Getting game tapes from Colleges & High Schools

[dbking]

I get a copy from coaches / AD's all the time.

I contact the admin person for the AD the day of the game if they are present or the day after if not. The admin person is really good at getting the leg work done to get you the tape. If the school is close, I will schedule a time to come get it from that person.

I primarily use email but will phone and get email address from admin person. I am successful in 9/10 times in getting copy. Some schools still use vcr tape, some dvd. The quality of the tape is normally fair and gives you a different perspective on many calls.

I watch the tape several times. Here is my process.

1st watch, chart the fouls and violations. I mark which official called, whether in primary or not and whether it is a quality call or not.

2nd watch, watch the game for being in position and try to focus on whether official was in position to see the foul or violation. Watch the mechanics of fouls and violations as well. You will only see about 50% of them.

3rd watch, watch the game from a flow and consistency. You know where the calls came from and if you were in position. Now see if they fit the game.

4th watch, watch only your primary and your skills. Grade yourself on position, watching primary matchups.

For a high school game, I will spend about 3 hours watching a tape of a game. I will only watch games that are competitive in basketball.