Guidelines For Middle School officiating

[wanja]

My objective is to provide middle school officiating guidelines that are brief and cover the basics. The target officials vary from uncertified newbies to experienced varsity officials. I'm also thinking of sharing the guidelines with coaches to help with their official observations. Game start at 3:15pm. Here' s a first draft. Help.
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These are minimum guidelines for xxx Public Middle school basketball game officiating. Coaches are requested to keep these guidelines in mind when submitting official evaluation reports using the Assign By Web system.

1. Be On Time
Arrive at game site at least 25 minutes before the game. We are requesting that coaches use the online Assign By Web system to report officials who are not present 15 minutes before game time.

2. Be Presentable
Officials must wear the approved uniform including black pants, black and white striped v-neck shirt, black sneakers, black socks, a black official’s whistle and an optional black whistle lanyard. If a belt is worn, it must be black. Sweat pants or shorts are not acceptable. Shirts must be worn tucked into the pants. No jewelry may be worn unless an exception is specifically requested and granted by a xxx assignor.

3. Be Respectful
Be respectful to players, coaches, team staff and others. Profanity, threats or insults directed at or by officials are unacceptable.

4. Be Fair
Provide equal opportunity to each team within the rules.

5. Avoid contact with spectators
It is acceptable to acknowledge an acquaintance or friendly greeting prior to game activity. Any other contact with spectators is to be avoided. If a spectator's behavior must be addressed, refer the matter to the site administrator.

6. Introduce Yourself
Identify the game site administrator and introduce yourself. If the need arises, refer site administration problems (such as unsafe facilities and unruly fans) to that individual.

7. Review Facilities
Review the game facilities and equipment to ensure that they are safe and acceptable. Ideally, facilities and equipment should meet NFHS requirements. However, many middle school facilities do not. Any scheduled gym (including facilities and equipment) is acceptable unless a safety hazard exists or a condition exists which would not allow a fair enforcement of the rules. If you identify a safety hazard or unacceptable condition, confer with the site administrator and, if necessary, with your assignor. Do not officiate if the safety hazard or unacceptable condition is not resolved.

8. Conduct a Pre-Game Conference
If you are officiating with a partner, conduct a pre-game conference. Pre-game conference guidelines will be provided separately.

9. Observe team warm-ups
Be on the court at least 15 minutes before game time to observe team warm-ups.

10. Before the 10-minute mark, consult with scorer and timer. Also, review the scorebook and ensure that it is in compliance to avoid administrative pre-game technical fouls. For middle school games, official discretion is allowed to extend the preparation time. Also, briefly cover scoring and timing issues including stopping the clock, substitutions, time outs, fouls, warnings and setting the possession arrow.

11. Hold a coaches and captains meeting at the 5 minute mark.
Coach and captains meeting guidelines will be provided separately.

12. Enforce the rules
Middle school games use NFHS /xxx rules except for quarter length and stopping the clock as follows:
a. 7 minute quarters with a running clock except
i. clock stops on time outs and foul shots
ii. clock stops on every whistle in the final 2 minutes of the 4th quarter

13. Use approved mechanics and signals
a. Use approved NFHS/xxx signals and mechanics including line responsibilities; switching; foul, violation and time-out reporting; positions for throw-ins, jump balls, time-outs, intermissions and free throws.

14. Communicate with your partner
Start with approved signals. Always make eye contact with your partner when the ball becomes dead and again before the ball becomes live. Occasionally confirm timeouts, bonus, substitutions and possession arrow direction with table staff and partner.

15. Hustle
Get into position to make a good call. Do not turn your back to the players or run backwards.

16. Report Disqualifications and Severe Incidents
As soon as practical during the game day, call a xxx assignor to report any player receiving 2 technical fouls or a flagrant foul, any ejection (involving team members, coaches, other team staff, spectators or other) and any severe incidents. If you are unsure if an incident is severe (e.g. a forfeit or cancellation), call.

If applicable, the official imposing the penalty must call. Otherwise the referee or sole game official must call. The assignor may request the calling official to submit a brief, written description of the incident.

[CMHCoachNRef]

Many good things, here. Our officials also are expected to wear a jacket during pregame on the floor for middle school games -- for younger kids games, the jackets are optional.

I would add the following topics:
1. pregame discussion with scorer and timer including expectations for time outs (hopefully, the timer will have a watch to time a time out in the event the clock cannot perform this function), WHEN to sound the horn for subs, how they should or will handle horns (15 second horn, ready to play horn -- yes or no), etc.

2. remind referees to ALWAYS make eye contact with their partner prior to putting the ball back in play (counting players on all subs is a must as well).

3. remind the newbie officials to signal whether the foul will result in a shooting foul or a spot-throw-in and where the spot is if the foul results in a throw-in.

[refnrev]

Originally Posted by wanja

My objective is to provide middle schoool officiating guidelines that are brief and cover the basics. The target officials vary from uncertified newbies to experienced varsity officials. I'm also thinking of sharing the guidelines with coaches to help with their official observations. Game start at 3:15pm. Here' s a first draft. Help.
****

These are minimum guidelines for xxx Public Middle school basketball game officiating.

1. Be On Time
Arrive at game site at least 25 minutes before the game. We are requesting that coaches use the online Assign By Web system to report officials who are not present 15 minutes before game time.

2. Be Presentable
Officials must wear the approved uniform including black pants, black and white striped v-neck shirt without a collar, black sneakers, a black official’s whistle and an optional black whistle lanyard. If a belt is worn, it must be black. Sweat pants or shorts are not acceptable. Shirts must be worn tucked into the pants. No jewelry may be worn unless an exception is specifically requested and granted by a xxx assignor.

3. Be Respectful
Be respectful to players, coaches, team staff and others. Profanity, threats or insults directed at or by officials are unacceptable.

4. Be Fair
Provide equal opportunity to each team within the rules.

5. Avoid contact with spectators
It is acceptable to acknowledge an acquaintance prior to game activity. Any other contact with spectators is to be avoided. If a spectator's behavior must be addressed, refer the matter to the site administrator.

6. Introduce Yourself
Identify the game site administrator and introduce yourself. If the need arises, refer site administration problems (such as unsafe facilities and unruly fans) to that individual.

7. Review Facilities
Review the game facilities and equipment to ensure that they are safe and acceptable. Ideally, facilities and equipment should meet NFHS requirements. However, many middle school facilities do not. Any scheduled gym (including facilities and equipment) is acceptable unless a safety hazard exists or a condition exists which would not allow a fair enforcement of the rules. If you identify a safety hazard or unacceptable condition, confer with the site administrator and, if necessary, with your assignor. Do not officiate if the safety hazard or unacceptable condition is not resolved.

8. Conduct a Pre-Game Conference
If you are officiating with a partner, conduct a pre-game conference. Pre-game conference guidelines will be provided separately.

9. Observe team warm-ups
Be on the court at least 15 minutes before game time to observe team warm-ups.

10. Review scorebook before 10-minute mark
Review the scorebook and ensure that it is in compliance to avoid administrative pre-game technical fouls. For middle school games, official discretion is allowed to extend the preparation time.

11. Hold a coaches and captains meeting at the 5 minute mark.
Coach and captains meeting guidelines will be provided separately.

12. Enforce the rules
Middle school games use NFHS /xxx rules except for quarter length and stopping the clock as follows:
a. 7 minute quarters with a running clock except
i. clock stops on time outs and foul shots
ii. clock stops on every whistle in the final 2 minutes of the 4th quarter

13. Use approved mechanics
a. Use approved NFHS/xxx signals and mechanics including line responsibilities; switching; foul and time-out reporting; positions for throw-ins, jump balls, time-outs, intermissions and free throws.

14. Hustle
Get into position to make a good call. Do not turn your back to the players or run backwards.

15. Report Disqualifications and Severe Incidents
As soon as practical during the game day, call a xxx assignor to report any player receiving 2 technical fouls or a flagrant foul, any ejection (involving team members, coaches, other team staff, spectators or other) and any exceptional incidents. If you are unsure if an incident is severe (e.g. a forfeit or cancellation), call.

If applicable, the official imposing the penalty must call. Otherwise the referee or sole game official must call. The assignor may request the calling official to submit a brief, written description of the incident.

Two suggestions on wording in red
V-Neck implies no collar so don't think "with no collar is needed.
"At" the 10 minute instead of before would make it uniform with FED rules.
Take this for what you think its worth.

[LDUB]

Originally Posted by refnrev

"At" the 10 minute instead of before would make it uniform with FED rules.

Doing it before allows correcting a mistake if there is one.

[refnrev]

How strict are you about that in JH ball?

[BillyMac]

wanja: Good list for all officials at all levels. With the exception of period length, and clock stoppage, these are pretty much the guidelines we follow, per NFHS, or per our local board, for all or our high school varsity and subvarsity games. Our high school assigner also assigns middle school games, and with one exception, an additional "junior varsity period" for those who didn't play in the "varsity" game, the expectations are exactly the same as the expectations for our high school varsity assignments. Why not simply tell your middle school officials to follow all NFHS rules, and your local association rules, except for period length, and clock stoppage. Have you been having problems with lazy, irresponsible officials who may not take a middle school game as seriously as high school games?

[wanja]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

wanja: Good list for all officials at all levels. With the exception of period length, and clock stoppage, these are pretty much the guidelines we follow, per NFHS, or per our local board, for all or our high school varsity and subvarsity games. Our high school assigner also assigns middle school games, and with one exception, an additional "junior varsity period" for those who didn't play in the "varsity" game, the expectations are exactly the same as the expectations for our high school varsity assignments. Why not simply tell your middle school officials to follow all NFHS rules, and your local association rules, except for period length, and clock stoppage. Have you been having problems with lazy, irresponsible officials who may not take a middle school game as seriously as high school games?

Our situation is that we use officials from within and outside our association, with and without certification. We are looking to improve consistency and upgrade the level of professionalism. We can't assume that across the board officals are aware of the areas of concern. The guidelines would at least put all officials on notice and encourage them to do what is necessary to address areas of concern.

Most of our officials take the craft seriously and want to improve. Observation reports from coaches are generally positive (although not always well informed). However, we have had incidents regarding basic good officiating practices.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by wanja

Our situation is that we use officials from within and outside our association, with and without certification.

Good luck!!!

Here's one from my Catholic Middle School League assigner:
Hustle and blow the whistle. We get paid very well for these games. I will NOT tolerate constant complaints from AD’s/coaches regarding officials that are not hustling or not blowing the whistle. NO WALK THRU’s

[Adam]

Originally Posted by LDUB

Doing it before allows correcting a mistake if there is one.

Originally Posted by refnrev

How strict are you about that in JH ball?

Good question.