Teaching new church league refs
 

I have some Ideas from Billy Mac from the last couple of years, but if you were teaching a class what you would focus on?

I have 2 hours total. 1 hour in class, 1 hour on the floor.

The students are all HS players so they have basic ideas.

The players they will ref are from 1st grade to 8th grade.

Thanks in advance.

I would be careful in assuming they have basic ideas. They probably have a lot of myths mixed in their basic thoughts.

I would focus on Rule 4 in the classroom.

On the floor, basic coverage areas and allow several minutes for questions.

A Few Things ...
 

1) Lead, and trail, primary coverage areas, and boundary responsibilities.

2) Keep the whistle in your mouth at all times (except for the jump ball).

3) Give strong signals. Report fouls slowly.

4) Review "Misunderstood Rules" in classroom.

If the players are very much learning, I'd tell them to ignore the small infractions, such as a small travel or something that looks like a double dribble. But, when they do decide that something needs to be called, to call it and to stand by it.

Definitely go over the PCAs - get them trained on that from the start.

But don't mention things that will never happen, like above the rim play. 3-pointers - meh. Might not even have a line in the church gym.

Also stress they can slow down when reporting fouls. There's no rush.

Cover transition and helping if there's a press.

Those are my suggestions, for starters.

Terrapin - Send me a PM (if you like) with your email address. I have some stuff I can send you that I use when teaching my young officials.

I would pare Billy's myth list down to the most commonly missed rules.

Traveling rule on a throw in.
Team control on a throw in.
Back court (and when three points actually applies.)

Spend some time showing what these plays look like.
Spend some time on positioning.

I would consider choosing a few of the HS kids that you suspect know the game better than some of the others, and then teach these kids a few simple elements. Then have them teach the group as a whole. You can see how the HS kids interpret what you taught them by how they're informing the others.

Great idea if we had time. Because of the snow, we are way behind schedule.

Games start Saturday. We have 1 day to do classes. In the past we have had 3 days of classes. But I feel confident we will be OK.

I would try to be there the first few games, at least the first single game for each official, to provide some instant feedback. And make sure the coaches are behaving.

I have done this a couple of times. My agenda is below. First and foremost I try to get them to be comfortable blowing the whistle. In fact, I make them blow their whistle instead of raise their hand to ask a question. Then, I try to give accurate descriptions of each foul and violation they may actually have to call in the first few games. If you teach a group of thirty and end up up with 1 or 2 good recruits, call it a success.

Good luck!

Best quick advice
• Blow your whistle
• Raise your arm (either hand or fist)

Basics
• Coverage areas, angles, off-ball

Mechanics
• Throw-in administration, jump administration, free throw administration

Violations
• Travel, Double dribble, carry, out of bounds, back court, 3 seconds, backcourt, kick

Fouls
• What is a foul?
Displacement, RBSQ, Advantage/Disadvantage
• Types of fouls (demonstrate each one)
Hold, Push, Illegal use of hands, Player control, Trip

Probably the most important point...

Teach them what defenders can legally do (i.e., verticality and moving to maintain LGP) and tell them to referee the defense. If the defense did nothing wrong, then they didn't foul. If there is enough contact for a foul and the defender didn't foul, then it is an offensive foul.

If they can do that, they'll get most of the fouls correct. Leave the advanced concepts (such as Advantage/Disadvantage, etc.) for when they get more comfortable. It is enough at first just to see a basic foul and know what to do.

Mechanically, just get them to box in the players and move to get a view through the play along with basic coverage areas.

I was with you right up until here.....

The question I have, is why don't you use already existing officials for this league? These kind of leagues are the way officials around here make some extra money and to fill out some parts of their schedule for younger officials?

Peace

Rut - I don't know about his particular situation regarding this, but in my local kids rec league we go up against other groups to get gym space from the school district. One of the points that helps us get priority on space is that we hire and teach HS kids to ref the little guys and the school district Board really appreciates that.

Of course, our policy that any kid in grades 3-12 who wants to play gets to play regardless of their family's financial situation is a big plus for us, too.

Nothing wrong with that. I just ask because many leagues have gone to rules that allow them to have licensed officials work as a mandate. It makes little difference, but with liability always in the backdrop and time to teach others rules, that seems to be what is done here. I know there are some leagues that might have HS kids work or non-licensed adults, but it seems to the norm they contact an existing high school assignor or local officials association and use their officials. I get emails literally every day to work some league somewhere and cover everything from middle school to men's leagues in many places.

Peace