Small Mechanics tips

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Well it matters if the people training or doing the evaluations thinks it is a crutch.

Bingo. We train rookies to use the pocket whistle. And we evaluate our peers with understanding that they will use a pocket whistle as a double check aid, not as a crutch.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Bingo. We train rookies to use the pocket whistle. And we evaluate our peers with understanding that they will use a pocket whistle as a double check aid, not as a crutch.

What do they do when they forget to move the whistle And yes, they will sometimes forget.

Peace

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

What do they do when they forget to move the whistle And yes, they will sometimes forget.

Yes, sometimes we do. We discuss it with our partner, who also has a pocket whistle, and look to the arrow at the table, maybe having a discussion with the arrow operator. That discussion usually involves remembering the most recent arrow change. If all else fails, and we can't come up with a logical determination, we have a two out of three (me, partner, table) rule, but it usually never makes it that far.

Note: Some of us, those that work Catholic middle school games, are really good at switching pockets. There is no possession arrow at the table for any of these games. It's all on the officials, so some of us are really good at this "mechanic". For those of you that don't work middle school games, there are a lot of held balls to keep track of, especially in a middle school girls game.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Yes, sometimes we do. We discuss it with our partner, who also has a pocket whistle, and look to the arrow at the table, maybe having a discussion with the arrow operator. That discussion usually involves remembering the most recent arrow change. If all else fails, and we can't come up with a logical determination, we have a two out of three (me, partner, table) rule, but it usually never makes it that far.

Typical high school discussion once I look at the possession arrow at the table and realize that my whistle is in my wrong pocket:

Me (to partner): "Which way do you have the arrow going?"
Partner (after checking his pocket): That way (points)."

If he, and the arrow at the table are the same, and I'm different, I will switch my pocket, unless I definitely remember that I'm right (seldom happens), at which point we will continue our discussion at the table.

How many times does this happen during the high school season? Once. Twice. Maybe a whole season without a mistake by me.

If he has the same direction as me, and the table is different, we will have a discussion at the table to see if we can figure it out (it's usually the crew at the table forgetting to change it after throwin after an intermission).

Typical Catholic middle school discussion (no possession arrow at the table) when my partner is about to go a different direction than my pocket whistle after a held ball, or intermission:

"(Insert sound of crickets chirping here)".

How many times does this happen during the Catholic middle school season? Once a game. Maybe none during a game.

[Dexter555]

Billy--the official who is talking to Charles Barkley in the Capital One commercial is wearing a belt. Is that you?

[Rich]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Yes, sometimes we do. We discuss it with our partner, who also has a pocket whistle, and look to the arrow at the table, maybe having a discussion with the arrow operator. That discussion usually involves remembering the most recent arrow change. If all else fails, and we can't come up with a logical determination, we have a two out of three (me, partner, table) rule, but it usually never makes it that far.

Note: Some of us, those that work Catholic middle school games, are really good at switching pockets. There is no possession arrow at the table for any of these games. It's all on the officials, so some of us are really good at this "mechanic". For those of you that don't work middle school games, there are a lot of held balls to keep track of, especially in a middle school girls game.

It's not hard to get an arrow at a table. An empty water bottle will do. Wouldn't start without SOMETHING there.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Rich

It's not hard to get an arrow at a table. An empty water bottle will do.

Agree 100%. A pencil could work also, it has a point, it's easy to change the direction, it's cheap, it's portable, and it's easy to find.

The Catholic middle school league, the entire league, not just some schools, all fifteen schools, that I officiate in doesn't use a possession arrow at the table. My assigner for that league is also on it's board of directors, and he doesn't see the need (ignoring the written rule) for a possession arrow at the table. He expects his officials to keep track of the arrow. He's our assigner. We do what we're told.

We (both officials) are also expected to email the league director (c.c. to the assigner) the scores for all the games that we officiate, as soon as we get home from the assignment. He's our assigner. We do what we're told (I hate this directive).

He also wants us in full high school uniform (no sweats, no sneakers, patched jersey, etc.), sans jacket, for all of our games (even those involving fifth, and sixth graders). He wants us to enforce all fashion police rules. He's our assigner. We do what we're told.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

The Catholic middle school league, the entire league, not just some schools, all fifteen schools, that I officiate in doesn't use a possession arrow at the table. My assigner for that league is also on it's board of directors, and he doesn't see the need (ignoring the written rule) for a possession arrow at the table. He expects his officials to keep track of the arrow. He's our assigner. We do what we're told.

I don't mind helping them figure something out, but frankly, I wouldn't work that ball. It's not hard to find a wood block in the industrial arts area and have an art class paint an arrow on it. An assigner that expects me to track the arrow in a ms girls game is going to, hopefully, have plenty of other officials to work.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Adam

I don't mind helping them figure something out, but frankly, I wouldn't work that ball. It's not hard to find a wood block in the industrial arts area and have an art class paint an arrow on it. An assigner that expects me to track the arrow in a ms girls game is going to, hopefully, have plenty of other officials to work.

Yep.

I do not need middle school games. I do those for the money. If I choose to do them, I do them with what I am comfortable with. If I am not comfortable, I stay home. And this might be the reason why I don't do these games for the most part. Too much compromising on things that should be done a certain way.

Peace

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Adam

An assigner that expects me to track the arrow in a ms girls game is going to, hopefully, have plenty of other officials to work.

No hope needed. There's a line that goes all the way down the street, and our assigner only selects top prospects for our "board". We've got high school varsity officials (27 of 45 total), state tournament officials (45 of our local high school board officials (of 325) made the state tournament list, ten of those work our Catholic middle school games, in other words, almost a quarter of our Catholic middle school officials (10 of 45 total) are state high school tournament officials), and college officials (two), on our "board". The only subvarsity officials that he selects are vetted and show skills that make them very likely to quickly move up the ladder.