It's Life
 

Okay, I did something, and got a negative result. I think, "What did I do or not do that produced that negative result?" -(missed a call, made the wrong call, etc.) Then, I think, "What will I do in a similar circumstance, in the future? And I go on.
The next time, I use the new protocol, and I check the results - were they positive, or negative? If I'm pleased with the results, I stick with the new protocol. If not, I evaluate, modify, and move on.
The worst thing I can do is to brood over something in the past. And as a young official, this would just tie me in knots, and make me freeze up more and more, because this process is always ongoing at a pace that will wear out a person who worries too much about what he did rather than taking the experience and making the next opportunity better.
Some of the other guys have said it really well - move on. It's life.

+1

Yeah we have to be page turners instead of dwelling on it & going in the tank.
"That's equivellant to the player who turns the ball over & then doesnt get back on D." - Marc Davis


Although we strive for perfection, its an unattainable goal, so we settle for excellence!
Besides, if we miss a couple out of the 300 or so decisions we make per game our accuracy is still much higher than the players shooting percentage & better than their turnovers to assist ratio.

Sounds like you may be in Quality Systems (possibly 6 Sigma?)

I really like this advice. Tonight are my first two school ball games I'm going to work (after doing some rec ball but having taken the last few years off) and that is my plan for tonight until I can get comfortable with everything I need to know and do.

Dress right, have pride in the signal/call and do the things listed above. Those are on my goal sheet for tonight.

I'll take that as a great compliment! Actually, I've developed my philosophy just through life experience.
When I've had employees, and been an administrator, I've used the following ideal: If I have an employee who never makes a mistake, I know one thing about that employee: He/she isn't working anywhere near his/her potential.

Absolutely, provided that the call is right. Be patient.

Your next step will be regretting calls you did make, because you'll start calling everything you think you see. Try to maintain your patient whistle, and you'll minimize this stage.

Tagging on to this, your call better be 110% correct. If any doubt at all,
fugetabowtit. Late and questionable are not a good combo.

Another Analysis
 

Another dynamic may be going on that might deserve mention.
Think of officiating a game as three partially overlapping bubbles representing what your mind needs to concentrate on. One bubble represents RULES, another MECHANICS/SIGNALS, another JUDGMENT. Ideally, one wants to know the rules so well and his/her mechanics (including positioning and primary coverage areas) and signals so well that hardly any thought at all needs to be expended during a game on those two items. That means you can invest all your mind's efforts on judgment, whether and when to make a call or leave it a no call, which is the situation you originally cited.
With more and more games and situations and camps and contests observed under your belt, you'll find yourself migrating over to that judgment bubble more and more over time.
Make sense? Or just a bunch of psuedo-neophilosophical psychobabble?

Thanks so much of all the help. I am back on the court tonight and I will try to use these ideas. I try so hard to call a good game. I have so much to learn.


Thanks again.

Kevin

No prob Kevin.

You may want to consider eliminating the word "try" from your vocab & become a Nike man.

"Do or do not, there is no try"

Yoda

Better to leave a violation or travel out there than to call a phantom imo.

As somebody said earlier it gets better with time and games. Remember it's not life and death. Your desire to improve will help you a great deal. Try to stay in the moment.

[QUOTE=Indianaref;802884]As others have said this has happened to us all, still does from time to time...and with time, things do get better. I have seen 30+ yr veterans miss calls. Having said that, I do however think it is probably better to have an on time whistle on violations and a patient whistle on fouls.[/QUOTE]
Starting my 4th year and never heard that....sounds to me like great advice.

This has been a great thread for all us newer officials....like the poster I still (far to often IMO) have that "late recognition/reaction" to a foul and don't get air into the whistle.

To all the vets who replied...thanks for tips and the reassuring advice....esp. about the difference between caring and wanting to get it right and beating yourself up over a missed call.