Primary Coverage Area
 

I am a new boys HS official, just took and passed IAABO exam this spring. I played hs ball and coached modified. I am doing a summer league to get experience and having a hard time concentrating on my PCA. I keep following the ball, I've only done 2 games, but, figured I would ask some veterans on what you did to discipline yourself on this task. Thanks for the advice and we do 2 man crews.:confused:

Just keep working and focusing on your PCA. Every time the down the court, make a conscious effort to identify the matchup in your primary that most needs your attention. Move to look between those two players.

When I first started, I would come down the court and look at the floor--locating my invisible PCA lines with my eyes. Not great and wouldn't recommend it.
15 years later I know that the imaginary lines aren't that important, rather it is the location of your nearest competitive match-ups (generally defined as two opposing players within about three feet of each other).

Therefore, you should come down the court and strive to identify the two nearest competitive match-ups and focus on those four players. Unless one of those match-ups involves a player with the ball, FORGET about the darn ball!!!
The ball isn't going to foul anyone. Teach yourself to look at the players first and secondly be aware of where the ball is. Look(at players), look (at players), glance(at the ball)--is a good technique.

You will get the hang of it with time, but it is certainly different from being a coach or fan and mostly just watching where the ball is!

To add to the many good comments...

Talk to your self...."where is the ball...is it mine or not? If no, actively and consciously find something else to watch".

Note that when you are off ball (the ball is not in your primary), you have ALL players that are not near the ball, even if they are not in your primary. The PCA definitions are for on-ball coverage only. The most interesting thing that you need to watch may or may not be in your "primary". Find the most interesting action...the action most likely to create trouble. Hunt for trouble. Often, it will be the two nearest competitive match-ups as Nevada said, but not always.

Square you body to the area you should be watching. If you are to be on ball, face the ball. If you are off-ball, turn your body and not just your head towards the off-ball players you need to cover, wherever they may be. Also move to get the best view of what you need to see.

Examples:

You're lead with the ball above the FT line near your sideline but not so close that the player is at risk of stepping on the sideline. You'll move out to be even with the ball ready to cover the sideline if the play moves closer to it or if the player with the ball drives down into your primary BUT you'll be facing the lane with both your body and head.

You're lead. The ball is near the trail's sideline. There is screening action away from the trail above the FT line....that is yours. The trail can't look at a play down his/her sideline and look across the court as well.

You're trail, table-side. The ball is deep in the lead's corner and is under pressure. There is heavy off-ball post action at the block on the lead's side of the lane. Guess who covers that....the trail. This is well into the lead's primary but there is no way the lead can cover the ball in the corner and cover the post action...and that IS the most likely place the ball will go next if it is not shot. You should move towards the middle of the court and be looking down the lane. If the ball is passed into that post, you move off of it when the pass is received and the lead has shifted their attention.

Thank you all for the great feedback!

Quaternary: Table, Benches, Coaches ...
 

(More Advanced) Tertiary: Be aware of where you partner is, and what he is doing (counting, watching a screen, watching a post match-up, managing coach, maybe out of position, etc.)

It takes work as you transition from player / coach. I certainly echo the above comments. Let me simply add that you have to learn to trust your partner. I said / say to myself if I find that I am ball watching, "Ball is in his area, concentrate off ball."

Great advice above. Don't feel too badly about watching the ball now...transitioning from player to official is contrary to what you've always done as a player...knowing where the ball is at all times. Every new official struggles with that.

You must understand, though, that it is CRITICAL for you to break that habit.

Good luck and welcome to The Dark Side.

Thanks
 

Did my 3rd game tonight, I was much more aware of my area, hanks for all the advice:)

Don't be so conscious of staying in your own area that you ignore a mugging a foot outside of it. The lines are not chiseled in stone.

Exactly....pretty much all mechanics are guidelines, not rules.

Thank you for this comment Camron. in my rookie year, I may have overemphasized focusing on PCA. Reading this post, I can work on improving my off-ball coverage this season.