Small Mechanics tips

[johnny d]

Keep your head on a swivel.

Except for transition plays, run backwards from T to new L, it helps you keep your eyes on the players.

Take your whistle out of your mouth when you talk to players, they can understand you much better.

If there are cheerleaders outside of the end line, blast one full speed the first time you run down the court. The rest will learn to get out of the way and it will make working the L much easier.

[westneat]

Originally Posted by johnny d

Except for transition plays, run backwards from T to new L, it helps you keep your eyes on the players.

I've frequently been told in camps not to backpedal (as you can be more likely to trip).

But then I think about the mechanics for FJ and SJ in football where they backpedal and it doesn't seem to make any sense to me.

I've been told not to run backwards as well. As new Lead your coverage area is not behind you, it is to the side all the way across the court and you can look there easily without running backwards.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by westneat

I've frequently been told in camps not to backpedal (as you can be more likely to trip).

But then I think about the mechanics for FJ and SJ in football where they backpedal and it doesn't seem to make any sense to me.

In football if you fall, you are not going to likely break your arm falling on a very hard surface. A grass field or field turf is much more forgiving.

I know of someone that was cracked their skull falling on a basketball floor as they could not land soft.

And as a deep wing, there better not be anyone in your way or there is going to be other issues with that team. Not the same danger.

Either way, all of these things sound great, but there is always going to be something someone is not going to do. I do not get a couple of these tips, but to each his own.

Peace

[Rich]

Originally Posted by westneat

I've frequently been told in camps not to backpedal (as you can be more likely to trip).

But then I think about the mechanics for FJ and SJ in football where they backpedal and it doesn't seem to make any sense to me.

I'm a deep wing in college football. They do not teach the backpedal anymore. They prefer to see officials run while looking over a shoulder, like we do in basketball.

At some point you may need to backpedal a few steps, but I never backpedal all the way down the field.

We also start a lot deeper than we used to -- 24 yards off the LOS. Gives us time to read the play and still have a 15 yard cushion most of the time.

[ballgame99]

Originally Posted by johnny d

Keep your head on a swivel.

Except for transition plays, run backwards from T to new L, it helps you keep your eyes on the players.

.

I too have been told to be careful of the backpedal. I've been told to hustle to the endline with an eye behind you. I've gotten in the habit of busting it until I'm about 10ft from the endline and then turning and backing into position. I will probably bust my @ss one of these days, but it allows me to turn and see what is coming.

[BillyMac]

If you're a rookie official, and don't know where to stand during a timeout, or intermission, then just find a line somewhere, and stand on it, don't wander around.

And then after the game, find out where you're supposed to be standing, and do it right the next game.

[BillyMac]

Don't chase after balls that go out of bounds, or bounce away after a foul, or violation is called, going deep into corners, under bleachers, far away, as in field houses, etc. The kid's can't play without a ball. It will always come back to you. Keep your eyes on the players, not on the bouncing ball.

(This works in theory, but, sometimes, not so in practice. Sometimes you just have to politely ask a player to please go and get the ball.)

[BillyMac]

On the opening jump ball (not overtime), as the referee, or the tosser, point to the bench on your left, and say silently, or aloud, the color of the team on that bench. Then point to the jumper on the left side of the jump ball circle, he should be the same color as the players on the left bench. Then point to the right, the direction that that team is going, and say, aloud, the color of that team while pointing to the right. (For example, "White. White. White goes this way.")

Now point to the bench on your right, and say silently, or aloud, the color of the team on that bench. Then point to the jumper on the right side of the jump ball circle, he should be the same color as the players on the right bench. Then point to the left, the direction that that team is going, and say, aloud, the color of that team while pointing to the left. (For example, "Blue. Blue. Blue goes this way.")

Obviously, this will not work for overtime jump balls (Remember last year's Marquette-UConn overtime toss?).

It seems tedious. and elementary, but if you do this you will never start the game by going the wrong way (involving an error by the officials). I've been doing this for thirty-three years, and I've never started the kids going the wrong way, from fifth, and sixth, graders, all the way up to high school varsity, games.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

It seems tedious. and elementary, but if you do this you will never start the game by going the wrong way (involving an error by the officials). I've been doing this for thirty-three years, and I've never started the kids going the wrong way, from fifth, and sixth, graders, all the way up to high school varsity, games.

Do you really think that is because you go through that routine or is it because you look at them as they set up and make sure they are going the wrong way? I do the same thing you do, but that is not when I notice how the players a lined up. And many times in games I have had to switch players around without having did all the pointing that I do before the jump. Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with the routine, but not sure that is the reason we stay out of trouble in this area.

Peace

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Do you really think that is because you go through that routine or is it because you look at them as they set up and make sure they are going the wrong way?

I do this routine every time. In high school games, I've only had to switch them around a few times over more than thirty years. On the other hand, in my Catholic middle school games, this routine has helped me to avoid mistakes a least two, or three times, each, and every, season, especially with the "junior varsity" kids (fifth, and sixth graders), especially at the beginning of the season.

For high school games ("White. White. White goes this way."), my first two "Whites" are usually silent, to myself.

For Catholic middle school games, I will actually announce, in it's entirety, "White. White. White goes this way".

I know that it sometimes makes me look like a silly traffic cop, but I'd rather look like a silly traffic cop than like an idiot referee who starts the kids the wrong way.

[WhistlesAndStripes]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Don't chase after balls that go out of bounds, or bounce away after a foul, or violation is called, going deep into corners, under bleachers, far away, as in field houses, etc. The kid's can't play without a ball. It will always come back to you. Keep your eyes on the players, not on the bouncing ball.

(This works in theory, but, sometimes, not so in practice. Sometimes you just have to politely ask a player to please go and get the ball.)

This doesn't work so well with "adults" in rec leagues. A couple of times I've asked a player to go grab a ball for me, only to be told, both times, by one of his TEAMMATES that that was MY job. I whacked without hesitation both times.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Whistles & Stripes

This doesn't work so well with "adults" in rec leagues. A couple of times I've asked a player to go grab a ball for me, only to be told, both times, by one of his TEAMMATES that that was MY job. I whacked without hesitation both times.

Over thirty-three years, I've had three different local high school interpreters tell us that the ball always comes back to the official. I want to stand up and scream, "No, it doesn't always come back".

Of course, sometimes the whistle sounds and nobody is in possession: 10-3-5-B: A player shall not delay the game by acts such as: Failing when in possession, to immediately pass the ball to the nearer official when a whistle blows. We can ask for help, but, I guess, that we can't require that a player helps us?

Bottom line, try to keep your eyes on the players as much as you possibly can (I'm still refusing to go deep into corners, under bleachers, and far away, and I'm willing to wait a very long time for that ball to come back to me).

[WhistlesAndStripes]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Of course, sometimes the whistle sounds and nobody is in possession: 10-3-5-B: A player shall not delay the game by acts such as: Failing when in possession, to immediately pass the ball to the nearer official when a whistle blows. We can ask for help, but, I guess, that we can't require that a player helps us?

Actually, Rule 2-3 does allow us to require that assistance.

I thought there was something in the rule regarding unsporting conduct that something about refusing to follow an instruction given by an official. Apparently I was mixing this up with the football rulebook, which does contain such a statement.

So for basketball, I just hang my hat on Rule 2-3 for this one.

Originally Posted by Whistles & Stripes

This doesn't work so well with "adults" in rec leagues. A couple of times I've asked a player to go grab a ball for me, only to be told, both times, by one of his TEAMMATES that that was MY job. I whacked without hesitation both times.

Is that really worth a technical? I think I would just laugh and keep waiting until they get me the ball.