evaluation

[beachbum]

I got my end of the year evaluation, and was happy to have improved over my first year. Most comments were of a technical nature dealing with floor mechanics on fast breaks..etc

the evaluator said "try letting the game come to you more". I don't quite understand that. My first reaction might have to do with floor positioning.

any words of wisdom from the peanut gallery??

[mbyron]

Strictly speaking, my seat is not in the peanut gallery, since I'm a fellow official. But I'll hazard a response, seemingly unbidden.

Letting the game come to you refers to an approach to officiating that is more relaxed and patient. Rather than the official ferociously focusing on the ball handler and attacking every touch foul, the evaluator is recommending relaxing, widening your field of vision, and waiting to whistle contact.

This approach gives your brain some processing time, which is crucial for judgments of advantage/disadvantage. In real time it's only a fraction of a second, but the game improves dramatically when all and only disadvantageous contact gets whistled.

[beachbum]

Peanut gallery is a term of endearment, it means to me you know what you are talking about,vs me a small nut.

as someone said

"sometimes you feel like a nut and sometimes you don"t"

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by beachbum

Peanut gallery is a term of endearment, it means to me you know what you are talking about,vs me a small nut.

Unfortunately, the term already exists as a pejorative, not a term of endearment at all. It refers to the "cheap seats," where people could eat peanuts at vaudeville performances, and throw same at bad acts. The term is now widely used to refer to ignorant critics whose opinion isn't worth much.

Sorry, Humpty Dumpty, you can't just make up meanings.

[DonInKansas]

Originally Posted by mbyron

Letting the game come to you refers to an approach to officiating that is more relaxed and patient. Rather than the official ferociously focusing on the ball handler and attacking every touch foul, the evaluator is recommending relaxing, widening your field of vision, and waiting to whistle contact.

This approach gives your brain some processing time, which is crucial for judgments of advantage/disadvantage. In real time it's only a fraction of a second, but the game improves dramatically when all and only disadvantageous contact gets whistled.

This relates to something I was told at a camp before the season started. One of the teachers told me to really pay attention to my posture. He found that I was bent over slightly at the waist, almost as if I was "looking for a foul." It wasn't something I realized I was doing until it was pointed out. Relaxing and "hanging back," which was merely standing up straight to be honest, gave me a much better field of view and made the game easier to officiate.

It's amazing how much the little stuff matters.