First playoff assignment

[rockyroad]

Originally Posted by Smitty

I thought the State Finals games were 3-person in OR.

I don't think so...I watched a buddy work one two years ago and it was two- person.

[rockyroad]

Congrats A Pennsyylvania Coach!! Enjoy it! Advice: don't get so caught up in floor coverages and rotations and all that goes into three person that you forget to blow your whistle! Call your game, the other stuff will be fine.

[stripes2255]

Originally Posted by Smitty

I thought the State Finals games were 3-person in OR.

Nope. I would bet a bunch of people wish they were, but to this point all 2-person

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

I don't think so...I watched a buddy work one two years ago and it was two- person.

Confirmed...all 2-person at all levels all the way through the final.

[Scrapper1]

Originally Posted by A Pennsylvania Coach

I just got my first playoff assignment!

Well-deserved congratulations! Excited and nervous is just about right, I would say!

It's a three-person game and I haven't done many of those. Quite a few in the summer but not much this season. Any advice from the vets?

Couple of things.

1) Since you haven't worked a lot of 3-whistle, there will be a natural tendency to think about where you're supposed to be. That's totally understandable, since you haven't worked it enough for positioning and PCA's to be second-nature. Wherever you find yourself on the floor, don't forget to officiate! When I first started, I was so worried about whether I was exactly on the free throw line extended as the C, that I wasn't really focused enough on officiating screens and weak side post plays. It's good to be where you're supposed to be, but it's not as important as calling plays.

2) Over-communicate. It's possible that your partners won't have much more 3-whistle experience than you have. Any chance you get, make sure you're on the same page.

3) As everybody else has said, work your primary area hard and trust your partners to do the same in their areas. We all know that our accuracy goes down when we reach outside our primary. That doesn't mean you ignore an ax-murder, just because it's on the opposite block; but I think you know what I'm trying to say.

Try to have fun! You've been here for a long time and working hard to get better. You deserve it. Have a great game.

[Scuba_ref]

I have anxiously been awaiting my first ever post season assignments. I rated high enough in the association to get both girls and boys games in the post season. So, two days ago I get an email via Arbiter that I have new games...and knowing that the remainder of the regular season has all been assigned I got excited.

Well, I logged into Arbiter and with great trepidation I opened my schedule to see a middle school 7th grade girls C squad game. I came off my high fairly quickly.

ps have since been assigned three post season games so all is well!

[rockyroad]

Originally Posted by Scuba_ref

I have anxiously been awaiting my first ever post season assignments. I rated high enough in the association to get both girls and boys games in the post season. So, two days ago I get an email via Arbiter that I have new games...and knowing that the remainder of the regular season has all been assigned I got excited.

Well, I logged into Arbiter and with great trepidation I opened my schedule to see a middle school 7th grade girls C squad game. I came off my high fairly quickly.

ps have since been assigned three post season games so all is well!

Ha!

And congrats!

[Smitty]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

I don't think so...I watched a buddy work one two years ago and it was two- person.

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

Confirmed...all 2-person at all levels all the way through the final.

Now that I think of it I recall watching a girls final one year and it was 2-man. I think I'm thinking about McAllister's summer tourney where they use 3-man in the championship. Ooops.

[A Pennsylvania Coach]

Originally Posted by Scuba_ref

I have anxiously been awaiting my first ever post season assignments. I rated high enough in the association to get both girls and boys games in the post season. So, two days ago I get an email via Arbiter that I have new games...and knowing that the remainder of the regular season has all been assigned I got excited.

Well, I logged into Arbiter and with great trepidation I opened my schedule to see a middle school 7th grade girls C squad game. I came off my high fairly quickly.

ps have since been assigned three post season games so all is well!

That's funny! When I saw the Arbiter email last night I talked myself into it being some stray junior high makeup game until I got logged in and saw the game!

Thanks everyone for the advice.

[Tio]

Congrats! Have fun and enjoy the fruits of a good season.

[jTheUmp]

Originally Posted by Scuba_ref

I have anxiously been awaiting my first ever post season assignments. I rated high enough in the association to get both girls and boys games in the post season. So, two days ago I get an email via Arbiter that I have new games...and knowing that the remainder of the regular season has all been assigned I got excited.

Well, I logged into Arbiter and with great trepidation I opened my schedule to see a middle school 7th grade girls C squad game. I came off my high fairly quickly.

Ah, good old trolling assigners. Well played, assigner, well played indeed.

ps have since been assigned three post season games so all is well!

Congrats. I haven't received any post-season assignments (and since this is my first year with much of a varsity schedule, I wasn't expecting any).

[A Pennsylvania Coach]

I found a couple vets doing a men's rec game tonight and I'm jumping in and doing that with them for the last-minute experience.

[BigT]

Originally Posted by A Pennsylvania Coach

I found a couple vets doing a men's rec game tonight and I'm jumping in and doing that with them for the last-minute experience.

I was going to recommend this. Also I would watch some TV games and watch the lead and try to figure out what made him flex across the key.

My first year refereeing I got into HS and Charter HS. Charter HS do 3 man for their playoffs and I got 10 playoff games doing 3 man including the state championship game. It has been an amazing experience.

[OKREF]

Our playoffs start tomorrow. Small school districts. 3 teams boys and girls. Top seeded team gets bye the first night. 2 games each night Friday and Saturday. Have to drive about 3 hours one way. 2 man. It will be fun.

[VaTerp]

I have a bit of a different perspective probably because I have had the opportunity to learn 3 person very early in my career and have the fortune of doing almost all of my scholastic ball in 3 person now, I don't see it as that big of an adjustment as long as you have a working knowledge of 3 person positioning, and PCAs.

I do understand that it is a significant adjustment if you havent done much or any since the season began but I think some people focus a little too much on the 3 person aspect and forget about some of the other important things to keep in mind as you enter the post-season. I would add a few reminders to some of the good advice you've received on 3 person:

Dig back into the rules book. Just before post-season is a good time to scrub through the rules to make sure you have a solid understanding of any issues that came up during the season and are less likely to kick anything in games that have higher stakes.

Sharpen your mechanics. Over the course of the season it can be easy to get a little sloppy with our mechanics. I would get back in the mirror and work on a few things to make sure you look sharp and confident.

Know the history of the teams. At this point, you or someone on the crew has likely had one of the teams before. If you are familiar with the style of play, the tendencies of a few of the key players, etc. it can only help. Also a good idea to know how the reg. season games between the teams went.

Increase focus and concentration but remember to relax and have fun.

And congratulations. You must be doing something right.