Advice for new official

[DonInKansas]

Can we get a "newbie official" thread stickied at the top so we can avoid the weekly reposts?

Nothing against you, ref08; wellcome!

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by DonInKansas

Can we get a "newbie official" thread stickied at the top so we can avoid the weekly reposts?

Nothing against you, ref08; wellcome!

Don - great idea! Maybe if there was a way, when first registering for the site - "if you're a new official click here for some tips?" Or as you state - A permanent thread at the top for newbies with all previous advice permanently posted.

[ca_rumperee]

...is the search function.

You can find many, many threads in the past that will give you loads of advice.

I found that to be extremely valuable when I first jumped on board.

[Scrapper1]

Originally Posted by ca_rumperee

You can find many, many threads in the past that will give you loads of advice.

You don't even need the search function. Just scroll to the bottom of this page and you'll see a couple threads for new officials. They might even have links to other threads.

[Junker]

If you know some of the varsity guys in your area, start riding along to games with them. I know in the past, my crew has taken a new official or two into the locker room during pregame and at the half so they could listen in. When I was coming up and not working varsity, I learned a lot from being around the varsity guys and listening in on their conversations.

[Coltdoggs]

Go find some youth league/travel league/AAU games to get some actual on the court expierence where you can work on positioning and mechanics and getting the jitters out. I don't care what level you do the first time you roll out there, you will have butterflies and be nervous as heck....My personal advice is not to make your first game with some HS teams.....But I am sure some have done it.....

The lower level stuff will allow you to work on things a little at a time where the games don't mean as much and you can get comfortable with what you are doing...

Stay away from anything rec league younger than 5th grade so you won't be so overwhelmed by the A-B-C-D-All of the above contact is a foul, which one should I call!?

Watching other officials at the HS level is good too....