A true Newbie development

[jeschmit]

Here's the way I see it... You get out of camp what you expect to get out of it. If a guy is going having never blown a whistle before, he should probably be expecting to understand how to blow the whistle properly and basic court coverage. I was a teacher at a camp last summer where a kid came in having never refereed a game in his life. We went over where to stand, how to properly blow his whistle, and to get his hand or fist in the air when he has a call. That's it. I didn't worry about judgement or mechanics... just the extreme basics.

However, if he's thrown into a middle school game without any of that experience at a camp setting (with someone right behind him telling him where to go and what to do), he'll look like even more of a doofus...

My advice to your friend would be, if you have the time and money to go to a camp, go to it! Be up front with the clinicians, and tell them that you've never blown a whistle before and you might like some help with the basics. Most clinicians will be more than willing to help in that way, and some will even run the court with them.

Camp is the best place to try new things, whether it be learning how to referee, or a more advanced philosophy that you're trying out. Either way, it's camp. It's a lot better to figure it out then, than try and figure it out when you have players and coaches trying to win in the regular season.

[BatteryPowered]

Originally Posted by jeschmit

Here's the way I see it... You get out of camp what you expect to get out of it. If a guy is going having never blown a whistle before, he should probably be expecting to understand how to blow the whistle properly and basic court coverage. I was a teacher at a camp last summer where a kid came in having never refereed a game in his life. We went over where to stand, how to properly blow his whistle, and to get his hand or fist in the air when he has a call. That's it. I didn't worry about judgement or mechanics... just the extreme basics.

However, if he's thrown into a middle school game without any of that experience at a camp setting (with someone right behind him telling him where to go and what to do), he'll look like even more of a doofus...

My advice to your friend would be, if you have the time and money to go to a camp, go to it! Be up front with the clinicians, and tell them that you've never blown a whistle before and you might like some help with the basics. Most clinicians will be more than willing to help in that way, and some will even run the court with them.

Camp is the best place to try new things, whether it be learning how to referee, or a more advanced philosophy that you're trying out. Either way, it's camp. It's a lot better to figure it out then, than try and figure it out when you have players and coaches trying to win in the regular season.

That is exactly what is covered in the "school" put on by most of the chapters in this area.

[jeschmit]

Originally Posted by BatteryPowered

That is exactly what is covered in the "school" put on by most of the chapters in this area.

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.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by jeschmit

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.

Originally Posted by jeschmit

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 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.

[BatteryPowered]

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.

[jeschmit]

Originally Posted by BatteryPowered

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...

[grunewar]

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.