Brand New Official

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

In front of a mirror is a good technique, but even better is in front of the television set while watching a basketball game, it could be college, or professional, men, or women. It helps a new officials to make quick decisions, and to respond with the correct mechanics, whistle, signal, etc. Even the new official's calls don't match those on the television, at least he, or she, will get the timing, and the mechanics down.

You do this in front of the mirror so that you can see what you look like. That is why you get video of yourself working a game and preferably do it with a video that you have someone tape you specifically as opposed to using a coach's or school tape where they focus only on the court and not your mechanics. What you are suggesting Billy might be good for making decisions, but not for "How you look" officiating or signaling as Chuck was I am sure trying to state.

I think honestly one of the best ways to learn is to watch other officials in person. When I was coming up I would work a lower level game and stay and watch the varsity officials. Then I would ask the officials to talk to them at halftime or after the game and learn from what they called or how they handled situations. For some reason that does not happen a lot anymore with younger officials and those same officials complain when they are not getting anything they want out of their careers as they have not learned to be a student of the game. And being a student of the game is not working a game and then before the sweat is dry they are out the door.

Peace