First Three Man Tonight
 

Working six games tonight, my first real experience in three man mechanics.

Any tips that I won't find in the mechanics manual?

Do not forget to officiate and worry about where you are to go. You will never learn the system by simply watching. You have to still officiate the game that is in front of you.

Peace

Don't suck. :p ;)

Yep, just worry about officiating and you can make adjustments to positioning on the fly.

Try and stay in your primary but, if you reach, realize it's not the end of the world (a learning experience, but not the end of the world).

A couple of basics that I always share with people who are inexperienced with three man mechanics. There should always be two officials ball-side when taking a ball from out of bounds. If there isn't, someone is in the wrong position.

Secondly, when there's a whistle and possible switch, everyone should "freeze" for a second so you can think about where you're supposed to switch to. If you don't, you may find yourself running around aimlessly not being sure who you're to switch with.

Have fun, learn, and enjoy doing three man. You'll get spoiled !!!

Try to have as good a game as you can in your primary and don't get caught up trying to reach to help your partners. If you're working with officials who are experienced with 3-person they'll be able to clean up anything that happens away from you.

Good luck!

If you're going to make a mistake, it's probably going to be this one. Remember that the "C" has the play all the way to the basket if the play starts from that side of the floor. The common mistake (and one that I still make too often) is to be the lead and not give the "C" first shot at a potential call at the basket.

In a summer season, camp situation, I would not call anything is in my partner's area. They have to learn that they have to get their plays and I would let them do it. Of course dual areas or in the lane it is about angles and what you see, but no way would I call something in my partner's area that was basketball related. ;)

Peace

Yeah, but being new to it means nerves...which means looking where you shouldn't...which means a whistle where it shouldn't be every now and then. I remember those days. It wasn't pretty :D

As has been said, don't concentrate so much on the mechanics and rotations of the 3 ref system that you forget to officiate the game....

But only for defenders that come in with the play. The lead has all plays for defenders that come from the lead's primary to help.

Good catch. Thanks.

Remember you're probably the ONLY person in the gym who knows it's your first time. Summer ball is a great low impact environment to learn. Don't sweat it.

And...breathe.

Don't be shy. I passed on WAY too much from the C early on.

Thanks guys. We're being observed by a pretty darn good official in his own right. Looking forward to hearing what he has to say.

JRut?

Who's On First ???
 

Connecticut is the "Land That Time Forgot". Many of our best officials don't get in a three person game until the quarterfinals of the state tournament. In a quarterfinal game, I observed one of our best officials move in a complete circle, from trail, to lead, back to trail, with his circular path covering the entire front court, while one of his partners was reporting a foul to the table.

It's Always Sunny In Connecticut ...
 

It was 97 degrees F here yesterday, and it hit 97 degrees F again today. Both record highs for the dates. No sweat? You've got to be kidding me.

More Specifically . . .
 

It's not just a matter of "stay in your primary". To far too many what that means is: "If the ball is in your primary, I'm not going to call the foul or violation that I see there because, after all, that's not in my primary." In the meantime, competitive matchups in one's primary aren't under surveillance.

More precisely, pregame it like this with an actual diagram of three-man Primary Areas of Coverage visible to everyone on your crew: "Okay, here are our primary areas of coverage. Let's make sure each of us knows when the other is going to turn 'off-ball'." That's the primary emphasis of the three-man system. And clarify it how each will communicate that s/he has turned off-ball (some use a hand to the chest when going on-ball, we acknowledge going off-ball by turning our shoulders away from the ball; other methods are also popular).

Off-ball coverage, providing surveillance over the competitive matchups in your PCA -- what it's all about. Not simply not calling something seen in another's PCA because it's not in your PCA while that's where your attention has been while ignoring what's going on in your PCA.

Make sense?

Rusty in VA.......
 

I had 3 x BV Summer league games last night....I sweated my a$$ off. Wow!

I was somewhere else tonight. I have camps or games every night in June damn near. I should go to bed because I will be working a camp (and working some games) all day tomorrow. Gotta love summer time.

Peace

Follow up from OP?
 

So...how did it go? Any memorable events? Lessons learned? First impression of 3 man? (BTW...How's your mom?)


Billy, you should move to Florida...those Connecticut summers are brutal. I can remember as a kid it would get so hot, I'd actually swim in the Connecticut River...it was pretty gross back then.

It went very well overall. I wish I had more time right now, but I'll be back after work to post a more comprehensive recap.

Yes, and I agree. Was trying to keep it simple, though, in the advice given (i.e., start by thinking about primary first, then once comfortable graduate to what you describe). I think what you described is great and appropriate, just a bit much to process for a first time on the court calling 3-man. YMMV.

Not Anymore ...
 

Thanks to the Clean Water Act of 1977:

http://ts1.mm.bing.net/images/thumbn...87f93e1ca6abac

Just Realized It, Not A Great Title ...
 

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Was a good night overall. Got caught reaching a few times, but there was one time that I reached where the observer said it was OK, especially since it was the right call.

It took some getting used to for sure. I got caught several times running from C to L after a free throw, like I would do in two man. Rotated late several times as the L, and was forced to make a call while rotating.

My partner (L) and I (C) had a double whistle on a block charge that we handled well, got some kudos from the observer for that.

A couple of questions...

1. Should the L ever have a five second closely guarded count?

2. If the ball is in the corner, strong side near the end line, how many sets of eyes should be on the ball?

3. How quickly do you rotate, and what's your key? Ball or post players?

1. Yes, but check local listings.

2. Two, at most. But the T has off ball responsibility, too.

3. I'm working on this. Two keys I am using are when the ball drops below the ft line, or when the player with the ball high on the week side starts dribbling.

1. Yes, they can, but rarely do since there is usually a move to the basket or a kick out rather than an extended possession. Never a bad idea to get a count started though.
2. Depends. Fed mechanics leaves this to T. Here in GA they want L to turn out and accept the play with T focusing on the paint. Check how they want you to do it in your association.
3. You'll get different answers here, but I base it on competitive match ups and what defense they're playing (zone I'm not in as big a hurry, man to man maybe more quick). The big thing is to close down when the ball moves to the weak side and be ready to rotate.

1. Sure, why not? You may start counting late because you're more concerned about contact since the action is close to the hoop.

2. NFHS if it's outside the arc it's hard as the L not to look since it's so close to you. As the L you have to at least be aware of what's going on since endline OOB calls are yours.

3. Ball. When the ball settles away from you at the FT line extended or below, you go. You should be mirroring the movement of the ball from your A-B-C positions (check the manual). As you go keep officiating the area you're leaving until you get to the other side of the lane. You try not to go if there's a shot or a drive to the hoop imminent. If you see that happening and you're already on the move but you haven't reached "C," just stop and go back.