Not making the call frustration.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by dsqrddgd909

Late and right is much better than quick and wrong. Patient whistles are fine.

I will second the other posters who said to let it go. I'm 3rd year so I sometimes let missed calls get to me still. While it's good to know what to work on, it's best to be relaxed, focused and confident. When you're on the court you and your partner are the rules experts, the one in the best position and the only ones without a vested interest in the game.

Some advice I learned here: "Be in the right place, look in the right place, call the obvious."

I missed a travel in my last game. Ball was out on the other side of the court just above the FT line extended. I was the trail. My eyes got over there late because I had some screening action I thought was more important at the moment. Player lifted the pivot foot before releasing the ball on the dribble. A pretty obvious travel, I'm guessing, although I didn't see the beginning, so I didn't put air into the whistle. I heard the coach and, for once, I think he was right.

I think it bothered me for about two seconds. Seriously. If it bothers me longer, it affects the next call or the next sequence. We *all* miss things. Let it go. Don't feel pressure to get the next one.

[fullor30]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

I missed a travel in my last game. Ball was out on the other side of the court just above the FT line extended. I was the trail. My eyes got over there late because I had some screening action I thought was more important at the moment. Player lifted the pivot foot before releasing the ball on the dribble. A pretty obvious travel, I'm guessing, although I didn't see the beginning, so I didn't put air into the whistle. I heard the coach and, for once, I think he was right.

I think it bothered me for about two seconds. Seriously. If it bothers me longer, it affects the next call or the next sequence. We *all* miss things. Let it go. Don't feel pressure to get the next one.

Probably my biggest flaw, and something I'm constantly working on. I'll say to myself, that's a travel, and assume nobody saw it....guess what? Everbody saw it. I strongly agree, you have more time than you think to process a play and make the correct call. Last game I had, there was a quick double dribble, player went up for shot. I saw it, froze, and heard bench and coach give a moan. I called it, albeit a second late. No reaction at all from anybody, it was clearly the correct call and maybe a nano second late, but right. Watch D1 guys, they do it all the time.

[Refsmitty]

It does get better and the game will slow down as all veterans say. Hang in there!

[Welpe]

I had a late backcourt call last week. The dribbler got trapped just past the division line, had the ball knocked away, touched it himself and sent the ball over the line and then gathered it up. My mind thought that looked funny until it hit me that was actually a violation. Was late a little but I called it.

[Indianaref]

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.

[resin113]

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

[tref]

Originally Posted by resin113

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.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by tref

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

[dsqrddgd909]

Originally Posted by resin113

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

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.

[KJUmp]

[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.

[SE Minnestoa Re]

I've been reffing for over 30 years so this isn't my first rodeo. I am also a clinician. My biggest concern isn't that you might be missing a call (we all do it) its that you are beating yourself up about it.

We lost one of our best officials in the area 10 years ago when he couldn't let it go. It would just eat on him. Once we were coming back from a game where he had a tough (but correct) call late in the game. He was just bemoaning that he may have messed up.

Then the magic words--"When you have a tough call, you just make it and get over it. When I make a tough call, the doctors put me on suicide watch."

Care about what you do. If you don't care, you won't be worth a hoot. But you have to let it go.

[tref]

Originally Posted by SE Minnestoa Re

I've been reffing for over 30 years so this isn't my first rodeo. I am also a clinician. My biggest concern isn't that you might be missing a call (we all do it) its that you are beating yourself up about it.

We lost one of our best officials in the area 10 years ago when he couldn't let it go. It would just eat on him. Once we were coming back from a game where he had a tough (but correct) call late in the game. He was just bemoaning that he may have messed up.

Then the magic words--"When you have a tough call, you just make it and get over it. When I make a tough call, the doctors put me on suicide watch."

Care about what you do. If you don't care, you won't be worth a hoot. But you have to let it go.

+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.

[Rob1968]

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.

[dsqrddgd909]

Originally Posted by Rob1968

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.

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

[Rob1968]

Originally Posted by dsqrddgd909

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

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.