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?

Safety First ...
 

I am certainly over exaggerating here, but let's say that a piece of tape falls off, lands sticky side up on the floor, and a player slides, and falls, when his shoe touches the tape. He breaks his skull and dies. Or the tape falls off, and a promising concert pianist catches his finger under the bracelet, dislocating, and breaking, the finger in several places.

Remember that anybody can sue anybody for anything. They may not win, but the official will still have to hire an attorney. If somehow the bracelet is overlooked, that's just poor officiating, and that's one thing. If the official notices the bracelet and allows it in the game, that's another thing, it's called negligence.

And let's not forget the major editorial change for 2009-10: 3-7: Clarified that any item, in the referee’s judgment, that constitutes a safety concern is not permitted.

Note: If you do get sued, let me recommend the firm where my attorney is a partner: Howe, Dewey, Cheatem & Wynn, Attorneys at Law.

Horsefeathers. Called that by whom?

Follow The Rules, Safety First ...
 

The attorney of the dead player, or the player whose career as a concert pianist is in jeopardy. You may not call it negligence. I may not. But the attorneys representing these two players can, and will. Remember anybody can sue anybody for anything. And if you don't hire an attorney to defend yourself against false allegations, then, as they say, you have a fool for a client. Maybe our liability insurance through NFHS, or IAABO, or some other organization, will cover us, but you still need a lawyer to negotiate. And they make more per billable hour than we do on the court.

Who was it on this Forum who said, and I'm paraphrasing here, you can't do wrong if you follow the rules as written? C'mon, fess up to it. It was a good line, as I remember.

Sometimes you have to choose between p***y and basketball.

In the first place, attorneys know the rule book even less than coaches.

In the second place. "That's a thought. Here's another thought."
(raspberry)*

*Archie Bunker

ROFL :D

I was too young to appreciate Archie Bunker the first time around. Is that show in syndication anywhere?

Best reason ever! I still don't understand why they go out and get this done when they know we are going to make them take them out. :cool:

:D

I had to make that choice a number of times many years ago. I don't have that choice nearly as often nowadays.

I'm away from home, don't have books or time to look on line for rule reference on sleeves. Can't remember is it's permissable to wear long sleeve performance type shirt. The one sleeve look I know is illegal unless for health issues. I believe it's under 4-1- 3,4,5 or close to it?

Recall the Candace Parker sleeve situation a few years back and can't recall if one long sleeve or full shirt?

Pay
 

We started getting paid last year and last year was a mess. Schools were paying 20 dollars per official for a 2 hour scrimmage. The problem was (is) that the schools only want to pay 3 officials for a varsity scrimmage. 2 hours straight can be tiresome. Some are smart enough to add a 4th. BUt like was previously stated now you have guys who never did a scrimmage signing up for as many as they can get where myself did it your years for a thank you and maybe some tube socks. Another issue we had last year and in yrs past was you went to the scrimmage you wanted to go. Some had no one show while others had 8 show. Now they are assigned, which should help immensly.

I hear ya REF - we've had issues similar to this also.

Saturday we had three V guys for a scrimmage, which was great as we did all four quarters, plus the additional half-quarter.

As the scrimmage season draws to a close, in previous years, all those officials who need their three scrimmages in will all arrive for the same game and we would have ten guys for two games.

Hopefully this is not the case this yr!

I must have missed this post earlier. Sorry it has been a busy weekend.

I am glad you liked the experience. Also keep in mind you were dealing with 3 veteran officials that also teach officiating in many capacities and not only in basketball. I was the only state clinician out of this group in basketball, but the other two were in football and all of us have State Final experience (one of us will be working this weekend....and no it is not me). So we all love to teach guys to officiate and we all give back to our associations. I only say this as a cautionary tale, all veterans will not take the time or have the knowledge that we have or want to share. That does not mean that you will not come in contact with other veterans that will be just as helpful or as knowledgeable (this is not about me honestly). Just from the class I ran this past fall, I have already heard some stories about veterans not being as accommodating to the newer officials. Now sometimes that is because the officials you were working with are not that good to begin with and really are trying to find their way. But you will work with guys that just do not care but do it for the money and leave the minute the buzzer's echo has stopped.

I just wish many fellow officials were as helpful as me and the other two officials I worked with were willing to be. Then again, it also helps when you have someone that is willing to learn and hear things. But that is another story for another day. ;)

Peace