new offical

[dsqrddgd909]

Welcome fellow newbie.

This place is great. Lots of good advice. There are a number of threads on advice/tips/hints that can be found using search.

1. Work as many games as you can. Pick one or two things to work on. Any more than that and it's a muddle.
2. Get your hand up every time you blow the whistle. It's surprising how hard it is to remember that.
3. Know and practice your signals.
4. Find a good assignor/mentor/evaluator. Invaluable. I was horrible to start. Now I'm just bad (lots of improvement in two months.)
5. Get in the right places on the floor and call the obvious.
6. Make eye contact with your partner at every dead ball. Come together during time outs at the ends of games.
7. Hustle.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by dsqrddgd909

7. Hustle.

Don't tell him that. It sets a bad example!

[mutantducky]

if you move your arms fast it will look like you are running fast when you can actually just stroll down the court shooting the breeze with the colorful set of characters known as fans. Remember it is all about the illusion. Some of those 90 year old refs in the NBA have been dead for years but they still get the job done.

[jpref]

Watch other officials work as much as possiable.

[JBleach85]

Like everyone else is saying trying to work as many games as possible. It helps to know that you can go out and work on things each game. The most important advice I can give to you is find a mentor someone who you know or even someone who is more experienced. I have been lucky enough in my 5 years going on 6th this upcoming season that I've had a division 1 official as my mentor. With the help of my mentor it has taken my game to a whole new level with different perspectives on things. Also, having a mentor makes it easy when you have a bad game and you need someone to talk about it. Finally, read read and more reading of the rules. Try to get a rule down before moving onto the next one. It helps big team, and also enjoy the forum these guys/gals have great advice and on things and making it fun to learn here.


jb