Post-camp thoughts
 

OK boys and girls ... I'll be the first to admit that I hit it hard this year. Seven total camps from June 1 through July 31 sets my all-time record in five years I have been attending college camps. I have some random thoughts and observations:

1. Seven is too many: Physically I had no issues keeping up, but by the last one my ability to focus was not what it should have been and I know for a fact it cost me a staff position (and I'm the only one to blame for it).

2. Assignors/coordinators don't really give a rat's *** about mechanics: For all the big, lofty talk about consistency and everyone looking the same reporting it simply doesn't pan out in terms of who gets hired. Your court positioning/presence and call selection seem to weigh far heavier (and I have no problem with this).

3. Written feedback from clinicians is almost a thing of the past: At only one of the seven did I receive a copy of what the clinicians wrote immediately following post-game evaluations. I have saved every one of these I have received for the past five years and review them regularly to see if I'm making progress in areas previously identified. Why is this practice going away? This makes no sense to me.

4. Clinicians: There are good clinicians and bad clinicians, that's undeniable. The good ones recognize that an occasional compliment or postive reinforcement mixed in with constructive criticism goes a long way to making a point. The bad ones ... well, let's just say they are incapable of doing anything but criticizing and leave it at that.

5. Camp size: Small camps are not necessarily better than large ones, but the opposite is also true. I attended one camp with 150+ officials (men's and women's) and one camp with about 22 officials (women's side only). One was no better than the other, each offered its own advantages and disadvantages.

6. Post-camp communications: First, let me say that at seven out of seven camps, each assignor/coordinator stressed the importance of good communication to successful refereeing ... on and off the court, pre-game, during the game and post-game. Of the seven, the two assignors for whom I work were quick to e-mail and let me know what they thought of my performance. For the one which I was hired I received a brief congratulations e-mail with instructions for filing paperwork with the conference office within a few days; I've e-mailed three for feedback and only receive a response from one (and a poor response at that); and the last I received a "need to see you work next year" reply within a couple of days. One would like to think there would be a little "practice what you preach" coming into play somewhere. The two where I have received no response have been marked off my list for next year.

Yes, this was an expensive camp year for me and I was likely a bit over-exposed as I had the same clinicians multiple times at different camps. Sometimes this was to my benefit as they commented if I had improved in an area they identified and when I made the same mistake as they had seen at a previous camp I was called out on it. The lesson has been learned on attending too many camps.

Anyone else have similar observations this year?

I was a clinician at several camps this summer and some had some really good talent on the court was present in a few of these camps (meaning the players).

The biggest problem I see with officials that attend camps is that many officials are not realistic about what their ability is. One of the camps we had two fights in one day and when we tried to reconstruct the events with the officials, all we heard were excuses about the events. And to be fair it was not just in these games, but many games. One camp we put officials together based on experience level and tried to have one relatively long time veteran and a middle experience guy/gal and probably a newer or rookie official. We wanted to see if the veteran would step up and take charge and they often did not. When they did not and we asked them why they did not step up they would get mad or expect that their partners would be better or they would complain they did not recognize the situation or that we were being hard on them.

Well this is very frustrating when the point of camp is to get better and to get instruction you cannot possibly get during the season, but guys would not take advantage of it. Now this was not just me talking, one camp was run by a former NBA official (who just retired in the last year or so) and current NBA site evaluator and multiple college and State Final officials and assignors. In one camp there were more state final appearances than I can imagine at any camp in the state and we had guys that would be told things and their attitude was just terrible. And that camp was an evaluation camp where it was designed to identify up and coming officials and it was sad how many balked against the pressure.

I guess the point I am trying to make is I wish guys went to camps like those that work a lot of college camps do. Work hard, hustle and keep your mouth shut. Then if there is something you do not like, do not use it and move on. But when you keep trying to debate someone that has accomplished more than you have or has the ability to give you games in their conference, it is better to just take the medicine and try to learn from it. I never go to camps as a camper and feel I need to share my opinions unless asked and even then I am only going to ask for some clarification it is not to get into an argument or debate with the clinicians or supervisors.

It was just a frustrating summer from that point of view when you are often dealing with people that are spending their time and you are spending your money and any effort to help it is fallen on deaf ears. Oh well, I was making money most of it at camp, not spending it. I guess I should not really care, because those that had more of an interest in hiring those seemed to right those people off quickly.

Peace

Joe Forte?

No.

Peace

7 is too many as you said. I did 3 between May 6th and June 11th. Was willing to do another camp in July that was local but it got cancelled. Definitely will not do more than 3 next year.

I've given up on trying to figure out what will get you hired. I just work, hustle, and listen and hope things work out.

Because it's just a money-making venture for them. Yes, some folks will get hired but first and foremost this is income for the supervisors and observers.

Just like anything else in life, you get good, you get bad, you get in the middle.


See my answer to #3.