How long did you work HS before moving to college ball?

[KingTripleJump]

I'm 26 now. I started officiating college when I was 23 so this is my 4th year. My supervisor has both a JUCO and a D2 league so I work games in both conferences. I don’t see a reason why you wouldn’t go for it. You’re young, you love the game, and you can start to achieve your goals, should they be to keep advancing.

[JRutledge]

About 5 years.

Peace

[Gimlet25id]

I worked my first college game my third year of officiating. I think everyone is a little different in how they can or can't move up. It depends on the individual.

It can't do nothing but help you by going to camps. You will learn & receive a great deal of information by going to the right camp. The bonus might be getting picked up by the supervisor.

I was told once that a good college camp is like gaining a year of officiating experience.

I'm mentoring a young guy from my hometown who played basketball @ a MCC college. He's been working for 2 years and is already working a small college schedule. So dude..its all up to you.

[Scrapper1]

Originally Posted by Gimlet25id

It depends on the individual.

So dude..its all up to you.

This is simply not true. If it was all up to me, I'd have multiple NCAA Final Fours under my belt by now.

The effort that you put into it is all up to you. But the selection process has many, many, MANY more factors involved. Your geographic location is involved, the camps you pick are a factor, the perception of posture and composure are a factor.

I worked high school for 6 years before I got accepted to work NCAA JV games. Took me another 3 years to get a D3 varsity schedule. Took me another 6 years to get a D2 schedule. I could've had a D2 schedule 5 years ago, because the assignor loved me. But I was too far away from most of his schools to be of any use to him.

I'm not trying to discourage you. I just don't want you to go in with this false perception. Your seven years of intramural and rec ball are going to impress exactly nobody. I don't say that as an insult, but you need to recognize that college assignors (the ones that I know, anyway) view those games as little more than babysitting. That's not a reflection on you personally, only on the level of play.

If you want to move up, you need to be seen by the right people. That means you need to find out who those people are in your area and find out which camps they will be observing at. Then go to those camps. That's really what you need to do in this era.

If you post your general location, you might get some feedback here on which camps are your best bets. Good luck.

[tomegun]

Gimlet, you are from Richmond? That is where I'm from too. Do you know my cousin? He is a cop, on the school board, sings the national anthem at just about any event, sings at weddings and is basically a pain in the butt to go out with in town because he has to stop and talk to everyone.

What year did you graduate?

[MOofficial]

I'm 20 and this is my first year in college ball.

It really boils down to if your young and dont know many people, you have to go out and have something that the vets dont have to prove that your ready. Go to the right camps get to know the people that you need to know and dont go in thinking im going to work in this conference. Go in wanting to learn something and get better.

As a young official you go in to those camps, do the right things, impress the right people and it will all fall into place.

[btaylor64]

I agree with all that has been said here, even scrapper in all his "sad but true" rant.

IMO, I say go for it, without getting into details I got hired very young working college ball and got hired for JUCO the same season that I worked my first regular season of high school, so it's not out of this world or a novice idea that you try this. Just go try out.

[Gimlet25id]

Originally Posted by tomegun

Gimlet, you are from Richmond? That is where I'm from too. Do you know my cousin? He is a cop, on the school board, sings the national anthem at just about any event, sings at weddings and is basically a pain in the butt to go out with in town because he has to stop and talk to everyone.

What year did you graduate?

Is it A. Stevens? Graduated in 1990.

[tomegun]

Originally Posted by Gimlet25id

Is it A. Stevens? Graduated in 1990.

That is funny; I knew if I described him to you it would probably be obvious. He knows EVERYBODY! Our mothers were sisters.

I guess we were in high school together for two years. Isn't there some sort of rule that says you can't do games at the high school in town. Doing a varsity game there is one of my dreams. Back in the days when Woody Austin was doing his thing the gym would be jumping! 8,000 people on a Friday night is an experience.