A true Newbie development

[BatteryPowered]

What are your thoughts? I had a guy who is going to start officiating this coming season ask for my opinion about camps for him. You probably need a little info. First, he never played a sport but loves basketball, wants to officiate a sport and basketball fits into his schedule best. In Texas officials belong to chapters which cover schools in a specific geographic area. The chapters have an Assignment Secretary and Evaluation Committee responsible for getting officials into games and determining what they are capable of handling. Most of the chapters in this area have “schools” that start about 10 weeks before the seasons and cover the rules, areas of responsibilities, mechanics, etc.

With that understanding, my advice was for him to not pay to attend a camp this summer. Primarily because there are none that are free remaining and only one that will include two-man work. But even if that was not true, I think a truly green newbie should go through one of those schools and spend his/her first season working the freshman and junior high games. Letting the evaluation committee watch them work, getting feedback on the basics and finding out if this is something they really want to do. Then, their first off-season they can attend a two-man camp or two that will put them on the floor with some of the bigger and better local program summer teams. After their second season they should be ready for some three-man exposure in one of the many camps in this area. One in particular is great for that as they focus on official with no three-man experience.

I would welcome your ideas on a “development program” so to speak.

[Camron Rust]

I agree with your recommendations. Going to camp, having never worked a game, is just going to be too much too fast. Most camps are not run with the purpose of teaching an official who has not yet called at least a few games.

Camp can be good after the first year for those that are among the better half of rookies but for the rest, it might still be too much. After the 2nd year is a good time to start the camping path for many.

[JRutledge]

The only way you learn is by working. I have no problem with going to a camp as those situations are not going to necessarily going to be any more laid back then a real game when no one is instructing.

There is no one way that works for everyone. This is the one thing they think we should be perfect from day one and get better after that fact. I guess is just depends on the other support systems in place and working a camp might be a great start as they will have instruction. But they cannot assume that is how they learn or know how to be an official. They have to put in the work doing all other stuff as well that includes meetings, trainings, classes or anything else that will acclimate themselves to this profession.

Peace

[Bad Zebra]

Definitely work a few games before even considering a camp.

In doing so, he will either find that:
A) He loves it, he's hooked, and wants to learn more and get better or
B) It's not at all what he expected. It's way more complicated and difficult than he imagined and opts to move on.

In my experience, there's not much middle ground. Going to camp before he really knows what to expect will be a big waste of money. The analogy of "Trying to sip water with a fire hose" comes to mind.

Encourage him to try to work as many youth games, middle and jr. high games as he can. A decent mentor will probably benefit him a lot more his first year than a formal camp.

[BktBallRef]

A couple of associations here run camps for HS and below officials. That type of camp might be appropriate for him but a camp for college level officials? No way.

Originally Posted by JRutledge

The only way you learn is by working. I have no problem with going to a camp as those situations are not going to necessarily going to be any more laid back then a real game when no one is instructing.

True, but having a few games under your belt and going through the process of teaching yourself the rulebook and mechanics manual will help a lot with understanding what the clinicians have to say. Plus, other campers want their clinician to focus on them as well instead of having to teach a new guy the most basic stuff.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by AremRed

True, but having a few games under your belt and going through the process of teaching yourself the rulebook and mechanics manual will help a lot with understanding what the clinicians have to say. Plus, other campers want their clinician to focus on them as well instead of having to teach a new guy the most basic stuff.

This really depends on the kind of camp that you are attending. Around here we do what we can to get people in the system and working and learning. We have two person camps and we rotate people in and out. At least when we run camps the participants realize what we are doing. In a real game they really do not care or act a fool at the officials. So I do not see this as a one way or the other way situation. Because if someone is brand new I treat them as such and teach them what they need to know and not overwelm them with information they cannot use at that point. A few games under your belt does not guarantee anything as I have seen guys with 5 years experience not understand basic stuff. You have to do it sometime, why not do it with instruction and not some guy that is only concerned about making money and will not do anything to teach you anything?

Peace

Originally Posted by JRutledge

You have to do it sometime, why not do it with instruction and not some guy that is only concerned about making money and will not do anything to teach you anything?

Instruction is great. And many associations host classes for beginners where they can receive some of that instruction. However, I think you missed my main point: a clinician having to teach a newbie is going to do so at the expense of the other campers on that court. I think all campers should be observed and instructed equally and when you have a total new guy they are going to get the majority of both. There is a place for new officials -- beginner officials class.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BatteryPowered

He never played a sport but loves basketball, wants to officiate a sport and basketball fits into his schedule best.

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.

[BatteryPowered]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

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.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BatteryPowered

Well there are no "certified" officials in this state.

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?