Officiating other sports

[DLH17]

Originally Posted by ref3808

Those are two additional reasons.

[biz]

I used to umpire baseball, but ridiculously long games where pitchers can't find the strike zone become incredibly boring very quickly. I would much rather ref a blow-out basketball game than work the plate for a blowout baseball game that has more walks and wild pitches than hits.

I just got my grade 8 (USSF soccer) license so I'll let you know how that goes. As someone who has played and coached soccer for a long time I have a feeling that it will be easier than basketball, but I will soon find out.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by ref3808

Those are two additional reasons.

If she played, would it be three additional reasons?

[26 Year Gap]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

If she played, would it be three additional reasons?

Well, you probably would hear 'and 1' a lot more.

[Mark Padgett]

Oh yeah - did I mention I've officiated croquet? It's pretty easy. Plus - you get cucumber sandwiches and lemonade for lunch!

I would think one of the hardest would be Calvinball - especially since the rules change as the game is being played.

[Freddy]

Originally Posted by Amesman

With so many multiple-sport officials visiting here, a question came to mind: Which sport do you think is the easiest to add to the hoops officiating repertoire?

With the winter Olympics still freshly engrained in my memory, I'm thinking of seeing what it'll take to officiate curling.

Seriously, soccer or lacrosse might offer the basketball official some further growth and enjoyment, with the continuous action. Soccer I've done, lacrosse isn't really big around here yet. I do baseball, but there's so much standing around time that it hardly compares with the second-by-second action of basketball.

Soccer or lacrosse. That's my final answer, Wink.

[Mark Padgett]

If I'm going to work any other sports, they would have to have the four things that make officiating basketball so nice - you're indoors out of the weather, you have indoor bathrooms, you have indoor water fountains and most of all, you're close to the hot moms in the bleachers.

[Amesman]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

... and most of all, you're close to the hot moms in the bleachers.

So this is a vote for baseball (or whatever) on 80-degree days?!

[Mark Padgett]

When I was a teenager (before time was invented) back in the south suburbs of Chicago, I worked three summers umpiring park district kids baseball. I umpired 8-9-10 year olds ("minors") and 11-12 year olds ("majors"). Only one official worked the entire field. We stood behind the pitcher with only a ball/strike counter - no other equipment. I think I made about $2.00 per game (maybe less), which was good money back then. I usually worked two games on a Saturday. It was easy and a lot of fun, except for the time a batter hit a line drive right back at the mound and the pitcher just jumped out of the way. I barely had time to duck and the ball just skinned my neck as it passed by.

BTW - I received virtually no training for this. The park district just assumed that because I had played in their program since I was 8 (and made the all-star team as a shortstop each year - sorry, but I had to brag), I must have known the rules and knew how to position myself for the various situations by having watched the umpires for so many years. I must have done a good job because they had me work the summers I was 13, 14 & 15. They asked me to work the next summer, but I was now 16 and found a much better summer job (valet parking at a mob-owned steakhouse - no kidding).

Ahhhh - the good old days.

[Texas Aggie]

Which sport do you think is the easiest to add to the hoops officiating repertoire?

Football. From my experience and observation, it appears that basketball officials who become football officials do well, but the opposite transition doesn't work well at all.

Most of that observation about football officials going basketball came from back in the days of almost pure running game football with few pass-interference type (i.e. basketball-esque) calls. Now that may be different with the game going pass oriented at the high school and even jr. high levels.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Texas Aggie

Football. From my experience and observation, it appears that basketball officials who become football officials do well, but the opposite transition doesn't work well at all.

Most of that observation about football officials going basketball came from back in the days of almost pure running game football with few pass-interference type (i.e. basketball-esque) calls. Now that may be different with the game going pass oriented at the high school and even jr. high levels.

Football will make you a better rules official in basketball. Basketball will help you become a better judgment official in football. That is what someone told me a long time ago. I tend to agree.

[Berkut]

Originally Posted by Texas Aggie

Football. From my experience and observation, it appears that basketball officials who become football officials do well, but the opposite transition doesn't work well at all.

As someone who does both, I would say the biggest problem many football officials would have transitioning to basketball would be physical fitness.

[Andy]

I currently oficiate volleyball and softball. Had to give up basketball due to leg injuries that no longer respond well to the pounding on the hard court.

From my experience, basketball is the most difficult sport to officiate. It is a series of snap judgements while having to constantly re-position yourself to follow the action. With two officials, it is difficult, but doable to watch ten players, with three officials, that job becomes easier.

It took me about three - four years of doing volleyball for the light to come on. The rules are not quite as complex as basketball or softball, but there are several things that an official needs to know and be aware of. There is almost no physical component to officiating VB, but it is very mentally taxing if you want to do it right.

I've been thinking about becoming a track starter...where else does your job consist of pointing a gun in the air and firing blanks??

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Andy

I've been thinking about becoming a track starter...where else does your job consist of pointing a gun in the air and firing blanks??

Wow, there are a dozen punch lines for this one just ready to fly.

[DLH17]

Originally Posted by Andy

...where else does your job consist of pointing a gun in the air and firing blanks??

uuuuuuuh....what exactly do you use to point that gun with.