How does your state rank?

[johnny d]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Well it is one thing to work a college game with some very decent athletes in a gym with 10 people watching. It is quite another to work a HS game with 3000 and on TV.

This is a load of crap. You are either ready to work the game or not. That might take some training and experience to get to the point where you can handle the on the court stuff. After that there is nothing one can do to practice or simulate working games in front of big crowds other than going out there and doing it. Some people will be able to handle this and others wont, but working more games in front of small crowds isn't going to make you any more prepared to handle this situation when it arises.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by johnny d

This is a load of crap. You are either ready to work the game or not. That might take some training and experience to get to the point where you can handle the on the court stuff. After that there is nothing one can do to practice or simulate working games in front of big crowds other than going out there and doing it. Some people will be able to handle this and others wont, but working more games in front of small crowds isn't going to make you any more prepared to handle this situation when it arises.

I'm sorry, but I don't see anything in there that would lead one to believe Rut's comments were a load of crap. Was there a point in his post that you're disagreeing with? If so, I don't see it here.

[johnny d]

Originally Posted by Adam

I'm sorry, but I don't see anything in there that would lead one to believe Rut's comments were a load of crap. Was there a point in his post that you're disagreeing with? If so, I don't see it here.

I was disagree with the statement that it makes a difference if there are 10 people in the stands or 3000 and that one can better handle working in front of 3000 with more experience. The experience one gains by working games can make your judgment better, you can learn to be in better positions, work on your mechanics, and manage a game better. But it doesn't matter how many games you work in front of small crowds you will not get better at working in front of big crowds. You will never know if you can or cannot handle working in front of big crowds until you are put in that situation and if you cant handle it, all the experience in the world will not make you any better at it. The ability to not care or worry about the stuff that is going on outside of the game on the court is innate. You either have it or you don't.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by johnny d

But it doesn't matter how many games you work in front of small crowds you will not get better at working in front of big crowds. You will never know if you can or cannot handle working in front of big crowds until you are put in that situation and if you cant handle it, all the experience in the world will not make you any better at it. The ability to not care or worry about the stuff that is going on outside of the game on the court is innate. You either have it or you don't.

I'm not sure if I agree, or disagree, with you.

(Full disclosure: I've never worked a state tournament game, conference playoffs, yes; public high school state tournament, no.)

We work all kinds of games here in my little corner of Connecticut. One night we could be working a "big" intracity rivalry game, in front of thousands, and the next night, a small rural school game, in front of a crowd of dozens, with their John Deere tractors parked in parking lot.

Over the years I have been able to completely "tune out" the crowd. My mind is on the players, my partner, the table crew, the coaches, the scoreboard, and the benches.

Maybe, as you say, I have it, or maybe, it was learned over thirty-three years. I'm not sure which.

[JetMetFan]

Originally Posted by johnny d

This is a load of crap. You are either ready to work the game or not. That might take some training and experience to get to the point where you can handle the on the court stuff. After that there is nothing one can do to practice or simulate working games in front of big crowds other than going out there and doing it. Some people will be able to handle this and others wont, but working more games in front of small crowds isn't going to make you any more prepared to handle this situation when it arises.

Crowd size may/may not make a difference to some but one thing that can have an effect is experience. Or I should say experiences. Five years in I know I couldn't have handled the opportunity I had this past March. Frankly, I wasn't sure I was going to handle it properly once I was there. Those are the times 20+ years of experiences come back to me and remind me why I was selected to do a game in the first place. That's an advantage I'll have over a five-year guy if/when the $%&! hits the fan during a game.