An hour, 45 minute MS game

[MD Longhorn]

I believe I've learned more from watching my daughters' MS games than from clinics, HS games, and this board combined. Sub par officials I can live with. Officials of whatever talent level that refuse to hustle because the game is beneath them, and who simply want to let the clock run as much as possible so they can get out of there drive me freaking crazy.

Last week's game featured one play where the opponent (winning by 30ish) camped so long in the lane that the crowd was counting and got to 12 - no whistle. And also a girl on our team was running and dribbling - and when she stopped, her defender who was chasing her from behind crashed into her, knocked her down, stumbled and LITERALLY stepped on her back. The call? Out of bounds on us when the ball rolled away. The reason? Calling official was 2 steps off the OTHER baseline (yes, about 3/4 of the court away from the play). Nevermind the numerous double dribbles and travels that weren't called either way.

[Smitty]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

I believe I've learned more from watching my daughters' MS games than from clinics, HS games, and this board combined.

Really? Middle School officiating is a no win situation. It's the worst level to call. It does very little to advance anyone's officiating career.

[PG_Ref]

Originally Posted by Smitty

Really? Middle School officiating is a no win situation. It's the worst level to call. It does very little to advance anyone's officiating career.

Maybe where you are. In our area, most of the middle school games are competitive and are good for getting newer officials ready for JV (that is, before middle school sports was done away with). All depends on the talent level and matchups.

[Smitty]

Originally Posted by PG_Ref

Maybe where you are. In our area, most of the middle school games are competitive and are good for getting newer officials ready for JV (that is, before middle school sports was done away with). All depends on the talent level and matchups.

"competitive" and "talent" are very relative terms. Middle school games certainly don't prepare anyone for JV - maybe for freshman ball. But I tend to live in larger metro areas - JV is a very huge leap from middle school.

[PG_Ref]

Originally Posted by Smitty

"competitive" and "talent" are very relative terms. Middle school games certainly don't prepare anyone for JV - maybe for freshman ball. But I tend to live in larger metro areas - JV is a very huge leap from middle school.

Once again, maybe where you are. MS games absolutely can help a newer official better their mechanics and rules knowledge so that they can move up. And not all areas have freshman ball ... we certainly don't here.

[Corndog89]

I worked 4 years in Las Vegas and MS ball there is actually quite good and competitive...even the girls (oddly much, much better than JV girls). And its a great training ground if you put a conscientious, experienced guy with a newbie to train and mentor. And best of all is the environment. MS hoops is a social event, the first time many of these kids have attended a school event where they're not under constant parent or teacher supervision. There is a lot of noise, enthusiasm, and emotion from the crowd. MS coaches are generally not very proficient but act as though they're Bobby Knight. And MS parents are, well, MS parents. MS basketball is a challenge to officiate correctly and a hoot all at the same time. Pairing Joe Paycheck with a newbie or two newbies together is a bad formula for MS ball.

[refiator]

Originally Posted by Smitty

Really? Middle School officiating is a no win situation. It's the worst level to call. It does very little to advance anyone's officiating career.

This is not a fair statement. Many officials who work this level are working their butts off so they can advance. Middle school ball in these parts can be tough to call and are very competitive. We use these games to train younger officials so they CAN move to the next level.

[Moosie74]

Originally Posted by Smitty

Really? Middle School officiating is a no win situation. It's the worst level to call. It does very little to advance anyone's officiating career.

I don't agree with this at all. If you didn't have a stepping system then where would the training of officials occur?

Middle School games are the training ground for high school games, high school games prepare you for college, college prepares you for NBA D-League or NBA.

As a second year official, I have learned a lot in Middle School games, is the quality of play good? Sometimes no, sometimes it's pretty good but at that level I've learned what's a rules violation, what's a foul, how to signal and where to stand.

Having just started working JV games this year I would be no where near ready to step on the floor for one of them if I had not had middle school games under my belt.

I personally would prefer to pay my dues and work my way up the ladder than start at the JV level because that really says to some officials, ok, I'm at the JV level to start, I must be good, where's my varsity schedule?