New Official

[rainmaker]

Originally posted by tharbert
Have them tape you on the court and review things you did right as well as things you did wrong.

I agree with this: tape, tape, tape!!! Go watch a good game with good refs, and then go home and watch yourself. You can learn a LOT this way.

With regard to rec games, during the season, it's probably best to avoid them. But the rest of the year, do as many as you can get. There is usually a good mix of levels, and you can work at a higher level than duringthe season, so it helps pull you up. Insist to your partner that you want to go by the book as much as possible so that you don't develop bad habits.

Decide ahead of time what you are going to work on, and then do it. If the game is going to be a blow-out, work on calling tight, or calling loose, and watch how your work affects the game. If the game is close, work on positioning, or off-ball attention. One really great block/charge call because you were watching off-ball, solves the whole block/charge problem. Your percentage goes up about 50 points. Rec games are the place to get this down.