Young officials

[TRef21]

Hey everyone. I was just wondering what the normal age in here is for the younger officials. I'm 21 and would like to discuss things with officials around my age to see how they handle situations as well as speak with the veterans. I have been officiating high school basketball for 4 yrs and DIII and JC mens for 2 years. So I just want to discuss and get some advice for other officials.

Thanks!!

[mplagrow]

I'm one of the younger officials. I'm only 36 years old.

[Mark Padgett]

I'm very young. In fact, I have the AARP card to prove it.

[TRef21]

Nice! can you hook it up with a discount?

[Terrapins Fan]

I am young too. I started at the age of 44. Now 51 but I look 26.....could be....

[tjones1]

I'm a young official. I'm 21. Send me a PM if you want.

[TRef21]

How do you fare up with coaches? Do they pick you out of the crew or they give you a break?

[BillyMac]

Over the past twenty-six years, it has been my personal observation that the grayer my hair gets, the fewer technical fouls I seem to give to coaches. This is not a sceintific study, just ancecdotal evidence from one source, me, but if my hypothesis is true, I don't mind my hair getting grayer every new season. It's only a correlation, not necessarily a cause and effect relationship, however, as my hair gets grayer, I have also gained an extra year or experience, and the coaches get to know me better, one game at a time. I've been to two schools in our local area, which services over seventy schools, over thirty times each in twenty-six years.

FYI: In September, 2006, I celebrated the thirteenth anniversary of my 40th birthday. I believe that Jack Benny never got older than 39. That's impossible. You have to be at least 40 before you're allowed to stop counting.

[tjones1]

Originally Posted by TRef21

How do you fare up with coaches? Do they pick you out of the crew or they give you a break?

If it's a coach I haven't seen before, he will usually try to test the waters. But they quickly find out I'm not someone they just pulled from the stands 20 minutes prior to game time. However, it's something I understand I have to go through being the young guy on the crew.

For the most part, I've proven myself to the coaches that I know what I'm doing and I'm open to questions if they have them.

[CLH]

Well, I would say I'm young, I'm 23 and finishing my 6th season. Holler at me anytime.

CLH

[fonzzy07]

I'm 18 and just getting ready to hopefully takeoff. PM me if u wish

[The Canuck]

I just turned 23 and I'm finishing up my fifth season. Some coaches get on me a little more than my partners, but I get the feeling that coaches in my area have officials they prefer to others based not on age but on call selection.

One of my favourite partners has been around for fifteenish years and is the best non-college official we have, and he gets WAY more flack from veteran coaches than I do. They say things like, "We've NEVER had a good game from you!"

My first thought was that both coach and my partner have been around so long that the coach knows he can work the guy. But I also wondered why they don't ever say anything to me.

[grunewar]

I was young when I started reffing......hmm.

[co2ice]

I was young my first time........ back in 1975!!!!!

[Teigan]

18 going on 19. You can message me as well if you'd like