Preparing for partners who are new

[cdaref]

I rode up with the crew that was doing the game before my varsity game. That crew had a newbie who I had worked with at one of our jamborees (pre-season scrimmages where we work with new officials). His partner wasnt really on the ball and instead of pregaming went and talked to the AD. So I took the newbie and kept it simple. I went over court coverage real quick. I reassured him, said he would do a good job and said:

"95% of basketball is easy and you already know it--blocks, charges, travels, out of bounds. You know those calls, just call what you see. Leave the other 5% to your partner. You just do three things tonite: 1. blow your whistle and blow it hard when you see something, 2. get your hand up, and 3. make eye contact with your partner before you put the ball in play."

He did a fine job and I told him so. Building confidence in the newbie is the most important thing I think we can do.

As a general matter, I think newbies get a ton of stuff thrown at them and it helps for that first game to just slow them down, focus them on the very basics and reassure them that their partners are there to help them.

[SmokeEater]

Originally Posted by cdaref

"95% of basketball is easy and you already know it--blocks, charges, travels, out of bounds. You know those calls, just call what you see. Leave the other 5% to your partner. You just do three things tonite: 1. blow your whistle and blow it hard when you see something, 2. get your hand up, and 3. make eye contact with your partner before you put the ball in play."

He did a fine job and I told him so. Building confidence in the newbie is the most important thing I think we can do.

As a general matter, I think newbies get a ton of stuff thrown at them and it helps for that first game to just slow them down, focus them on the very basics and reassure them that their partners are there to help them.

This is the best advice I have seen for first year officials. Obviously the more they get on the floor the more they will be responsible for, but the KISS principle seems to be the best policy.

[FrankHtown]

My first game I asked my partner if I should tell the coaches that this is my first game. He said "No, they'll figure it out soon enough!"

[Rich]

I have taken on a new partner who has about 5-6 years under his belt, but has never really had a regular partner, which is crucial for advancement here.

Last year I got him to sub for my then regular partner and my then-partner rolled his eyes. Said the guy wasn't that strong. Said it was up to me. But I like the guy and it was in a small conference, so not much to lose no matter how it went.

So I went out and decided I would pump this guy up at every opportunity. And you know what? He didn't need it. His judgment was outstanding. His mechanics were probably better than mine. What he was lacking is "presence" (and no, I don't want to start a huge discussion on this) and confidence.

We talked after the game and the first thing he said was "I wish I could run a game like you just did." OK, self-awareness. Good. I told him that this is the step he needs to make next (this) season. I gave him examples of strong officiating and good judgment throughout the game. Seriously, he didn't make one call or pass on one call (that I saw, cause, well, I wasn't looking in his primary) that I thought was "off the wall."

And I will do my best to start the season making sure he isn't too vulnerable and pull back as the season goes on. By the end of this season, he will be there. At least that's my personal goal. It all starts tonight.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

I have taken on a new partner who has about 5-6 years under his belt, but has never really had a regular partner, which is crucial for advancement here.

Last year I got him to sub for my then regular partner and my then-partner rolled his eyes. Said the guy wasn't that strong. Said it was up to me. But I like the guy and it was in a small conference, so not much to lose no matter how it went.

So I went out and decided I would pump this guy up at every opportunity. And you know what? He didn't need it. His judgment was outstanding. His mechanics were probably better than mine. What he was lacking is "presence" (and no, I don't want to start a huge discussion on this) and confidence.

We talked after the game and the first thing he said was "I wish I could run a game like you just did." OK, self-awareness. Good. I told him that this is the step he needs to make next (this) season. I gave him examples of strong officiating and good judgment throughout the game. Seriously, he didn't make one call or pass on one call (that I saw, cause, well, I wasn't looking in his primary) that I thought was "off the wall."

And I will do my best to start the season making sure he isn't too vulnerable and pull back as the season goes on. By the end of this season, he will be there. At least that's my personal goal. It all starts tonight.

I remembered last night all the little things I heard over and over at every 3-person camp I've attended, especially the comment about remembering to officiate.

Girls varsity. Partners have worked some 3-person, but not nearly as much as I have. For the first half, partners were going opposite when they called a foul tableside -- just feeling they had to go somewhere. That was amusing (and corrected at halftime), but the one thing I noticed was one of the guys forgetting to officiate, especially when the C.

There were a number of drives started from his area where there appeared to be a foul and he called nothing. Now, I only saw this peripherally, it wasn't an elephant so I wasn't about to reach across the lane, but I don't remember him making a single call from the C. And part of this came from the L at the time not recognizing the rotation early enough and not going, which is another whole issue.

Now, the coaches were very well behaved and I don't remember a single moment where they got on any one of us. I did get a bit of grief twice -- once on a play where the visiting coach thought I called a 5-second violation, but I had granted a 60-second timeout to the visiting coach when I was at 4 in my count. Poor communication on my part, I guess, which made me realize how similar a 5-second call is to a timeout when the visiting bench is at the other end of the floor. Of course, I relayed this story to a official friend of mine and he asked "what, did he think they violated and THEN wasted a timeout?" But I do think I could've talked more, both to the coaches and to my partner.

I'm depressed about the future of 3-person here in WI. It's used in the tournament from the regional final level on (the first 2 rounds are still done 2-person) and one local conference is hiring 3 for all varsity games. But last night just reinforced to me that most people are not ready to work these games -- and how could they be? Go to a camp in the summer or, more likely, a weekend clinic in the fall, and then they work 3-person once or twice the entire season. How could you possibly expect those officials to perform well?

And since they don't perform well, the teams and conferences rightly say, "I don't see the advantage to this. The 2-person game is called better." I mean, I worked a game last season 3-person with two very experienced (2-person) guys who rotated (between them) once in the entire game and seemed annoyed I would do so sometimes 2-3 times in a single possession.

Well, it's a pointless rant. I have 35 (maybe 40-ish) varsity games on my schedule and 12 of them are scheduled to be 3-person. I'm betting I am on the high end percentage-wise for people in my area of the state.

[Back In The Saddle]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

And since they don't perform well, the teams and conferences rightly say, "I don't see the advantage to this. The 2-person game is called better." I mean, I worked a game last season 3-person with two very experienced (2-person) guys who rotated (between them) once in the entire game and seemed annoyed I would do so sometimes 2-3 times in a single possession.

You can always tell the pioneers, they are the ones with the arrows in their backs.

You're laying the groundwork for something better to come. Keep the faith. Keep on plugging away at it. Eventually you'll win.

[fullor30]

BillyMac.............

First of all thanks for all the helpful informational pregames etc that you post here. I know it's a labor of love. That said, you've put alot of time and effort into it and I for one appreciate your passion.

I printed out your long version pregame which I thought was great as I like to cover topics and keep it in a discussion vein rather than just reading off a card.

Do you have this pregame in a 3 whistle form?

Thanks

[OHBBREF]

Originally Posted by fullor30

BillyMac.............

Do you have this pregame in a 3 whistle form?

Thanks

CCA pre game is posted
NCAA pregame

you can get the NCAA pregame at Eofficials.com

[fullor30]

Thanks OBBR........
.
Good stuff, I'm going to marry some of yours with Billy's

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by fullor30

Good stuff, I'm going to marry some of yours with Billy's

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by fullor30

BillyMac. Do you have this pregame in a 3 whistle form?

Remember the early scenes in the movie "Deliverance", with Burt Reynolds, Ronny Cox, Jon Voight, and, Ned Beatty. Well, in terms of three-man crews, here in the "Constitution State", we're about as "backwoods" as that movie. Three man crews are only used in state quarterfinals and above, in some big city games in the southern part of the state, in a charity tournament, and in a few league championship games. In twenty-seven years, I've only worked one three-man game, and a few scrimmages.