Not the main factor.
 

You can teach good game management skills just like anything else in officiating. I am not saying that someone cannot and does not benefit from the years they work games, but you can teach skills that will help them in the long run. I was specifically taught how to do things the right way, many of those things I was taught still have not happen to me on the court. You do not have to be in war to become a good soldier and an effective soldier if you are taught and trained properly. I do not think the same is any different for an official. I think the main thing that experience brings you is calling plays. After that, the rest can be taught or explained in a way that the situation can be handled properly. Also we are a team on that court so it is not like any official is out there by themselves.

But that is just my take on it. ;)

Peace

Isn't that Casey Kasem? (a.k.a. "Shaggy" from the Scooby Doo cartoons) :)

Chuck

Obviously, one attribute does not make a good official. I do believe that presence is important. Although I am fairly new to officiating BB, I did have experience umpiring about a dozen years ago, and presence is one of those things that I probably developed at that time.

On the other hand, I am not advocating not knowing the rules. I scored the highest mark in my zone on this year's exam.

I would say that positionning was the main thing that our evaluators were looking for. It is one aspect that I have really tried hard to get better at. I know that one of the guys being evaluated mentionned that he tried to change a few things for the evaluation. But when it's not your normal routine, it is difficult. You can't be wottying so much about your positionning that you forget to referee. That's why new officials need to get such things correct from the start.

As for Marty's comments, this is not going to my head. I know that this is one step of a very long ladder. I am going to continue to work very hard at improving. But you will understand if I am on cloud nine today.

Thanks. Jay

It first takes one step to get to the top of the mountain.
 

One of the reasons we all do this is the journey, not just the destination.

Peace

Re: It first takes one step to get to the top of the mountain.
 

VERY TRUE RUT!!!


[/B][/QUOTE]

One of the reasons we all do this is the journey, not just the destination.

Peace [/B][/QUOTE]

Until or if the lucky few of us get to the D1 level we are neither going to get rich or famous.

However we all love being in the best seat in the house on a friday night in a packed jym; or in a MS gym w/ six screaming parents on a saturday morning. The bottom line is we must love what we do or what we get out of it or we would not do it. If you don't get that feeling than you should probably not be working. It is not only a personal test for us to see what the highest level of competition it is that we can get to but for me at least the internal satisfaction of watching kids mature as well as gaining more and more fortitude when dealing w/ adveerse situations. (who doesn't get a high when perfectly dealing w/ an assanine coach or settling down an upset player and watching them later excell) Maybe I am getting way too sentimental but some of the last few comments really made me realize why I love wearing stripes so much and what it actually does to make me a better and stronger person!!! Not to mention the dream of working the big time is one hell of a strong motivator!!!