Officiating other sports
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? Which sports are easiest or hardest overall, period?
I realize a lot can hinge on one's interest, personal background in a certain sport and schedule, but any observations that can be drawn nonetheless? (A respected out-of-state official recently told me, for example, he thought softball is not as hard as basketball.) |
Tennis has got to be the easiest. You sit in a chair and point. Not only that, the players make a lot of their own calls! Piece of cake.
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I started football a few years ago. Love it.
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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. http://www.affordablehousinginstitut...ball_small.jpg |
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As for tennis, I didn't know they put many people in the chair for high school. At least they didn't when my sister played. Hoops has to be the toughest on the body, no? (OK, maybe hockey but that's not as widespread.) |
I do Soccer and Basketball, and just took up Volleyball after taking a few years off from that sport due to school (couldn't mix volleyball and soccer in the fall). High school Soccer and Basketball, basketball is harder no doubt. But I think (and this is JUST an opinion) that FIFA/USSF soccer is harder to do than PIAA basketball overall.
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What Next?
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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. |
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.
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I Agree With Mark Padgett, 100%
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This will offend some people. But I feel baseball is the easiest by far for me. You do not make a lot of tough calls and if you are not behind the plate, you almost have a day off. That being said, it still is difficult, but not as hard and physically demanding as football and basketball. Working the plate is a little difficult at first, but once you get the hang of it is really not that hard. But that does not mean anyone can do it. You have to understand the sport. But I played baseball for years and it came very easy for me.
Peace |
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Peace |
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. :) |
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