I am better than THAT guy
 

I hear that all of the time. This is my 14th year refereeing. I was elected to our executive board for the 1st time at the end of last season.

I love being a part of the board, it gives me the chance to represent the members and their view on issues and to help the members get the games they deserve.

For years, it looked like those who were on the board got all the "best" games and the rest were given to the the rest of "us". I had that point of view. But from the inside it is different.

Our board formed an evaluation committee, it consisted of 20 more senior and experienced officials. We have gotten evaluations from only 5 of those members. 15 said they would help and did nothing.

From those evaluations, I see so many referees that are sloppy and don't care about their craft. We are mid way through the year, every member should be getting better, but they are not. They are getting sloppy. They are going through the motions but without proper mechanics.

I refereed a freshman game yesterday, it did it the same way I would a varsity game. My partner ( a 2nd year guy ) did a better job than guys who have 15 years experience. Literally.

While I was happy to have a partner who really tried, I am disappointed with the guy with 15 years experience who complains that he is not getting post season assignments.

Ask yourself, are you better this year than you were last year? Are you using the proper mechanics? Are you communicating with your partner? Are you paying attention to the game? Or are you the guy who comes into the gym and can't wait to get paid?

I don't think those who read this board fall into those categories, you are here to learn to improve, we need to get your partners here, so they too can take pride in being a basketball referee. Don't keep this as your little secret, share it. It will improve your game if your partner improves.

Terp, not that we don't want them here but if they had enough motivation they'd find it for themselves. There's the difference right there.

We all work with "those" folks. In the same week I had two GV partners who couldn't have broken a sweat during the game with the amount of walking they were doing, both came to the site dressed and neither seemed inclined to call the new guidelines (NCAAW since NYS Girls use modified NCAA rules) until they saw me doing it. They continue to get games and it's possible they may work in the postseason just because of manpower issues. They're generally weeded out after the early rounds but they've already picked up their checks and they're on to the next rec ball game...which is why whistles get swallowed late in the GV game. Gotta get out fast so they can get to the rec game on time.

I'm fortunate in that I've worked for some very good assignors who've had success at the higher levels. One is Ed Corbett who, before he became "Ed Corbett," assigned Boys' F/JV Catholic schools in the NY Archdiocese in the early/mid-90s. One thing he would say to us in our preseason meeting still sticks with me. "These schools pay us a decent amount of money to do this (it was $45 at the time). The least we can do is work hard enough to get up a good sweat." A lot of our brethren need to realize working hard and working smart go a long way towards working our way up.

When I first started officiating I was told by a respected senior official; "Son, work hard and always try to improve so that twenties years from now people will respect your twenty years of experience and not say you have one year of experience twenty times."

Sadly, we all see officials who fall into the catergory of having one year of experience over and over. Hopefully they will not be saying that about me next season when I resume calling high school games.

These kind of stories annoy me.

I worked one day of youth rec basketball this season, with my regular HS partner. We worked it just as hard as we would a varsity game (although we probably laughed a bit more). 3 games, boys middle school. Cash before we worked, too.

Then we went and busted hump on a BV game that night. Never once did we think about mailing it in during the morning to "save steps" for the evening game.

I just can't mail it in and I don't get people who do. Then again, I'm not working rec ball every week, either.

Guess I'm fortunate. I see hard working, conscientious officials every night I work.

As for Rec Ball, as Rich says, I tell all my partners that I treat each game as if it's a BV game. We even do Captains and Coaches meetings - sets the tone, is good practice, and teaches the up and comers.

Also, this is why I personally won't do more than four games in a row. If I can't give it what I believe to be my 100% (mentally and physically) I will choose not to take the assignment. I don't want to become THAT guy......

You take it further than I do. We introduce ourselves to the coaches and then toss it up. Time schedules are tight when I work, it seems.

I still wish there was a "Like" button, good posts from everyone.

I find when I referee church league and lower level games, I can work on things that need improving. I get better every game. My biggest weakness is going too fast, I am consciously slowing down, once I get that down, my game will be fairly tight.

I love refereeing and when I came into this, I don';t think I would have ever said that. I coached for 11 years and loved it, but I am not a coach, I am a referee. Given the choice 25 years ago, knowing what I know now, I would have become a referee.

+1

I also ask my partner if they have a coat. Most guys see the sub-varsity contests as ehh..., I like to treat each game with the professionalism it deserves. The quid pro quo between coaches, players, and officials benefits from standards you set from the start. IMO

Terrapin,

Like you, I love to officiate. I have been at it 43 years and one of my worst fears is being labeled as an "old timey" official with regards to mechanics and/or philosophies. So, I try hard - camps every year, clinics, meetings, scrimmages, this discussion board, etc. And along the way, I have become involved with assigning and training in our little high school group.

One of the things that is frustrating is the lack of effort by officials to get better individually and as a group. But, we need almost every official down here and we accept that some of these people are not going to be as passionate about it as you. Furthermore, there are going to be far more U1's and U2's than referees. And, as stated previously, we need them all. Everybody ain't going to be a post season official (shouldn't it be the top rated officials anyway) so I guess what I'm saying is you might have to develop a little tolerance for those that aren't progressing but are still providing a much needed service for your group.

Many don't even realize such a resource exists. Frankly, I landed here because a partner referred me here in a post-game discussion.

We don't mess with jackets below the high school level, frankly. Everything else is the same. Well, I don't show up quite as early, because school is still in session.

Rec league I show up dressed, but with a jacket. 15 minutes is the expectation. I don't leave the game soaked in sweat, but they get top notch officiating.

This might not address the main point that you're making, but here goes. . .

While officials may shake off the rust as the early season progresses, I don't think officials get appreciably better during the season. They're concentrating too hard on the game they're working. I honestly believe officials get better primarily in the off-season; at camp or by working non-scholastic summer leagues.

These are games that, in a certain respect, don't really matter. And so the officials can concentrate on particular things they can improve. It's just my opinion, and it's probably because I've been to camp so often, but I really think that if you want to become a better official, you need to work on it in the off-season.

I agree with half your statement but not the part about not improving during the season. In my opinion to get better it is year round work. Off season entails going to camps, lots of reading of rules books, mechanics, and other information/speakers to get ideas to work on or find things you like about other officials to incorporate in your game. The season is where I put it all together and practice all of the things that I want to improve on. One of the nba officials (can't remember his name) says it takes approximately 5 games of focus on one aspect to make it habit. I take three things and focus on them for five games, the. Switch to some thing different for a bother 5 games. This year, my fourth, has shown a lot of improvement. I now get compliments on my mechanics instead of critisism. My focus is more sharp and the game I slower and I can see things much better. But I put in hundreds or thousands of hours during the year off the court in preparation, study, thighs forum, and game tape breakdown. All that helps my game.

The problem of people not improving is that they reach a point in their abilities where they are comfortable and its hard to kick them out of that rut. It would take a life altering event to get them to start the upward trend again, at least it would in my area because games are not given out through merit but rather the ability to have the quickest speed dial to the various school ADs.