Need some advice, although it might be too late.

A few nights ago, I worked a game with a very weak partner. He did not switch on fouls, did not close down properly and was rooted in concrete as Trail; and he was poor on judgment (calling 2 Charges blocks), and generally left me hanging in several situations.

In retrospect, there seems there are 2 ways to handle partner-without-a-clue:

1. Be supportive. Project the appearance to players, coaches and fans that we are in charge and can keep the game flowing. So, if he does not switch, don't force it and make him look bad. If he is stuck in concrete (2 man game), make adjustments to my position to expand my area a bit to cover the game.

OR

2. Be the BOSS. Force the switch, give hand signals to have him cover his area properly. over-rule his obvious errors in judgments (Blarge, out-of-bounds directions, etc). This approach, however, gives everyone in the gym the message that he is the weakest link, which can lead to disaster later in a close game.

In the game, I chose the first. I judged it was more important not to allow the game to descend into choas.

Unfortunately, it was our floor test. The weakest link may have sunk me.

Now that it is over, would it be advisable to file a written self-evaluation of the floor test to the supervisor?

Any advice would be appreciated.

HUNG-OUT-2-DRY-IN-JERSEY

I am not an evaluator, but I stayed in a Holiday Inn Express last night! :D

I think opting for #1 was the best way to work through this as much as possible; especially if you do not know what your evaluator was looking for. Some of the more senior officials (Read: Evaluators) will give you more insight about differing philosophies.

To me it appears you made the most of a difficult situation.

My first question would be did you go through a complete pregame with your partner? If you did a good pregame and he just didn't do any of the things you talked about then your sort of stuck.

However, if I did have a partner like that I would have to say that for the most part I would just continue to call my game, the way I try to call every game I do. I would probably expand my area a little to help out my partner a little bit, however like I said I would still try to call my own game.

My only suggestion as far a not switching on the fouls during the floor test would be, if you are not the calling official stand somewhere that it looks like your waiting for the switch and if your partner doesn't switch just slide into the other position.

Hopefully for you the evaluators noticed that you knew what you were doing and that you were being effected by your partner inability to use correct mechanics. I don't know that you should write a self-evaluation, but I would say try to talk to whoever the evaluators were and see what they thought and then go from there.

Jerry

We had a complete 20 min pregame. Most of the things we covered, such as switching on all front court fouls was ignored.

The situation you described happened to me when I had my first evaluation. It was a JV girls game and I called my partner a week before the game to let him know that I was going to be evaluated and to make sure he got there plenty early so we could do a thorough pregame. Everything went fine up until we took the floor and then it was clear that he didn't have a clue. The first half was horrible. At the intermission, my evaluator took me into one room and the Varsity officials took my partner into a separate room to give him a crash course on basic mechanics. My evaluator told me to concentrate on my game regardless of what my partner was doing. He also said that he was there to evaluate me and not my partner. This helped ease my fears. I tried to refocus and eventually the game started getting better. I had a great 4th quarter (probably one of my best of the year). After the game, he went over my weaknesses as we watched the Varsity game. The point I'm trying to make is that a good evaluator will look past the troubles with your partner and evaluate you on your abilities. Be sure to listen to them and incorporate their suggestions. I still remember my weaknesses from that first evaluation and work on them each game.

Mregor

I've been the weak partner, and I've had the weak partner. Trust your evaluators. They know how to tell what's going on and they will look to see how you react to a poor partner. If you handle it well, (and it sounds like you did) they will recognize your abilities and you will be rewarded--with lots more poor partners!! Ha, Ha, just kidding. Your reward will be a better schedule and more political pull. At least, I hope that's the reward since some of my partners deserve it after putting up with me, especially the first couple years.

What a great topic.

I think you need to find a place in the middle. I say from being the weak partner earlier in my career. Most of the time now, I end up having the weak partner.

There are some things to not do. Do not show up your partner, make him look stupid our do something that forces him to look like he's not sure where/what to do next.

When switching on fouls he calls, I suggest hustling in and forcing the switch. You can usually get the ball and be in a position to "remind" him where the throw-in is if he is to administer, or "remind" him where to go if you're going to administer. If he's T table side, perhaps you'll have to let that one go with him reporting and administering if it's a defensive foul and his mechanics are quick to the table.

For stuff you call, you can also be more patient and a bit slower when identifying where the throw-in is. You could use a phrase like "John, I'll take the throw-in on the endline," after you've done the usual spot of foul mechanics.

As for being rooted as T, remind him during a TO to move down a bit. I recently worked at a trainig session for first/second year officials and one woman needed to come down lower as T. I suggested she come right down to the foul line extended and don't worry if she gets beat down the court. In fact, I wanted her to get beat down the court. It's only once out of 60 times in that one game, but then she'd better know how far to come down.

Be s trong T when working with a weak official. I get this situation alot in men's leagues and will have a whistle after my P because I have a foul that caused a travel and my P sees the travel.

Mike

IMO
 

If I was officially, formally evaluating, it would make sense to me to have a plan to meet with the official after the game, while the game is still fresh, and touch on all the notes and answer all the questions that may arise.

Leaving the scene of the crime and following up days later with performance notes could possibly create more questions than answers.

I too had a week partner during a recent floor test/evaluation. I reacted as you did and it was noticed and approved by evaluators. In fact based upon the evaluation i moved up a step while my partner did not.

You have a job to do.
 

I think if you have a good pregame and get on the same page before the game starts, when the ball is tossed up, all you can do is let them do their job.

Peace

The one thing that I don't understand here is why do so many people get nervous or overly conscious of their evaluation. Every game could be a potential evaluation (never know who's watching) so I don't see it as being practical to treat this game any differently. Finally, all evaluators are experienced officials who recognize skills and mechanics, trust that they will see the flaws of any potentially weak partner. In fact, this can be a blessing because if you are able to carry your partner and demonstrate leadership, it could lead to a great evaluation. Everyone's been the weak partner and everyone's worked with the weak partner and although it's not the best situation, you gotta make do. Trying to have one good game to impress an evaluator if you are truly mediocre fools him as much as a good game by a JV bench player fools the varsity coach.