Deer In The Headlights ...
 

I found this part (above) of the post to be very interesting. Not only did the guy not play basketball, he never played any sports. In my opinion, this will make the learning curve a lot steeper than if he had played any sport, and even steeper because he hadn't played basketball. I know that good players do not necessarily make good officials, and I also know that it's possible for a non-player to become a good official. I know volleyball, and lacrosse, officials who never played the game, and who have gone on to become good officials in those sports, making it all the way to the state tournament level.

No previous experience playing sports. No previous experience playing basketball. No previous experience officiating any other sport. This guy is more than just a newbie, he's an infant newbie, and he'll need a lot of help, classes, clinics, camps, mentoring, etc., and have to work really hard, harder than other newbies with more experience, to became a good basketball official. He can do it, but it will be a tough row to hoe.

Also, my opinion: Get certified, work a year of subvarsity basketball, recreation games, etc., get a mentor, take advantage of any education that his association offers, learn the rulebook, casebook, and mechanics manual, like the back of his hand, and then go to a camp after that first season.

Well there are no "certified" officials in this state. I was almost in the same boat as him...I only played Little League baseball. Learning the rulebook, casebook and mechanics was not that difficult. What I had to work on the most was knowing how to move on the floor given the position of the defenders and place on the floor so I wasn't constantly out of position or straight-lined at critical times.

Someone who played the game would certianly have an advantage in that area.

Inquiring Minds Want To Know ...
 

Do basketball officials in your area belong to any organizations, associations, boards, etc., or can anyone just put on a Footlocker jersey, strap on a shiny metal whistle, buckle on a black belt, and officiate a high school basketball game?

I'm guessing this is a regional thing, cause I've never heard of school for officials. There's clinics or camps and that's about it in my area.

If there's an option for that instead of an outright camp, I'd agree with you there. In my area, I'd have to suggest a camp or clinic to learn these things.

The problem with this discussion honestly. Most of these things about when and how guys work games or get training is so very regional. Even in Illinois it is different how you get games in different parts of the state.

Peace

My friend and I were discussing camps we had gone to and he mentioned that he had worked a game at camp with a guy who had never blown a whistle. The guy just paid and showed up, had never worked 2-man, and was immediately thrown into a 3-man game. I asked my friend how it went, and asked if he felt he received enough attention even with the new guy on the court. He said it was a great experience to practice leadership and to help the new guy learn the right way. He also said that the clinicians paid as much attention to him as the new guy, which was one of my concerns.

The thing I suggest for a new guy is attending association meetings. I went to two or three meetings, met the leadership, and heard what they talked about. The leaders suggested a kids league where I could start, told me where I could buy gear locally, and explained how the five-second count replaces the shot clock. My association does have a class for new guys, but it was a few weeks before I started attending meetings. I still think that going to a camp right off the bat is not the best, because you can learn so much by attending a few association meetings.

Officials in Texas belong to Chapters...and they are affiliated with either the UIL or TASO (Texas Association of Sports Officials)...last time I asked there is still a spitting contest between the two organizations for control.

I used the term "school" as it best describes the set-up. The chapter I belonged to called it New Official Training. It starts the Wednesday after labor day and ends during the week of scrimmages. These officials work a couple of sets of scrimmages as a group. They rotate off the floor after each quarter so one of the many experienced officials observing can go over a few things with them before they get back on the floor. All of this is at no charge for the new officials.

Once the Chapter Meetings start, the new officials have a break-out session to discuss rules questions and situations that have come up during the games.

That sounds like a great experience for newer officials! I wish we had something like that set up for newer officials in our area...

We have a rigorous process for "new officials" with less than one full season of high school officiating experience (they are considered "applicants)

Our applicant program is a combination of classroom and game-based learning that lasts approximately ten weeks and is intended to get them ready for the season.

Our course intends to prepare them to referee HS basketball, whether they have previous experience or not.

During our classroom meetings, we discuss the fundamentals of officiating: rules, floor coverage, positioning, game administration, and game management.

The hands-on portion consists of participation as a referee-in-training in 'live' games. These games are mandatory, where applicants are partnered with experienced officials and evaluators, who provide guidance, help correct mistakes, and generally hope to get them off to a good start as they rotate in and out of the games.

This system seems to serve us well over the yrs and our trainers are good guys (IMO) who want new officials to succeed. Like many other Associations, many of our officials are getting a little "long in the tooth" (me included) and we need some good, younger blood in the ranks.

I'm doing my part X 3:)

I had the privilege of watching all 3 of them work at camp - the triple threat crew.