An hour, 45 minute MS game
 

I didn't work this one, but a friend (parent and fellow soccer official) was Facebook-ing about a middle school game that went 1:45, no overtime. (Her kid's team came from a 13-point deficit to win in the last minute.)

When I asked her about the number of fouls, she replied: "A lot.... [The officials] actually called what they should, most every carry, travel, lane violation, etc. It is how the kids learn. Many MS refs I find call about 1/3 of the calls and let the kids maul each other."

I certainly understand lightening up on the travelling, carrying, etc., or, as many a vet official has said, "we'd never get out of there." Bear in mind, too, we don't talk kids out of the lane here. I certainly don't advocate swallowing the whistle on fouls (and I have a JVG game from last night to prove it), but what are your thoughts? Are we doing a disservice by passing on some calls at lower levels, and do the younger kids really learn?

It depends on the talent level. Kids don't learn basketball by practicing throw in plays, but with lower talent, they are typically less able to play through as much contact, thus more fouls. Most coaches here don't really want every travel called in lower level games, even if they do occasionally ask for one.

I do enjoy the comedy of a middle school parent expounding on officiating philosophy.

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.

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.

I agree with this.

You "can" have MS games or 13U games with flow if you're fortunate. Managing the game can certainly be a challenge, but it can be done.

A game where officials blow the whistle every 5-10 secs is no fun for anyone... but, as has been stated, you can't be lazy and let it all go either.

That's why we get paid the big money!

Around here we say that parents know as much about basketball rules as they know about raising kids. ;)

This particular parent gets a lot more leeway, as she's worn stripes, and worked deep into the post-season. Different sport, granted, but I can't say what she's saying is wrong.

Fair enough, but the primary point stands. There are some games where you just have to, but when kids can't control their feet, I'm looking for either an advantage or a significant travel.

^ This.

A couple of my favorites:
1) the coach in an 11U girls rec game that was constantly complaining about traveling, every time the other team had the ball (nothing, of course, when his team had the ball, even though they were just as bad). After I got fed up with it, I asked the coach if he really wanted me to call every single travel violation. He said yes. The next 8 possessions lasted about 5 seconds each before a traveling violation. Finally I turned over to him and said "did I make my point, coach?" "yes." "Ok, thank you".

I would never do that again, of course.

2) "Three second" parents. The ones who constantly yell for a 3-second violation on the other team... situations including, but not limited to:
a) while the ball is in the backcourt.
b) while the ball is dead after a foul call.
c) during a throw-in.
d) PRIOR TO the start of a throw-in.
e) during one of those marathon miss-a-shot-get-an-offensive-rebound-shoot-again-miss-offensive-rebound-rinse-repeat sequences.

Point taken... and I (as well as the rest of the crowd) am not that guy. In this particular case, the team would dribble up until they were guarded, and then turn their back to the basket (to protect their dribble). And dribble, and dribble, and dribble. The one time we got to 12, it was probably a 5-second violation too, although we never once saw them counting a 5, no matter how closely guarded they were.

We do have good officials in the area doing MS games. It just seems that every 3-4 games or so, we get Joe Paycheck whose whistle only seems to work when the ball goes out of bounds, and who never, ever actually moves to the right position or shows any hustle.

Sometimes I get those guys as partners and it's not very enjoyable for me either.

"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.

^ made me laugh.

The "paycheck official" is the one guy that drives me crazy watching my daughter. At least be in position if a call is missed or show some effort.

Around here some of the MS boys games are very competitive and allows you to see a lot of situations to use as a learning experience.

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.

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?

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.

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.