Is It Just Me....?

Stat-Man · #1 (**permalink**) Wed Jan 15, 2014, 08:06pm

If I find my focus wavering, I'll take a deep breath and remind myself to (re)focus.

Last night, I had a girls JV game that was a blowout and finished with a running clock. At one point in the second half, I thought my focus was starting to waver, so I took a deep breath and reminded myself that my partner and I had done a decent job with the game so far and we needed to finish the game on an equally strong note.

I also talk to myself a lot in the lead position to make sure I don't get stuck in one position or out of position.

ballgame99 · #2 (**permalink**) Thu Jan 16, 2014, 11:22am

I had the same thing the other night. For whatever reason I just couldn't get comfortable, just kind of dazed. Some of that is the ugly basketball that was being played in front of me, but that's no excuse. I think part of it was I had been partnered up with a semi-vet that I wanted to impress. I think I was thinking too much about all the little things rather than the game. Hell, one posession I forgot to put my whistle in my mouth. I told my wife when I got home I felt like a first year official that night. Moving on...

BillyMac · #3 (**permalink**) Thu Jan 16, 2014, 07:08pm

Back when I was coaching middle school basketball, and officiating anywhere, any game, anytime, to pick up some extra bucks for my three kid's college educations, I would often lose focus around the third week of February. Physically, I was fine, but I struggled mentally. It was just way too much basketball.

Now that my kids are through with college, and I've retired from teaching, and coaching, I'm able to pick, and choose, the games that I want to officiate (I work for only two assigners, high school, and Catholic middle school), and have cut the number of games that I do considerably. I no longer lose focus.