Your very best advice for a new ref

[MelbRef]

OK, here's your chance to influence a rookie official.

I'm a 1st year basketball official, doing 9th grade and JV games (boys and girls). Longtime youth basketball coach, so I understand the game pretty well. Have officiated some rec games in the past.

What's your best advice for a rookie ref at this level?

Fire away...

[JBleach85]

Best advice I can give for someone who is just starting out, is try to do your best at all times. When a Varsity official offers some pointers take them and see if you can use them in your game. When ever you get the possibility to watch a varsity game after you finish your JV game try to. You will get to see them work the games and see how they do it. My final two peices of advices I can give you is try to find a mentor some chapters offer a chance for veteran officials to work with younger or officials who are just breaking into the game, and finally,if possible during the summer try to go to a camp. Those are great oppurtunities to get to have people see how you work a game and will allow you to get great instructions.

I hope this information was vital to you; it has helped ever since I started working basketball 5 years ago.

[newera21]

Originally Posted by MelbRef

OK, here's your chance to influence a rookie official.

I'm a 1st year basketball official, doing 9th grade and JV games (boys and girls). Longtime youth basketball coach, so I understand the game pretty well. Have officiated some rec games in the past.

What's your best advice for a rookie ref at this level?

Fire away...

First and foremost.... HAVE FUN!

[grunewar]

Congrats on starting out at that high a level. I'm in my 3rd yr and still do mostly 7th, 8th, MS and Freshman games. I am getting some JV and V now though.

Along with what's already been said - relax on the court, have fun and enjoy what your doing, always hustle, be confident, know the proper hand/arm signals - practice them and use them correctly, officiate as many games as possible no matter what level (but, avoid mens rec league ), don't listen/hear the players/coaches/fans whining, trust your partner, concentrate on your primary, never throw your partner under the bus, have a thick skin, lurk and learn on this Forum, and very importantly (from a former player/coach) READ THE RULE BOOKS. As players/coaches you only thought you knew the rules..... I'm sure others will chime in with more.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[summdawg76]

Have fun. Learn the signals. You can be a bad official with good mechanics and a good appearance. If you look good, you can get away with more. Be a sponge. Always listen to other officials. Find your own "groove."

Remember, a foul is only a foul. It is not a felony. Good luck.

[Juulie Downs]

Remember first of all that no matter how many years you coached, you probably don't know the rules as well as you think you do. Be humble when talking to other refs about the rules. Listen. If you're sure they're wrong, go look in the books.

Choose one or two things to focus on in a game, and don't worry about rhe rest. I usually try to pick one rule thing, one or two mechanics things like signals, and a thought process to refine, such as watching off ball, or seeing the defense in the block/charge.

Don't forget that you're there for the kids. You decide ahead of time how you're going to serve the kids (give them a great game, firm boundaries, cheerful pleasant demeanor), and what you're not going to do (yell, talk too much, or whatever).

Keep a journal. At the end of the game, write down five things good that you did, five things that definitely need work. And any other notes, such os to look up a certain rule, or ask your commissioner about a certain aspect of the floor or sportsmanship.

As others have said, have fun! You might be in it for the money, or for the exercise, or for the unbelievable status and standing and hero worship that refs get! But it aint worth any of that if it's not fun.

[LDUB]

Originally Posted by Juulie Downs

Don't forget that you're there for the kids. You decide ahead of time how you're going to serve the kids

I wouldn't go around assuming why other people officiate. I know I have never officiated a game for the kids and I have never even heard of someone thinking about how they will "serve the kids".

[just another ref]

Slow down. See the play through. Then, don't be afraid to blow the whistle if you think it might be too late. It isn't.

[Juulie Downs]

Originally Posted by LDUB

I wouldn't go around assuming why other people officiate. I know I have never officiated a game for the kids and I have never even heard of someone thinking about how they will "serve the kids".

I'm not sure what you mean about assuming why other people officiate. I wasn't suggesting it, and I wasn't doing it. I'm just saying that the game is there for the kids to have a growing experience, a learning experience. When you referee to give them the best game you can give, they have the chance to learn more and to grow more. When you're just reffing to get done and get home, no one wins.

[Scrapper1]

Originally Posted by MelbRef

What's your best advice for a rookie ref at this level?

Same advice for any level: control what you can control, and don't worry about the rest.

Applied to your level, what can you control?

1) Your appearance. Get the correct equipment. Good shoes, beltless pants, Fox40 whistle, V-neck shirt. Press the pants, shine the shoes. Look good. Stand straight. Don't wear jewelry (except a wedding band, which is acceptable almost everywhere). Get rid of a funky hairstyle, if you have one. (Facial hair too, depending on the expectations of your assignor(s) ). First impressions are important; make a good one when you step on the court.

2) Your rules knowledge. You control how much you study the rule and case books. Know them inside and out. When you have questions, this is a great place to come and get them answered (or at least, argued about ). When a coach complains, it's great to be able to start your answer with, "Coach, by rule. . ."

3) Your mechanics. Look over the signal chart in your rule book. Practice them -- in front of a mirror. Watch yourself to see if your arm is straight. Put your signals out in front of you and at least chest high; mine are actually pretty much even with my face-level.

Once you have these things, you can see lots of plays and file them away for later. (But again, you don't have control over that.) Good luck, have a great season.

[jeffpea]

1) blow the whistle! blow it LOUD (too many new guys seem to think it's a lollipop) and blow if often (99.9% of HS games don't have enough fouls called - usually because the officials want to get the game over with quickly).

2) watch & listen. it's the only way to learn how to get better.

[Scrapper1]

Originally Posted by jeffpea

(99.9% of HS games don't have enough fouls called - usually because the officials want to get the game over with quickly).

I'm torn between a sarcastic "I'd like to see the research on that one "

and the more straight-forward:

"Screw you and the high horse you rode in on."

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by jeffpea

1) 99.9% of HS games don't have enough fouls called - usually because the officials want to get the game over with quickly

So...what team do you coach?

[Rich]

Originally Posted by jeffpea

(99.9% of HS games don't have enough fouls called - usually because the officials want to get the game over with quickly)

I think it's the opposite. It's easy to call contact. It's harder to make the right decision on whether or not we had a foul.

90% of the JV games I watch before my varsity game have too many fouls, sometimes by a third or half over what I think should be called.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

90% of the JV games I watch before my varsity game have too many fouls, sometimes by a third or half over what I think should be called.

But are they called both ways?