First D3 camp...advice
 

Didn't mean to hijack a previous thread. So, on the advice of others, I'm starting this one. There was already one reply to this question. Here is my original post:

"By the way, I'm going to my first D3 camp this summer. ACC, Colonial, Big East, A-10, etc... officials will be there evaluating. Any advice from the veterans?"

Website:
http://d3supercamp.com/

Hopefully it's a teaching camp. If so, then work hard, ask questions, be open to advise & criticism, have fun, make friends and develop contacts.

And whatever you do resist the temptation to blow your whistle on this type of play -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnZOOGCGr38

:D

Bring pants just in case. But if they tell you a camp uniform, wear exactly that. If they say black socks. WEAR BLACK SOCKS. A lot of that is checking to see if you can follow directions.

Appear eager to learn and thank clinicians for their advice.

Do NOT argue with clinicians. Listen, say thank you and move on.

If a clinician gives you something to change - change immediately and for the balance of camp.

Be early to every meeting and game assignment.

I am also attending this camp this year. I have been told that it is a bit of both - training and tryout. A partner of mine went last year and spoke highly of the training that he recieved. Also, two of the three camp directors are assignors of area D3 conferences so that speaks for itself.

Stay in your primary!!!! Dont try to be the hero either!!!! Unless someone asks for help, then just referee your primary hard. I will be there as well..

Yeah, one of the evaluators is my association's supervisor. I've emailed Roger Ayers some, who is also working this camp. My main focus going in is mechanics. I'm more concerned with improving those than I am with "trying out" for college officiating. Don't get me wrong, if it happens, I'll be very happy..but my mindset going in is personal improvement. That is, unless some of these veterans tell me otherwise..;)

That is also my objective. I am just trying to improve. I finished my third season, and was able to move up a partial V level (8 games). I want to continue to get better, and the moving up will take care of itself. Doing college is also not on mind. I just want to improve my mechanics, my judgement, and my game management skills.

Question(s):

When you say improve your mechanic, are you talking about?
(a) Signals

if so you can do that in the confines of your couch watching March Madness. I had someone tell me that when I first started officiating. Do what they do but do it crispier.

That's part of it, yes. Mechanics includes the individual part (i.e. - the signals) and the group part (i.e. - the 2 or 3 whistle duties). Can one learn from watching games from the couch? Yes certainly, but be aware that there are differences between the rules and the mechanics from NFHS to NCAA-W to NCAA-M. But, by far the best way to improve is to go a camp and work live games under the watchful eyes of qualified observers.

This is absolutely true. While you're sitting on your couch, working on signals, you're not seeing yourself. How will you know if you're forming a good habit, or reinforcing a bad one? Also, the mechanics used by the big dogs who work the tourney are not necessarily ideal for emulation. They get away with lots of stuff that us lesser mortals could not.

So if you're going to work on signals, spend at least some of your practice time in front of a mirror. And take any opportunity to get qualified feedback, like from camp evaluators. They can add more to your package than just whether or not the thing you are doing looks good or not. They can help you understand what you're not doing that you should, what you are doing that you shouldn't, and where you've just missed the boat entirely.

Vhsl Camp
 

blwall, here's another camp to look into - the VHSL officials camp. It's scheduled to be at Randolph Macon College in Ashland VA. It's a total learning camp. You get lots of court time with instant feedback from the observers. You also get good bang for your buck. As a day camper, I paid only $50 last year. My meals alone would have cost more than that. If memory serves, the price for an overnight camper was in the $200 - $250 range. Wayne Samford, one of the directors at the D3 Super Camp, has been a speaker at the VHSL camp.
Here's the only problem - the date of this year's camp. It is scheduled to run the week after the D3 camp. The dates in the past were the third week in July. You can get the information about the camp off of the VHSL website.

Where on the vhsl site? I clicked on "officials", and the closest I could find was info on rules clinics?

VHSL Camp
 

Try this link. It will take you directly to the basketball page.

http://www.vhsl.org/bkb.htm

I was just there, but I did not see where the information had been posted as of yet. When it does appear, it will be a downloadable pdf file.

If it works for you, I hope to see you there.

Camp POE
 

I'd recommend not only enhancing your mechanics/signals, but really work on crew communication (pregame), primary area coverage, off-ball officiating.

But really focus on call consistency/call selection, patient whistle (see the whole play), and game management.

Good luck with your camps, I'm trying to attend 5-6 this year.

-KG