you could easily get beaten down by a breakaway then, especially in a boys game where they can sprint faster than most referees around here. I don't think you should be with the deepest players, and maybe you shouldn't be at the end line. Maybe be at FT line extended where you would be able to get the the baseline in a breakaway?

If you are working your position correctly, you will be able to anticipate when you need to move toward the endline and not get beat. You also have to be in good shape so you can hustle when you need to hustle. If you are out of shape and can't regularly beat the play to your position, you should get in better shape.

I don't get the mindset that officials should ignore players and plays in favor of getting to some position on the floor. The whole point of being in a particular position on the floor is to ... referee players and plays? :confused:

Oh dear lord...

I tend to be deeper than the deepest player, but not necessarily all the way to the endline. I do that for two reasons:

1. Players these days are fast. If a high school varsity b-ball player wants to race me down the court, he's very likely to win. I wasn't fast when I played. I'm slower now. I can still move well enough to be in position, but not if I get at a disadvantage.

2. I want plays to come at me. If I'm even with the deepest player, and a play develops with that player, then I'm at best even with them, moving down the court while trying to officiate the play. I want to be able to get to position and then watch the play unfold. I can do that better if I start deeper than the deepest players.

Fear of getting beat down the floor leads to some really bad habits like bailing on rebounds and planting yourself on the baseline instead of helping upcourt.

I got beat twice last night, 2 person. Probably an average night. Last Tuesday I got beat once, 3-person. Big deal. I officiated from behind and by the time the ball was coming back on the court, I was on the baseline as the trail. Big deal.

Where do you end up as the trail on a jumpshot? What happens then if the defense rebounds and outlets?

You *will* get beat, both 2-person and 3-person. It's more important to step down on a shot or hold your position and officiate in the moment than to run away so you can get to some spot on the court.

Rich is right, you're going to get beat occasionally. It just happens.

Exactly. When I learned three-person many moons ago I was taught the L has responsibility for the "first wave" of players going down court, that s/he should come down the floor with them and watch how they set up. It makes no sense to me to abandon the players and plays nearest to you so you can bust your tail to a spot on the floor so far ahead of everybody else that you've got no players or plays near you to referee when you get there.

If you are just turning and running to get to the baseline, what happens if the ball gets turned over and heads back in the opposite direction? You end up sprinting to the baseline while all of the players and your partners are at the other end playing and officiating the game. You have to turn and look back over your shoulder and ref the first wave. All four camps stressed this over the summer and it what we teach our folks "around here".