10 Things I Teach New Officials

[just another ref]

Originally posted by Tim C
Folks, officials do not call enough travel violations. Professional basketball lets them walk, so now colleges let them walk, and now we at the HS level have followed suit. Let's just work harder at calling closer to the rules as written.

I think that this is very true. I'm kinda in between on this issue. I think that it is okay to call a travel without being able to demonstrate what the offender did. (you see, coach, he moved his left foot 4" and then he moved his right foot at least 6") A lot of times this is really a bang-bang play, when a player explodes with a quick first step. If his feet were both a blur to you before he put the ball on the floor, chances are it was a travel, but if his feet are that quick, chances are his hands are quick, too, so if you have
"reasonable doubt," let it go.

[kmref]

This is just a thought on the travel violations. I had many dicussions with fellow officials regarding this topic. I was calling it when it wasn't a travel, not calling it when it was, etc. I began to videotape my games on the advice of a veteran official. I was able to see a whole different game. Not only did I improve on the ability to recognize violations/fouls, but I also saw how goofy I looked doing certain things. I now make it a practice to video a minimum of 4 games per season. It has been a tremendous aide in improving my contribution to this game.
This might help others as it has helped me.

[Mark Dexter]

Originally posted by Tim C
5. Please don’t call a foul on the “inside” guy when he blocks out readying to rebound. EVEN if he reaches back and touches the guy behind him please don’t call the foul. The guy is doing what he is taught, let him do his job.

Gotta disagree on this one to some extent. If it's just a slight touch, I agree. If, however, the inside player starts pushing his opponent, or if the hand blocks/grabs the opponent, the foul needs to be called - it doesn't matter if the player was taught to do that, he was taught wrong. (We would call a travel if a player did the jump stop incorrectly, right?)

I had a situation Wednesday night in a co-rec game where I called a girl underneath for a push during rebounding. As I was going to the reporting area, she said to me 'I'm just pushing her with away with my hips,' to which I replied that was illegal. Way too many players (at least at the level I ref) think that "boxing out" is completely legal - even if there is contact which puts the opponent at a disadvantage. It needs to be called and cleaned up.

[Tim C]

Remember, I am not asking you to agree with ANY of these I am just telling you what I teach, what I have learned, and how I officiate.

As an example, I appear to be pretty lonesome on my philospohy about blocking out. That's great that y'all see it different since that is how others that read this stuff learn from EVERYONE!

Thanks again for the posts.

Tee

[Larks]

Here's my take on T's. I think as a young official I have been guilty of probably taking too much crap from coaches. I used to be really concerned that if I was that the Ref who didnt let coaches "work" us, it would hurt my chances to move up. All of you have had these thoughts and probably most of you have forgot them now that you are...whats the word JR....."Seasoned?" Anyway, most of you "old dawgs" have gotten to the point where in most cases, a trip by the coach telling him "he's done helping you ref" usually works. What I have learned this year is that I wont get "seasoned" over night. But that doesnt mean I need to take crap for an hour either.

Here are a couple things for rookies that I have found has helped game management.

Talk to coaches when you can / appropriate. I use the words Sir or Ma'am a lot. "Sir, how long of a time out would you like". "No Ma'am, she didnt tip it". etc.

Let them know you hear them. A simple "I hear you Coach" has worked for me because this way they wont feel the need to repeat the same line 13 times. Well, sometimes this works.

When you have to give the "Sir, you are done helping me ref", be serious, make sure you have eye contact and dont be in a hurry to resume play. Take a second keeping eye contact to let them know they now have your attention.

"Be nice...until it's time to not be nice" (Patrick Swayze - Roadhouse)

Those have helped me a lot. One last trick...if a coach is on me and I feel I am getting close to whacking him. I force a switch or non switch (depending) so that I can run opposite table side for a couple trips. Kind of gives me a chance to cool off and refocus on the game.

Good Feedback everyone

Larks - VIT

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally posted by Larks
I use the words Sir or Ma'am a lot. "Sir, how long of a time out would you like". "No Ma'am, she didnt tip it". etc.

Let them know you hear them. A simple "I hear you Coach" has worked for me because this way they wont feel the need to repeat the same line 13 times.

"Be nice...until it's time to not be nice" (Patrick Swayze - Roadhouse)

Great points,Andrew!

The roof might be falling in,but we have to look like we have everything under control.And we can't look like we're pi$$ed off while we're doing it.It's actually part of that "presence" thing,which good officials have.

[Rich]

I'll throw in a couple of thoughts:

About the technicals -- I've called one varsity head coach technical this season and it was in my first game. This was after my partner had talked with him considerably the first half and he still persisted in having a temper tantrum on a routine foul call -- a tantrum complete with stomping his feet and all. Whack.

But when I was younger and just starting out, I didn't know how to TALK with coaches. I would report the fouls quickly, avoid eye contact, and hurry out of there scared out of my wits.

When coaches feel you aren't listening, you will get escalating behavior and end up calling more technicals. My belief -- YMMV.

These days I encourage coaches to use my first name and talk to me -- I'll even talk during a live ball if I'm close and it's a quick back-and-forth. I also recognize that it's the nature of the game for a coach to work the officials to a certain extent -- not maliciously, but in a way that only the most rabbit-eared of the bunch couldn't ignore (or even smile about).

On traveling: I'm a stickler about pivot feet and getting the travels that need to be called. The two I can think of are (1) The incorrectly done jump stop (alighting from one foot and then landing on two but not simultaneously, for example), and (2) The lifting of the pivot foot before the ball is directed towards the floor on a dribble, especially to start a move towards the basket. Both provide an incredible advantage to the ball carrier and those are the ones that need to be called.

I disagree with Tee about the "looks like a travel" comment. I've worked with a lot of inexperienced officials this season, and some of the travels they called forced me to concentrate on not making a face. Traveling cannot occur without control, during a dribble, during a high dribble, on an interrupted dribble, while fumbling a ball through the lane, while possessing the ball legally on the floor, while passing or starting a dribble from the floor, or when a defender ties up a shot attempt and the shooter returns to the floor with the ball.

Rich

[Brad]

Why are officials afraid to call technical fouls?

I don't understand the philosophy of avoiding technical fouls at (almost) all cost. We need to address the coaches (and benches) and then, if they don't heed our warning, they need to receive a technical foul.

I totally disagree that NOT giving a technical foul can increase respect for you versus giving one.

First of all, I don't know if coaches will ever "respect" us — they simply tolerate us.

One thing I know, NOT giving a technical foul to a coach when it is deserved will result in that coach (and others) thinking that they can walk all over you.

Also, I disagree that we should call travels when we "think" it's a travel. Calling a travel that is not there is one of the worst calls and official can make, IMHO.

[Tim C]

Brad you have every right to feel as you do.

Technical Fouls should be used judiciously. I have never said don't call technical fouls (if you follow other boards and other sports you would find that in just over 3,200 baseball games I have ejected 312 players -- that seems to me that I don't tolerate a whole lot).

Again, I ask that y'all re-read my post on traveling. I have stated, in the PAST tense, that if you thought it was a travel it probably was . . . AND I am asking that the guys I train to be alert to the move the next time.

I guess my writing skills have gone gone hill as my waist line went up!!!

Brad I allowed your last post (the last one I saw anyway) to go by without comment.

We simply disagree on these two issues. That is a GOOD thing.

To Basketball Ref . . . lighten up . . . I believe the post you quote SAYS EXACTLY what you are saying.

Tee

[ChuckElias]

Originally posted by Tim C
I guess my writing skills have gone gone hill as my waist line went up!!!

I guess so!! LOL Sorry, I just couldn't pass that one up!

Chuck

[Tim C]

Nice catch, I would edit but someone would then pile on.

Tee

[Brad]

Originally posted by Tim C
Brad I allowed your last post (the last one I saw anyway) to go by without comment.

I'm not sure what you are referring to -- this was the first post that I posted on this thread...

- Brad

[Rich]

Afraid to call technicals? I don't think so. I've called my share over the years.

Have I seen an official give a technical in lieu of good listening skills? Absolutely.

Give a warning? Then a technical? Maybe it is better to find out why the coach is saying what he is in the first place.

I watch a lot of top level college hoops. Those guys don't exactly call a lot of technicals and they communicate well with coaches that have more pressure on them than the coaches that WE deal with (unless you call D-I, that is).

Why is that?

Rich

[Brad]

Rich,

My comments were not directed at you, but rather at the idea that technicals should be avoided -- to some officials that means never call them!

- Brad

[zebraman]

Originally posted by Rich Fronheiser
These days I encourage coaches to use my first name and talk to me --

I have no problem with coaches or players addressing me in a respectful manner any time I have a chance. But if one coach is calling me by my first name and the other coach doesn't know me from Adam, I tell the "familiar" coach the first chance I get, "hey coach, please call me ref." The old saying goes "perception is reality" and I don't want the other coach to incorrectly think that the "familiar coach" is getting reffed by his best buddy.

Z