Officiating other sports

[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? 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.)

[Mark Padgett]

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.

[DLH17]

I started football a few years ago. Love it.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by DLH17

I started football a few years ago. Love it.

Football and baseball are the two sports I'd consider adding if I added one; maybe softball.

[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.

[26 Year Gap]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

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.

They do that in MOST sports. I have thought about volleyball as a number of folks in my assn do that sport in the fall.

[Amesman]

Originally Posted by 26 Year Gap

They do that in MOST sports. I have thought about volleyball as a number of folks in my assn do that sport in the fall.

I have heard VB is a good deal: You stand still and still get a great view, and matches can be pretty brief. Not sure how intricate the rules get (speaking merely as mildly interested spectator thus far).

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.)

[representing]

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.

[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.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

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.

One additional reason:

[JRutledge]

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

[zm1283]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

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

I'm much the same way. Baseball came relatively easy to me compared to basketball. I will say that baseball isn't all that easy though when you see some of the guys who umpire....they make it look exceedingly difficult.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by zm1283

I'm much the same way. Baseball came relatively easy to me compared to basketball. I will say that baseball isn't all that easy though when you see some of the guys who umpire....they make it look exceedingly difficult.

We could say that really about any sport. I see a lot of bad basketball officials too and bad football officials. My point is they are all hard if you consider what you have to do mentally to stay sharp and to physically stay on top of things. Just if I had to choose which one is the easiest my vote is baseball. And the reason I also say that, is I see many good basketball and football officials really step into baseball and do very well. I have seen some baseball umpires try to do basketball and not have a clue how to handle themselves. Also part of this is the way the games are fast paced and how much responsibility you have to take on. In baseball unfortunately if you are on the bases you might not have a close play the entire game. I cannot think of too many basketball games where I had a day off on the court. Even when you do not call something, there is a person in your ear telling you how you missed something or how you the game should be called. And participants are constantly reminding you of that. Baseball, unless you have a close call or a close pitch, not much they are going to say. Not to say they just give you a pass (Not what I am saying at all), but there are so many times behind the plate I am a non-factor. They swing the bat and I have no role in the game (or very little role). Also in baseball you can get away with not being in the best shape. You cannot do that as a basketball official very well and you cannot do it very well as a football official and you will soon be exposed if you are not.

Peace

[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.