college officials help!

[kbilla]

thanks everyone for the great advice, i truly appreciate it!

[MOofficial]

I am in the same boat as kbilla. It is my 3rd year in the officiating business and my first in College. I have a college game at the D2 level next week and I also have 2 J.H. games that week as well. I dont know how well the adjustment will go. What are a couple of main things I need to tell myself that this is a college game with men, not a high school game with boys?

[LouisianaDave]

I too am doing a Juco scrimmage this week, and I have a question what is the dress going to a scrimmage?

I know for a regular college games one must wear a suit, is it the same for a scrimmage as well. Thanks for any help in this matter.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by LouisianaDave

I too am doing a Juco scrimmage this week, and I have a question what is the dress going to a scrimmage?

Acceptable attire is a prom dress with heels and fishnets. Matching purse is optional.

[LouisianaDave]

lol

[jeffpea]

The biggest adjustment you will face at the college level is the speed, strength, and size of the players. Things will happen a lot faster than you're used to.

The best advice I can give is to have a very patient whistle. Contact that would knock some HS kids down, won't affect the play nearly as much as you might anticipate (think bug on a semi-trucks' windshield). See the play and react to the play - don't anticipate.

As for dress code, normal game attire is expected in my area. I wouldn't worry about pre-game jackets - I've always brought one, but never had to use it for a scrimmage.

Congrats on the assignment! Have fun and be sure to learn one newtip/trick/technique from your partners...we will all be better officials if we do that in every game we work.

[JoeTheRef]

Originally Posted by LouisianaDave

I too am doing a Juco scrimmage this week, and I have a question what is the dress going to a scrimmage?

I know for a regular college games one must wear a suit, is it the same for a scrimmage as well. Thanks for any help in this matter.

I had my first scrimmage this past weekend (we could wear shorts during the game). The scrimmage was 90 miles from my house and I was driving with another official. I wore my shorts, a regular t-shirt and my flip flops (as if I was going to a summer rec game). I knew I wasn't dressed appropriately when I picked the other official up (veteran college official), who had slacks and a polo type shirt. I couldn't go back home so I just flew to the game site, got there in time to hit a walmart and picked up a pair of dress type sweat pants and a polo type shirt. I know better now. I was told when I first started attending college camps this year to always look some what business casual. Even if you have on some shorts (khaki or dress) always have a polo type shirt or a shirt with a collar. Scrimmage should be the same. As for real game days (college or high school) it should always be a suit or a jacket at least.

[kbilla]

so how did the game itself go? if this was your first college game, what tips can you give as far as adjusting?

[JoeTheRef]

Originally Posted by kbilla

so how did the game itself go? if this was your first college game, what tips can you give as far as adjusting?

The games went well. Just call your game and know that you've graduated to a whole new different level so your calls need to be elevated. Many have touched on that. My biggest fear was and still is the shot clock. When I saw that shot clock I was like oh lord, I forgot about that thing. Then in this scrimmage they didn't use it. This is one area where I will need to work on. Shoot, l need improvement on checking the clock, let alone a shot clock. Does anyone have any helpful hints on how to get to the point that checking the clock and score becomes almost automatic?

[kbilla]

personally I don't have any idea what the score is during the game until around the last two minutes (intentionally)...at halftime I guess I'll glance up there as we are walking off, but it really doesn't matter until you get down to the end from our perspectives...as far as the clock, I also ignore it until I feel we are around a minute left in each quarter/half. Then I'll glance up every dead ball...when we get around 10 seconds with a live ball, I'll glance up and then try to lock down and count down the last 10 seconds or so in my head...seems to work for me..