Does your association videotape games?

[JS 20]

Does your association video your games for training purposes? Do you request copies of game films from schools?

If your association uses video, do you have someone (an observer/assigner) there running the camera? Our association has talked about using video to help the development of our officials and we're looking for an easy, cost-effective way to get started before we jump in head first. I look forward to hearing what you do. Thanks!

[Raymond]

HaHaHaHa, you made a funny.

I'll be happy when our association gets a consistent observer program running.

[JRutledge]

If you mean local association no. If you mean state association yes. And those videos are used from the State Finals to help in training of officials. We try to use local tapes when we can get them. But that is rare and it takes time to edit the tapes.

Peace

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by JS 20

Does your association video your games for training purposes? Do you request copies of game films from schools?

If your association uses video, do you have someone (an observer/assigner) there running the camera? Our association has talked about using video to help the development of our officials and we're looking for an easy, cost-effective way to get started before we jump in head first. I look forward to hearing what you do. Thanks!

Our association doesn't directly film games. In the past, officials were welcome to request games form teams/ADs/coaches. There were a few abuses of this communication and we're implementing a new system that avoids this off-the-court contact between coaches and officials.


The system will work like this...

1. The official will go to the game on thier schedule on RefTown
2. The will click the "request a video" button
3. The video request will be approved by an administrator causing a generic request to be sent to the school without any names attached
4. The school will send the video to the association where it will get rerouted to the official.

There may be a small fee invoved that is sent to the school to cover expenses (media, postage, etc.)

No association taped games available here.
I used to request every game I worked from the schools, but I can count on my hands the number of tapes provided to me by coaches/ADs.

Last season I started bringing my own tripod & camera to games... now there's no excuse for my personal development!

[Ref_in_Alberta]

Originally Posted by JS 20

Does your association video your games for training purposes? Do you request copies of game films from schools?

If your association uses video, do you have someone (an observer/assigner) there running the camera? Our association has talked about using video to help the development of our officials and we're looking for an easy, cost-effective way to get started before we jump in head first. I look forward to hearing what you do. Thanks!

At our University & JUCO levels we'll get copies from the school.

We've just put a program in place to have observers film certain HS games. We're still working on the process though...

[Mark Padgett]

I have the famous psychic Irene Hughes visualize my games then project the vision to my HDTV.

[BillyMac]

We have a local board camp, in conjunction with an AAU tournament, early in the summer. A veteran official videotapes the game and makes comments while videotaping. This is an excellent learning tool. And, we get paid for the games we officiate. It's a win, win, situation.

[cford]

Our association purchased a video camera last season for this very purpose. (Thanks to my constant pushing to get one ) We are currently video taping in 3 different gyms during summer varsity boys leagues that we are using for training.

Last Season's Video Taping Process

1) Assigner schedules me (Training Director) in as many "Split Crew" assignments as possible.

"Split Crew" means that there is 1 JV game and 2 varsity games that night. We assign 2 officials for the 1st JV game and then have 2 more officials come in for the last 2 varsity games. One official sits during the 2nd game and then that official works the 3rd game. This ensures that everyone only works 2 games that night. It is a great way to give officials the chance to work varsity level games when they are not yet "full varsity" officials.

2) I would go early and set up the camera, tripod, etc.

IMO the best location is at the division line behind the scorer's table at the top of the bleachers. You want to be high enough so that players don't imped your view (straight-lined ) and behind the table you can see the official reporting. (I will only set up the camera on a level sturdy area. Never in the bleachers or seats unless I am manning it the whole time.)

3) The 1st official that sits records the game and then the other records the other game.

4) I take the camera home and upload it to my computer and then render the video to a format that allows it to be put on a DVD or a format that is good for uploading it to the internet.

Last year I started by burning them to DVDs but then it would take a couple of days to actually get the disc to the official so I changed to uploading a smaller file to an online storage company and emailing them the link where they can download the game. That was nice b/c you could email the link to the assigner or someone else if something happened that they needed to see.

Pros

* No added costs to paying someone to video tape or finding someone to go to a game and record the game. Basically if they wanted themselves taped then they had to commit to video taping game.

* 4 officials would get recorded per night.

Cons

* It puts a lot of work on the person that takes the video camera with him/her to each game. Have to carry all that equipment in plus referee bag. (This is from experience)

* Equipment is out there for someone to steal, knock over, etc. while the officials are in the locker room.

* Officials don't get their game film right away.

* No voice over from an evaluator for the less experienced official which would help them with breaking down their film better.

* You have to give explanations on how to use the camcorder and other tips to each official through out the season. Taking away time from the pregame. (There were sometimes where they thought it was recording and it wasn't.)

Equipment

* Canon HV30

Format: MiniDV tapes (only 60 minutes per tape) Looking back it might have been better with a different format. (But this year it shouldn't be an issue.)

Records the games in High Definition (it is a GREAT picture on a large screen tv!)

* Tripod....Get a good sturdy one because there is a good chance of it getting bumped.

* Wide Angle Lens....Highly recommended so that you can see all the officials even if you have to sit close to the court.

* Lavaliere Microphone (I haven't purchased yet)

* Much more you can buy but nothing that you must have. I will go over more of this if someone is interested.

I will write out my new plans for this season later. (It takes care of most of the cons above)

[eyezen]

More and more HS conferences are going to online game exchanges, like colleges have been doing for a while...See if you can get your association involved to get something set up where the officials can go into the site to watch the games if it is available.

[SAK]

In my area video tape is encouraged. It is the responsibility of the official to obtain a tape. This could mean that the official needs to supply someone camera and tape or maybe just a tape if the official can get the tape from the team. It is not always easy. I have not had much luck doing it.

[coach41]

Our group doesn't tape during the regular high school season that I am aware of. That being said, our group DOES tape during our "spring training" sessions at a local spring high school league.

Our group holds two-person (for newer officials) and three-person (for experienced officials looking to get more three-person mechanic) practice every spring. The group tapes these sessions while we officiate games (we usually do two games in these sessions) and then the observers discuss with us what they saw and look at some things on tape.

The upside is you get to see yourself on tape. The downside is that the games are usually not as intense as a typical regular season high school game so you're not challenged by certain things that might occur in a high level game. Personally, seeing myself on tape is good. You don't realize certain habits you have until you see it.

[cford]

The item that I would like to test out and purchase (if it works properly) is this:



Auto Pan-Tilt Head

I talked to Jean who sells them and he sounded unsure if it would work in a gym 50-100 feet from the action. Possibly more interference.

It uses an Ultrasonic Audio Signal. It says that it has an operating distance of 35 ft unobstructed but Jean said that it will work farther depending on situation. He said you could possibly add a parabolic shaped disc to amplify the signal.

I thought about purchasing it, testing it, and then sending it back if it didn't work but he said that it would have to be returned in the EXACT condition, box in excellent condition, etc. for him to accept it. They are located in Rohnert Park, California (40 min from San Francisco). Is anyone close to this that would want to go over there some time and give it a test? Or coordinate with him to take it to a gym and test it with him?

I think the potential of this device are huge for officials!
- You can be on the court and not have to worry about having a camera operator. If your remote for your camcorder works far away then you could hit record right before the game starts or have someone at the table go hit record for you right before the jump ball.
- Or your association could use it for training and not have to have a camera operator (who forgets to pan the camera on that fast break at the end of the game that was the most critical play to see)! It wouldn't miss a single play and it would be fluid.

Are there any engineers/DIYers here that think they could get this device to work at a farther range based on the specs?

[jdmara]

Originally Posted by cford

The item that I would like to test out and purchase (if it works properly) is this:



Auto Pan-Tilt Head

I talked to Jean who sells them and he sounded unsure if it would work in a gym 50-100 feet from the action. Possibly more interference.

It uses an Ultrasonic Audio Signal. It says that it has an operating distance of 35 ft unobstructed but Jean said that it will work farther depending on situation. He said you could possibly add a parabolic shaped disc to amplify the signal.

I thought about purchasing it, testing it, and then sending it back if it didn't work but he said that it would have to be returned in the EXACT condition, box in excellent condition, etc. for him to accept it. They are located in Rohnert Park, California (40 min from San Francisco). Is anyone close to this that would want to go over there some time and give it a test? Or coordinate with him to take it to a gym and test it with him?

I think the potential of this device are huge for officials!
- You can be on the court and not have to worry about having a camera operator. If your remote for your camcorder works far away then you could hit record right before the game starts or have someone at the table go hit record for you right before the jump ball.
- Or your association could use it for training and not have to have a camera operator (who forgets to pan the camera on that fast break at the end of the game that was the most critical play to see)! It wouldn't miss a single play and it would be fluid.

Are there any engineers/DIYers here that think they could get this device to work at a farther range based on the specs?

$360? Seems a little bit pricey. My biggest concern is that if you're on a basketball court, it's going to always keep you in the middle of the screen (as you are wearing the sensor). However, you are not going to be in the middle of the action. Unless you have a wide angle on the court you might be getting junk to watch. And who wants to wear that awesome sensor pack that goes around your waist?

BTW, we do not video tape for our association. However, I've developed pretty good relationships with most of the ADs that I work with and they are more than willing to give copies of the games if asked.

-Josh