Can you be TOO crisp in your mechanics?
 

Went to a G-JV/V double header last night...took my girls to watch as part of youth rec league night...Of course I ended up observing the officials more than watching the game itself :confused: ;)

Varsity crew was, 3-whistle...The R looked to be about 23 years old...kid had a baby face. I was thinking "Man, he's young for a V official"....

I was sitting 3 rows behind the score table and the gym was bare (imagine that!)....Tried to focus in on his pre-game with the table and coaches and watched his floor position and reporting manners.

Now I'm not saying anything bad about this guy, I don't know him, have never seen him officiate before and he and the crew called a really good game (there was only one call I thought should have been whistled a block on a major crash and pass that was no call and the defender got her head slammed into the floor...) but as I watched this particular guy's mechanics, he seemed VERY tight.

I know you want to be crisp and clean with your mechanics but I thought while he was always in control and focused...he appeared to be overly tight almost to the point that it was awkward and uncomfortable looking....almost robotic in nature.

For instance...on his 5 & 10 sec counts...his hand was in the position and as rigid as a one in the service that would salute an officer....and he chopped the count almost above his shoulder at ear level. Perhaps this is preferred(at least by him)...I tend to be below the shoulder about mid chest. Maybe I'm wrong?

When reporting...it was the same thing....arm would come up to signal the number to the table and it was head high to the side....(rest of his crew and where I typically report is chest high and in front of me).

Again, I'm not bad mouthing the kid...I just thought he appeared to be tight and it almost looked like he was not having fun...I wanted to tell him to loosen up and have fun...

Thoughts?

I think that it is great the he is starting with proper or maybe perfect mechanics. But I also belive that you can make them your own, with out distorting them, so they have more of a flow and less mechanical.

If they are too mechanical they do not look natural and that is less credible.

If your mechanics are in front of you, it could be hard for the table to see. If they are high and to the side they will be easier to see. The same thing with numbers. What would you rather have 5, 0 dollars or 50 dollars? If your answer is 50 then that should be the way you report.
Back on point, it would be hard for someone to give a definitive response without seeing this official.

"it is great the he is tarting "

Let's hope he doesn't trollop.

I have been to a few 3 crew camps where we were instructed to make the visible count "at least shoulder level or above" and the "hand was to flex from a closed (fingers together) to open (fingers apart) position. This was really harped on. I used to give count with arm starting about chest high and angling downward but since the camps now try and keep it shoulder high but I would never go higher - it's too uncomfortable.

When reporting to table I try and keep hand off shoulder/away from in front of my chest so that it is easier to see.

I ask in all seriousness, did he have his arms bent and arms out in front (like rock-em sock-em robots)? I ask because I went to a college camp this past summer, and there was this young kid there (not saying same kid, actually kid was from Mississippi), he was so robotic looking, almost exactly what you described and he held his arms in the above manner. Anyways, the clinicians, who are the cream-of-the-crop in women's basketball said he looked to robotic and described him as looking "silly". When I see young officials officiate like this, I try to tell them to relax and look more relaxed.

Were they using women's mechanics at these camps? The only place I see visible counts that high is college women's officials.

Back to the original question, it is my opinion that it's possible to be too crisp in your mechanics. Better to be smooth than robotic.

Can you be too sharp in your mechanics? yes.

http://www.theonion.com/content/file...ecapitates.jpg

No that was the odd part. It mens and a short section (30 min)with NFHS mechanics

LOVE IT!!

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/umed...9a5aadab1d984e

I had trouble picking just one line from that strip for my signature.
My dominance is quite dominating.
You are but bubble wrap unto the block that is my head. I might use this one on the next coach that tries to show me up.
The entire third panel. This could make for a great coaches/captains pregame. My secret weapon is my cunning... my cunning is dominating...my dominance is my intellect...my intellect is shocking! Fear the officials!

All good.

We had a guy here who was about two months out of the military when he started. He looked like a tin soldier! Took a year or two to tone it down a little.!

Those new shirts were made for Ed. He's the only one that really looks good in them.

On the other hand, I'll take the tin soldier over the partner that blows the whistle, makes some kind of motion with his hands, mumbles something, and starts walking the other way.

I had a partner like this one night a couple years ago. He did what you said above, then changed directions - walked to me and said "what did I call?" :eek: :confused:

I know I shouldn't have but I couldn't help it - I just started laughing and shrugged my shoulders. When I was able to get it together I tried to have him walk through (in his depleted mind) what he saw. Didn't make a difference - didn't have a clue. Still doesn't from what I hear. I've been fortunate never to have worked with him again.:(

Put me in the category that you can't be too sharp. I was probably the 23 year old kid when I was 23. I think my mechanics are a little more relaxed LOOKING (at least, from what I see on film), but I try to remain as sharp as possible. I hate it when I realize I got a little lazy in my signal mechanics.

Had this guy in some MS games last year. Really nice guy, but impossible to know what he's calling.

We are encouraged to report the numbers to our side and not in front of our chest. The theory being that the scorer can see the numbers better when they are not in front of our stripes.

Joe...pretty much...I really thought his calls and that of his partners were fine but Rock-em-Sock-em robot or toy soldier would describe him pretty well.

Even when he would point to the spot for throw in, rather than use one or two fingers it was wrist cocked, thumb tucked in the "salute" form, palm up...almost the "gimme five" position....very rigid and he would hold it there until his partner got to the spot...almost as if he couldn't release it until he was there.

I've just not see an official appear this way...most guys I work with and watch seem loose. I feel bad discussing it, like I'm talking bad about him...this crew did a fine job...that was evident by the lack of barking by the coaches AND fans...they were almost transparent if you will...

...The R looked to be about 23 years old...kid had a baby face. I was thinking "Man, he's young for a V official"....

..The sharp mechanics are probably why he's doing varsity...

I was told at camp this past year that I was too mechanical, and it looked robotic. The evaluator told me that my mechanics were too precise and that I needed to make them more my own, "show my personality" were his exact words. My response was "thank you," and I made the change. It is an interesting take though, because in all my previous years at camps, I have never had an evaluator tell me I was too mechanical. Hmmmm . . .

You are exactly right, for that is how it goes in our area, it will be his ability to comunicate that will keep him there and beyound

obviously someone thought he was capable to be working the game. I don't understand some of the older guys can't think just because we're young we can't referee.

my mechanics aren't as tight as they should be, but I'm working on it. I think I've gotten to where I've gotten because of my game and my mechanics.

I don't think that ace....I've stated more than once he was a good ref......

I'm only 35 and in my 7th year...I don't consider myself young but I'm not old either...23 is young to me now a days....I'm 3 kids in and on my second mortgage, that's the part of me that's old! :D