Pre Game Conference
 

Can you give me pointers are pre game conference with your partner?

What do you cover in those pre game meetings??

Starting on Page 86 of the 2009-2011 NFHS Basketball Officials Manual, is the guideline as to what the pre-game should be.

From the standpoint of the table for a pregame with them, especially if a shot clock is being used, ask about how loud the buzzer is. Also reminder that constant communication between the scorebooks should be done to verify score & fouls. (the table pregame is something I am curious about as well for what should be done/said)

I generally start with a little friendly chit-chat. You've got to work as a team and that starts with setting a friendly, congenial tone. Then I cover only those items that I want us to be on the same page about:

Crew communication
Unusual situations
Free throw coverage
Handling the gray area (where to pick up on-ball coverage)
Jump ball coverage (be ready for a quick violation or drive to the basket)
Secondary coverage areas (come and get any elephants v. don't fish in my pond)
Handling of subs
Long switching
Technical/Flagrant/Intentional fouls
Consistency
How we'll call perimeter play
How we'll call post play
Talking v. blowing
Getting/giving help on OOB
Intel about how the teams play
Intel about the coaches
Anything else that seems important

I have same partner for the whole year so we don't say a lot once the season gets going, but here's a list of some common topics

New rule changes
Points of emphasis
Consistency (block/charge, end-to-end)
What is illegal contact
Any known team specifics on the particular matchup (tendencies, history w/other team, coach behavior)
Substitutions (are you going to let them train or 1-time only per dead ball)
Communication (eye contact, DQ, T's)

That's just a short list of some items. Once you get talking, lots of other things will come up.

+1

Eagle, with all due respect, can you for once just STFU and let the referees talk to the referees?

PREGAME CONFERENCE

Lead’s Primary Responsibilities
Primary coverage area. Frontcourt endline and nearer sideline. Post play. Illegal screens at elbows.

Trail’s Primary Responsibilities
Primary coverage area. Nearer sideline, division line, backcourt endline. Rebound coverage. Drives starting in primary. Last second shot, basket interference, goaltending. Bring subs in

Stay in your primary. It must be obvious to come out of your primary. Seldom should have four eyes on the ball.
If something is there that needs to be called, call it. We’re not going to have too many double whistles if we’re
doing this right. Put the ball in play where it goes out of bounds or where the foul is.

On double whistles, let’s both hold our preliminary signal and not give a block or player control signal.
Make eye contact with each other. Give the call to whoever has the primary coverage, most often the
lead official, unless you definitely have something different that happened first, in which case we’ll
talk about it.

For out-of-bounds help, let's get it right. Come together for a change if needed. If I have no idea and I look to
you for help, just give a directional signal. No need to come to me, just point. If you don't know, give me
a jump ball signal. If I signal but I get it wrong then blow the whistle and come to me. Tell me what you
saw and let me decide if I’m going to change it.

Be consistent with each other. Let’s try to remember what we’ve called earlier in the game, and what we
haven’t called. Be consistent with what has already happened in the game.

Communicate at sixth and ninth fouls. We don’t want to be surprised when it’s time to shoot the bonus. If we
know that the next foul will result in bonus free throws, then we’ll be more likely to remember our shooter.
Off official should help identifying free throw shooter.

On throwins, count five players each team, check the table, check the clock, good eye contact before putting
ball in play. A hand up in the air by the off official means not ready.

Check the clock after every whistle to make sure the clock stops properly. Check the clock every time it
should start to make sure it does so.

Game management: If I call a fifth foul on a player, I’ll tell the coach, unless I think it’s going to be a problem.
If either of us warns a coach, or the bench, let’s let each other know about it. If one of us calls a technical foul
on a coach, the noncalling official will remind the coach that he must sit down.

Near the end of the game, be aware of coaches calling timeouts and be sure to inform them after they have used
all their time outs. Let’s not put the whistles away in the last two minutes: That wouldn’t be consistent with
the way we’ve been calling the game. We’re not calling anything in the last two minutes if we haven’t
already called it earlier in the game, unless it’s so blatant that it can’t be ignored. If the game dictates it, let the
players win or lose the game at the line. We don’t want to be the ones who decide the game by ignoring
obvious fouls just to get the game over. If the winning team is just holding the ball and is willing to take the
free throws after strategic fouls, then let’s call the foul immediately, so the ballhandler doesn't get hit harder
to draw a whistle. Let’s make sure there is a play on the ball by the defense. If there’s no play on the ball, if
the defense grabs the jersey, or pushes from behind, or bear hugs the offensive player, we should consider an
intentional foul. These are not basketball plays and should be penalized as intentional.

On court at 15:00. Scorebook at 12:00. Coaches and captains meeting at 5:00: Players properly equipped,
Players wearing uniforms properly, Practice good sportsmanship, Adhere to the restrictions, as well as the privileges,
of the coaching box.

NFHS BASKETBALL RULES CHANGES:
Changed the guidelines and procedures for identifying and removing a player who exhibits signs, symptoms and/or
behaviors consistent with a concussion
The list of permissible headband and wristband colors was changed to include any single solid school color.
Specific rules were added to address the unsporting acts of a player leaving the playing court for an unauthorized reason
to demonstrate resentment, disgust or intimidation and team members leaving the bench area and/or playing court for an
unauthorized reason.
Clarified that when a substitute is not properly reported, the players in the game at the conclusion of the quarter/when the
time-out was granted shall begin play for the new quarter/after the time-out. During an intermission, all team members
are bench personnel for the purpose of penalizing unsporting behavior
Clarified that a school or conference logo/mascot may be located at the apex/opening of the neckline, in the corresponding
area on the back of the jersey and/or in the either side insert.
Clarified that a school or conference logo/mascot may be located at the apex/opening of the neckline, in the corresponding
area on the back of the jersey and/or in the either side insert.
Clarified the requirements for guards, casts and braces and that a protective face mask shall be worn molded to the face.
Clarified that the ball is at the disposal of a player when it is available after a goal and the official begins the throw-in
count.
Clarified that when the ball is awarded to the wrong team, the mistake must be rectified before the throw-in ends.

NFHS POINTS OF EMPHASIS:
1. Rules Enforcement
2. Sportsmanship
3. Perimeter Play
4. Closely-guarded Situations
5. Principle of Verticality

CONNECTICUT MECHANICS:
Point to floor for two-point field goal try when shooter has foot touching three point line.
Coaching Box must be marked. If home coach and/or home management refuse to designate coaching box
with tape, the home team will not use a coaching box for that game. However, the visiting team will be
allowed a coaching box. Notify Board Secretary, or Commissioner the next day.
Captains-Head Coaches-Officials pre-game meeting should occur from 5 to 10 minutes prior to start of
game. If the head coach refuses to attend the meeting, notify Board Secretary or Commissioner, who will
notify the school Athletic Director and CIAC.

IAABO MECHANICS:
Switch on all fouls.

To the discussions above, I'd add:

Weird plays that have recently happened
"Conflicting" rulings you've noticed / been told
Team tendencies
Weird things about the court / table

BITS, Billy:

Thanks for posting two excellent lists. Bill, I still have one you posted two seasons ago (my first) and have found it a helpful guide in developing my own pre-game. I'll replace it with this one (cutting out the CT mechanics) as you were good enough to add the 2010-2011 NFHS changes.
I'm going to add in some of the points BITS had listed on his....I especially liked the one "talking vs. blowing."

After two seasons this stuff is starting to sink in. I remember when I first read Billy's list that I thought I knew what he was meant when he talked about things like primary coverage areas, screens at the elbows, game management, eye contact, communication, etc. Got out on the floor and didn't have a clue. Slowly though game by game and through watching more experienced refs work their V games after my JV I've learned the importance of all this and feel that I'm actually starting to get better.
Thanks for the help.

C'mon....
 

even a blind squirrel finds a nut every now and again! Bwahahaha! :p

I'll add as well to quick pre-game with table personnel:

1) Introduction w/ handshake
2) Have you done this before?
3) Any questions?
4) Remember you're part of my crew tonight. That means - Don't talk with others around you, pay attention to what's happening on the floor and turn your damn cell phone off.
5) Help me keep subs here and out of the way until we call them in
6) Let me know when we get to 6 fouls each way.
7) (To the clock operater) You make sure they (the scorers) talk and keep the books straight. Any problems let someone on the floor know.

I will also make the scorers sit together or close to the clock operator. I will also run off any of their "friends wanting to help".

Pre game w/ coaches & players:

1) Intro w/ handshake
2) Coaches - Everyone legally & Properly equipped? Are they going to stay that way for the entirity of the game?
3) Coaches - Please exibit good sportsmanship and set a good example for your team tonight.
4) Captains - Who's the speaking captain?
5) Captains - Ladies/Guys I just ask that you keep control of your team. If you see someone getting crazy, take care of it before I have to.
6) Captains - Play hard and have fun!

End of conference.
Goal is to cover what is required, emphasis that they are responsible for player actions on the court and keep it short. No need to go into a rules seminar or what to do if a contact goes out.....they won't remember it 10 seconds from when you said it. The teams are focus on the games and warmups and the faster you get them back out there, the happier they will be.

True story - first big varsity game, I'm calling with two guys that have been to state and, at least to me, were pretty big shots. Boys game, rival schools crowd was PACKED. In Tennessee, we used to do a player only pre-game @ center court. So the captains meet the three of us at center court and the R says the best pre-game ever: "Guys, don't start no **** and there won't be no ****". Both captains said yessir and trotted back to the benches.

It's The Blue Line All The Way Around ...
 

I'll talk to any player, even noncaptains, if they approach me politely.

Also, I've had partners ask a followup question after "Who's the speaking captain?" once they identify themselves: "Are you starting?"

In my opinion, keep the pregame as simple as possible, stick to what is required by the rulebook, and/or by local, or state, authority.

NCAA requires the R (in practice, it's the tossing official) to "notify the captains when play is about to begin at the start of the game." The easiest (?) way to do that is by getting the name and asking, "xxxx, is your team ready? xxxx, is your team ready?" before the toss.

I don't think that requirement is in the FED rule book. It might be in the mechanics manual. I tend to use the mechanic anyway.

And that's the only time those players every listened to a pre-game conference...everything else the 1000 times before, went in one ear and out the other

The same approximate language is in the FED book under OFFICIALS GENERAL DUTIES- 2-1.