For those of you that have already been to camp this summer, what's some of the feedback you're getting?

I have 10.
 

This is in no particular order, just reoccuring themes said to me and other campers in my three camps I have attended.

1. Stay in your primary.

2. Strong signals sell "weak calls."

3. You do not have a second chance to make a first impression.

4. You are always being watched by someone, on and off the court.

5. Do not be a rulebook official.

6. Always look, act and dress as if your career depends on it.

7. Listen to everyone's advice, take what you can use, throw out what will not work for you.

8. Be aware of your facial expressions.

9. Mental preparation starts at home, not just in the locker-room.

10. Be a good partner.


There is much more, but these are the sayings I got the most out of so far in this camp season.
Peace

Re: I have 10.
 

What a shocker!

Rut,

Those are all pretty straight-forward except for #5 might be misinterpreted by some.
<i> 5. Do not be a rulebook official.</i>

Maybe you could elaborate for those who might misunderstand. When I have heard this said, it <b>hasn't</b> meant to not know the rulebook inside and out, but it has meant to use a little common sense in <b>applying</b> the rules. In other words, don't call 20 "three in the keys" during a game and don't call 20 traveling violations etc.

Z

You are on the right track.
 

The term "rulebook official," decribes an official that can quote rules, but cannot call a simple foul or violation. And if you can tell someone what a false double foul is, but cannot call a simple shooting foul properly, you are a rulebook official. The worst part of a "rulebook official," is that these guys cannot handle or manage the game. Not my term, just one I have heard over the years.

Peace

Even if they occur?

The best way I've heard "Don't be a rule book official" is there ARE rules and then there is the SPIRIT of the rule. If a player takes advantage from the spirit of the rule, call it. If there is no advantage, let it go.

I'm going to go with Padgett on this one - think more in terms of quality, not quantity. If they're being idiots and setting up tents in the lane over and over, bust them.

On the other hand, if someone is in there for 3.000000001 seconds, you don't necessarily have to call the violation.

If me and my partner notice that we're starting to get a few "3-in-the-key" calls, we'll talk through our whistles to them out (you'd have to assume some low quality ball in that sitch). If that doesn't work, we'll tell the coaches to help us out. If that doesn't work, we must be in the twilight zone. The reason I mentioned 3-in-the-key as an example is from something I saw once. In my second year of officiating, I went to a ref camp put on by our state officials assoc. My partner in one game was even greener than me and he must have called 20 3-in-the-keys in one frosh level game. After the game, the evaluators tried to explain to him some ways he could have avoided doing that. The green official kept saying, "but they were in there too long each time." Yes, they were in the key too long, but did it help the game or were they necessary? That fits my definition of a "rulebook official" even though I hate that term because it implies that knowing the rules like a scholar might somehow be bad.

Z

Hell You mean there is a FALSE double foul? I just learnd what a double foul was tonghit. LOL

The additional point that many people try to make, is that there is nothing wrong with knowing the rules, but it is the way you apply them. The rules are created by people that do not have to enforce them. That is why we have POEs with "moving screen" language as the justification to call more "illegal screens." Because if officials were making and writing the rules, we might not have 20 changes every year and possibly more common sense in the use of mechanics. I do not know about you, but when I call a game I am only calling basic fouls and violations. There is not a lot of complexity in fouls that I or my partners have to mull over to figure out what to do next. If as an official you are calling things no one understands, then that is what I call a "rulebook official." Do not get me wrong either, if something really obvious happens, call it. But if you are calling a T every other game using Rule 10-3-12, like I did my first year, all because I read the and remembered this stupid rule, then you will cause problems for yourself. I spent more time trying to explain the rule than getting acceptance on the call. So I was told and still do everything in my ability to avoid this call by using preventative officiating. I do not think I have had to make this call since my second year. ;)

Peace

For those of us who are neither rulebook scholars nor have one handy, what is rule 10-3-12?

Interesting... I think I have seen a defender touch the ball that was in an inbounder's hands only twice in my entire officiating career. Were you officiating a league for the sighted impaired? :-) What was your preventative officiating? - to remind the defense to not break the plane on each throw-in?

.......and BTW, when there are 2 seconds left in the game and something strange happens that you can not ignore, you darn well better know the rules inside and out.

Z

[Edited by zebraman on Jun 18th, 2003 at 10:35 AM]

You mean you do not know?
 

You cannot be a good official unless you know this rule. :D

Without quoting the rule word for word (like many expect here for some reason), it deals with touching the baskeball by a defender, which results in a Technical Foul. If you touch the thrower, this is just an intentional foul (not part of this rule, but should be noted). In both cases there is no warning if this takes place, just a Foul (T or Intentional) should be called no matter what.

Peace

10-3-12 does not apply.
 

Well even though I did do a couple of varsity basketball my first year (Tony claims this does not happen), this happen during a few JH games. The next year it happen in a Freshman game I believe. But it was a rule I could quote word for word. Coaches did not have a clue and always wanted an explaination to why there was no warning. I had a veteran official tell me what I should do to prevent this from happening, and I cannot recall it happening since.

Of course you do, but this is a casebook ruling. And the casebook play deals with a delay warning, not the foul situation like stated in 10-3-12. If a defender causes a delay with 5 seconds or less in the game, this is a Technical as stated in the <b>Casebook 9.2.11 SITUATION.</b> So what you describe has nothing to do with 10-3-12.

Peace