Moving up and down levels
 

I am a 6th year official with 1/2 varsity,1/2 subvarsity schedule. I also work a middle school travel league on off HS days.

Having trouble adjusting to the lower level games. I'm used to calling walks tightly (steps before a rebound is shot, illegal jump stops, changing pivot feet) which is expected at the varsity level. I also apply advantage/disadvantage on rebounds which there is little displacement and rebounder maintains pocession and contact on the dribler who is beating his defender to the basket. My partners with less experience tend to call the rebounding fouls or blocking fouls which I have passed on despite pregame.

I'm getting lip from coaches about the walks.
Any advise. Thanks.

Don't listen to coaches. And don't take any lip either.

They call their game you call yours, switch on every foul so you aren't always calling one end of the floor....that is partially in jest, but there is only so much that you can do. You can still call advantage/disadvantage on the fouls at the lower levels, but it usually takes a lot less to create an advantage therefore the threshhold tends to slide...I tend to tighten up the violations with each increase in grade level, for instance a travel in 8th grade may not be a travel in 6th grade, and I have no problem saying that to a ms coach....you can pregame all day, but if your partner doesn't have the experience they are going to fall back on what they know - ie. that was contact there must be a foul...we were all there at one point. still a good idea to talk about it though, you should learn something each game you work. as far as the lip from coaches, you are going to get that no matter what you do, I have been calling hs for around 14 years, ms for probably 18 and I get more lip from ms coaches than hs coaches, the hs coaches are just more knowledgable...

I work mainly the lower level JRHS level stuff and have been officiating at this level for my 7+years...here is what I'd would offer...

If it's travel/AUU (better talent)...keep calling it the way you are. If the coaches want to complain, give them an explanation and maybe follow it up with "Coach, your players are talented enough not to be walking...." At this level they shouldn't be anyway...

For the rec league level, I'd start out the season a lttle loose, then tighten it up as you go..

There is always the pregame that can address this as well.....Much like sales, set the tone upfront so there are no surprises from either party...

I do not see it really hard to work a lower level HS game then go to a varsity contest. The differences at the HS level are not so drastic that you cannot overcome the differences. The bottom line is the kids at lower level HS games usually are just not as coordinated yet and still are growing into their bodies and abilities. So you get a little more sloppy play. At the varsity level you usually have less of those players.

Now working from the JH level to HS can be a little adjustment, which is why many officials stop working those games when they get to a certain point in their careers. I do not know if there is a magic formula to tell you. Just understand that at the varsity level there is more scrutiny to everyone. If you make a mistake at that level it is magnified. When you make mistakes at the lower levels usually many might not even realize it and no one will remember it much after it took place. In other words there is no tape to run you over the coals as they could and will during a lower level game.

I guess the main thing is keep the levels in perspective and realize that lower level games the players, coaches and fans are likely still learning the game.
Do your best to give them a game, but do not get overly upset when you make mistakes. Varsity games are when you are expected to be at your best, despite the "every game is important" claims you will hear.

Peace