thanks a lot everyone, I live in west michigan but go to school at Albion College until i get out for the summer. This will be my 3rd year officiating IM's and that has helped tremendously. Thanks for the advice from everyone i cannot wait to become part of an association and cut my teeth on some games. Thanks again everyone, greatly appreciated.

also i have a registration number, a 6 digit number, with a password that i use to login but see no way to join an association. Do i call the assignor of the association to join? Again thanks.

Yes. Call the assignor, and keep calling him. It took me over a month to get someone to return my calls.

New Ref
 

Three of the best tips I received my first year

1) Pick one thing to improve upon in a game (easier to do when reffing rec ball).
2) Referee the defense. When the dribbler is bringing the ball up, and being pressured, focus more on the defender, and other defensive players if there is pressure...what are they doing, do they have legal guarding position. etc. Or, another example, when you get a low post matchup, focus more on the defender...have they obtained legal position, hands straight up, etc.
3) Referee off ball when the situation calls for it. Example, if you're the trail, and the offense has the ball up high, with a defender not closely guarding, go off ball to make sure you catch screens...illegal blocks, etc.

Association Listing
 

Go to the MHSAA website at http://www.mhsaa.com/resources/official.htm. Click on "Approved Officials' Associations" and you'll find a listing with contact numbers. Join the one where you're gonna be reffing at, whether where you live and will ref after graduation, or join the one nearest your college. Even if you have to join another association later after you graduate, it will be helpful for you to attend the meetings and get your name known in an association. If you're from southwestern Michigan, let me know. I'll give you the number of exactly whom to call.

Another thing: Here in Michigan assignors aren't necessarily designated to a particular association. Assignors, though members of associations themselves, assign members of other associations. But the association you join will be able to tell you what assignors to get in touch with.

Along the "go to camps" line is, since you're working IM's at your school, going to and working NIRSA Regional Tournaments. (http://www.nirsa.org/sports/basketba...8/Default.aspx)
The closest one to you this year is at Oakland University, in Rochester.
(http://www.nirsa.org/sports/basketba...8/Default.aspx)
(http://www4.oakland.edu/?id=5169&sid=90)
I'd suggest asking your IM Coordinator if they could give you any support (gas money, meal per diem for dinners, etc.) in going there and working this spring's regional they're hosting. If you haven't been to anything like this before, it's essentially just like a high school or college camp structure - you work a bunch of games the first two days, get evaluated every game on and after your court time (including video with commentary, usually) - it's also a chance to start/practice/improve three-person mechanics. The main difference is that if you make the cut (the top whatever of whatever), you work the third day - the tournament that follows the pool play - and if not, no big deal - still good experience and valuble feedback. The Officials' Committee is generally made up of current high school and lower-level college officials, who are usually IM Coordinators or graduate assistants at regional schools.

Even if your program can't support you financially in going, it's only about two hours away, and the tournament usually puts up the officials in hotel rooms, and you receive usually $10 per game - not much, but something - and they feed you at least two meals a day, if not more, generally.

Great experience, in my opinion - and a good primer for lower-level college camps, if you're interested in going that direction down the road.

OK, I've posted it a million times but since you're a newbie, here it is again.

Always remember the first rule of officiating:
"Tuck your whistle in your shirt before you take a leak."

And, don't forget the referee's motto:
"Occasionally wrong but never indecisive."