Solo Refing

[Prefontaine]

I'm a 1st year official and had a situation in a JVG game. Tried to contact my partner days leading up to the game, her cell phone (only number listed) was off and unable to contact via email. Have worked with her before and had no problems.

About 5 minuted before the start of the game, its obvious she isn't showing and I will be the only ref. I was wondering, what are some stories about having to work a game by yourself? What are you primarily looking for? Where on the court do to optimally want to position yourself, etc.?

I found myself just trying to follow the action best I could, mostly staying above the key, sometimes underneath the basket if a fast break initiated the offensive play. Probably about 95% on-ball focus. The coaches were very respectful, rarely giving heat, and actually complimented me afterwards on doing a great job.

Fortunately, got bailed out at halftime, as the V refs for the next game showed early and hopped in to run 3-person! Great experience.

[grunewar]

Table for One

Our friend BillyMac often posts solo mechanics and suggestions (it's in the middle of the thread).

It's a good read.

[Paul LeBoutillier]

Oddly enough my very first public game (about 10 years ago) was because another ref failed to show. I went to the game just to watch (personally knowing the one ref who managed to get there) and was called me down from the stands when it became apparent there was a need. Because I lived close to the school gym I ran home and got on my duds and made it back just into the 2nd period.

I've heard of some guys who actually keep an extra set of duds in their car for those "just in case" scenarios.

[Welpe]

Thanks for posting that grune. That was my experience and Billy's mechanics are what I have read when preparing for this season (this is my first season officiating basketball). They really helped me get through these games.

Incidently, I was scheduled to work two freshman boys games the Friday after the triple-header of 8th grade games I did.

I have had the visiting teams before so I know that both their coaches and fans are card carrying members of the cheese and whine club. On Friday morning, my partner e-mails me and our assigner saying he hurt himself during his games on Thursday and won't be able to work the games. That afternoon, a couple hours before my games, my assigner notifies me that a replacement has been assigned. Whew.

I get to the gym and meet my partner, who is a veteran official and even works college. As we are going over our pre-game, he tells me he can only stay for the first game as he has a varsity game at 7 nearby. I figure one game with a partner is better than none. The first went well with nothing notable to report. My partner makes his exit and the next game starts. Lots of hard contact and sloppy play in this game. Home coach starts out early by trying to count along with my closely guarded count. I nip that in the bud quickly and he is fine the rest of the game. The visiting coach had a few mild complaints about calls that I quietly addressed but nothing out of line until I called an offensive foul against one of his players in the third quarter. The coach flew out of his chair and is screaming at me about his perception on the quality of the call while I am reporting the foul.

After I finish reporting, I look over to the coach and see he is screaming at me while about 5 feet on the court. I look him in the eye and WHACK! him. The coach is still screaming at me as I tell him in no uncertain terms to sit down before he needs to find himself a replacement. Coach still standing, I tell him this game doesn't start until he sits down. Home team fans are clapping, visiting fans are booing. Exchanges of "horrible call", "excellent call" are ricocheting back and forth from the stands.

Lots of fouls called that game, which ended in a blow out and the visiting coach was about 2 seconds away from getting a second technical and packing his bags early for that one. The funny thing is that I had a great look at the team control foul I called that set the coach off. The offensive player set a legal screen, then when the defensive player tried to go around the screen, the offensive player moved with him and ended up tripping him.

The joys of working by yourself.

[sseltser]

Originally Posted by Welpe

Home coach starts out early by trying to count along with my closely guarded count. I nip that in the bud quickly and he is fine the rest of the game.

Were they on offense or defense? If offense, he may just be helping his guards know how much time they have when they are handling the ball. If defense, I agree, getting him quiet is probably better.

[Welpe]

His team was on defense, which is why I nipped it in the bud.

[LeeBallanfant]

Originally Posted by Paul LeBoutillier

I've heard of some guys who actually keep an extra set of duds in their car for those "just in case" scenarios.

Before cell phones, one guy I knew would leave messages with a receptionist that she should tell one of the refs that his game was canceled. Then he would show up to watch the game and just happen to have his uniform in his car.

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by LeeBallanfant

Before cell phones, one guy I knew would leave messages with a receptionist that she should tell one of the refs that his game was canceled. Then he would show up to watch the game and just happen to have his uniform in his car.

Wow, that is soooo wrong!

[BillyMac]

In Connecticut, by contract with our state high school athletics governing body, one official get a 150% game fee.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

In Connecticut, by contract with our state high school athletics governing body, one official get a 150% game fee.

In Wisconsin, the game cannot start with one official. It can finish that way (due to injury, etc.) but we wouldn't start until they found a replacement or they postponed the game.

One thing it does is pretty much eliminate situations where only one official shows up for games. Many school district employees officiate lower level games -- for example, we showed up for a BV game Thursday and was told the AD would be by later as he was working the freshman game at another school. In some places that would be frowned upon -- here nobody bats an eye.