Nothing quite that interesting, but we did have one dicey moment. I was lead, and called an illegal screen off-ball on A1, who now had 8 fouls. The players and my partner all walked to the other end, while I reported. I then hustled on down to the other endline, thinking I should now be lead again (South end of the gym to North end). My partner, however, thought he should be lead. I should have just done what he said, but disagreed quietly for a moment, and then for another moment. Finally, I realized we were standing in the key arguing and I went up to trail. It took way too long. Which is too bad, because I just got dinged on an eval a few weeks ago for disagreeing too long with a partner. Anther lesson to learn.

After the euphoria started to wear off, I remembered something I had read or heard somewhere along the line, about "no long switches," but of course, I couldn't find my official's manual, or anything else that would confirm or correct my little thought fragment. What do all you vets do about long switches?

In Fed 2-whistle games and NCAA men's 3-whistle games, you should switch on fouls that occur in Team A's frontcourt when the ball will be awarded to Team B. As far as I know, only in NCAA men's 2-whistle games would you not make this "long switch".

However, in all of the above mechanics, I believe that you would switch if the foul results in FTs for Team B. If you and I have been working together Juulie, you would have become the Lead and administered the FTs in B's frontcourt.

Chuck

I switch on every foul, just like the NFHS manual says.

You were right, but you are also right about not making a big deal out of it.

How did A1 get 8 fouls, anyway? :)

Rich

There are a lot of people here who don't want to work varsity. They want the money from the JV game and the ability to get home.

I don't get it.

Going out on the court at 20:00, listening to a pep band playing, having introductions, a singing or playing of the anthem, a PA announcer....

By the start of the game I'm kinda wound up, even though my first varsity game was over a decade ago. The game itself is almost a letdown :)

Congrats Juulie. There'll be plenty more, and I hope they're all as exciting as your first. I mean, wait until you whack your first varsity coach :)

Rich

For me, a JV game is the least money, unless I also have the Frosh game before it, or the boys' JV game,also. The traffic is the worst trying to get to JV, so I have the most driving time which translates into the most babysitting money. I can't imagine wanting to hold onto that when I could be having so much more fun, like I did last night, and paying less in babysitting, and still getting home to tuck the kids into bed.

Chuck,
In Fed 3-whistle and in Women 3-whistle there are no long switches.
Sometimes we do not switch in Fed 2-whistle, particularly if the lead is way down court. We just point and stay.
mick

Too bad you're not doing any rec games for me this Saturday. However, I'm sure I could squeeze in a couple of 3rd and 4th grade girls game for you if you really want to return to reality.

Congratulations Rainmaker!!! I remember my first varsity game and I was quite frankly, NERVOUS. Standing there with sweaty palms and butteflies in the stomach and then the tip-off and away we go. Great feeling. Hope you get a ton more of these games.

Although this seems unbelievable, my first varsity game was the 4th game I ever officiated. I thought I knew it all so I didn't realize how nervous I should've been. Luckily for me it was a girls varsity tournament championship game. Both teams were very skilled and as such nothing truly out of the ordinary occurred. I was also lucky enough to work with two other experienced officials so I felt that there was strength in numbers.

Strangely enough, I get more nervous energy now for a varsity game than I did then...maybe because I realize the stakes and how lucky I am to be there.

Congrats rainmaker...

Dave

Decided to let him stay in the game a bit longer because it was your first time doing varsity? :D