You call yourself a Referee, but You never played varsity hoop?

[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by Travelling Man

I played HS varsity and small college hoop. This gives me insight on what players go through during a game, for example I can see how they get annoyed by pesky defenders which causes them to commit violations, how they experience stress of waning time and being down by 1 or 2 pts and the urgency that envelopes them, and also I know how they feign fouls--like initiating contact on drives when defender has LGP and they are looking to exploit the "gray areas" of the call. (i.e., 'flopping'). Also, there are just some aspects of hoop that I cannot verbalize but I can sense during a game--simply because I've been in the same situation that the players have been in. I know that my hoop playing experience gives me unique insight and I use it in the execution of my officiating practice. I don't mean to sound erudite, but officials who have not played competitive hoop are more prone to be duped by players who are prone to deceptive feigning.
I'm sorry to say this and will likey recieve feedback from the posters here. Yet, it also begs the question: can a coach who has never played varsity actually be an excellent varsity level coach? Can a ref who has never played in the nba be a good nba ref? But that is not really the point here.

It certainly helps to have played. It is beneficial in the ways that you state, but also it means that the person has a passion for the game and enjoys being around it, which is probably even more important. People will do what they enjoy and put in the time to improve.
I played FR and JV basketball in HS, but due to a coaching change and my average ability, I was one of the last cuts and never played a minute of Varsity. I did play three years of Varsity soccer in HS.
I've officiated both sports for almost 15 years now. Between the two, I've worked about 20 State Championship games. I'm currently working JC basketball and D1 soccer.
I will say that I strongly believe that gamesmanship and game control transfer equally across all sports. If you played one and can relate to the current athletes and coaches, and understand how people are going to try to gain an edge, then you can officiate them almost any sport. (There are a few exceptions in my opinion, such as wrestling, for which it would be considerably more difficult to officiate well without participation experience.)
I believe that I would have no problem calling softball, baseball, or american football, if I so desired. I don't because I don't have the time in my life or the passion for those games which would compel me to make the time.

[scrounge]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

It certainly helps to have played. It is beneficial in the ways that you state, but also it means that the person has a passion for the game and enjoys being around it, which is probably even more important. People will do what they enjoy and put in the time to improve.
I played FR and JV basketball in HS, but due to a coaching change and my average ability, I was one of the last cuts and never played a minute of Varsity. I did play three years of Varsity soccer in HS.
I've officiated both sports for almost 15 years now. Between the two, I've worked about 20 State Championship games. I'm currently working JC basketball and D1 soccer.
I will say that I strongly believe that gamesmanship and game control transfer equally across all sports. If you played one and can relate to the current athletes and coaches, and understand how people are going to try to gain an edge, then you can officiate them almost any sport. (There are a few exceptions in my opinion, such as wrestling, for which it would be considerably more difficult to officiate well without participation experience.)
I believe that I would have no problem calling softball, baseball, or american football, if I so desired. I don't because I don't have the time in my life or the passion for those games which would compel me to make the time.

Definitely agree. Just to expand on this, I'd say the biggest benefit comes when you've reached the point that you have an innate, internal sense of the game and can anticipate and predict what will/should happen in a given situation. Not on an expert level or anything, but if you know enough to sense that 1 out, man on 3rd, 2-1 count might be a good time for a suicide squeeze, then you probably are plenty aware of the flow of the game. If you know the basics of when it's a run or pass down or can recognize an overpursuing defense and that a misdirection play would be wise, you've got the intuitive feel for football. You can get that feel in a variety of ways - playing is a great way but by no means the only way. It could be coaching, it could be passionate fan watching, etc.

For me, I do NOT yet have that for basketball. I know the basics, I can intelligently watch the game, I know the rules. I can process and analyze what happened. But I don't have the intuitive feel to anticipate what *should* happen. I couldn't really draw up a play or install an offense. I couldn't really coach it. And that's why I have no desire to move up too quickly - I wouldn't even think of getting to varsity for another 3-4 years (I'm 2 years in already).

[tjones1]

How in the world has this thread gone 4 pages?

What a waste of bandwidth.