Pro Am

#1 (**permalink**) Wed Jun 20, 2007, 03:23pm

Just wondering if any of you all work/worked the summer Pro Am circuit in your State? If so, how does one go about getting in the mix?

Thanks

Jurassic Referee · #2 (**permalink**) Wed Jun 20, 2007, 04:04pm

Pay $25 and you're in. They're glorified rec leagues.

http://www.national-proam.com/

JRutledge · #3 (**permalink**) Wed Jun 20, 2007, 04:35pm

I would not go that far. This might be one charge, but you cannot work any Pro-Am in my area without attending a camp in Las Vegas and being approved by the assignors or evaluators. I am sure there are some areas that could give a damn, but it is harder than just paying some money and just getting games. Then again we do have a few NBA officials directly from this area (which they help train officials from my understanding) and one of the directors of Pro-Am Officials from the Midwest lives in Chicago. I have inquired about this and there is a little more to in than just showing up and paying some money. I have worked high school games with the director that has a lot of say over who goes to the D-League and CBA for example.

Peace

#4 (**permalink**) Wed Jun 20, 2007, 04:52pm

Appreciate the feedback guys. On my off days I've been hanging out at C. Billups Pro Am Tourney with my bag & recently got the nod to hop on a 3 person crew (for free of course) but I wanted to know how to officially get plugged into the payroll system.

Jurassic - I've worked plenty of wreck games but these boys are far from that. There is more above the rim play than most HS varsity games.
I hope to work at the level you guys officiate someday, but everybody has to start somewhere huh?
Just trying to get in where I fit in plus one never knows who is watching...

howie719 · #5 (**permalink**) Thu Jun 21, 2007, 02:23pm

If you attend any pro am camps.....

1.Be prepared to work.
2.They will fine you at these games for screwing up.
3.To many screw up's, and they will kindly ask you to leave.
4.Shot clock, and clock management is everything at this level.

Good luck!

Scrapper1 · #6 (**permalink**) Thu Jun 21, 2007, 03:17pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by howie719

If you attend any pro am camps.....

2.They will fine you at these games for screwing up.

You're going to be fined at camp!?!?! I've never heard of this before.

Quote:

4.Shot clock, and clock management is everything at this level.

Play-calling doesn't count for anything?!?!?

Glad I haven't been to any pro-am camps.

JRutledge · #7 (**permalink**) Thu Jun 21, 2007, 03:44pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scrapper1

You're going to be fined at camp!?!?! I've never heard of this before.

Play-calling doesn't count for anything?!?!?

Glad I haven't been to any pro-am camps.

You can be fined for things like missing a rule or something like a uniform issue. Pro-Am ball is totally different. This is not treated like the average amateur level ball. It is also very competitive and often people that are working those games are trying to get noticed by the league or people that can get them in the NBA. Pro-Am is a different animal indeed.

Peace

Jurassic Referee · #8 (**permalink**) Thu Jun 21, 2007, 03:45pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scrapper1

You're going to be fined at camp!?!?! I've never heard of this before.

Play-calling doesn't count for anything?!?!?

Glad I haven't been to any pro-am camps.

Simply Google "pro-am basketball" and look at all the various and diverse leagues/camps that call themselves "Pro-Am". There's leagues and camps using the name Pro-Am from coast to coast--from Springfield to San Fran. Some leagues have a few actual pros that play just to get some off-season exercise in; most are glorified rec leagues. The people officiating run the gamut too, from excellent officials to bodies picked up off the street. The bottom line still is......the majority are really no different than AAU-type summer rec league stuff imo. It's not gonna really help or hurt you as an official, unless you make the mistake of trying to adapt and use pro officiating concepts in NFHS/NCAA games.

JMO.

Jurassic Referee · #9 (**permalink**) Thu Jun 21, 2007, 04:01pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRutledge

You can be fined for things like missing a rule or something like a uniform issue. Pro-Am ball is totally different. This is not treated like the average amateur level ball. It is also very competitive and often people that are working those games are trying to get noticed by the league or people that can get them in the NBA. Pro-Am is a different animal indeed.

http://www.chicagoproam.org/

Check out the info on "about us" and "teams" and also in other sections. High school teams and open mens teams.

Looks like typical off-season rec league stuff to me.

JRutledge · #10 (**permalink**) Thu Jun 21, 2007, 04:29pm

I will put it to you this way. You cannot just call Bill Jones and you automatically get a single game in this league. You have to attend a camp in Las Vegas and prove you are worthy with fitness and ability level. Also many officials that work the league have received opportunities to work in other pro leagues like the CBA (and many other pro leagues at similar levels that I do not know the specific name of) and also you can get consideration if you try out for the NBA. This is also not the only league available during the summer as well.

For the record I have never worked the league and likely never will because of my lack of interest. I have worked with Bill Jones (who is named on the link) this past season in the post season where I worked with him during 3 games for a Regional Championship in HS. I have also worked with Bill several times previously in HS games. I have also had extensive conversations with him about working Pro-Am and talked with others that have been hired or are on the road to work in the NBA system. There are several guys in an association I belong that work these games every summer. My knowledge is second hand at best, but there is a little more to this than your local YMCA league with some guys that either never played HS or any college level ball. I even worked a tournament a few years ago outside of Chicago that had players that were all former D1 players and some former NBA players that played in this league. I would not consider that the same as an average "wreak league."

Peace

Jurassic Referee · #11 (**permalink**) Thu Jun 21, 2007, 04:53pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRutledge

My knowledge is second hand at best, but there is a little more to this than your local YMCA league with some guys that either never played HS or any college level ball. I even worked a tournament a few years ago outside of Chicago that had players that were all former D1 players and some former NBA players that played in this league. I would not consider that the same as an average "wreak league."

Hey, I was just going by what they posted on their website. Under "About Us", they said "The Chicago Pro-Am is a non profit organization that conducts basketball leagues during the winter and summer to provide structure and leisure activities for young adults. These semi-professional basketball games give many inner-city youths, who might not be able to attend professional games, an opportunity to participate and attend a more wholesome recreational facility." And when you check out their teams, the majority listed are high-school age. Maybe I'm wrong, but that sounds like rec league basketball to me. Note that I'm certainly not putting the league down when I say that either.

When I looked at some of the other hits that you get when you Google "pro-am basketball, most of them looked like your average rec league to me also.

Just saying......

howie719 · #12 (**permalink**) Fri Jun 22, 2007, 07:03am

most of these pro-am's are very competitive and the level of play is very high. If you have any interest in doing this level it would be a mistake to think it is a glorified rec league. Your average competitive mens A league would take a pounding in one of these games.