Basketball only?
 

Just wondering, in general, what other sports are also officiated by those of us who work basketball. I know lots of you mention working other sports in your posts, but I'd be curious to know who officiates the most other sports.

Personally, I do only basketball, although when I was a teenager (about 3 or 4 centuries ago), I umpired a park district baseball league for 11 and 12 year olds back in my home town. I think I got 75 cents per game (not kidding) which was probably above minimum wage back then. Only one guy worked each game and we stood behind the pitcher.

Oh yeah, a few years ago I "refereed" a croquet match. It was a charity event and I mostly ruled on whether a ball touched another ball or not and also walked around with a bullhorn (like I needed one) and gave a commentary to the spectators. It was a real great event and raised a lot of money for the local Lions Club camp for the blind. It was staged as a proper British type event and all the participants (who were Lions Club members and senior citizens) wore white straw hats and ate cucumber sandwiches and lemonade. I was more than happy to donate my time and effort.

I started umpiring when I was a teenager the same way. Behind the pitcher. I think that was about 1983, when I was 13 years old. We got $5 a game to do that.

Baseball and football for me. I used to do softball, but gave it up when I realized I really despise most everything about the game.

Started as a baseball (and occasionally softball) umpire about 6-7 years ago, but since I started basketball 3 years ago that is getting my core 'business' more and more.

What part of the Netherlands are you from? I've been over 6-7 to Apeldoorn to umpire baseball. Haven't been since 2010 and need to get back soon.

I started by umpiring baseball when I was 13. I did that several years but quit during college. I picked up football after college and then basketball a few years ago.

I want to get back into baseball but can't justify working three sports so I need to figure out what I'm going to do.

I have a friend that calls football, basketball and lacrosse. Last year he also did Volleyball in the fall, called basketball for three different chapters and also did softball in addition to lacrosse in the spring. I'm not sure when he actually saw his family...

Basketball only. Took a hard look at doing Lacrosse, but passed. Even after three training sessions, I still felt totally clueless.

Hey, I'm a Dutch basketball ref also, how come you don't ask me where I'm from? :D

My mother is Dutch and I was born in Amsterdam. Haven't been there though since I was stationed in Germany ('90-93). It seems baseball has gotten pretty big there in comparison to other European countries.

Why Can't I See The Submarines BillyMac ???
 

When I was in college I used to take my dates to a parking spot at the beach to referee the submarine races that the Navy held there every Friday, and Saturday, night. No pay, but it was worth the effort, if you know what I mean.

Softball is my main sport. I also do baseball and football, but that is waning.

I just do basketball for now. I think football or baseball, maybe slow pitch softball would be next.

Oh, and to stay on-topic, I only do basketball.

Only other sport I think I would ever consider is lacrosse.

Did you call reaches and over the back, or did she just call the cops and have you arrested for illegal use of hands? :p

Actually, he probably wanted a blarge. :D

I officiate basketball (H.S. and youth age since 1971 to the present; women's college from 1974 to 2008; men's college from 1993- to present; USA Basketball/FIBA from 1993 to 2003).

I umpire H.S. (and youth age) baseball (1993 to the present).

I umpire H.S. (and ASA, USSSA) fastpitch softball (1993 to the present).

I offciated that un-American sport of H.S. futbol, :eek:, from 1993 to 2006 (and USSA/FIFA from 1993 to 1997).

Basketball will always be my first sport, but I really wish that I had taken up umpiring baseball about 20 years sooner becuase I really enjoy it almost as much as I do officiating basketball.

MTD, Sr.


P.S. Mark, Jr., has been officiating basketball and umpiring baseball since 2007 and has been umpiring ASA and USSSA fastpitch softball since 2007.

Basketball is my primary sport...back in college I did basketball, football and baseball/softball. Football if I had stuck with it I would have been pretty good at it over time, but I can say this with regards to baseball/softball I was an awful ump. Truely awful. Maddening inconsistent strike zone and too many close calls missed in the field. I need the action going constantly to keep me 'engaged' and baseball never did that for me.

I may go back and restart football this fall if I can work out some childcare plans as I do think I would enjoy it and the association in my area needs younger officials (at least what I've been told).

They had don't ask, don't tell back then?

I'm just starting to do FP softball. The training class is over, and now it's on to the scrimmages if the weather will permit. I'm looking at it as training for my retirement (next year if all goes well) job.

Lemonade, that cool refreshing drink.


I work fb and lacrosse. I was recruited for baseball, but we'll see if I join.

I'm from Haarlem. What tournament/game did you work in Apeldoorn?

Yeah it is, world champs uhuh :D

Mark (love that name), I've got you slightly beat on earliest officiating date since I worked that park district kids baseball program starting in the summer of 1962 (when I was 13). However, I only did it for three summers. I remember one manager named "Tubby". He was about 20 and one of his younger brothers played on his team. One game, I had to explain the infield fly rule to him after a call and the entire time he was eating licorice and kept slobbering with it dribbling down his shirt. It kind of set the tone for my future impressions of coaches.

I work football and baseball. I will not work a single baseball game this year (I am debating if I will come back at all). Funny I have worked more State Finals in those two sports than I have in basketball.

Peace

Basketball Only for me.

What drove your decision to take a year off from baseball? I'm just curious since I'm considering something similar but not with baseball.

Basketball is the only sport I officiate. I coach football and track (long jump and triple jump). Never had any desire to officiate any other sport except for wrestling, but that's at the same time as basketball, so that never happened.

So You're The Guy Who Started This Stupid Concept ...
 

I didn't know that there was And One Croquet.

No Thank You ...
 

99 degrees in the shade? Wind blown dust in your face? Sitting out thunderstorms in the dugout? Games with no clock that go on for hours, and hours? Getting sunburned in extra inning games? Coaches spitting tobacco juice on your shoes? Fans, including the cop behind the backstop, threatening to, "Kill the umpire"? Oh yeah? Sure sounds like a picnic in the park to me?

And The Winner Is ...
 

The girls kept asking me where the submarines were, and I keep telling them that they were underwater. Some of them believed me. Those were the dates that ended well.

Basketball only for me.

I average about 150 games a yr and can go almost all season....although some months are slim.

Basketball = wife happy, hubby out of house making money and doing something he likes.

More sports = wife probably NOT happy with hubby as he would be gone TOO much and not taking care of house, yard, cars, dogs, etc.

A good balance for me, and my wife, to date. Thankfully, my kids are grown.

Basketball Only. It is literally year round for me now. :o

Grune, I wouldn't have time for more than one sport if I worked that many games. I put in less games over two sports. I was just under 100 last year between football and basketball.

I only do basketball, but in the past, I did soccer because my son played and they needed officials. I took a 1 day course and viola, instant ref.

That lasted about 2 seasons, thank goodness.

Eddie Murphy doing Elvis, right? Ha ha, very funny, m......

Anyway, just finished seventh year of basketball, been doing soccer for four. (I'm advancing much quicker in soccer than in basketball.) I also work a summer co-ed, non-competitive slow-pitch softball league, which is undoubtedly the least serious work I do. I tried high/middle school softball for two years, but I didn't enjoy it much.

I still have my old fast-pitch gear, which I haven't sold yet.

I officiate soccer in addition to basketball. Everybody always asks me which sport I like better. I tell them whatever sport is in season. By the end of basketball, looking for a change of pace and soccer starts. I truly enjoy both sports.

I am in my 8th year of HS and college soccer, and rejoining the umpire ranks this spring after a 25 year hiatus.

I'm of the same mindset as cmhjordan, I enjoy whichever sport is in season.

My other career is pretty sedentary, so officiating year-round keeps me active. :cool:

Just hoops for me, although the wife is asking if I'm going to pick up another sport. As familiar as I am with basketball rules, that's how clueless I am in other sports. That's probably why I hesitate.

Soccer is my main sport. I took up basketball this winter to make the soccer offseason more bearable. I like officiating basketball a lot, but soccer will always be my love. I'm a fairly regular poster in the soccer referees forum mentioned in this post, though I didn't post on that particular thread.

Soccer laws are far easier to understand and apply than basketball rules. Give soccer a try.

Can't - I don't read metric.

Sounds like she's trying to get you out of the house! :eek:

Actually, the Laws use Imperial units, mainly yards.

When the communists take over and outlaw all the real sports? That's when I'll give soccre a try.

Ouch.

Sorry, forgot the smiley again. ;)

Gotcha...
 

Well, about 80 are compressed into the Jan-Mar time frame, and the remaining are more comfortably spread out through the year.

Obviously, this is a personal decision. My job is not conducive to a greater overload and I choose to stay home and not be away more.

Take Off Your Shoes And Socks And Count ...
 

Metric soccer is easy. Everything is based on the number ten. Season lasts ten weeks. Field is ten meters long. Ten players per team. Ten centimeter diameter ball. Ten panels on the ball. Ten minute halves. Ten spikes on each shoe. All players are number ten. Ten fans in the bleachers. Officials get ten dollars per game.

Basketball is my bread and butter, but I currently work baseball, softball and football as well.

I started IM basketball 8 years ago, HS 5 years ago, women's college 3 years ago. I started HS baseball and softball 4 years ago, but I am looking to get out of those two sports now that basketball is becoming more of a year-round sport... However, I will stick to keeping HS football (which I started last fall) since I have really enjoyed being on the football field.

Started with basketball. Picked up softball and baseball because the local AD told me I come to watch every game anyway I may as well get paid. Later on picked up football when a basketball mentor of mine said they need guys for Friday nights.

Love basketball especially this time of the year. Football a solid second. Baseball and softball a distant third due to the weather in my neck of the woods.

Do you realize you listed ten points? BTW - are those metric dollars?

Fastpitch softball is my preference. Do BB to have something to do in the winter.

I just finished my fifth year of basketball. This is my fourth full year of being a "real" baseball umpire. (Did some park league games for several years before that) I did softball for two seasons, but started coaching football this past fall, so I gave that up. It was worth it though since our football team won a state championship in 2011. :)

Ah! That explains why you give us football officials so much crap. :p And congrats on the state championship.

Right. I'm sure there's a ton of grumbling worldwide about having to measure 9.14 meters for the center circle or 16.46 meters for the penalty area.

Then again, they already have to do it with basketball: 4.57m from free throw line to backboard, 3.05m high for the rim...

You can do it!
 

I started in bball and then moved over to football. My only experience with football prior to officiating was as a fan. The football guys were very encouraging - many of them do bball also. They told me that it is far easier for a bball official to move to football than the opposite. Bball teaches you game management and decision making at high speed - which translates well to other sports.<O:p</O:p
<O:p</O:p

Now while the football rule set is one of the hardest to adjudicate; the game awareness and presence that a good bball official brings to the game is very hard to learn and gives you an immediate leg up.

You could pick a sport and do well officiating -well maybe not hockey because I've heard that you actually need to be able to skate!:D<O:p</O:p

I find it hard to relate to a sport that refers to its rules as "laws". Seems quite pretentious to me.

Take that up with the British. I claim no responsibility. ;)

Name me a sport that doesn't have strange wording somewhere within it.

Tug-of-war.