7th Grade Girls B-Team

[MD Longhorn]

OK, guys... just a question for you:

What is your mentality going into a 7th Grade Girls B-Team game (having already worked a C-team game)? Is the idea to just make it through the game as quickly as possible? Are you managing the game differently than other games? How much does it change when it's 30-4? And in such a game, do you treat one team differently than the other?

Kind of want to get some feedback before I describe last night's 7th grade Girls B-Team game.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

OK, guys... just a question for you:

What is your mentality going into a 7th Grade Girls B-Team game (having already worked a C-team game)? Is the idea to just make it through the game as quickly as possible? Are you managing the game differently than other games? How much does it change when it's 30-4? And in such a game, do you treat one team differently than the other?

Kind of want to get some feedback before I describe last night's 7th grade Girls B-Team game.

My answer (I stay far, far away) would be completely unhelpful.

Seriously, I would probably try to get the big stuff and manage the game from that standpoint.

[Adam]

Were you watching my games last night? You should have said hi.

[ballgame99]

IN these games you have to get on the same page with your partner on how much you are going to let slide, especially as it relates to travels and 3 seconds. If one team is much better than the other, yes, I do call it a little tighter on the better team, especially as it relates to violations, and fouls too, just because the better teams seem to play through a lot more fouls that the worse teams. Just get in and get it over with, and try to be fair to both sides.

[jTheUmp]

^^^^

What he said.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

OK, guys... just a question for you:

What is your mentality going into a 7th Grade Girls B-Team game (having already worked a C-team game)? Is the idea to just make it through the game as quickly as possible? Are you managing the game differently than other games? How much does it change when it's 30-4? And in such a game, do you treat one team differently than the other?

Kind of want to get some feedback before I describe last night's 7th grade Girls B-Team game.

I can NOT stand officials who just want to get through it as quickly as possible. If they don't want to be there, they shouldn't have taken the game (and that is OK). Sure you may not call some things but that isn't to get out quickly, it is because it is what is appropriate for the game and the skill level. If you call a few things, the kids, even at those ages, will learn.....and they'll get better in time.

When the score is so lopsided, yes, the calls may not be 100% equal.....how much movement is a travel, how much contact is a foul....the threshold might just not be exactly the same for each team. Each game is different.

[cmckenna]

I echo Cameron's comments and also want to add...

For the kids, each game is important to them and deserves our best at all times. Don't ever bring anything but your A performance as it is not fair to them

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by cmckenna

For the kids, each game is important to them and deserves our best at all times. Don't ever bring anything but your A performance as it is not fair to them

I agree in terms of hustle, attitude, rule interpretations, taking the assignment seriously, proper uniform, etc., but we use "relaxed" mechanics when we do Catholic middle school "junior varsity" (fifth, and sixth, grade) doubleheaders, or triple headers.

[ODog]

As a few have said, the game's still important to the kids.

But it's important to you, too. You NEVER know who's in the stands.

Could be a major assignor watching his granddaughter play. An official from your board could have a daughter out there. This year's parent coaching the middle school team could be "local high school team's" JV/V coach in a few years. People like this might watch you and form opinions w/o realizing you didn't bring your "A" game.

Fellow officials are more likely to give you a pass having been in that spot themselves, but while letting things slide and favoring the team getting killed (which I do as well), I would be sure to absolutely keep the mechanics crisp throughout. Rotations and switching might be scaled down, but there's no reason to have half whistles or noodle-arm signals.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by ODog

... Rotations and switching might be scaled down, but there's no reason to have half whistles or noodle-arm signals.

Or even worse, let them beat the crap out of each other so you can get home 15 minutes quicker.

[MD Longhorn]

Not too far removed from what I expected, and similar to my own views.

Game 2 nights ago was horrendous. Yes, my daughter's team was on the losing end (by far) and I tried to take that into account as part of the reason for my frustration. Add to that, I had "3-seconds!!!" guy sitting behind me (he was right ONCE - and even then just by a bit).

2 officials - they switched once. I can live with that though.
8 fouls from one official - somewhat even - I can live with that.
NO fouls from the other official - not even when a player was pushed with 2 hands in the back during a layup attempt, faceplanting right in front of the official.
Same official insisted during the entire first half that our team throw her the ball after the other team made a basket - and since they didn't switch during the first half, this means EVERY basket. Allowing the other team to set up their press, which our coach is too incompetent to teach the team how to get out of. Other official must have said something to her at halftime, as she didn't do this in the 2nd half.
Same official completely ignored backcourt violations twice. Blatant ones.
Same official, when trail, stood planted at the corner of the halfcourt and sideline - no matter what.

The worst though was after a timeout - the other team played with 6 people. I (and several others) were literally screaming at the officials that they had 6 players on the court. 3 trips up and down the court - probably about a minute. Finally the other coach realizes what we're yelling about and tells a player to leave the court during play... she runs RIGHT BY the official (the better of the two - not the one who did all the stuff above) and sits down --- official thinks nothing of it and moves on. I KNOW that would have made me go, "Huh...that's odd".

Yes we got slaughtered, and by no means do I think that was the fault of the officials ... not even close. But considering the blowout status of the game, I find it hard to imagine I would pass on backcourt calls against the team in the lead (and I couldn't have missed them ... I was standing on the halfcourt line!). The only thing I saw different between the teams was that it seemed to me we were the beneficiary of a few questionable out-of-bounds-off-who decisions.

[ref3808]

I do quite a bit of officiating at the 7th and 8th G level, both boys and girls. While I usually don't pay much attention to coaches comments the one thing that does stick with me is how many coaches shake hands after a game and voice their thanks for "blowing the whistle when it should have been blown."

It seems at that level there are a lot of officials who don't bother making certain calls and none of these coaches feel that it helps their teams learn to play correctly.

I may "adjust" when officiating entry level (4G/5G) but after that I call what I see. In most cases the players figure it out pretty quickly.

[Adam]

Mike,
I think you got a very new ref, judging by her requirement to have the ball after a made basket.

Definitely not a vet dialing it in.

[jTheUmp]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

8 fouls from one official - somewhat even - I can live with that.

Had a Varsity game on Tuesday night... I called the first foul, my partner called the next 6 fouls. It's not that we weren't on the same page in regards to illegal contact.. we were. It's just that all of the illegal contact happened to be in his primary for about an 8-minute span.

NO fouls from the other official - not even when a player was pushed with 2 hands in the back during a layup attempt, faceplanting right in front of the official.
Same official insisted during the entire first half that our team throw her the ball after the other team made a basket - and since they didn't switch during the first half, this means EVERY basket. Allowing the other team to set up their press, which our coach is too incompetent to teach the team how to get out of. Other official must have said something to her at halftime, as she didn't do this in the 2nd half.
Same official completely ignored backcourt violations twice. Blatant ones.
Same official, when trail, stood planted at the corner of the halfcourt and sideline - no matter what.

Is it possible that this official was brand-new to officiating, and therefore stuck in the "call nothing" phase? I was that way myself when I first started out. Yes, it sucks for your team, but we (officials) all had to start somewhere.

No excuse for a team playing with 6 players though.

[Smitty]

I'm not sure I understand the mentality of expecting good officiating at a middle school game. This is the training zone. You may get 2 rookies, or if you're lucky a rookie and a veteran. Only rarely will you get 2 refs who are veterans. I understand even less what the point of complaining about it here does to help.