OK - I admit it. Reffing is much harder than I thought it would be.

[dsturdy5]

Originally Posted by wanja

Referee the defense (first) so that you can determine if the defender did anything wrong. If not, he cannot be penalized even if there is substantial contact. Two tips might help:

1. Position your self to see ball handler, defender and space in between (get a good angle).
2. Stay far enough away from the play to see both feet and upper body without having to move your head or feet.

Two great pieces of advice here. Learning to use your entire field of vision is key. Keep at it, practice is the only way to get better. Keep taking more games and get as much feedback as possible from people whom you respect as officials.

Also, if you can, ask someone to film your games from a high-wide angle. This will allow you to see your positioning a little better as well as if you are hustling as much as you think you are (I have no reason to believe you are not).

Not that you want to beat yourself up over it, but you can see calls you may have missed as well. Use this to teach yourself about better positioning and using that field of vision.