Youngest D-1 Officials
 

For all you veterans:

I was wondering what some of the youngest D-1 officials are. I have seen on tv recently some guys working some Atlantic 10 who seem to be quite a bit younger than their partners? Anyone know of some young guys out there making it to the big time pretty quick?

I hear Bhuck Elics is only 16. But, I'm sure that's just a rumor.

I'm not sure. There is one guy who is relatively young named Jose Calderon (I think). I was at the ACC camp with him a few years ago and he is the truth!
Unfortunately, there are many young guys in D1 that don't make it on ESPN and CBS.
One of the best stories I've heard was when Zack Zarba told me he made it to D1 then the NBA by 28 or 29. That is pretty good.

I have a friend who was 24 or 25 when he got his 1st D1 assignement. He is now about 30 and works in 5 D1 leagues and the D-League.

I am 56 years old and I was 23 years old when I officiated my first Div. I game (It was a women's game): Florida State University vs. University of Miami during the 1974-75 season. Now I am a bald old geezer.

MTD, Sr.

It's Jose Carrion I believe. He works the Big East among others. He is in his early 30s. He's originally from Puerto Rico.

Yes, that is exactly who I'm talking about. I'm not sure, but I wouldn't be surprised if he's in every major D1 conference on the east coast.

A friend of mine got picked up for a D-1 men's conference this year. He's 28 years old and has been officiating HS basketball for 5 years. That's the quickest ascension around here that I've ever seen.

He's very good and he also looks like the classic basketball official. Perfect height and build and extremely athletic. He just "has it."

The reason I was wondering was the fact that I am starting my third year of officiating in the high school level and recently was hired by a NAIA D2 conference at the age of 20. Wondering what a realistic number was for me until I got to that D1 level?

I've worked several times with Jose at the D3 level. He's an excellent official. I've camped with him at NunnBetter, as well. He's obviously very good, and helpful without needing to be "the man". I also got to know Zach a little bit through my time in the USBL. He is an excellent official and a really nice person. He spent literally 2 hours with me, standing on the sidelines during my USBL tryout and talking about NBA rules with me. After I got picked up (and then let go) by the USBL, we corresponded a little bit via email and he was always helpful when I needed help with something. (In fact, he got me invited to NunnBetter.) Two quality guys.

MO, here's my little piece of advice, for whatever it's worth. Don't put a number on it. Just do the things you need to do. I was 40 when I got picked up for D1 games. Hopefully, you don't have to wait that long. But if you put a number on it and then don't make it by then, you just set yourself up for disappointment.

Just go to the right camps, impress the right people and let things happen at their own pace. You can't control the decisions of the assignors, anyway. I went through a lot of frustration and disappointment, which I just brought on myself. Do what got you this far. Keep learning. If you've got the goods, someone will notice. Good luck.

While shoveling the rest of the snow in my driveway, I realized that I forgot to mention this piece of "wisdom" that I heard a lot at camp: Better to make it a couple years late than a couple years early.

If you make it too soon and screw it up, you're done. Make sure you are really ready.

Thank you Chuck.

Great Advise. A lot of guys around my area are intemidated to say something to me or talk to me about things because I am so young. I appreciate what you said.

I had no idea you were such a youngster. I got you by three years. Oh yeah - I still have all my hair. Almost all, anyway.

http://www.co.washington.or.us/DEPTM...cs/padgett.jpg

BTW - don't say you're bald, say you have solar panels on your head. :D

Yes, folks that's really Mark. Although that pic doesn't show the fishnets, too bad. Now everyone knows why I always cringe when he talks about laying his head on my shoulder...

that's great to hear MO! Keep it up. Like the guys before me said, try not to put a timetable on it, but you do want to have goals so set them, if you don't reach them then of course you will be upset but don't analyze it the wrong way. Don't say, "I can't believe they didn't take me" instead ask yourself what you think you need to improve on. Watch tape and be your own hardest critic. Get down to the minute details if you think you have the solid foundation that is required to referee at a top level.

Like right now, I have been working on a couple of things this year. I tend to stand with my right shoulder lower than my left and it looks weird. I also am working on my slot positioning (which is horrible right now) and the cadence of my whistles. All minute little details, but something that will help my overall game in my later years. You should always be trying to develop the whole package.

Good luck to you MO and keep working hard as I am sure you have been.

If it's who I think it is, he looks a lot younger than he is.

Juulie - maybe I should have posted my real picture.

http://images.contactmusic.com/dn/to...0_3803_300.jpg

Concerning this discussion, here is the biggest travesty: there are many officials out there who would do a great job, are built like tanks and can run like a deer. But, they will either never get their shot on big TV games or will have filled out by the time they do. The crazy thing about it is I think there is more basketball on the east coast, but younger officials get a better chance on the west coast. Talk about going from 0-100mph, one of my friends went from doing Juco to the Pac-10 because that is how it is. He worked to the point where he got some conference games and had to resign; he is currently in Korea officiating their pro league. I regularly saw those opportunities on the east coast, but it often came down to politics.

South, I hope. :eek:

I have a good friend whom I saw for the first time 3 seasons ago reffing a JV girls game at the worst HS girls program in the region. He was 22. 1 1/2 years later he was picked up in 3 NCAA conferences at 24 (a D1, D2, & D3).

Now he's 25 and in 2 D1's and 2 D3's and the NBA-D league. And still ref'n HS games on my board.

Good for you man. That happened to me. I was entering my 3rd of high school and was hired NCAA D3 and Junior college mens. I was hired when I was 19 then I was 20 by the time the season started. I'm 22 and in my 3rd season of college ball. Good Job bro...

Continued good luck to you Ben. Saw your name in a boxscore last week. Good job!!!!

Thanks BNR. I hope all is well. I haven't seen you in about 2 yrs. or has it been 3 already? Anyway let me know how things have been going sometime.

Tomegun is right. There are a lot of young officials out there who are really good but due to certain "things", whatever they may be, they don't get a shot as soon as they should, but surely they should get a shot before too long, there are just so many old guys who seem to be ready to retire and I think it is going to happen in a big bundle, but we'll see and maybe then those young guys will get a shot.

Steve Anderson from UF
 

I believe the IM Coordinator at University of Florida is only 25 or 26 and he has a Division I College Schedule.

http://statsheet.com/mcb/referees/steve-anderson

-KG

Go Gators! NIT this year..

The poster right above you worked one of those games with Steve Anderson.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MOfficial Great Advise. A lot of guys around my area are intimidated to say something to me or talk to me about things because I am so young. I appreciate what you said.

Hi.


Can I offer a suggestion - to see the difference between two words:


advice. Advise is a verb which means to offer a suggestion. Advice is the information given, namely that it's better to be a year late than a year early.

In advanze, thanks for that correction.

Wellmer must be the youngest because when his pants fall down, you can see he's wearing Pampers.

Oh wait - that might indicate he's the oldest. :rolleyes:

And,
 

I was 28 when I worked my first major college (there was no name like D-1 in the OLD days) basketball game. We still had jump balls, four-corner offenses and a field goal only counted two points.

I worked my first major college baseball game when I was 20.

Regards,

Do scrimmages count?
If so I've worked in WNBA, Pac 10 and a few others when I was 28.

Mark:

I just now saw your post, and I am jealous, you have more hair on your face that I have on the top of my head. :D

MTD, Sr.

Unfortunately, I also have that much in my ears!

http://remainsofthedesi.files.wordpr...g-ear-hair.jpg

Only in the minds of those who dwell in the mythical Land Of College And Above.:)

And here is a shot of Mark being consoled after tossing a 3rd grader for hanging on the rim...

http://cbrust.smugmug.com/photos/268599393_34x8A-M.jpg


Oh, and for a more recent shot of Juulie/rainmaker....

http://cbrust.smugmug.com/gallery/39...RVSL#228774372

HEY - she also slapped the backboard on the way down! :eek:

Stop it, I'm getting a Haddock.

So did you give two Ts or one? :confused:

Forget the cods, Gil. This guy's gonna need a sturgeon.

It was T for two time.

http://www.marvelcreations.com/images/tealdban.jpg