Counting
 

I am trying to be more consistent and accurate on my 10 count and 5 count. I practiced the other night using a timer, as some of you have suggested, as well as timed myself against the clock in a few rec games this week. My arm swing is slow compared to actual time, by an average of 2 seconds. So, the 10 second count turns into 12 seconds and the five second turns into 6-7 seconds. I also monitored refs the other night in a BV HS game and they seem to be off by about 2-3 seconds as well. My five count is off 1-2 seconds. If I correct my timing to be more accurate, I believe I will be faster than my partners' and create inconsistency during the game. Any suggestions or comments on proper count mechanics. Thanks!

Your count should be as close to the real time as possible. You cannot worry about what your partners do in this case. If they are a little slow that is on them. I know when I am giving the 10 second count; I take a peak at the clock if I can to see if I am with the time on the clock.

Peace

The fact that you are practicing and trying to be as accurate as you can, is enough. Trust your count during a game and don't second guess any of it. Your count is the official count and what matters anyway,

Since most of us (I am guessing) count on the out swing, remember that your first count is only half of a cycle. In my case, I always finish my final count (arm swing in) then instead of going out, I go up and whistle.

Sounds like you take it serious enough to be good at it. I wouldn't fret it much. :)

given the chance, I too peek at the clock.

I force myself to look at the clock when TC starts in back court to know the time and to help with my count. When there is no pressure, I use the change in seconds with my peripheral vision to coordinate my arm swing to keep an accurate time. When the individual is guarded, my focus is on the action but my count has become more accurate.

By knowing the time on the clock at the beginning of the possession, the coach has little argument about a quick count when I say, "Coach you gained possession at 5:46 and I blew my whistle at 5:35. That's 10 seconds."

With our short court, I rarely have 10-second violations (only 40' from division line to each end line).

Watch the pre-game clock as seconds tick off, all the while swinging your arm as you would during the game. This will get your count to be accurate.

As for consistency, would you rather be consistenly with your P (whose count will vary from person to person), or to 10 seconds, which is what the rule says?

I would rather be consistent with 10 or 5 than anything else.

find a metronome and set it at 60. Each tic should be another count.

Whooda thunk?
 

Another Wisconsinite going "Metric"?:D

so practice on being done in 8-9 seconds -- that way your fast count and your partners slow counts will even things out.

5:46 . 5:45 . 5:44 . 5:43 . 5:42 . 5:41 . 5:40 . 5:39 . 5:38 . 5:37 . 5:36 . 5:35 - I think thats at least 10 seconds, maybe more. :D

My wife says there's a certain activity of mine I could use to time my 3-second count. :o

But it's a FULL 10 seconds. If you start at 5:46 and end at 5:36, it might be a tad quick if the actual time was 5:46.1 and 5:36.9!

jesus -- just be as close to 10 as humanly possible.

Hey, it worked for Lawrence Welk........

"Much of the show's appeal was Welk himself. His unusual accent appealed to the audience. (On one 1955 show, he mentioned Danny Thomas's series, "Mek Room fur Deddy.") While Welk's English was passable, he never did grasp the English "idiom" completely, and was thus famous for his "Welk-isms," such as "George, I want to see you when you have a minute, right now," and "Now for my accordion solo, Myron, will you join me?" . Another famous "Welk-ism" was his trademark count-off, "A one and a two..." which was immortalized on his California automobile license plate that read "A1ANA2".

Unfortunately you're alone at the time.

I can't resist and I apologize for addressing this. :p

If you start a count when the clock reads 5:46 and you call a violation when the clock reads 5:36, you will have allowed between :10.0 and :10.9