Refs and coach/AD
 

As a newbie, my instructors are hammering home to establish excellent mechanics including use of proper signals. While other officials notice this, I would think that coaches and ADs are more focused on getting the calls right then on signals.

Vets, is this true?

Yes, coaches/ADs are more concerned about getting the calls correct, but don't underestimate the importance of good mechanics and proper signals. Part of our job as officials is being a salesmen. If you're in the proper spot to call plays and look confident with good, crisp signals, that goes a long way towards a coach believing your call and off your back.

I'd say the easiest thing for young officials to perfect is mechanics (specifically good signals). That just comes from time in front of the mirror practicing. That can be worked on from day one. Play calling is something that comes with time, so invariably, you'll have struggles with that.

I agree with APG. The better your mechanics and positioning, the more likely you are to get the benefit of the doubt on close calls.

Show up in gray tennis shoes, white socks, and almost black dress slacks (brown belt) sometime and see how many calls get questioned as opposed to when you're in the proper uniform.

The better your mechanics, the more likely you are to get the call right in the first place. If you could call the game from anywhere, we wouldn't be on the court in the first place.

The only thing a coach likes less than a bad call is not knowing what you called in the first place. Communication, including signals, is an important part of the job.

What's more, these are both areas that focus and effort bring quick results. You can't rush experience, but mechanics and signaling can be practiced anywhere. This makes it a good investment of time for the new official.

Yes. And if I'm evaluating, I'll take the guy that gets the call right over the guy that looked great but screwed up the call.

But that's just me.....

The optimum is both, of course. Get the call right while using the correct mechanics.

Is there any reason you think the 2 concepts are mutually exclusive?

But it is a lot easier and controllable to perfect your mechanics than it is your play-calling. One thing that holds rookies back in their first year is that they spend so much time thinking about their mechanics that they lose focus on play-calling. They screw up basic mechanics and start getting nervous and flustered and forget all about game.

Work on your mechanics off the court so that you are confident with them when you get on the court and it will free your mind up to start looking at the plays correctly. And if your mechanics are decent from the get-go then your observers/evaluators/mentors can concentrate more on your play-calling abilities instead of having to nit-pick you with mechanical stuff.

And, there are enough "good" officials to take the ones that put in the effort to look and act professional.

Yup, the ones that make the effort should be ranked higher than the ones who might also be equal in call-making ability but don't have the "whole package".

Coaches/ADs are not specifically concerned at all about mechanics, but if you look sharp, you and your calls will be taken more seriously -- everything else being equal.

Not really anything to do with mechanics, but with perspective: My first few years, I had a LOT of trouble with women coaches -- jr. high to college. Not all of them, but most, for some reason. In the mid-90s, I was out for a couple of years for injury and slowly got back into things over the next several years. Instead of being a late college student or recent college grad, I was now as old or in some cases older than the coaches and handling women coaches is one of my strengths. I can not recall a T I've given a woman head coach in the last 5 or 6 years. Same official, different outcome.

Only thing I would add is to remember they're not always going to agree with your calls anyway. That's why they are called howler monkeys. I would at least prefer my mechanics have me in the right spot, and my signals are crisp so at least maybe there is a little doubt in their mind that maybe they ARE crazy and I do know what I am doing ;)

No one is going to think you get the calls right if you do not have good mechanics. If you do not believe me, call a foul and do not raise your hand. Then tell me what happens when the coaches are confused about your calls. All mechanics are selling points for your calls. Someone is always going to think you screw up at some point and your mechanics might make them at least believe you think you are right. Confidence and positioning all are apart of a selling job. We are sales people at the end of the day.

Peace

If you could break it down, JR, what are the criteria of the "whole package?"

Mechanics Are Fun ...
 

Let's not forget about confusing your partner. Violation, or foul? Initiate switch, throwin spot, or free throw shooter, or none of the above?

Note to Mark Padgett ...
 

No image please.

Not that I advocate ever getting the call wrong, but much of the time you're more believable if you come out with a good, strong wrong call than a weak, unconvincing right call. Good mechanics can buy you some credibility until you have time to establish a reputation as being a good official. Bad mechanics can doom you before you even get started.