Are you fans too??.... or just refs

[Bearfanmike20]

I ask this because I have this fear... LOL

I am a new ref, and will be doing my first game very soon. I've always been a big fan of the sport, and when I would watch a game.. even a jv or elementary game I would say "wow" for a good play...

I'm sooo afraid that I'm gonna do the same thing while reffing.

So my question is.. have any of you ever done that.. while reffing a game?

[bigdog5142]

I've said wow...under my breath and in my head... There's nothing wrong with appreciating an excellent play in a game you're officiating. HOWEVER, be sure to always check yourself and not give that player/team an unfair advantage in your head. I'm sure we've all done that.

[kbilla]

absolutely i'm a fan otherwise i wouldn't be doing it...the $$ is one thing, but the $$ by itself isn't worth the time given up if you can't be a fan of the game....that being said, you can't be an "outward" fan obviously during the game, nor can you let being a fan influence the way you call a game....on the flip side you don't have to be a robot either...for instance, i've said many times to a player "great play 42, now walk away" if a guy blocks a shot, or "good effort 42, almost got there" on a close block/charge where i have a block...you can be human, you can appreciate the game and great plays, just don't be a cheerleader on the court! some guys will probably tell you that you shouldn't say anything to a player other than to give a brief explanation of a play if asked, but this has worked for me...

[bigdog5142]

Good points, kbilla. There's nothing wrong with saying "good hustle" on a scrum for a jump ball. "Good block...walk away." That's just preventative officiating imo.

[Adam]

We're still fans, but after a while, we start to watch the game differently.
The more you do this, the more objectively you start to watch games; even games with your favorite team.

That said, there will be moments where you want to drop your jaw. Just don't let anyone see you.

When I first started, I had one of those in a 7th grade girls game (seriously). She was in a class by herself in this game, and went on to lead her college to a national championship, earning tournament MVP honors. Her brother did the same thing for the same college that year, and her Dad (her college coach) won NAIA women's coach of the year that year. It was a hell of a cross-over for a 12 year old girl.

[M&M Guy]

I agree with everything said so far. You should be a fan of the game to enjoy working it. That's why I don't officiate volleyball; I was never a big fan of the game, so it would be hard for me to spend the time needed learning the game. (There's something different about naked beach volleyball though, right JR?...)

Snaqs is also right - if you do enough games you'll start to look at them differently as an official rather than as a fan. I don't know how many times I've sat next to friends at an Illinois game when the official makes a call (say, a travel) against an IL player, I'll be saying "Travel" under my breath, and my friends will jump up and say, "Aw, c'mon ref, that's not a travel!". I'll look at them and say, "Yes it is, because his left foot was the pivot, and he obviously lifted and replaced it before shooting". They'll look at me and go, "Oh. Well, we don't want it to be a travel...".

[Mark Padgett]

When I'm training refs in our kids rec league, I tell them that if a 3rd or 4th grader actually makes a free throw, go over and shake his/her hand. It really "humanizes" the game. The parents and the kids both love it.

I'm a big fan of seeing the younger kids do something great. I had a 7th grader dunk in a game once (he was about 6'3"). The place went nuts. I actually called an official's timeout so everyone could congratulate him. You can do this kind of thing in a rec league.

[eyezen]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

When I'm training refs in our kids rec league, I tell them that if a 3rd or 4th grader actually makes a free throw, go over and shake his/her hand. It really "humanizes" the game. The parents and the kids both love it.

I'm a big fan of seeing the younger kids do something great. I had a 7th grader dunk in a game once (he was about 6'3"). The place went nuts. I actually called an official's timeout so everyone could congratulate him. You can do this kind of thing in a rec league.

Bad advice but I'm trying to figure out if this is a joke or not...with this guy you never know.

[M&M Guy]

Originally Posted by eyezen

Bad advice but I'm trying to figure out if this is a joke or not...with this guy you never know.

With Mark, my guess is he actually did these things. But, if you look, he also said, "You can do this kind of thing in a rec league game." That's the key. Also look at the age of the kids where he shakes their hand after a made FT. I would not recommend it outside of where he has done it. And you need to have the right personality to pull it off even in these very limited situations.

[Coltdoggs]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

When I'm training refs in our kids rec league, I tell them that if a 3rd or 4th grader actually makes a free throw, go over and shake his/her hand. It really "humanizes" the game. The parents and the kids both love it.

I'm a big fan of seeing the younger kids do something great. I had a 7th grader dunk in a game once (he was about 6'3"). The place went nuts. I actually called an official's timeout so everyone could congratulate him. You can do this kind of thing in a rec league.

Mark...that's cool! I too am a fan of the game and would not ref if I were not...I try to leave a positive impression on the kids I work with...when I can "mentor" some of my rec kids...I cherrish the opportunity.....

I have a really touching story from my working.....I sit on the board of a local rec league....been officiating in the league for 5 years and on the board for the past 2....

Last year one of my board member counterparts who was a coach in our
5th/6th grade rec leagues had a kid on his team named Conan that was developmentally challenged.....He may have even been autistic or had Torret's syndrome....a really nice kid but you could tell he didn't process information as fast as a normal kid. He could run up and down the court and understood enough to play his zone on D but on the offensive end it was like playing 4 on 5....he NEVER got the ball.

During the season ending tourney, coach/board member told me about 1/2 way through the 4thQ that he wanted this Conan kid to score just one bucket....Understand that one bucket would make the kid's entire season worth all the effort he put in....

They(Team A) were getting beat by some 15 points so I approached the other coach (Team B) during a timeout and let him know the situation....He said that he would accomodate this on the defensive end of the floor...

Team B was inbounding under Team A's basket....We set this kid up on the low post ( I was inbounding and had to instruct him where to stand and to watch the ball etc) and the inbounder used up about 4 seconds before he made a bounce pass to Conan on D. Up goes the shot.....MISSES!

This went on for the next 2 1/2 minutes....each trip the kids on Team B making blatant and obvious turnovers after defensive rebounds in an effort to get Team A the opportunity to pass the ball to Conan....

Coach of team B had finally told his kids NOT TO REBOUND....but when Team A got the rebound, they would put it back up and score....so they ate away at the 15 point lead! ....Finally with about a 7 point lead and about :25 left in the game.....Team A knows they are going to get beat and they worked the ball around to Conan at the top of the key for a 3 pointer.....he put up a shot that bounced off the front of the rim right back to him about the FT line........I yelled from lead position....SHOOOT IT CONAN!... ....Up goes the shot and SWISH!

The ENTIRE gym went NUTS....All the players on both teams started jumping up and down cheering, parents from both teams were standing cheering....Board Members on the sideline were standing cheering, the other teams waiting to play the next game were up clapping....It was truly a momement I will ALWAYS remember from my reffing....

I went to the winning team afterwards and interrupted the coaches post game speech and told those 10 young men how proud of them I was for making that kids season and that their display was one of true sportsmanship and that is what youth sports should be about.......The look in these kids' eyes told me that they all realized that this one basket was more important than their own points and that they really made a difference in another player's life on this day.....They went on to win their next two games and won the rec league Championship....A fitting end IMHO......

Am I fan...hell yes!

[mick]

Originally Posted by Coltdoggs

Am I fan...hell yes!

Oh, yeah!
Good story.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by Coltdoggs

Mark...that's cool! I too am a fan of the game and would not ref if I were not...I try to leave a positive impression on the kids I work with...when I can "mentor" some of my rec kids...I cherrish the opportunity.....

I have a really touching story from my working.....I sit on the board of a local rec league....been officiating in the league for 5 years and on the board for the past 2....

Last year one of my board member counterparts who was a coach in our
5th/6th grade rec leagues had a kid on his team named Conan that was developmentally challenged.....He may have even been autistic or had Torret's syndrome....a really nice kid but you could tell he didn't process information as fast as a normal kid. He could run up and down the court and understood enough to play his zone on D but on the offensive end it was like playing 4 on 5....he NEVER got the ball.

During the season ending tourney, coach/board member told me about 1/2 way through the 4thQ that he wanted this Conan kid to score just one bucket....Understand that one bucket would make the kid's entire season worth all the effort he put in....

They(Team A) were getting beat by some 15 points so I approached the other coach (Team B) during a timeout and let him know the situation....He said that he would accomodate this on the defensive end of the floor...

Team B was inbounding under Team A's basket....We set this kid up on the low post ( I was inbounding and had to instruct him where to stand and to watch the ball etc) and the inbounder used up about 4 seconds before he made a bounce pass to Conan on D. Up goes the shot.....MISSES!

This went on for the next 2 1/2 minutes....each trip the kids on Team B making blatant and obvious turnovers after defensive rebounds in an effort to get Team A the opportunity to pass the ball to Conan....

Coach of team B had finally told his kids NOT TO REBOUND....but when Team A got the rebound, they would put it back up and score....so they ate away at the 15 point lead! ....Finally with about a 7 point lead and about :25 left in the game.....Team A knows they are going to get beat and they worked the ball around to Conan at the top of the key for a 3 pointer.....he put up a shot that bounced off the front of the rim right back to him about the FT line........I yelled from lead position....SHOOOT IT CONAN!... ....Up goes the shot and SWISH!

The ENTIRE gym went NUTS....All the players on both teams started jumping up and down cheering, parents from both teams were standing cheering....Board Members on the sideline were standing cheering, the other teams waiting to play the next game were up clapping....It was truly a momement I will ALWAYS remember from my reffing....

I went to the winning team afterwards and interrupted the coaches post game speech and told those 10 young men how proud of them I was for making that kids season and that their display was one of true sportsmanship and that is what youth sports should be about.......The look in these kids' eyes told me that they all realized that this one basket was more important than their own points and that they really made a difference in another player's life on this day.....They went on to win their next two games and won the rec league Championship....A fitting end IMHO......

Am I fan...hell yes!

This is just a fantastic story. It's what kids sports should be about. Thanks for sharing.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by M&M Guy

That's why I don't officiate volleyball; I was never a big fan of the game, so it would be hard for me to spend the time needed learning the game. (There's something different about naked beach volleyball though, right JR?...)

Well, unlike you, I'm really not that fond of watching the men's bracket.

[Dan_ref]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

Well, unlike you, I'm really not that fond of watching the men's bracket.

I hear he owns the unrated director's cut version of the nutty buddy film...

[M&M Guy]

Originally Posted by Dan_ref

I hear he owns the unrated director's cut version of the nutty buddy film...

I'm just curious as to how they keep them attached.

Staples?