Originally Posted by Freddy
(Post 646132)
chseagle, here's what you can do . . .
Whereas we "floor officials" have own discussion board and local, state, and national associations, all with the intended purpose of enhancing the quality of the service we provide to the sport (so do coaches and athletic directors), you could and should initiate the same sort of thing at your school, in your school's conference, and in your state, and on the internet. With all the resources available from your state association and the NFHS, I'm sure you won't be lacking for ideas and areas of improvement.
See, when we show up to officiate a game, we pretty much find ourselves consigned to work with whatever the host school has for us at the table on that day. Sometimes the table officials are great, sometimes we have to do some before-the-game training, sometimes we have to make the best of the situation beset upon us by even the best that a school administration can put in those seats. But I think it's pretty safe to say that we're glad they're offering of their time and talents to contribute to the sport.
I don't think anyone on this board would argue with an effort, starting with you, to strive for the most prepared, contemporarily educated table personnel at each and every game. Meet with your athletic director. Start a regular schedule of meetings with the timers and scorers of all the schools in your conference in order to accomplish the kind of quality table service you desire. Start your own table officials' discussion board. What works for us referees can work for you, too.
Start small and aim big. Maybe the thing could catch on and lead to a groundswell of attention to those areas of responsibility you cite are somewhat neglected. Heck, I can see a whole National Association of Basketball Table Personnel (NABTP) in the offing!
As to what we might contribute to the cause, please understand that we are, in a manner of speaking, only the end-users of the service you're involved in. Not that we're not grateful for it; we are. And though guidelines for table personnel are found in our Officials' Manual, our responsibility for their adeptness is minimal. We don't really have control over the depth of knowledge or expertise of those to whom we report fouls and on whom we depend to start and stop the clock on time. But you do!
Speaking for myself, anything you can do to enhance and improve the service you and others behind the table contribute to the sport, I'd say -- go for it!
No better time to start than 2010!
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