night action.

I'll probably Getty myself a glass of brownpop while I'm there.

I may even listen to the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band along the way.

Need anything else from me before I go? :D

Go sit in the corner with Padgett.

Before I had moved to the Portland area, I had never even heard of Vancouver, Wa. Imagine someone coming from another part of the country coming up I-5 and seeing signs indicating that it was 100 miles (then 50 mines, then 10 miles) to Vancouver. Only to get to "Vancouver" and realize you were not in Canada...and see more signs indicating it was 300 miles to Vancouver. ;)

Or, how about getting on the interstate around Olympia and seeing a sign saying "Vancouver, I-5 North, 150 miles" and, right below it, another sign saying "Vancouver, I-5 South, 200 miles". :D (No such signs exist to my knowledge).

Camron - I'm sure you know most of the people who get confused on the "Vancouver" signs are Californians.

BTW - the best freeway sign we had around here (it's gone now due to a reconstruction of the exit where it was posted) said the following:

"Cemetery - Mortuary
No return to freeway - Westbound" :eek:

Jake,

My name is Grant Giles and I too am a member of the BC Basketball Officials Association, and Educator for the East Kootenay Association.

I assume you are a member of the Vancouver and District Association. I have always found BCBOA members love to sit and chat about officiating, usually over a beer after a game.

Start with Bill Denney. He is, as you probably know, quite approachable and there is not a better rules and mechanics guy in Canada. Need his number or e-mail, check the BCBOA website (bcboa.org).

Hope I was of some help.

Hello Grant! Good to see another BCBOA on this forum!

I have spoken with Bill in the past and found him to be most helpful; however, because of my current situation (I am a college student), I don't always have time to sit down with local officials. Even as I type this I am getting my books together for my class tonight, which will be after I go to work. In time, Bill will be on my speed dial, but for now, for time reasons, I have registered for the forum.

Plus it's hilarious to see these guys jaw at each other sometimes :D

I gotta say though Grant, after reading some of these stories about coaches and such, I at times feel lucky that I officiate here in Canada, that's for sure.

Oh, yes! Coming from Europe, I was really surprised how polite and classy everybody was. I haven't met a single coach who yelled at me while I refereed in Vancouver!

Jake,

You might ask some of the veterans in your association to watch you or get a phone number for someone other than Denney to chat with. I suggest Kelly Conrad. He and I go way back and he is an outstanding official. If you get a chance to watch him, any official could learn from him. I believe he is a WABO member.

Did you apply for a Provincial assignment this year?

I suggest applying to to the BCBOA Development Program to attend an Officials' Camp. Camps really helped me improve. I'm not even sure if Denney is doing the Island Camp in Nanaimo. :confused: Check stripezone.com for camps in the Pacific Northwest.

Food for thought.

Grant

It might as well be to us folks in Ohio.

PS I second the nomination to rename it Diebler.

All in favor?

I