Association Culture ...

[BillyMac]

I have been asked to write an article for our local association newsletter on the "culture" of our local association. Over the past few years there have been many changes in our association. Our long time assignment commissioner/secretary/treasurer passed away, and our long time interpreter retired. They both held a tremendous amount of power, and it wasn't very democratic, it was either their way, or the highway. More recently we merged with a non-IAABO board that was known for mostly assigning a few girls high school games in our geographic area, so we suddenly acquired a large number of "new" veteran members. On top of all that, our recent cadet training classes have been filled to capacity, maybe due to the poor economy. So we find ourselves in a position where we have lots, and lots, of new members, that really don't have a sense of what is expected of them in terms of "unwritten rules" regarding local expectations. These new members, even the new "veteran" members, are moving through their association officiating career like a "ship without a rudder", or "like the blind leading the blind".

I've posted my article below. The purpose of my post is to satisfy my own curiosity regarding what many of you expect of your local association members, not in terms of rules knowledge, and mechanics, but in terms of the "little things" that make your guys not only good basketball officials, but also good association members. I'm looking forward to hearing about what is expected in other associations. Of course, in my post, below, some references have been redacted to protect the innocent.

“The Best” – The Board XXX Culture
By BillyMac

Much is expected of Board XXX officials, expectations that go beyond the rule book, case book, and mechanics manual. Outlined below are some of the “unwritten rules’ that have been developed over the years by Board XXX officials that, when adhered to, make Board XXX “The Best”.

Board XXX officials are expected to confirm their games. Email addresses for athletic directors, faculty managers, or site directors, as well as your partners, are on the Arbiter website. The email should state the gender, level, site, day, date, and time of the game, along with one’s contact information, sent to both the school, and to one’s partner. A confirmation, emailed in this manner, looks professional, and assures everyone that the officials have been properly assigned for the game.

Officials can check if other games are scheduled at their site by looking on the CIAC website. It can be very frustrating for varsity officials to show up ninety minutes early to observe a junior varsity game, when, for some reason, there was no junior varsity game scheduled. Private prep schools are notorious for “odd” game schedules. Private prep school games do not appear on the CIAC website. These games can be viewed on the host private prep school’s website.

When you arrive at a game site, people immediately judge you by your appearance. Make a good first impression by coming to game sites dressed professionally in business casual attire. Consider purchasing a sweater, pullover, or vest, with an IAABO logo, or a Board XXX logo. Common sense dictates that some afternoon assignments may require officials to arrive in uniform, or in work clothes. Middle school sites may lack secure dressing areas, and may not have shower facilities available.

For most high school games, where secure dressing areas, and showers, are available, do not come dressed in uniform, and do not come dressed in sneakers, work boots, jeans, T-shirts, etc. It looks bad, and reflects poorly on Board XXX. On court, your uniform should be clean, pants pressed, all black shoes shined, jacket unwrinkled, and you should be well groomed. Officials should shower after the game and not leave wearing a uniform. Doing so could give the impression that the official wants to “get in, get out, and get paid”, which is not the impression that Board XXX officials want to present. Officials should leave the game site together. Even in this day in age when everyone has a cell phone, and many have some type of “road assistance”, it’s not fun sitting in a cold car, in a lonely parking lot, with a dead battery, or a flat tire, waiting for help to arrive.

The four officials at a high school game site should work together as a team. Varsity officials should arrive at the game site no later than the beginning of the second period of the junior varsity game. Junior varsity officials should stay and observe the varsity game until at least halftime of the varsity game in order to learn by watching experienced officials. Many varsity officials try to show up for the beginning of the junior varsity game, and many junior varsity officials will often stay to observe the entire varsity game. The overlap will insure that an official is available if one of the officials at the site becomes ill, or injured. Board XXX expects veteran officials to observe and offer constructive appraisals, with specific suggestions, to less experienced officials. Board XXX expects less experienced officials to seek out, and ask for input, from the more experienced officials. Partners are expected to offer constructive appraisals to each other. “What did you see?” is an easy way to start a post-game conversation.

Always show hustle, and enthusiasm, in every Board XXX game that you have been assigned to work. Treat every game as the most important game of the season. Work every game as if it was your last game, and the most important game, of your career. That game is the most important game being played that night for the players, coaches, and fans, at that site. Officiating in this manner will solidify the reputation of Board XXX as “The Best”.