Nfhs -> ncaa
 

Got a call yesterday, one of the local assignors asked me if I would be willing to work a local D3 scrimmage today.

Of course I am!

However...seeing as I am still actually a sub-varsity official (albeit one with several years experience) I am bit surprised to get this call. I told him earlier in the year I would be interested if he ever needed someone, but I have to admit I didn't actually think I would get a call.

Doesn't mean all that much, I imagine, beyond him not being able to find one of the regular college guys willing to work another scrimmage for free, but I am not going to complain - if nothing else, it gets me out on the floor in front of some college coaches, officials, and of course the assignor.

But I am pretty nervous. I know they will be a LOT bigger and faster than what I am used to. Rules differences. Mechanics differences - three man mechanics even!

I am probably a bit out of my depth here - any pointers to try to keep from looking like I am not prepared for this, even if in fact I am not really prepared for this?

It is just a scrimmage though...right?

Just run the floor, watch the L for rotations, go where there's nobody on switches, and let'em play. Don't complicate it, it's just basketball.

Call the obvious and be where you are supposed to be.

Don't go searching for any calls. Let 'em play basketball.

Thats not uncommon and maybe the assigner sees something in you. Just be yourself, stay in your primary and referee basketball as well as what others have said. Good luck to you!

The key to getting to the next level isn't what you DO call but what you DON'T.;)

Sooooo? :D

Sorry, didn't think anyone really cared for an AAR.

It went reallly well, I thought. The third official never made it, so we did the scrimmage two man. As expected, it was very fast compared to what I was used to. I was pretty nervous to start, but after a couple minutes I just told myself "This isn't any different really - they bounce the ball, the pass the ball, they shoot the ball - ok, sometimes they dunk that ball, and that is different, but still..." and after that it was a hell of a lot of fun.

In a lot of ways, the game was easier to officiate I thought - the players didn't dribble the ball of their foot, or get out of control (much), or do weird stuff, for the most part.

Going back to a JV and Varsity scrimmage was weird - the players seemed so small!

Anyway, I had a good time, the assignor said he thought I did an outstanding job, so I think I will maybe consider going to a college camp this summer, and seeing what happens.

Good for you man, keep up the good work!

Sounds like it went very well, congrats! Any idea if this performance might help get you a varsity schedule too?

Given the way the local board works, probably not. Not terribly unusual around here to see people get into college ball before they break into varsity.

Can't hurt though, right?

Seems backwards to me

You'd be surprised.

Had a blast e-mail a few weeks ago from local assignor looking for officials (high school varsity) to do a Northwestern scrimmage. Filled immediately. Would have been sweet.

Not really. A college assingor has no shortage of people willing to take ANY of their games. They don't have to manage a lot of officials (at least not to the same degree) and keep them all sufficiently happy.

A HS assignor may have to cover their varsity games, JV games, Soph. games, Fresh. games, and even MS games....only a small fraction of the games are varsity. If everyone is moved up to varsity quickly, they have to find that many more new people to cover all the other games. You can either have pipeline that moves people to varisty in 3-4 years, and push people back out of out of varisty after 3-4 years (and that's not going to go well) or where you have to recruit large numbers of poeple just to keep the bottom full.

We have had numerous female officials break into women's college basketball without getting a full varsity schedule, and even break into D1 in less than 4 seasons out of college!!!! You will find the games are more black and white and have to watch for less "messy" plays as the players are stronger and can handle the basketball better. Continued luck and being here for positive feedback is one step toward bettering your officiating career!