To my fellow new officials...
 

If you get the chance, do a scrimmage where you get to work with seasoned vets! It will be well, and I mean well, worth your time and energy to do so.

I just got back from working a scrimmage with three excellent, veteran officials (one of them I know for sure is an esteemed member of this very forum). I could not have asked for a better experience!

Not only did I get all kinds of advice for two-man mechanics, they threw me into a three man situation so I could get my feet wet (it's not as hard as it seems).

They even invited me out for pizza afterward and gave me feedback that will be very helpful going forward.

I'm serious, do something like this if you can!

Mmmmm, pizza.

I did a HS boy's scrimmage tonight and man was it fun! :)A run and gun jack up the 3's team. My partner was not esteemed... actually it was his first varsity basketball game ever and I think he was a little overwhelmed at the diffference in speed of V teams. And it was 2 man not 3. I did, however, get to take home the left over pizza from the school. :D

What were the vets seasoned with? Oregano? Did they bring their seasoning to put on the pizza? ;)

I know this to be true. Even though this is my first year eligible to referee, I've been at it for about three years now. I've attended college camps and learned a lot. And just the other day, I had a scrimmage with a group of officials whom I knew very well. They said I had improved from my 'ineligible' days - but I had a few things to work on.

Afterwords, we did go out to eat and had a great time. It was a way to expand on the network relations and just have a good time. But indeed, I'm constantly learning from these officials and trying to work my way up, in due time.

Paid Scrimmages ...
 

In the past, our local board provided officials for high school scrimmages at no cost to the schools. Maybe we got $10, or $20, or a T-shirt, or a slice of pizza, or a sandwich, but that was up to the individual school, athletic director, or coach. Those officials that didn't like working for free didn't sign up for scrimmages. That left a lot of scrimmages for officials like me, those of us that don't work between March and November, to get out onto the court, work out the kinks, and prepare for the season. I would sometimes work up to a dozen scrimmages before the "real" season started, and I felt that I was fully prepared for those "real" games.

This will be the first year that we will fully implement our new policy of working paid scrimmages that will be assigned by our commissioner. In the past we weren't assigned scrimmages, we simply signed up for the scrimmages that we wanted to work. We will get paid $50 per official for a six period scrimmage that lasts up to two hours. I have two concerns. One, is that some schools, in these tough economic times, will cut back on scrimmages. Many schools here in Connecticut have already cut back their freshman, and middle school, schedules to save money. My second concern is that all of our 300 members will be assigned scrimmages, which will cut down on the number that I will eventually be assigned. I don't know how many scrimmages I will eventually get, but I know it won't be anywhere near the number that I've worked in the past.

Billy, Billy, Billy......(See Caddyshack)
 

It sure is different depending on where you live.

Our V scrimmages started today. Four x 8 min quarters and one 4 min quarter. Unpaid.

Our evaluator conspired with the coaches and tried to sneak six players on the court three times....and we caught it each time I'm happy to say. One of the parents yelled at one of players - "Can't you get that right?" She turned to the stands and said. "The coach made us do it." :rolleyes:

For us, we must do three V scrimmages or no V schedule.

There's talk of reducing the number of lower level games, eliminating 9th grade games, paying $100 more for the kids who make the team, etc. Times are tough all over.

Agreed with the original post. I'm brand-new at basketball, and just worked my first scrimmage this morning. 12 teams, 6 courts, 28 officials. I ended up working with a one of the guys from my varsity football crew for awhile. We had enough officials so that we could rotate in and out, and our association's clinician spent the first half of the scrimmage observing me and the others on my court and giving me tips and pointers when I was rotated out. If I'm lucky, I'll remember at least half of the pointers he gave me. :)

I was a bit nervous about officiating basketball... I haven't played in years. But I'm a lot more confident now.

I have no idea if we get paid or not, and I honestly couldn't care less at this point. I was there for the experience and mentoring, the money is irrelevant to me at this point.

Kids Say The Darndest Things ...
 

I had a Catholic middle school junior varsity game today. During the first period, I notice that one player is wearing one of those "Allen Iverson" sleeves. I don't like being the fashion police, so, especially on this level, I will bend, but not break, a few fashion police rules. As the intermission is about to end, I single out the young man, bring him to his coach, and tell the young man, "I'm going to ask you a question. You are to answer yes. Is that sleeve for a medical reason?". He answers, "No". I say to the player, "I think you misunderstood me, is that for a medical reason?". He answers, "Yes", this time. As I'm waiting for my partner to inbound the ball to start the period, the coach says to me, "His mom raised him right, to always tell the truth".

Same game, during the second period, my partner thanked a player for wearing a watch in the game, but that we had an official timekeeper and wouldn't be needing his services, so he could take it off.

At my scrimmage yesterday, a girl had the seemingly mandatory tape-over-new-earring thing going on. :rolleyes:

Miss, We Need Your Complete Medical History Before We Allow You To Play ...
 

In my little corner of the Constitution State, we've been told to just ask them if there are earrings under the tape. If they reply, "Yes", then we tell them that they can only play without the earrings. If they reply, "No", then we accept that, and they play. No more questions asked. We're not the "What's Hiding Under The Tape Detectives".

Boys V scrimmage on Friday, my P and I are making the rounds just before the jump getting all the bands off the kids. P has a little convo with one kid with one of those tied on friendship band thingees, but he lets the kid keep it. I asked him about it afterward. Apparently the convo went like this...

P: The band has got to come off
Kid: I tried, it's too tight
P: Your girlfriend tied it on?
Kid: (sheepish smile) Yeah
P: Okay, but you've only got until next game to tell her you're going to have to take it off ;)

In a case similar to this last yr I had a player come back on the floor with white, medical tape over it.....objections?

Other than it still being illegal, no objections. ;)

The jewelry rule prohibits these bracelets; it does not "prohibit them unless covered with tape."

Are you sure that wasn't the collar around his neck?