First Post.

We are trying to promote 3 person for our high school games. Anyone have input on successfull approaches to Principals and administrators?

No advice here, Denny. We're still stuck with 2-whistle in MA. Sorry

Chuck

Generally you'll have 3 problems:

1. School budgets, which might mean you'll have to agree to take less per whistle for the 3 man games.

2. Coaches. Although generally coaches are willing to go to 3 man some coaches are dead set against 3 whistle - they believe the extra man results in more interuptions. This is especially true if a coach teaches a more physical game. Depending on the amount of power coaches have in your area this might be a problem. Try & build a base of coaches who want the 3 whistle game.

3. Refs. Sadly some guys will not want to go to 3 man, because they're getting less money per game or they are unwilling to learn the new system or whatever. Build a base of officials in your association who are willing to go to 3 man and give the "dinosaurs" a way to accept only 2 man games without being penalized by the association or assignor. They will come around eventually, or they will get out.

Good luck.

One More Possible Point
 

Almost all varsity boys ball around here is 3-whistle and some of the bigger schools have done so as well for girls. There's a general feeling that 3-whistle mechanics will keep some of the older veterans in the game a little longer (less running, etc.). That might be a selling point to some coaches.

3 person
 

Three man is great, if everyone knows the area they are calling. A three man causes officials to miss a lot of calls and you are not as intense and you get lazy. Its great for the older officials less running and so on. The older officials need to give it up and retire and stay with the 2 man. I think with a 2 man you get better officiating

Clay

B.S. B.S. B.S.

Of course 3-person is only great if everyone watches their primary. Officiating PERIOD is only good if everyone watches their primary.

Three officials who know what they're doing are absolutely better than two. The challenge is making sure all three work as a solid crew.

I did a three-man game recently where we didn't call a single foul until 6:00 into the game. It had great flow, good, physical play, and the coaches liked it fine. The notion that 3-man automatically means three times as many calls is not true. Heck, you can accomplish that with ONE whistle.

The major obstacle will always be money...either schools not wanting to pay it, or officials not wanting less of it.

Clay???
 

I've read you post 5 times and I still can't believe what I'm reading. Not as intense? Lazy? You are either a young official who has a lot to learn, or a vet who is so set in your ways you don't want to be bothered going to camps, learning 3 person and changing. Two person is fine for rec ball, JV and most HS games and even some JUCO and D-3 college. I've officiated in plenty of HS playoffs, sectionals and tournaments where you get the cream of the crop as far as teams go, and two person does an injustice to the talent on the floor. There is just no way 2 people can cover everything on the floor.

Re: 3 person
 

Your experience shows.

what do you think is better Three officials or two?
we are still officiating with two(in israel).

3 perosn
 

NCAAREF,

I have been doing this for 7 years now. And have gone to many 3 person clinics over the past 4 yrs. I work a three man crew now, but would rather work a 2 man. The three perosn is so caught up with the flex and calling your own area, that I think you let alot of things go worrying about was that in my area or his. This is just what I think. You don't have to agree with me.


Clay

NCAA - 3-whistle
NBA - 3-whistle
NC - 3-whistle

Your call. ;)

Re: 3 person
 

One of the premises of 3-whistle is to trust your partner.
Once you allow yourself to achieve that mindset, a lot of your "worry" will go away.

2 person better thn 3??? (can you say what is clay taking???)
 

Having worked both I agree 100%!!!! There is no possible way IMO when three whistle is worked correctly that you would get a better game w/ two whistle. Had it last night HS BV two very athletic physical teams. A perfect candidate for three person. If everyone is in their area there is NO Guessing. It is either a foul or it isn't.

Mick
did you get my mail?(music)

Oops! Sorry for not responding, Romano.
Yes, I got it.
It seemed to be a very soothing melody, but the problem I had was that, though it went along quite nicely, it didn't seem to go anywhere.
Listening to it was kinda like explaining a rule to coach, where he is quietly nodding his head in agreement with everything you say, and then he says, "Huh?"

But you have to agree with me that this music is very very nice!

Denny,

You might want to approach the powers that be with the safety factor that an extra set of eyes provides. There was a terrible fight in San Antonio about 3 years ago that could easily have been prevented if the 3rd official was in the game, picking up much of the cheap stuff that caused the bad situation. Lawsuits followed the incident. This was one of the factors that was used in getting 3 person into Houston.

Contact Brad at officiating.com and he might be able to get you information about the incident that happened which was mentioned above. After all, how much ($$$) is the safety of the kids worth?

We referee to FIBA rules in N.Z. and last year started 3PO for the first time. Players appreciated it as it cleaned up the game. We are looking forward to the start of our season when we can implement it again.

Thanx to all for your well thought out replies. BigWhistle has this tiger by the tail by addressing the safety issue. Administrators everywhere will at least listen if you suggest they are putting their students in jeopardy by not having 3 person. That is a huge selling point. Along with getting coaches and administrators on board with the FACT that, properly done, 3 person makes for a much better game. To the nay sayers, it's gonna happen so get ahead of the curve and you will be happy you were a leader and a proponent of bettering our avocation.

Again, sincere thanx. It seems there are quite a few really great people in officiating and you are some of them.

denref
can you say it please to me mother?...