Awkward Jump Ball Administration - Foreshadowing....

[Gargil]

Thanks for the advice. I was told by an Official with more experience to say hold your spots before moving forward to initiate the jump. I see how that can be confusing to the players, and myself.
Do you normally say anything to alert the players to the fact that you are going to initiate the jump?

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Gargil

Thanks for the advice. I was told by an Official with more experience to say hold your spots before moving forward to initiate the jump. I see how that can be confusing to the players, and myself.
Do you normally say anything to alert the players to the fact that you are going to initiate the jump?

"(Whistle) All right, here we go. (To the jumpers) Don't steal it."

The whistle for me is the indication I'm about to move forward and toss it up.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Gargil

Thanks for the advice. I was told by an Official with more experience to say hold your spots before moving forward to initiate the jump. I see how that can be confusing to the players, and myself.
Do you normally say anything to alert the players to the fact that you are going to initiate the jump?

Telling them to hold their spots is like telling the non-shooters to go behind the division line during a FT for a technical or intentional foul.

I say two words before I toss the ball, as I'm walking into the circle.

"White." As I point towards white's basket.
"Red." As I point towards red's basket.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

...

"White." As I point towards white's basket.
"Red." As I point towards red's basket.

I stopped doing that....is it in the manual? I haven't looked it up.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

I stopped doing that....is it in the manual? I haven't looked it up.

Not sure, I haven't either. I've gotten rid of a bunch of other stuff, like "hold your spots" on the first of multiple free throws. None of my partners or evaluators has said a word about what I say before the toss. Of course, it might be that they have bigger fish to fry with my game.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

Telling them to hold their spots is like telling the non-shooters to go behind the division line during a FT for a technical or intentional foul.

I say two words before I toss the ball, as I'm walking into the circle.

"White." As I point towards white's basket.
"Red." As I point towards red's basket.

OK, I do that, too, but before I blow my whistle and step into the circle. I also notify each team's captain that I'm about to toss. THEN, I blow my whistle, etc. etc.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

"White." As I point towards White's basket.
"Red." As I point towards red's basket.

I also do this, with two additional steps. Before I say, "White", I point to White's bench, and then point to White's basket. Before I say, "Red", I point to Red's bench, and then point to Red's basket. To start the game, the bench points, and the basket points, should be opposite direction points. This is to make sure that the team's are going in the right direction to start the game. Nothing more embarrassing than to start the game going the wrong way. Of course the "pointing" would be in the same direction to start an extra period (Mark Padgett: See 4-17 for a definition).

Of course, I wouldn't say, "Red", if the visiting team was wearing some other color.

[DLH17]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Of course, I wouldn't say, "Red", if the visiting team was wearing some other color.

Like or-ange or pink?

[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

I say two words before I toss the ball, as I'm walking into the circle.

"White." As I point towards white's basket.
"Red." As I point towards red's basket.

Please don't do this.
Not only is it not proper procedure according to the NFHS manual, but it looks condescending. It seems like you are treating the players as if they are in elementary school. At the HS level, the players know which basket they are headed towards, especially at the varsity level.

All that you should do is check that the jumpers are in the correct halves of the circle, check with the captains that their teams are ready (A simple "Ready guys?" will suffice.), blow the whistle, and then go toss.

Most people don't notify the captains, but it is in the manual.

My experience is that referees who point direction for each team prior to the toss also tell the captains that we are playing the black line all the way around at the pregame meeting.

[Adam]

No need for the frowny face, Nevada, I was actually re-thinking this little bit.

I only had one partner give the black line speech this year, but a few point. Frankly, I didn't pay that much attention to whether my partners pointed as R.

[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

No need for the frowny face, Nevada, I was actually re-thinking this little bit.

I only had one partner give the black line speech this year, but a few point. Frankly, I didn't pay that much attention to whether my partners pointed as R.

My was no reflection upon you. It merely demonstrated how I feel about a referee taking that action prior to the toss.

I do pay attention because I also note if they tell the players to hold their spots. (Double frown to those folks!)

I guess I just feel that the pre-toss point lacks a certain professionalism and gives the impression to the coaches that the official is a newbie. It strikes me the same as crossing one's body to point direction on an OOB call instead of using the other arm.

JMO

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

It strikes me the same as crossing one's body to point direction on an OOB call instead of using the other arm.

They should be horse-whipped.

Horse-whipped, I tell ya!!

How come nobody ever says somebody should be cow-whipped? Or poodle-whipped? I've spent many hours pondering that question. Many, many hours. Almost as many as the number of hours I've spent not worrying if somebody got an OOB call right but didn't point exactly by the manual.

Gnu-whipped?

[M&M Guy]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

They should be horse-whipped.

Horse-whipped, I tell ya!!

How come nobody ever says somebody should be cow-whipped? Or poodle-whipped? I've spent many hours pondering that question. Many, many hours. Almost as many as the number of hours I've spent not worrying if somebody got an OOB call right but didn't point exactly by the manual.

Gnu-whipped?

I'm glad you left those poor beavers off your list. I don't know if I could take another mental image of a beaver gettin' whipped.

You know, this is one argument I actually agree with both of you. Nah, I'm not running for political office, but there really is validity on both sides. First, I agree with you that getting the call right is the most important thing. I even had one supervisor tell me the story about how he was marked down on an evaluation once because he didn't have his thumb tucked in properly when he pointed! And, no mention was given as to whether any of his calls were correct. Since then, when he observes officials, his most important criteria is whether the calls are correct.

There is also a reason we have a specific set of signals and mechanics, so we can effectively communicate with players and coaches, no matter where we are, or what gym we work. Plus, the better we look, the more likely we will be perceived as professional and that we know what we're doing. If I work with an official that is sloppy with their mechanics, how do I know they aren't sloppy with their rules knowledge as well? If they don't want to take the time to learn the proper areas of coverage and signals, chances are they aren't going to know some of the rule basics as well.

That said, if I work with an official for the first time who steps into the circle saying, "Red this way, white that way", chances are they probably also just got there 10 minutes before, already wearing their collared shirt and belted pants, and I know I'm going to have issues all game. But if I work with someone for the first time who got there early, had a good pregame, looks sharp, shoes shined, then steps into the circle and says the same thing - I'm not going to think twice about it.

Procedures, signals, and mechanics are all part of the total picture, along with rules and judgement.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

Please don't do this.
Not only is it not proper procedure according to the NFHS manual, but it looks condescending. It seems like you are treating the players as if they are in elementary school. At the HS level, the players know which basket they are headed towards, especially at the varsity level.
...

I stopped doing it b/c I noticed the officials whose work games I aspire to work don't do it.

[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

I stopped doing it b/c I noticed the officials whose work games aspire to work don't do it.

I agree. The big boys don't do that. It is for rec leagues and little kiddie games.