In need of a trick
 

I'm looking for a trick to help me out. I work about a half varsity, half small college basketball. A couple of times a year I find myself dropping the number of a player committing the foul. I did it the other night in a blow out game (the only person in the gym that knows I dropped it was me and maybe the kid that got charged with the foul, but he didn't say anything). I need a trick to help me make sure I don't lose numbers again. Anyone got anythinig useful? I'm not looking for suggestions on what to do when it happens, I know I can go to my partners, players (women's college encourages this) and the bench officials. I'm just looking for something I can do in my head to make sure I quit dropping numbers.

Slow down. Stay with the play a couple more seconds before running off to the table. Point out your shooter, and then take your eyes back to the player that committed the foul -- get the number and then go to the table.

I find doing a preliminary verbal and signal at the spot e.g. "Red 23, hold, White ball, sideline spot" helps me remember who the foul is on, because it's stuck in my mind now. Just repeat the number to the scorer.

Also, if you're lucky, your partner(s) may hear what you said out loud also, and can help if you do forget.

That's something I'll start doing. It'll help me slow down too.

I can't shake it myself. For some reason, I tend to focus on my shooter and drop the fouler. Slowing down seems to be the key.

Along that line, If I give up a foul on a double whistle and point to calling partner, on occasion partner will point back at me to take it, by that time, I've purged everything. Hasn't happened lately, but when it does, I don't like to look stoopid at table.

Especially in SE Washington.:D

I’ve had this problem as well at times. I find that verbalizing the color and number of the fouler, like others have said, really helps. Take an extra couple of seconds to replay exactly what happened in your head before going to the table to report. I’m currently trying to make this a habit. For some reason, though, I have a tough time slowing down. But it definitly helps when I do it.

I was going to throw in an eagles have landed reference!

Thanks. All good suggestions. I think you hit it on the head when you say slow down. I work quite a bit and as the season goes on, I get on a bit of autopilot and probably are too quick leaving the play and going to the table. I don't do much for preliminary signals as a Women's memo or something I saw early this season asked us to get away from all of the preliminary signals.

There's a difference between "preliminary signals" and "communicating with your partners what you have at the spot."

I have started saying the fouler's number and then the foulee's number right after each other as if it were a PIN for the ATM. It helps me keep them both, so that I know I have the right shooter. Say them a couple of times to myself on the way to the table.

Good suggestion. I blew one Saturday, Boys F. I think part of it is that on some of these boys the jersey folds over on the number, particularly in front.

I Hate It When This Happens ...
 

Same thing here. I've purged the fouler, and I'm already trying to figure out who the foulee is in case we're shooting free throws.

It's Tough To Get Old ...
 

Good for you. I gave up trying to do that many, many years ago after reporting the foulee's number to the table on several occasions. Heck, I have difficulty remembering both numbers on a double foul on the way to the table.

Now if I could just find my keys?

I Also Hate It When This Happens ...
 

I tend to see this more in girls games. And I hate staring at their chests waiting to catch the number. It makes me feel like "a dirty old man".