Experienced but unambitious...
 

Ok, maybe I take it a little TOO seriously.

I realize not everyone is going to take every game they can get, from varsity boys to 7th grade girls. Not everyone is going to spend hours of their life in front of the mirror refining the intricacies of their "full time out" mechanic. Not everyone considers the referee clinics they go to every year the highlight of the summer. Not everyone is as crazy as us, right?

But, I will never understand the guy who strolls into the dressing room 10 minutes before the game starts, walks out on the floor wearing a black fleece pullover with his college logo on it, and spends the entire night ambling up and down the court like it's a leisure walk in the woods - only to go on about how many years of experience he has and how much he loves officiating.

I can handle the new guy just stumbling his way through year one. But if you've been at it for twice as long as I have, I should not be coaching you on positioning and management... goodness gracious.

OK, now that I've got that off my chest, I can put this game behind me and sleep a little better tonight. :confused:

At least this experience will make you appreciate partners who love to talk basketball 40 minutes before and after the game and hustle while working.

I know how you feel. This is my first year but I really love it and take it very seriously. I don't like working with the guy that is there to just get the paycheck. My favorite official to work with is a 23 year old that has the same goals as I do....to officiate in the NCAA FINAL FOUR.

I am also fairly new and take pride in preparation and proper mechanics. I am really surprised at the number of "old timers" who really do not keep up with the game or are lazy with their mechanics. I was watching a varsity boys game last week and saw an official call "over the back":eek:

My first year. I've done about 30 games, youth to JV. During that time I've had 2 partners who in my opinion were, for whatever reason, not doing the job. One older gentlemen who frankly was laboring physically and just can't get get up and down, and one who just didn't care about proper mechanics and told me as much. Mostly positive experiences otherwise and I want to thank the two I referenced above for showing me what not to become.

My very first thought when I hear somebody bragging about "20 years' experience" is Jim Evans's distinction between 20 years' experience and 1 year's experience, 20 times.

Watch for it.

All of us have experienced a partner or two like that over the years.

As GEN Colin Powell once said, "Even Saddam Hussein has value. He can always be used as a bad example." Learn from these referees too - if only - that's NOT what I want to be like in a few yrs!

While some people are in it for the $ and have lost their motivation, there are a great many of us old timers who dress and act professionally, hustle, stay up on the rules, teach and mentor younger officials, etc. Latch on to one of them as a mentor if you like.

When saddled with a "less than stellar" partner of any age/experience level, GIGDGO and hope that in a few yrs, younger officials aren't looking at you and thinking the same thing of you, you are thinking of these officials. ;)

Hang in there and take the high road.

I completely understand and have the same problems.

I am 20 years old right now, I have been reffing for seven years (this is my first year in the high school association). I consider myself having a great deal of experience, maybe not at the varsity level, but I have worked anywhere from 3rd grade to VB. I work with guys that most of them are helpful, but some of them just walk up and down the court and don't do anything to help me out. The coaches all know these 'old-timers' so they do not say a word to them... They are all out of position on a call, and their should be a call made but they hold on their whistle, if I call it i'm the bad guy calling out of position, but if I let it pass they scream at me and act like I'm the one that is supposed to be calling it!!! I eventually want to get at the D1 College Level, and I firmly believe I will get there. I went to my first camp last summer and have another one this summer. I just wish we could pick and choose our ideal partners but we cant. Bummer :(

You better edit the first part of your post before Mark sees it!!:D

Got it. Thanks for the heads up!:D

Fantastic advice.