Kids rec question
 

Worked a 6th grade boys "competitive" game last night. I had a partner with whom I'd never worked before in all my years. He had a "method" of making calls that was unconventional. After he blew his whistle for a violation or a foul, he didn't raise his hand or give a mechanic to indicate what the violation or foul was, but pointed in a direction and yelled "blue ball" or "white ball". He would then state if it was a foul or a violation and what it was for. IOW - he reversed the order of reporting and used no indication mechanics.

When I asked him about this at a break, he said he does it this way only for "little kids games" so that the kids will know what's going to happen to the ball and will start to get into proper position quicker. I'd never heard of that before but I understand his logic. However, when I asked him why he didn't indicate the infraction with a mechanic (which would help his partner) he just shrugged.

Just curious, do any of you think this (the order of the call, not ignoring mechanics) is a good idea for kids rec games? Why or why not? Thanks.

Oh yeah, on shooting fouls, he would just point to the FT line and say, for instance, "Blue 21, two shots". I wonder if the scorekeeper thought the foul was on Blue 21. I never thought to check.

Earth to Official...Earth to Official...
 

No. (You mentioned he does this "for little kids' games". Does he then do it more conventionally for big kids' games? And, if so, how the heck does he make the transition from game to game?)

Let the little kids learn what to expect when they're big kids by doing it the conventional way early on, I'd say.

Unless, of course, somewhere in Illinois there is an association or an assignor whose trainers insist this is the way it is to be done if you expect to be assigned any games. :D

I'm calling BS! His partner(s) should be first to know what happened (mechanic) & how play will resume (proper order). Plus, the kids will be confused when they get to HS if he works many of their games.

I use the same mechanics regardless of the level I work. I'm not good enough to try and mix and match.

Ditto.

Plus, while it might help a little, if you train the players what you'll be doing down the road they will already know.

+1
I still don't get the sequence correctly every time as it is... trying to do different mechanics for 'kids' then I do for 'high school' would mess up my brain even more.

I too call BS
 

I can't blow my whistle without a hand going up or a held ball signal. It's such a habit that sometimes a heavy sigh makes me want to put my hand in the air. :)

It takes a real thinker to go between prescribed mechanics and a method that is more "little kid" friendly. It appears to me he has some bad habits and blamed it on the level he was calling.

I'm for using the appropriate mechanics in your area for all levels.

IKR! That why I had to stop doing 3 on 3s :D

Same here, but my biggest challenge through week 2 of the HS season has been not using 2 hands to report & stopping the clock for OOB :(

I wonder if his original mechanics were just that bad and confused people that he had to come up with this approach.

You're A Better Official Than I Am, Gunga Din ...
 

All the same mechanics. Switching on fouls? Handling throwins? Not bumping timeouts? Always going to the reporting area, every time? Same in a high school varsity game as in a little kids recreation game, or a summer AAU game? And your recreation, and AAU, partners go along with this?

Dyslexia?

Despite your desire to take my statement out of context, I was originally referring to my personal mechanics, not our crew mechanics.

I don't do varsity (real nor Catholic middle school) or summer AAU and we're highly encouraged to use proper mechanics in the youth league I work so to answer your question, yes.