NFHS home Team A, is down by two points and inbounds at the far end of the court with 3.2 seconds left in the game. I'm the lead, watching team watching most of B's players defending under A's basket.

Team A inbounds the ball, and passes to about A1 about half way between the division line and their 3-point circle with about 1 second to go.

My partner is a 1st-year ref and I'm trying to spread my coverage to see the entire half court. I clearly see A1 travel before launching a very long 3-pointer. This travel is clearly in his area, since I'm under the basket.

I assume he'll call a travel - he's only 10 feet away from A1 and has a clear view - but by the time I realize he isn't going to whistle, the 3-pointer is in the basket and the final horn sounds.

The home crowd immediately rushes onto the court, the visiting couch yells "wasn't that a travel?" as I ask my partner "didn't you see a travel" and he replies "No - I'm pretty sure it wasn't".

So I let it go.

Did I wimp out?????

He who hesitates is lost. Either call it before it reaches the basket or eat your whistle. It was your partner's call and he didn't make it. Too bad it was the wrong call but was handled correctly.

In defense of the 1st yr Ref
 

It is amazing how much you can stare at, see, and NOT process as a new official. I believe it is from mental overload. When you are starting out, you are trying to see EVERYTHING. In reality, as a new official you are missing most things.

For example, in this case, the "greenie" may have been concentrating on the clock, the defender and contact in the upper torso and above area, even though it appeared that he was "looking right at him."

With experience, officials build "filters" that help them instinctively sort out non-essential information. This allows the official to see the picture clearer. In fact; several officials have commented how they can even mentally capture the action and replay it a 2nd time in their mind to "verify" their call before they even blow their whistle.

I can imagine this incident will make the roolie a better official.

damn rookies

IMO this is not the kind of play that you should extend out of your area and call. Let the Rook live and die with it.
Now if the Rook misses "contact" play, i.e. a punch , or something physical in nature, then I think you would be justified in going and getting it. All you would have accomplished in this instance is to tell everyone you're a ball watcher, and possibly leaving the Rook with the feeling that you didn't trust him!

Yeah...damn rookies!!

Great no call on your part. I am assuming you were in the locker room when you asked him if he saw the travel. I think a better way to ask this question would be "did you think that was a travel?". How he answers doesn't matter. It just gives him something to think about. Then support his answer and tell hem great job.

I agree Bart. Live and die with the call, or in this case no-call. All you do if you call it in that situation is make both of you look bad. You for calling something from so far away and your partner because you make him/her look incompetent. LIve and die with it. I agree you should discuss it in the locker room in a positive manner.

Yeh, but sometimes you're dying right along WITH him! I had a game a couple weeks ago with a first year ref who mentally wasn't all there. In two games he didn't make ONE CALL! The coaches were going ballistic. I was trying to be polite and not call out of my area, but it wasn't working and the game was getting rough. Finally I had to go to the coaches and tell them that I was going to be calling fouls all over the floor and to be patient with me. (Kinda that same speech you give the coaches when your partner stood you up and you're doing a single.) Thankfully it was a 7th grade boys game and not JV level.

What level of play?

I know this will "stir the pot" a little bit, but if the travel was very very blatent, I would call it. IMHO, basketball is about the kids playing a sport for fun, competition plays a big part in it though, everyone wants good officiating.

Why would you penalize the kids for a mistake made by your partner (who knew no better, he is a first year, like willie said, he was proably concentrating on something else) it was a 7th grade basketball game.

You stated you made the decision before the game to look into his area also, because he was a first year, so I feel (I know I am going to get heat from this) that if you are looking into his area and see something as blatent as that, you are obligated to call it.

I would not make it a big deal, and after play has ended, change the call to a travel (because you cna't do that) but if you saw it and called it right away, I don't think there would have been a problem at all, give him the opportunity to call it, if he doesn't get it, it was blatent, the 3 was no good.What effect would this have had on the game?

Some people say let the rook die w/ his call. I think that if the rookie makes a bad call or no call, that I as his partner have to step up.

Well doug, you sure are trying to dig yourself a deeeep hole. Live and die is learning. Did Wondering make these travel calls out of his area, in front of his partner, in the 1,2,3,4 quarters. I doubt it. Are you going to keep a score card to make sure the travel calls out of your area balance so as to be fair to both teams. So, if you don't make these calls out of your area for 1,2,3,4 quarters, do you realy think it is fair to the team that traveled to win the game, to come in the last second and say i am changing the way we have been calling the whole game for 1,2,3,4 quarters and you lose?

Having said what I did above about having to cover for a bad partner who refused to blow his whistle, let me also say that I try, whenever possible, to respect the "area rule" and not call outside mine BUT, you know sometimes on trail I see things that the lead can't and visa versa. Several times kids will turn their back to the official closest to them and I have a CLEAR view of a foul that he can't see.

Paul, the only question I have is why would you mention to the coaches you were increasing your court coverage? Doesn't that seem like you are impuining (sp?) the reputation of your partner further? I had an expierence similiar to that my first year. I didn't call a clearly 10 second violation that this leauge chose to employ (Wash. state rules don't have one by its governing body for girls). After a timeout a coach chose to howl over me and my partner responds,"Coach he is only a 1st year official I will handle it." It wasn't a pleasant expierance.

I don't mean to imply that your situation was as severe, but on the court don't you think we have an obligation to protect our partners, especially the less expieranced ones?

Paul is right, I wouldn't change the call made in this situation, but I am going to protect my partner(especially a 1st year), that is what I was getting at.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by SOWB_Ref

Quote:

Paul, the only question I have is why would you mention to the coaches you were increasing your court coverage? Doesn't that seem like you are impuining (sp?) the reputation of your partner further?

This was kind of a unique situation. He had already impuined his own reputation. I spoke about it to my Assignor and was told that this 1st year ref won't be renewed for next season. He was a good kid, but he didn't make ONE SINGLE call in the two games I did with him. I HAD to do something. I'm kinda curious what you other guys would've done.

In officiating you must always have TRUST in your partnerer's decisions.. In your opinion he/she may have been wrong but if it was his/her call , let it go. BTW why were you both watching the ball???? Seems to me it wasn't any of your business. Minding your own business is something that all officials have got to learn to do more effectively.
Pistol

I can tell you that as the newbie, with not nearly enough experience, I had a couple of partners who called too much of my stuff, but there were also a few who were too rigid about not bailing me out. I have had two times when my partner told the coach, "I'll talk to her about that" or "Julie, you can't call that that way. We're going with a blue ball." That's absolutely unforgivable. But there is an extreme that's too far the other direction -- not calling anything that I miss. I think the best is to pick up the very worst stuff, that the partner misses, but ALWAYS defend the partner to the coach, such as, "Coach, the player had his back turned and my partner couldn't see the foul." "Coach, I could see that he was watching that post player"

Julie,
I agree with what you say to a certain extent. In the pregame I will discuss with my partner(s) that if something occurs that is a "spectator" foul/violation that everyone in the building has seen that is obvious and I have obviously missed give me a double tweet then bail me out- however if I am in position and see it clearly -LAY OFF!!!! It's my area -I saw it and it's my call.. In all cases one should never blow a foul or violation that occurs in front of a partner if that partner is in good position to see it clearly. For one thing in 90% of the cases all it shows is that you are following the ball and it is you who are at fault!
A good general rule is to "mind your own business" and stay in your area.
AMEN
Pistol

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Paul LeBoutillier
[B][QUOTE]Originally posted by SOWB_Ref

Quote:

This was kind of a unique situation. He had already impuined his own reputation. I spoke about it to my Assignor and was told that this 1st year ref won't be renewed for next season. He was a good kid, but he didn't make ONE SINGLE call in the two games I did with him. I HAD to do something. I'm kinda curious what you other guys would've done.

You left this part out, the impression I got from it was that the person was doing ok, and just missed a BLATENT travel because they were watching something else (maybe off ball)

As rainmaker said, if it was a call that everyone in the gym saw (which it sounded like it) and if you were ballwatching and also saw it, call it.

Also, your assigner can not renew an official? How does that work, or do you mean just not give him any games?

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Doug

Quote:

Also, your assigner can not renew an official? How does that work, or do you mean just not give him any games?

To be honest I'm not sure what he meant. The outcry from other officials against this guy was pretty intense. I guess if the guy wants to renew his certification, that's his business, but I got the distinct impression he wouldn't be getting any more games. It's too bad too, because as I said earlier, he's a neat kid with a good attitude.

I had one in a summer league game last year. I was the lead on a breakaway. The player stops and spots up for a 3 pointer. I'm looking right at the guys feet to make sure he didn't travel and was behind the arc. The guy shoots and the basket goes in. I'm getting ready to signal 3 and my partner comes in from clear in backcourt at about the FT line and calls a travel. At half time I talked to him and told him that the player didn't travel. I said that I watch for stuff like that. He was totally out of position to make the call and I was all over it. I told him when he makes a long distance call like that it makes us both look bad.

As a so-called "rook", I have had the oppportunity to work with many veteran officials. I pride myself in being in the proper position and focusing on my area. I tell my partner(s) during pregame discussions to let me work my area and discuss issues with me during time-outs or at halftime. I have yet to have a veteran try to work my area as well as his.

Any official making a statement to a coach or player showing disagreement is only putting themselves in the position to be responsible for ALL calls. The last time I checked, the only friends on the court you have are the ones wearing the stripes.

Well said, "rook". You are wise beyond your games! :)

I really don't understand this attitude of "It's my area, you stay out" - as I understand it, you have primary areas of responsibility. However, if something happens and you see it, not because you weren't doing what you were supposed to be, but because you happened to be glancing in that direction, or whatever, why not call it if it is something that is a foul? Maybe your partner passed on it - that's fine - it doesn't mean you have to also. I work with people who feel that they get to rewrite the rules as they see fit. If I have a clear understanding of what happened, and they chose to no-call it because they chose to ignore the rules, why is there a problem with me calling it? I have no problem with someone calling something in my area if I miss it, so why do others have a problem with people calling things in "their" area? Bottom line - we have primary areas of responsibility, but overall, we are both responsible for the entire game. According to the rules, each official has equal authority and responsibility to enforce the rules. The referee has some additional responsibilities, but he doesn't get to override the umpire/umpires. The rules say nothing about my area/your area. That is something added as mechanics...

Maybe the reason we have mechanics is because not all officials can make perfect calls out of their erea. Maybe its because some officials are tired of these great officials, who make calls in their partners area, see the play different and know the call that this great official just made, who can see the whole court, JUST MADE A BAD CALL. I believe if these officials are that great then maybe they should request to officiate the game by themselves. I'm sure the assigner and the coaches and players and fans will recognize their abilities. I'm sure you have heard about the study the NBA does every year. Bottom line, in the NBA, NCAA, and HS, the rules committee has a great input on the mechanics and don't believe there are enough great officials who can referee the whole court. So they have decided to not come up with a ONE MAN MECHANIC.

good point
 

I always tell my partner in the pregame I'm going to " call it if I see it" Sometimes if the play is to close, your view is limited. I want my partner do do the same because if he can see it, everyone else probally did too.

That is why it is called Primary area, and not My area
 

Maybe the reason your partner missed the play right in front of him is because he was following your pregame instructions.

I'm not saying that the one official is expected to cover the whole court - but there are times, like in a game I was doing a couple of days ago, that my partner was very close to the person coming up the court from the backcourt, and I was lead and already at the baseline. I saw a travel, because I had a clear path through the other players, and called it. My partner never saw it, and when I asked, he was watching the player and the defender on him, and not watching his feet. I had looked at my primary area, and saw that there was no competitive matchup, nothing specific for me to keep an eye on, so I looked out and spent a little time watching the dribbler, to see where he was headed, before I looked back at my area. While looking, he stopped dribbling, and clearly traveled. There are officials who say that I should not have called it because it was outside my area. I say that if you see it, and it is obvious, and your partner missed it, call it. Otherwise, you look like a fool when no one calls an obvious travel. Not that I see everything, or any official can. But since you do have to glance around sometimes, if you catch something obvious, I would say to call it.

Re: good point
 

I always tell my partner in the pregame I'm going to " call it if I see it" Sometimes if the play is to close, your view is limited. I want my partner do do the same because if he can see it, everyone else probally did too. [/B][/QUOTE]

This seems to be the logical way to do things!

I think it is not the best way to referee basketball by using the philosophy of "obvious" and "call if I see it". when it comes to calling out of your primary. Maybe sometimes if the game situation calls for it, it is ok to use this philosophy in your secondary. I would prefer the philosophy of "non basketball play" and "I got to get that". I don't think a travel meets this philosophy. I am not alone when i say most calls out of your primary are bad calls. There have been studies concerning calling out of your area. I also believe every official as experienced a partner making a bad call in your area.

Sorry, but I simply don't agree.
Unless it's a "spectator"type situation where EVERYONE in the gym BUT your partner saw it PLUS an advantage was clearly gained AND your partner clearly was not looking at it. If ALL that happens then go ahead. Most times your partner sees it and uses good judgement on whether to blow or not. You must have TRUST in your partners if you want to be a TEAM out there!!!
Pistol

Hey if it werent for us Rooks, the old guys (eh hem...JR) would have no one to make fun of!

Larks - Veteran In Training

Nah,I'm an equal opportunity a$$hole!:DI'll even make fun of myself if I do something dumb.

I agree with Peter Devana, You need to trust your partners. A good official once told me: "I am not going to get any of your money tonight, so I won't make any of your calls. You are not getting any of my money, so don't make any of my calls." I think drinkeii is trying to justify the traveling call. The only friend you have in the gym is your partner(partners).TRUST THEM!

I had an 8th grade girls game yesterday. I was lead and committed the sin of turning my back on a not so fast break. When I turned around I saw 2 girls in a heap on the floor. I had nothing. My partner comes up with a PC foul way outside of her primary coverage area and we go on from there. I am the rookie trainer for our association and my partner was one of my rookies. During the next time out I thanked her for the help on the play and turned it into a teaching moment. I was essentially on cruise control in that game and I got lazy by turning my back on the play. Basically I told her, "don't do what I did". It was kind of embarassing but we both learned from it.

We've all been there....
 

Well, I think we've all been with a newer official time to time and had to kind of "expand our primary" to make sure the game is called correctly. I am in charge of assigning officials for our local subchapter so I always put brand new officials with me to let them relax and instruct as much as I can without sacrificing the integrity of the game. In this case, traveling (as some of you will echo) is MUCH easier to see the further away you are. In my pregames I give my official(s) full leeway in getting a travel in front of me because I tell them I will do it to them if it is blatant enough. This includes and up through NCAA!! I guess it depends...that's how I handle it though. I would've called the travel. THEN talked to him/her about it. That way you aren't sacrificing the integrity of the game for instructional purposes.