I just want to get some opinions on how they do their pre-game conferences.

i.e. what time they grab the captains, what they say in the conference, etc.

just want to see how they differ and if I am missing anything big.

Thanks

We established our Pre-Game Countdown last year. We sent it to Dick Knox and he had it published in the NF Mechanics Manual, along some details, to clarify all points. There is also another pre-game countdown in the manual.

15:00 Enter the playing court area and go directly to positions.

Opposite score table, Ref - Division line, U1 - observe home team, U2 - observe visitors.

12:00 Umpires will get respective captains and meet Ref at center court. Designate team color for each team and speaking captain. Discuss sportsmanship expectations.

10:00 Referee goes to score table and briefs score keepers and timer

1:30 Greet coaches and ask them the pertinent questions. Stress sportsmanship and ask for their assistance.

1:00 Teams leave court area, officials go score table side and prepare to begin game.

Remove jackets after the National Anthem, during introduction of players

If teams leave and return to dressing room with more than 1 minute showing on the game clock, officials may return to an area near their dressing room or wait near the score table area.

ANY OTHERS?
 

Anybody else have their setup??? Looking for more to draw from.

The only difference is that 99% of my games are two man so we have the U observe home while R observes visitor. I have done the 10 8 2 schedule. 10 minutes on book 8 with captains 2 with coaches. In Texas, the captains are specified in the book so I can just go find those numbers and bring them to the meeting.

My pre-game is pretty much like BktBallRef's except I usually go to the table at the 12 minute mark (especially if F/JV game)and then get the captains after I go to the table. Sometimes the table personnel are not very experienced. I like to have a through pre-game discussion with my partner(s). I think this is one of, if not the most important part of working together and making sure we are all on the same page. This is especially true if you are working with someone new. In the pre-game discussion, I try to cover all rules -- particularly new ones -- and we talk a lot about "this is what I will do if so and so happens". We talk about double whistles and whether a call should be changed and if so, how will we do this? I will never come in on my partner(s) unless I am absolutely, positively sure that didn't see something. Even then, I will only come in and ask if they saw such and such. A good pre-game discussion is critical to having the game go smoothly. I believe in discussion, discussion, etc. Now, having said all this, we know that things do not always go the way we hope.

Are you saying that all officials can leave the area? Or
must at least 1 stay?

My routine is pretty much the same as TH's, with a few variations.

We come out at 15:00 and take our positions. If, when we enter the court, the clock is not running, I instruct the timer to put 15:00 on the clock and start it immediately.

As somebody else mentioned, I go to the table at 12:00 or so, instead of at 10. That way, if there's a problem with the book, we can get it straightened out before the 10 minute mark. I've never given a T for not having the book ready, but someday, some coach is going to be a bozo and demand one. So, I feel it's just a little preventative officiating to check the book before the bozo coach thinks he has a legal right to 2 shots and the ball.

I get captains at 6:00. I spend 20 seconds with them.

My partner and I shake the coach's hands around the 2:00 mark. I've found that if you wait for 1 minute, then you have to interrupt the huddle, and I personally hate doing that.

Stand at table, place hand on heart, shake partner's hand, throw it up!

Chuck

In the Officials Manual (2 man) it has the Umpire on the same side as the Visiting Team and the Referee on the same side of the court as the Home Team. The manual states that the Umpire observes the Home Team and the Referee observes the Visiting Team. Does this mean we stand on one side of the court and watch the other? In other words, we are "crossing" our vision with each other.

Also, I believe the manual states that the Umpire gets the Home Team captain and the Referee gets the Visiting Team captain...am I correct?

Also, I thought that we were to ask the coaches if they want to participate in the captains meeting.
I have found it more comfortable to greet the coaches at this time, rather than have a meeting with them and then "greeting" them later at the 1:30 mark.

Oh Yeah,
IndianaUmpRef, One remark I like to say to the Captains and Coaches in the meeting is..."My Mother isn't hear tonight, so there isn't one person that paid to come see me officiate...they all paid to see you players play and you coaches coach...give them a good show...we'll keep it fair."

My guess on this is that where you stand is referring to the bench - teams should be on the opposite side from their bench for pre-game warmups.

If both teams leave the floor, the all officials can leave the floor as well. But they must return when either team returns. I think some of our college guys put this in because college teams rountinely leave the floor.

BTW, where ya been?

In NC, we don't require the coaches to attend the pregame conference with the captains.

Dude, this is just my opinion, but why in the world would you mention your mother in a pre-game conference? The less you say, in general, the better. Your captains' conference should go like this:

"Gentlemen, shake hands. I'm Mr. RookieDude, this is Mr. SuperRef. Black line all the way around, make sure your players aren't wearing any jewlery. Questions? Have a good game, guys!"

You'll quickly learn that they aren't listening to you anyway. They simply don't care if your mom's there or not. You're going to catch just as much crap either way. And someday, some smart*** is going to make a crack about "your mama".

Short and sweet. This applies to the captains; it applies to the coaches when you greet them; it applies to your foul reports to the table; and it applies to when you line the players up for free throws. It even applies to any explanations you give to a coach. You give a correct explanation, but keep it as short as possible.

Again, that's just my opinion, but I think it'll benefit you in the long run.

Chuck

Okay here's my pet peeve! :D

Why in thw world would you tell them where the OOB line is? I mean, I know that there are v-ball lines and additional court lines on some floors but I've never seen a court where it wasn't obvious which lines were the main boundary lines.

BTW, I agree that the less we say the better. I know a couple of young officials. They always say, "I'm Mr. Smith, this is Mr. Jones and we're in charge." Geeeze!

If the lines are confusing such as if you don't use the standard court but use the crossways courts, you need to remind them where the lines are. Otherwise, the basketball lines are usually the dominate lines on the court. I will indicate that it is the inside of that second red line that we are playing with if there is confusion.

also in the captains meeting.....
 

Also in the captains meeting I will say..... Hands off, stay set on your screens, and if you want the over the back call..YOU HAVE TO BOX OUT! I know that the less you say the better but I feel that this really helps start the game off right. (it works for me anyways}.

Workin' (real & basketball) & eating turkey. Had a turkey
of an over & back call last week, but that's another story!
;)

Well, I'm sorry it's a pet peeve, but it's the only question that I get repeatedly asked at captains' meetings. Nobody asks about rules. Nobody asks whether we're calling handchecking. The only question that I seem to get asked is, "Blue line, ref?" So I guess I just answer it ahead of time.

Maybe it's just poor design in my area, but many of floors have so many markings that it's -- I won't say difficult -- confusing if you haven't played there regularly.

Chuck

Here comes the Over-the-Back tirade.
 

BOBBYMO....

You have just opened the "proverbial" can of worms... Over the Back is NOT mentioned as a violation anywhere in the rules is it? :D

Re: also in the captains meeting.....
 

The captains' meeting shouldn't be a rules clinic. Never discuss any rules unless a player asks a question.

BTW, there's no such thing as "over the back."

No worries. Most everybody does something to get on my nerves. :D

But I've honestly never had a player ask me which line was OOB.

Re: Re: also in the captains meeting.....
 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by BktBallRef

Quote:

No worries. Most everybody does something to get on my nerves. :D

Whew. I usually manage to do something to get on most everybody's nerves!

Quote:

But I've honestly never had a player ask me which line was OOB.

I guess I wish that I worked in your gym facilities, then. Or maybe I wish that I had smarter players to work with. ;)

Chuck

Chuck, lighten up on the mamma thing. It's only a joke, Can't we show that we have a little bit of a personality?
And if you tell me NO...we can't be ourselves and have a little fun while we officiate then I guess you could say we have different philosophys. I officiate because I like to. It is definately not for the $$$$$$.

Sure we have to be professional in the way we act and dress...which I do...but give me a break, a couple of one liners now and then never hurts.

BTW, let me add this...if it is not your normal personality to say something witty, then by all means don't. Just be yourself. I believe that goes in all aspects of life...not just officiating.

Dude, I didn't say not to make a joke or show some personality. My points were:

1) They're not listening anyway! They don't care about your personality; and

2) If you're going to be witty, don't do it in such a way that it leaves you open to what might be an offensive comeback. 'Yo mama' jokes are just too tempting of a target, that's all. And what are you going to do if some smart@@@ kid makes a comment about your mom?

By all means, show the kids that you're a human being. I try to do that. I have a couple comments that I like to make to the players when the situation allows it. But mentioning your mom to a bunch of teenagers doesn't seem like the best idea in the world to me, that's all. If it works for you, hey, more power to her -- I mean -- you.

Chuck

1 more item...
 

The one thing I always say to captains is to play the whistle, not the shot clock horn (we use one in CA). Too many times someone will get nailed for traveling after they hear the horn.

Re: 1 more item...
 

Uh, if the horn goes off and the player still has the ball, isn't that a violation?

Or are you referring to horn, rim, rebound?