How Do You Slow It All Down?

[derwil]

One of the biggest things for me was to start trusting my partners more - especially when I'm off the ball. Many younger referees get in the habit of ball watching, thinking that they need to call every violation or watch every dribble of the basketball. This is no where close to being true! Thank goodness for our partners who can help in this area. Practice this next game - when the ball is in your area, referee the ball play. When it is not, look away from the ball into your primary area and watch your players off ball. They will let you know where the ball is by the way they are positioned and what they are doing, but you can also keep the ball in your periphal vision if you need.

Funny things will start to happen - you'll see illegal screans, you'll see two handed shoves in the back. Sometimes you can miss things too - example last night I was lead off ball and ball went OOB baseline from top of the lane opposite me. I had NO CLUE who had hit it - I had a nice post match up and was reffering these players. I tweeted raised my hand and looked at C for help. He gave a quick point and we went white ball. He had a great look because the ball was in his primary.

One other thing you could try is to focus on the closest 2-3 matchups. You don't need to ref all 10 players, just 4-6 of them. Let you partner earn their game fee.

Experience too helps. I would try to go to any summer camps you have in the area - referee or team camps who would need officials. Nothing like understanding situations that arise in games from first hand experience. Stay with it, it will come you ya......

[DonInKansas]

Originally Posted by derwil

One of the biggest things for me was to start trusting my partners more - especially when I'm off the ball. Many younger referees get in the habit of ball watching, thinking that they need to call every violation or watch every dribble of the basketball. This is no where close to being true! Thank goodness for our partners who can help in this area. Practice this next game - when the balkl is in your area, referee the ball play. When it is not, look away from the ball into your primary area and watch your players off ball. They will let you know where the ball is by the way they are positioned and what they are doing, but you can also keep the ball in your periphal vision if you need.

This is a big one and one I've heard from quite a few experienced officials.

I got my first real compliment from a veteran Varsity official the other night. BJV, Home team down three, bringing the ball up the court. Home player shoots a three pointer for the last second shot and the defender floats into him, bumping him. I call the foul, shot is missed. Kid missed one of the FT so the game is over.

We leave the floor, and the first thing he says in the locker room when I ask for any pointers is "I've worked with guys a lot more experienced than you that would have watched that ball going towards the basket instead of staying with the shooter. Nice work." Made me feel like a million bucks.

Funny thing is, I'm standing there watching him shoot the FT and in the back of my mind is, "If he makes all three, Padgett will have me strung up"

[Juulie Downs]

One way to speed up the experience process is to go and watch other games that you're not reffing. That way you can let your mind look forward or backward without the fear of screwing things up. You can practice the thinking procedures you need to learn. Also, if you can go into the refs' location at half-time and at the end of the game, it gives you a chance to ask questions, and to hear what they think was important.

[dan74]

I'm a third year official, so I've recently been in your shoes. The game has progressively slowed down for me since about the middle of last year. I have a long way to go, but I do feel more relaxed.

Here's my input:

1) Study the rules. Coming to this site has really helped my understanding of situations, rules, and intent. Plus it has given me some yuks.
2) Practice your signals-it'll help.
3) As lead-get off the end line and lean back slightly on your heels-it'll slow you down just a bit.
4) I learned this here and think I have the phrase right-officiate the defense. An example would be a quick turnover w/you as the lead booking down court. Find the defender closest to the ball handler first and then expand your range of vision-as opposed to trying to pick everything up all at once.
5) As mentioned by others, experience. Work a lot of youth games.
6) ***My biggest change happened at the beginning of this season. I decided I would no longer sweat what the crowd was saying. I stopped second guessing my decisions. I continue to strive not to make mistakes, but I've accepted the fact that I'll make them. This has also helped w/my ability to work w/coaches.

[KJUmp]

MPLA, Juggling, Melb, Zebra, JRutledge, agr8, Derwill, Don, Juulie, Dan74.....great advice, great tips...ALL of it helpful. Thanks.

In addition to the jewels you have already received, try to work a higher level of ball in the off-season. Working summer Pro-AM & NCAA leagues has really help the HS games slow down for me. When you work bigger, faster & more skilled players, everything under that seems slow.