New Ref looking for tips
 

I am a 20 yr old college student and proud to say i am now a registered official. I was a 4 yr high school player in western michigan and love the game and am looking to convert my playing passion into officiating. I will admit i was not fond of officials in my playing days but look forward to changing roles. I was just hoping you all could help me with any tips or pointers in how to become the best official possible so i can be the best for the game. Thanks a lot.

congrats on joining the ranks...JOIN an association...you find the list at mhsaa.net/officials/association...good luck

i found an association i want to join but don't know how to join, i just registered and passed the tests so maybe i need to wait for confirmation by the MHSAA. Thanks.

mhsaa will give you a registration number...once you have that go to the association of your choice...and then register with them...make sure that it is an association that does basketball...all approved associations are listed with mhsaa...what part of the state are you from...joining an association will put you in contact with experienced officals that will help guide you through your career...good luck

Be confident, calm, and courageous.

Never be afraid to make the right call in a tough situation.

Develop you communication/people skills.

Always remember that your #1 job is to look out for the safety of the players.

get as much court time as possible at the lower levels. 5,6,7,8 graders

Go watch games you have zero interest in and focus on the officials mechanics.

And don't let the fans, parents, coaches, and players get to you if you have "one of those" games or make a bad call! Tune em out....most times they don't know what they're talking about.

And, once you leave the court/gym - Let it go!!

And most importantly HAVE FUN and keep all that youthful enthusiasm! :)

Check into working for you IM program in college. You'll get to see decent players and learn to manage a game and throw a technical. :D

New also
 

All good tips - especially staying calm and joining an association - or two. I have met lots of local officials - and most importantly assignors... who need to know and get comfortable with you.

Just remember who is in charge - study hard and read this blog!;)

Remember when the whistle blows, there is no hurry....I see so many new refs (and did it myself)...rush through the reporting to the table, in a hurry to get in the new position and go.

Draw eye contact, speak clearly and just don't be in a hurry....the game is not going anywhere without you and your crew.

Second thing I can say is EYE CONTACT and non verbal contact with partner...if you work with the same few guys, you'll get in some easy non verbal contact that will make things easy for you both as reminders... A couple guys I work with, we motion a few hand signals at various time to each other to note 1/1 coming up on next foul or when the clock hits the 1:00 mark. You can come up wiht your own....HEck our 1/1 hand signal looks like some sort of gang sign where you mesh your index and pinky fingers together...Index's for home, pinkies for vistors...both for both! :D

From the desk of Nevada....respond to questions, not comments from coaches...and I believe it was JRut who said "They can't quote silence". ;)

Finally...have FUN...it sounds like you are already doing that part...

I'll echo what Junker said - are you currently in school? If so, check out the IM Sports Program, if there is one. That's where myself, my primary mentor, and many long-time peers in the field started. And then, as others have stated, don't be afraid (offer, if possible) to work as many junior high games as you can get your hands on.

Forget all those rules you thought existed when you were a player, buy a rule book and learn the REAL rules.

Most important things right out of the gate.

1. A good whistle...a strong whistle shows confidence in your call.

2. Use your voice...always vocalize your calls, starting out your signals will be so-so, but your voice can make up for what your signals lack.

3. Work as much as you can...the more you work, the more you will see, the more you can screw up and the more you can learn from your screw ups.

4. Spend some time every day in the rules/case book and working on your signals and foul reporting in the mirror.

5. Watch as much basketball as you can to see more experienced officials work...as a beginner I'd recommend going to the local high schools instead of college or NBA since the HS officials would be the next level up and more likely to be using proper mechanics for where you are at. Also it gives you inroads to that level and possible mentors.

Right now it's probably too late for HS assignments for this year, but now's a great time to plan on getting a head start for next year. Here's a general roadmap that I wish I had when I started:

1) Get a rulebook, casebook and officials manual. Learn the rules and ask questions here. Start with the definitions (rule 4). Rulebooks aren't hard to come by, especially books that aren't current.

2) Find a mentor. Your mentor will help guide you in everything, starting with finding an association, finding games to work over the summer and leagues that might need officials. A good mentor will also be extremely helpful in transitioning between being a player and being a ref, learning the mechanics/rules/philosophies, etc. A couple approaches could work if you don't have any direct connections to officials. Talk to your former coach to get a couple names of guys who he respects and knows and try to connect that way, or just go to some games and find someone who you think matches your style. Mentors, especially in the early stages don't have to be top notch refs, just guys who are willing to pass along some friendly advice and steer you in the right direction.

3) Go to camp. Find an instructional camp run by top HS/college refs. They will teach you the right way from the get-go and they won't have to break any bad habits. Go to more than one if you can, this will put you way ahead of the rookies next year. Make sure you pick the right camp for you, you're trying to learn, not get hired for college. This will also provide you with some invaluable contacts.

4) Work, work, work. Work any game that you can at any level for any level of pay. College IMs are a great option, even mens rec as these will help develop your ability to handle adversity. Work grade school games, pickup games, any ball, at this point, you need to hone your judgement by seeing plays.

5) Use the forum to discuss situations and learn from others.

6) If you're really serious, get your uniform properly tailored. Look the part and it will do wonders.

Don't Panic!

You're probably going to miss a lot of stuff at first. You'll see something, you'll think about it, try to recall what the rule is, and then finally realize that it was a foul/violation/whatever. But by then play has moved on. Get it next time. It just takes a while for everything to become automatic. So have some patience with yourself while you're learning.

Your partner is your only friend on the court. Learn to work with him/her. Always make eye contact before putting the ball in play. If you need a quick word to make sure you're on the same page about something, have that quick word.

Use that "game awareness" you developed as a player to your advantage as an official. Know the time, score, foul count, etc. Use your knowledge of offense and defense to help you anticipate the play. Then you can narrow your focus to seeing what is about to occur.

Blow the whistle with authority. No matter how unsure of yourself you are as a new official, do your thing with confidence. Fake it if you have to.

Don't be afraid to admit when you make a mistake. A simple, "Sorry coach, I kicked that one." can defuse a situation faster than any other bit of game management I've ever learned. Just make sure you don't kick very many ;)

Call your own lines. Call your own area. Don't be a ball watcher.

Slow down.

Oh, and one last thing...

Slow down. Then slow down some more. Once you can do that, slow it down just a hair more.

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."