i am looking for tips or procedures officials use to help them identify and remember who the shooter is after a foul. Also, how to be more aware of a team approaching the bonus situation.

First of all if the scoreboard indicates team fouls I give it a glance on occasion. Secondly, I try to take my time when I feel like the bonus is getting near to give the scorer a chance to do his paperwork and when a bonus foul occurs I move toward the offending player to indicate the foul and point to the offended player and tell him/her that they are the shooter. This communication works well for me. Good Luck!

Before I go to report, I make eye contact with my partner to let him know what I have, and tell Him/Her the number of the shooter. Now my partner has my back covered while I report the foul.

JC

As the non-calling official, I will tell myself two numbers. the shooter and the player that fouled. I don't worry about colors. I also let my partner know I have the shooter. I find this is the best way to help. As the calling official i do my on spot mechanics and point to the shooter to let my partners know.

On the mechanics of calling fouls, the best advice ever given to me is to SLOW DOWN. At the time of the foul, hit your whistle, and then announce what you have in this order... who fouled, what kind of foul you have if it's not obvious, who the shooter is, and how many free throws (s)he'll have. I try to announce this loud enough that my partner, the table and both coaches can hear it. Taking 3-4 extra seconds to get all this straight is much preferable to losing a shooter or leaving your partner in the dark as to what you have.

Regarding the question about bonus situations, I try to use time-outs to check with the table on the current number of team fouls. This way, I'm usually aware of how close each team is getting to the seventh and tenth fouls. Echoing the message above, the scoreboard can also be used as a guide, depending on your confidence in the overall reliability of the scoreboard operator.

Good luck!

I think we can talk techniques until we are blue in the face, but the best answer is to just do it. If we make a conscious effort before each game that we will know who our shooter is, or how many team fouls there are, it will eventually become second nature. Think back to the first time you ever officiated. Many of us had trouble coming up with a closed fist for a foul, and an open palm for a violation. Now, with more experience it is automatic. The same thing happens with knowing the shooter and the foul situation.

Advise given to me that works is to know the shooter on every foul beginning with the first one. Know what you have when you blow whistle. Know fouler and shooter before you leave to report. You may not have to annouce the numbers, but have them in your mind so there won't be any surprises when bonus goes into effect

What I usually do is "MARK" the shooter. If I am the calling official I ususlaly "bird-dog" the fouler (remember I use FIBA) and then say "12 black is the shooter" loud enough for my partner to hear and everyone else to hear so there is no confusion. It puts the number in my mind and then no one can contradct me.

If I am the non-calling official. I come in and mark the shooter and then ask if there are any shots if there may be some confusion. I then point to him until everything clears out. And then there is definelty NO confusion.

CHRIS
THE BAHAMAS

Experience, experience, experience!!! The more you officiate, the more aware of the situations you are in. You only get this by doing games and getting experience. You should after every foul or stoppage of play give a quick look at the scoreboard and see how many fouls are on the board. Also, if your head is in the game, you should know at some point when you are at least close to the bonus. When you finally get in the bonus you just simply tell your partner who the shooter is and then go report your foul. The more experience you get the easier this becomes. Not much else you can say than that.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Geneva">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by JRutledge:
Experience, experience, experience!!! The more you officiate, the more aware of the situations you are in. You only get this by doing games and getting experience. You should after every foul or stoppage of play give a quick look at the scoreboard and see how many fouls are on the board. Also, if your head is in the game, you should know at some point when you are at least close to the bonus. When you finally get in the bonus you just simply tell your partner who the shooter is and then go report your foul. The more experience you get the easier this becomes. Not much else you can say than that.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yeah, Rut,
It certainly does get easier when you no longer have to remember where the table is, remember to go around the players and not through them, remember the proper mechanic you are gonna use for a signal.
Yup, experience lets 95% of the reporting automatic and you don't even have to think about it anymore. It just happens. http://www.refereeforum.com/ubb/smile.gif
mick

Why has no one talked about the 6th and 9 fouls. I have been taught that these are the most important. In FIBA the 7th team foul is the most important. On the 6th,9th and 7th COMMUNICATE with your partner, let them know what is going on. By telling your partner verbally or non verbally you are showing that you are on the ball and helping to work as a team.

Who said not to indicate this on the bonus fouls(6th and 9th)? You have to do this in these situations much more than shooting fouls. It is not as obvious. I think the question is how to remember the shooter and that situation would not be an exception.

By letting your partner know that the 6th or 9th foul has occured the implied message is that on the next foul call the non calling official will be sure to get the shooters numbers, sorry i didn't make myself clearer. The calling official main priority is to call and report the foul. The off official(s)main priority is to find the shooter and watch the players.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Geneva">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by hoopsrefBC:
By letting your partner know that the 6th or 9th foul has occured the implied message is that on the next foul call the non calling official will be sure to get the shooters numbers, sorry i didn't make myself clearer. The calling official main priority is to call and report the foul. The off official(s)main priority is to find the shooter and watch the players.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Bird Dog
When you make the call bird dog by going up to the foul and saying out loud what you have, 34 black you fouled on the arm 15 white you are my shooter loud enough so that my partner can hear me that also helps me get it straight so that when i report to the table i an on it.

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Allways trying to get better!

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Geneva">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by joselirizarry:
Bird Dog
When you make the call bird dog by going up to the foul ....
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Jose,
We only close down a few steps toward the foul. Going up to the place of foul may appear too aggressive.
mick