HIGH SCHOOL OFFICIAL LOOKING TO ADVANCE

[bludevil1221]

I'M NEW HERE. I'VE BEEN OFFICIATING REC BALL IN ORLANDO FOR ABOUT SEVEN YEARS AND I'VE DONE HIGH SCHOOL FOR THREE YEARS NOW IN THE CENTRAL FLORIDA OFFICIALS ASSOCIATION. I LOVE OFFICIATING AND I'M GOOD AT IT. I KNOW THE RULES, I GET GOOD GRADES ON THE STATE TESTS AND I HAVE REALLY GOOD MECHANICS AND COURT PRESENCE. I WANT TO OFFICIATE HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL SO BAD. I'M REGISTERED FOR A COUPLE CAMPS THIS SUMMER. I JUST STARTED GETTING SOME CHRISTIAN SCHOOL VARSITY GAMES BUT I FEEL LIKE I'M READY FOR MORE. DOES ANYONE LIVE IN THE CENTRAL FLORIDA AREA AND WOULD YOU LIKE TO MENTOR ME. IF NOT DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY ADVICE OR POINTERS FOR ME, OR MAYBE SOME CONTACTS. PLEASE HELP ME OUT...THANKS

[Back In The Saddle]

Originally posted by bludevil1221
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY ADVICE OR POINTERS FOR ME

Yep, I surely do. ALL CAPS IS CONSIDERED YELLING. And it generally gets on people's nerves.

Good luck and I hope you find what you're looking for.

[Larks]

Check these threads:

http://www.officialforum.com/showthr...?threadid=5443

http://www.officialforum.com/showthr...?threadid=6237

http://www.officialforum.com/showthr...?threadid=6531

http://www.officialforum.com/showthr...?threadid=7174

Good Luck

[bludevil1221]

actually, i'm going to caldwells camp this summer, i'm in cenral florida so he's pretty common around here and most of the guys here in our asscoiation go to the camp. how about any websites or mechanics trainings??

[Larks]

Originally posted by bludevil1221
actually, i'm going to caldwells camp this summer, i'm in cenral florida so he's pretty common around here and most of the guys here in our asscoiation go to the camp. how about any websites or mechanics trainings??

Good. There will be people you should get to know there.

I wish Ohio had a good high school camp like this one.

[bludevil1221]

we also have a good camp at disney where conferences come to pick up refs, run by tony mcdonald. yeah were pretty lucky down here!!

[NYBAREF]

First of all, be patient. Things will come to if you work hard and are patient.

Going to a camp is a great idea.

This time of the year is a good time to go and watch games. Pick a playoff game or two and go simply to watch the refs. If you introduce yourself to them, they may let you in the locker room so that you can be part of their pre-game, half-time, and past game discussions.

When I was first coming up the ranks, I thought I was all that. Then I got into some "Real" varsity games. That put me in my place a bit. It took 10 years, but now I am working my first state tournament. That is where the patience comes in. You can always learn something from each game your ref or watch.

Don't be afraid to make mistakes. But learn from them. If a coach thinks you are wrong about a call, look it up after the game. Prove yourself right (or wrong).

Remember this. The cream always rises to the top.

Good Luck to you.

Scott

[bludevil1221]

good advice, thanks a lot. i am very cocky, this is good advice!!

[Mike Burns]

bludevil1221

I am also in the CFOA (3rd year) and plan to go to JB's camp this summer. I went last year and learned a lot and also had a lot of fun.. E-mail me so that we can hook up!

Mike

[bludevil1221]

that would be awesome. since this your 3rd year did you go to allan and chaps officiating class they did three years ago at lyman hs?

[Mike Burns]

I'll send you an email.

[bludevil1221]

Yeah that would be great!!

[LSams]

BlueDevil & Mike-

I also work CFOA. Good move going to JB's camp, and to the Officially-Officials camp (Tony MacDonald, Pete Jenkinson) check their website for information to be out soon.

Also have you made it to Jim Wilkenings class at UCF yet? This is one of the finest classes I know of; 1 night a week for 9 weeks in the fall. Great group of instructors from CFOA as well as area college officials. Game & video tape experience. Jim is the head of Recreation Services at UCF if you need to get a hold of him.

[fletch_irwin_m]

Be pateient, professional and humble.
There are a lot of people who have been at this longer then you have. You may not think they are better than you are, but they may be. They have experience, and that takes time. You will find that there are three types of people in your association. 1) Those that are college officials and are always trying to get better 2) Those who are good officials and happy at the level they are at and continue to get better 3) Those who are not interested in getting better, and just do it for the beer money. You CAN learn from all 3 groups.
Don't bad mouth fellow officials. My situation is unique, but if my wife ever complains about an official (which is rare) I always tell her, even watching tape, I wasn't there, not sure what the "feel" of the game was. Don't let coaches jump on you to "help your partner out". Don't bad mouth to fellow officials. This is not professional, and shows more about you then those you are talking about.
There is no game "beneath you". I worked a middle school game this year with a guy who does DI college games. (Which made the hecklers seem that much funier to me) We all have to work our way up the ladder. I will admit that at first I had a problem with this, "Hey, I did Varsity last nite, why am I here tonite?" BUT I realized that my growth was GREATLY helped by those "verteran" officials who helped me when I was at that level. Treat those games like any other with regards to mechanics and positioning. You will impress the bageezers out of the fans when you do.

Sorry it was a long one. I was a philosophy major in College!

[bludevil1221]

That's good advice. I love working with people who have something new to bring to the table. I don't think I'm better than anybody, but I do see the relevance with all that you said. Thanks for the advice, I lokk forward to learning in this forum as much as on the court!!