Anyone get worse after the first few years?
 

I'll try to keep this brief.

4th year, mostly assigned JV B/G doubleheaders, some freshmen and Middle school sprinkled in.

I have tried to improve. I'm in better shape, I'm in the rules and case books. I attend our association's training, I go to clinics, I've got a mentor. I go to watch more experienced officials.

I just don't feel I'm getting better. I think my judgement is getting worse.

Friday night, freshman boy's doubleheader in tournament. Aggressive D by both teams, poor shooting, so lots of changes of possession and rebounding. Late in Q2, I have what I think is a 50/50 charge/block call on a fast break. I go with charge (trying to remember what my mentor told me that if it's 50/50 go with the charge and it will help clean up play). A's coach vehemently disagrees. I try to explain that the player doesn't have to be a statue and that just makes him angrier. "You're (and it was either freaking, frickin, or F&*(ing) terrible." I T him up. Didn't even handle that right. Didn't inform my partner, just kind of wandered around. At half, partner says Coach may have had a point.

Next morning, Saturday tournament Middle school. Guess at 3 or 4 calls, pass or miss a couple of obvious travels and call some phantom contact.

My question is has anybody else experienced this? I hope I'm not one of those guys that has a rookie year over and over again.

It's not unusual. You're second guessing yourself too much.

Did your partner have anything constructive?

CONCENTRATE!!! DO NOT HEAR THE FANS comments.
Focus on the defensive player and fouls will be easier to see. Work on having a patient whistle.

Don't get discouraged. Lower level games are often more difficult to officiate and present tougher calls (because the kids are more out of control). Also, there are only 4 eyeballs on the court instead of 6, so we'll miss more.

The key is the passion and attention you are giving your craft. You obviously have high standards and "grieve" over missed calls...I'm a lot like that too. I don't think that's a negative unless you become obsessive. Some of my favorite officials are able to admit mistakes, but in a non-passionate and non-arrogant way. They just state what they've learned and move on.

One bit of advice a mentor gave me: keep the negative thoughts and words off the court. Don't "lament" bad calls during the game. Stay positive and look to get the next one right. Don't speak negatively about your performance during time outs. I think that just serves to bring the crew down. After the game you can discuss issues with your partner(s). I think if you stay positive, despite what happened 30 seconds ago, you won't have issues "snowball."

I have seen it with others for sure. Some people never progress or learn the tricks of the trade to advance their skills. I remember John Adams saying some time ago before he was the NCAA Supervisor, he said, "Some guys just get it and others do not." I think that is somewhat true. And I think many younger officials overanalyze things in their game. We all have bad things happen or deal with conflict even with many years of experience.

It sounds like to me your issue is more about confidence than anything. You have to realize or have the confidence that you will not convince a coach of every one of your calls being right. Most of the time coaches will complain no matter what you call or say to them. I have a coach on Friday who complained every time we called a travel on his players and every time a player on the other team made a move he wanted a travel. It got to the point I had to tell the coach to "knock it off" and he figured it out and did just that. And we kept calling the game the way we did before and after his complaining. I just think you need to stop putting much stock into what coaches say and be confident in what you call. You can also grow your confidence by watching more video of yourself so you can see for yourself if that block/charge is correct. Listening to coaches about anything is really fool's gold.

Peace

Freshman coaches know just enough to get them in trouble. When the 50/50 calls come, they want them. When they don't get them, they want to work you for the next one. They all think they'll be the next Dean Smith if they can properly work the officials.

"Coach, the defender had position.". If you need more than that, it should be, "You asked for an explanation, I gave it. Now we're playing ball/moving on."

Keep Workng Hard ...
 

Keep watching varsity officials work, and notice what they call, and what they don't call.

Make sure that your staying in your primary coverage area. Some of the comments in your post seem to indicate some loss of concentration. It's easier to lose concentration if you're straying away from your primary, and thus, easier to concentrate if you stick your eyes where they're supposed to be stuck.

We often charge technical fouls when we're pissed, and when we're pissed, we can often lose our concentration. I've seen guys try to set up free throws for a technical foul at the wrong basket. When you call a technical foul, slow things down, and I mean really slow things down. Get together with your partner, and let him help you out, even if it means that you don't switch properly on the foul.

GO TO CAMPS!!! Go to one designed for HS and go to a D3 level camp(even though you are not ready) . IMO nothing improves an official quicker than being in camp with officials who are better than you.

Wonder why I keep hearing this from top tier officials?:cool:

Perhaps the problem is that you continue to set the bar higher for yourself. This is not the right job for a perfectionist. There will always be a certain amount of doubt about the quality of ones own performance on any given day. Get input from others, but continue to be your own harshest critic.

Give it some more time. I'll agree with others it appears you have a good attitude but maybe a little too hard on yourself. Ok to think about sitches you could handle better/differently but learn from them and move on. The level of games you are working is difficult, when you move up the skill level gets better and the games actually get easier to work.

Maybe get some input from your assignor(s) or partners you respect if you don't have a mentor.

There are at least 2-3 I second guess every game I work. I remember it for about 10 seconds (if that) and move on. Anything longer and I could miss the next one, too -- and that's something you can avoid.

We all miss some. Basketball's a hard sport to work.

I have this occasionaly when I make a questionable or bad call and I know it, the players and coaches know it and the fans know it. The issue for me is that I lose my focus which then can cause me to spiral down from there. The good thing is, is that I know I do this, so I just have to take a breath, tell my self to let that one go and learn from it and then GET REFOCUSED. If I do that, usually the game improves and I don't continue to spiral down the toilet.

One of my favorite officiating rules is "See it,process it,call it." Really works in a sport like volleyball when you're a linesman and everybody wants a call right away.

It sounds to me like the only thing getting worse is your self-confidence. According to your post, you are doing the right things with conditioning, rules study. You did not mention it, but I hope you are attending a good teaching camp or two in the offseason.

You did mention a couple of things that alarm me in your post.

1. You should NEVER GUESS on a play. If you cannot see the play and determine a call with 100% knowledge, do not blow your whistle. If you do not have an open look, your partner probably will and can help. If you are constantly in bad angles, you need to watch yourself on tape or have another official observe you and see what you are doing to maintain open looks (ie moving to get an angle). It sounds like you are not in proper position, but even so, never guess.

2. Coaches will never be "won over" with a description of why you called a play. 95% of the time, they disagree with you and nothing you say will change their mind. Keep the dialog short and say, I saw a charge coach. The defender had legal guarding position. Then walk away.

3. Most concerning is that you are doubting yourself...we all miss plays, but move on and make sure you get the next one right. The coach has now gotten into your head. It would not surprise me to watch the play and find that you got it right. Trust your skillset, trust your judgement!