Teach the class for new officials

stripes · #1 (**permalink**) Thu Oct 03, 2002, 04:55pm

I have taught the new (1st and 2nd year) officials class in our local association for the last 3-4 years. I am always looking for ways to improve what we do. We try to go over the basics of officiating including proper uniform, communication with school, pre-game with partner, pre-game duties (on the floor), mechanics, floor coverage, philosophy, misconceptions and rules. This is done over 5-6 sessions.

Any suggestions? Do you think we are missing anything?

JRutledge · #2 (**permalink**) Thu Oct 03, 2002, 05:15pm

Conflict resolution.

Professionalism to deal with all the other aspects of officiating that have little to do with the actual game. Conflict Resolution to of course deal with conflict resolution. The Illinois High School Association has these two things as required topics in camps that are giving across the state. They even have the information on the website. Check it out under the Official's Department.

Peace

www.ihsa.org

bossref · #3 (**permalink**) Fri Oct 04, 2002, 09:14pm

I think it's important to teach
that it's better to use good people skills
and be fair and consistent than it is to be
Mr. Know all the Rules.
I also think that officials should view themsleves as service providers and NOT dictators.
I also suggest to teach when and how to call a T.

Sorry if this is something you already include
in your philosophy.

JRutledge · #4 (**permalink**) Sat Oct 05, 2002, 01:56am

Quote:

Originally posted by bossref
I think it's important to teach
that it's better to use good people skills
and be fair and consistent than it is to be
Mr. Know all the Rules.
I also think that officials should view themsleves as service providers and NOT dictators.
I also suggest to teach when and how to call a T.

Sorry if this is something you already include
in your philosophy.

You cannot say that. The officiating brass around here will try to stone you to death.

Peace

bossref · #5 (**permalink**) Sat Oct 05, 2002, 10:06am

I am stoned more often that I like to admit.

zebraman · #6 (**permalink**) Sat Oct 05, 2002, 11:54am

Stripes,

I think all the things mentioned are great things to teach officials... but it's important for us to remember that one of the many reasons that officiating can be frustrating for a newbie is that they get overwhelmed if you give them too much at once.

One of my first J.V. games ever, the varsity ref gave me a list of about 15 things at halftime to work on...I think I remembered maybe one of them for the second half. Total overload.

I'm not trying to "stone" Bossref or Rut, but stick with the very basics at first. They will be struggling with knowing where to be on the floor, learning signals and understanding the rules that they thought they knew from their playing days. Once they kind of catch a clue as the season goes on, then bring up some more things for them to add to their skill set.

IMHO, I think you are on the right track for a 5 or 6 session training program with the things you mentioned.

Z

JRutledge · #7 (**permalink**) Sat Oct 05, 2002, 06:28pm

Z,

There is nothing in officiating that a young official cannot learn either right off the bat or pick up in a short period of time. Telling them all aspect of officiating is only going to educate and inspire them into what this "officiating thing" is all about. I personally think this is why we lose officials. Rules are only a foundation, your professionalism and conflict resolution skill and people skills are going to far out way knowing the ins and outs of Rule 2-10. Because when you have to use Rule 2-10, you have to explain to an angry coach what Rule 2-10 is and how Rule 2-10 is going to be applied or not applied. If you are yelling and screaming while "quoting" rules, your explaination might never be believed if you do not have some conflict resolution skills or people skills to get you thru that situation. And you better sure tell young officials how to deal with assignors and deal with other officials, they might not get another chance to make a first impression.

It is not like we are talking about toddlers, we are talking about adults that have skills and experiences that far way out what happens on a court or field. Give younger officials some credit.

Peace

ChuckElias · #8 (**permalink**) Sat Oct 05, 2002, 07:25pm

Quote:

Originally posted by JRutledge
There is nothing in officiating that a young official cannot learn either right off the bat or pick up in a short period of time.

Nothing? Really? Nothing?!?! To quote John McEnroe, "You cannot be serious!"

If a young official can learn everything in officiating right away -- or in a short period of time -- why don't we all have D1 schedules right now? That is, quite frankly Rut, one of the most ludicrous statements I've read in a long time.

Chuck

rockyroad · #9 (**permalink**) Sat Oct 05, 2002, 07:51pm

I have also taught the rookie class for a number of years...aside from the mechanics and floor positioning, we (the leaders) always take 15-20 min. per session and cover one or two of the rule sections, just to make sure that everyone coming from our assoc. has the same understanding of the rules interps sent down from the state...we have found that this has helped our younger officials immensely...

JRutledge · #10 (**permalink**) Sat Oct 05, 2002, 11:27pm

Quote:

Originally posted by ChuckElias

Nothing? Really? Nothing?!?! To quote John McEnroe, "You cannot be serious!"

If a young official can learn everything in officiating right away -- or in a short period of time -- why don't we all have D1 schedules right now? That is, quite frankly Rut, one of the most ludicrous statements I've read in a long time.

Chuck

When you set your expectations low, you achieve exactly what you expect. When you set your expectations high, you might achieve much more than you ever expected. You give younger officials knowledge, they might actually pick up on it. You say, "we cannot tell you this because you are a rookie," do not be surprised if they fall short or make mistakes after mistake, after mistake. Officiating is way much more that rules, it always has been, it always will be.

Peace

PAULK1 · #11 (**permalink**) Sun Oct 06, 2002, 10:20am

Have you tried a mentoring program? By having a veteran offical your newer officals can watch, go to when they have questions, someone they can get feedback from.

Of course the hardest part of doing this is finding enough
veteran officals who will take the time and have the people skills to do this.

ChuckElias · #12 (**permalink**) Sun Oct 06, 2002, 10:55am

Quote:

Originally posted by JRutledge
When you set your expectations low, you achieve exactly what you expect. When you set your expectations high, you might achieve much more than you ever expected.

Rut, I agree wholeheartedly with this. Set high expectations. Expect them to know the rules, have them shoot for the highest level of professionalism, etc. But your previous statement was that there is literally "nothing" that they cannot pick up in a short period of time. That's blatently false. For that statement to be true, you would have to have a reasonable expectation that a new official could learn everything there is to know about officiating right away or "in a short period of time". You cannot possibly have that expectation. And you if you say that you can, then you are simply lying to yourself.

Chuck

zebraman · #13 (**permalink**) Sun Oct 06, 2002, 11:45am

There is nothing in officiating that a young official cannot learn either right off the bat or pick up in a short period of time.

Not true. The reason we start new officials on low level games is that they have much to learn and it takes quite a while.

Telling them all aspect of officiating is only going to educate and inspire them into what this "officiating thing" is all about.

Actually, telling them "everything" up front overwhelms them and makes them feel helpless. Note the "deer in the headlights" look when you give a new referee a laundry list of things he needs to work on. Ask him to repeat back to you what you just told him and see if he remembers more than a couple. :-)

Personally think this is why we lose officials.

Actually, there have been a couple articles in officiating magazines lately on why we lose officials, and your reason was not on the list.

Rules are only a foundation

So true. I think you just made my point for me.

your professionalism and conflict resolution skill and
people skills are going to far out way knowing the ins and outs of Rule 2-10. Because when you have to use Rule 2-10, you have to explain to an angry coach what Rule 2-10 is and how Rule 2-10 is going to be applied or not applied. If you are yelling and screaming while "quoting" rules, your explaination might never be believed if you do not have some conflict resolution skills or people skills to get you thru that situation.

This thread isn't about rule 2.10. It's about what to teach new officials. I wouldn't imagine we'd worry about rule 2.10 for new officials either. And I've never seen a young ref yelling and screaming or quoting rules. I've seen some veteran refs that "just don't get it" do that on a rare occasion though.

And you better sure tell young officials how to deal with assignors and deal with other officials, they might not get another chance to make a first impression.

If they don't know how to deal with other people by the time they are adults, we can't "re-learn" them because their mommies and daddies failed.

It is not like we are talking about toddlers, we are talking about adults that have skills and experiences that far way out what happens on a court or field. Give younger officials some credit.

I think you mean "outweigh" although I do think that your points are "way out." :-) Like anything else new, KISS is the best policy for beginning refs. Keep it simple stupid. And no, I'm not calling you stupid.

Z

JRutledge · #14 (**permalink**) Sun Oct 06, 2002, 02:13pm

Quote:

Originally posted by ChuckElias

You cannot possibly have that expectation. And you if you say that you can, then you are simply lying to yourself.

Chuck

Just because you do not buy into the same things I buy into, does not mean it is a lie or that it is wrong. You just to not hold the same value that I do. There are guys that are in the NBA and NCAA and have not officiated more than 6 years.

Chuck, I respect your opinion, but your opinion is not the only one around. Also, learning and understanding and perfecting is another story. You should never hold back information to younger officials just because they do not have experience. If there is anything that is crazy or out there, that is it. But that is just my opinion.

Peace

ChuckElias · #15 (**permalink**) Sun Oct 06, 2002, 02:50pm

Here is the statement that is currently under discussion: There is nothing in officiating that a young official cannot learn either right off the bat or pick up in a short period of time.

Quote:

Originally posted by JRutledge
Just because you do not buy into the same things I buy into, does not mean it is a lie or that it is wrong.

You are correct that my disagreement with you is not what makes your statement false. Your statement is, nevertheless, indisputably, utterly, completely, wholly, entirely, totally, certainly, undeniably false. And if you truly believe it to be true, then you are lying to yourself.

Quote:

Chuck, I respect your opinion, but your opinion is not the only one around.

I respect your opinions, too, Jeff; and my opinion is rarely the only one around. But we're not talking about opinion here. We're talking about the fact of whether or not a person with no officiating experience can learn literally everything there is to know about officiating in a short period of time. And the fact is that he or she cannot. I know this for a fact b/c I can find at least one official who has been officiating for 10 years or more and has not learned everything there is to know about officiating. . . that would be me.

"He, who will not reason, is a bigot; he, who cannot, is a fool; and he, who dares not, is a slave."
-William Drummond, Scottish writer (1585-1649).

Chuck

[Edited by ChuckElias on Oct 6th, 2002 at 02:52 PM]