Use of or lack of use of voice.

[JRutledge]

We are about in a month of the summer camp season for high school ball. And I have noticed something while being a clinician or even working games with fellow officials that seems a little disturbing.

Very few officials use their voice in any meaningful way. They do not talk to their partners or tell the players much of anything with their voice. I am just wondering if this is common around the country or something that I am just seeing. It was said by another fellow official who is participating at camps that about 90% of the officials he sees could use their voice more. Either they are keeping the whistle in their mouth or they are as quite as a mouse.

Peace

[JetMetFan]

I got that feedback - individually and in a group - at a camp I attended this week. I'm quiet by nature so it's been an issue off and on.

I think part of it is the nerves of being at a camp. I know for myself once I'm told/reminded about it, I change back to "season" mode and talk more.

[Bad Zebra]

It probably has something to do with the notion that, as campers, we are emphatically told to keep quiet and listen.

[Adam]

I see a lot of newer officials that don't communicate well. This normally applies to 1st and 2nd year folks, however.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Bad Zebra

It probably has something to do with the notion that, as campers, we are emphatically told to keep quiet and listen.

Well we do not tell them this at all. So if that is the case they did not hear that from me or the people I work with in any way, shape or form. And I am talking about on the court, not when the clinicians or assignors are talking to them.

Peace

[Bad Zebra]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Well we do not tell them this at all. So if that is the case they did not hear that from me or the people I work with in any way, shape or form. And I am talking about on the court, not when the clinicians or assignors are talking to them.

Peace

I'm talking about in general. Every camp I've ever been to, it was pretty much understood that "you have two ears and one mouth...use them in that ratio". Of course, these were instructional camps, not college exposure camps. As such, that doesn't really create an environmemt that encourages any individual participant to want to get real vocal anywhwere. Just my impression.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Bad Zebra

I'm talking about in general. Every camp I've ever been to, it was pretty much understood that "you have two ears and one mouth...use them in that ratio". Of course, these were instructional camps, not college exposure camps.

I cannot speak for every camp and certainly cannot speak for every camp in this area, but usually we do not tell anyone that sort of thing. I really cannot even think of any college camps that says that kind of thing either. Of course when you have a camper or two that tend to "ya but" clinicians or not listen to them or interrupt them when talking to several campers at once, then yes I can see that being the case. But not the case in the situations I am talking about. And I am talking about what they are doing on the court, not communicating in a teaching session between games or during a timeout. I am strictly talking about why an officials seems to have a problem communicating basic stuff with their voice like where the ball is out of bounds after a stop clock, communicating that a sub cannot come into the game or instead of a basket counting they have a team control foul. Just kind of taken confused why even veterans do not do this even in situations that they know them not speaking up can be a problem.

Peace