New college ref advice

[Sharpshooternes]

Originally Posted by Matt S.

First off, congratulations! As someone who works NCAA DIII and high school varsity, I can tell you the expectation is that you officiate the game you're working that day.

That is-- HS mechanics in a HS game, college mechanics in a college game. Rules enforcement (sounds like you have that down).

What you may find is that your college games run smoother than your HS games. You'll also most-certainly find that your college games have far fewer people in the stands...really depends on what part of the country you are in.

The good news is that you don't have too many bad habits to break as a 'young' official...and there's no question your assignors will continue to partner you with veterans--you're not the 'R' yet at any level. Good luck!

I should clarify, my HS rules knowledges really good, college, not so much.
Suggestions on where to get college rules/mechanics books and where to start my focus for this first year?

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by Sharpshooternes

I should clarify, my HS rules knowledges really good, college, not so much.
Suggestions on where to get college rules/mechanics books and where to start my focus for this first year?

Join the NCAA group on Arbiter. You'll get rules and mechanics books shipped, and access to videos, interps, tests, quizzes, etc (the specifics will depend on NCAAM or NCAAW).

[JBleach85]

Congrats on getting picked up on the JUCO Level. As for helping with your rules knowledge would be to get a mentor or study group to help you understand the differences within the rules and mechanics. Also, the possibility of joining the Central Hub on Arbiter. This will allow you access to PDF versions of the rule book and case book along with video clips to help you out (I know on the Women's side they have it; I can't speak from the Men's side).

Another thing to do is to ask some of the distinguished members of the forum as some of them have a wealth of knowledge when it comes to the college game and can help on some insight, but my main advice would be still join the central hub and/or join a study group with a mentor who has an extra rule book who can help!

[Rooster]

Originally Posted by Sharpshooternes

I should clarify, my HS rules knowledges really good, college, not so much.
Suggestions on where to get college rules/mechanics books and where to start my focus for this first year?

Sharp,
Congrats! You and I are almost mirror images. I too got picked up this summer in a small JUCO conference. I only have one more year of experience than you. (I did my first season as a varsity official last year.) I am also very confident of high school rules (with big thanks to everyone on this forum) but not so much on the NCAA. I signed up for the NCAA Women's Basketball Central Hub on Arbiter even though I'm not working NCAA. My welcome package includes the rules book, case plays, and the CCA Manual. I haven't received them yet but I'm told it'll be soon. Plus there are great vids on the site. My strategy for the rules deficit: I'm gonna study my butt off, call the obvious, and do the best I can to wrap my head around the LDB en vivo. There's also a chart that shows the major differences between the two in the back of the Fed and NCAA rule books. But probably foremost in my mind: As someone who's very wise on this site reminded me, "There's a reason you got picked up."

[Andy]

This may or may not be true in your neighborhood, but I found one of the biggest transitions in going from HS to College was interacting with the coaches.

In my experience, college coaches will try much harder to "work" you for a call.
They will also tend to test you more to see what you will take when they realize that you are a new official to the conference or league.

Just be sure to take care of business and good luck.

[Scuba_ref]

Originally Posted by Andy

This may or may not be true in your neighborhood, but I found one of the biggest transitions in going from HS to College was interacting with the coaches.

In my experience, college coaches will try much harder to "work" you for a call.
They will also tend to test you more to see what you will take when they realize that you are a new official to the conference or league.

Just be sure to take care of business and good luck.

I will echo this comment and add that college coaches typically understand the mechanics and rules better than HS coaches and they will call you on it! You have to know your stuff. There is more at stake at the college level...in HS, the coach is also probably employed in some other capacity by the school and so wins and losses won't dictate future employment. In college, coaches are paid to win and so their livelihood is on the line.

BTW congrats!

[Rooster]

Originally Posted by Andy

This may or may not be true in your neighborhood, but I found one of the biggest transitions in going from HS to College was interacting with the coaches.

In my experience, college coaches will try much harder to "work" you for a call.
They will also tend to test you more to see what you will take when they realize that you are a new official to the conference or league.

Just be sure to take care of business and good luck.

Originally Posted by Scuba_ref

There is more at stake at the college level...in HS, the coach is also probably employed in some other capacity by the school and so wins and losses won't dictate future employment. In college, coaches are paid to win and so their livelihood is on the line.

For the reasons stated above I had one guy in my new conference tell me that if a coach calls you a MFer you can START to think about whacking him. I'm pretty good with my people skills but I don't tolerate much BS. Sooo that being stated I'm a little concerned about how much to take from coaches, not wanting to be that guy. Clearly officials in this league don't hand out many, but I'll be doggoned if I'm gonna be a doormat either. For the group: Is there a new balance to be calibrated? Any sharing of the experience with moving back and forth between HS and JUCO in terms of handling coaches sure would be appreciated.

[JetMetFan]

Originally Posted by Rooster

For the reasons stated above I had one guy in my new conference tell me that if a coach calls you a MFer you can START to think about whacking him. I'm pretty good with my people skills but I don't tolerate much BS. Sooo that being stated I'm a little concerned about how much to take from coaches, not wanting to be that guy. Clearly officials in this league don't hand out many, but I'll be doggoned if I'm gonna be a doormat either. For the group: Is there a new balance to be calibrated? Any sharing of the experience with moving back and forth between HS and JUCO in terms of handling coaches sure would be appreciated.

There shouldn't be any new balance to calibrate. The one common thread among college coaches, be they JUCO or otherwise, is they work for and represent the school. College administrators generally don't like their representatives acting up in public so if a HC calls you a "M-F" and you ring him/her up you're just doing your job. I don't know of any college coordinator who wouldn't back you in that situation.

In HS, there's always a chance the HC doesn't work for the school so he/she may not care or may not be as easily affected by the school's administration.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JetMetFan

In HS, there's always a chance the HC doesn't work for the school so he/she may not care or may not be as easily affected by the school's administration.

While it's true that the coach may not be a teacher, he's still under the authority of the athletic director, the principal, the superintendent, and the board of education.

[Rooster]

Originally Posted by JetMetFan

There shouldn't be any new balance to calibrate. The one common thread among college coaches, be they JUCO or otherwise, is they work for and represent the school. College administrators generally don't like their representatives acting up in public so if a HC calls you a "M-F" and you ring him/her up you're just doing your job. I don't know of any college coordinator who wouldn't back you in that situation.

In HS, there's always a chance the HC doesn't work for the school so he/she may not care or may not be as easily affected by the school's administration.

I got some clarification from a big dawg in the conference and he pish-shawed the M-F stuff, saying what I was told earlier is ridiculous. He basically said that if a coach comes after ME personally, that's an easy one... Good to know that I don't have to put up with a different standard of BS at the Juco level.

[Sharpshooternes]

Originally Posted by Andy

This may or may not be true in your neighborhood, but I found one of the biggest transitions in going from HS to College was interacting with the coaches.

In my experience, college coaches will try much harder to "work" you for a call.
They will also tend to test you more to see what you will take when they realize that you are a new official to the conference or league.

Just be sure to take care of business and good luck.

They are picking the wrong new guy to try that with. I tossed a coach during my try out for this college conference a few weeks ago. I am not afraid to take ace of business. I feel like the college environment is much more accepting of techs than HS. College=tool to take care of business. HS=very very last resort

[Sharpshooternes]

Originally Posted by Rooster

Sharp,
Congrats! You and I are almost mirror images. I too got picked up this summer in a small JUCO conference. I only have one more year of experience than you. (I did my first season as a varsity official last year.) I am also very confident of high school rules (with big thanks to everyone on this forum) but not so much on the NCAA. I signed up for the NCAA Women's Basketball Central Hub on Arbiter even though I'm not working NCAA. My welcome package includes the rules book, case plays, and the CCA Manual. I haven't received them yet but I'm told it'll be soon. Plus there are great vids on the site. My strategy for the rules deficit: I'm gonna study my butt off, call the obvious, and do the best I can to wrap my head around the LDB en vivo. There's also a chart that shows the major differences between the two in the back of the Fed and NCAA rule books. But probably foremost in my mind: As someone who's very wise on this site reminded me, "There's a reason you got picked up."

Congrats to you too rooster. I think I will sign up for the central hub. Sounds like I will be working on the women's side this year so I will start my focus there. Good luck this year

[johnny d]

Originally Posted by Sharpshooternes

Sounds like I will be working on the women's side this year so I will start my focus there.

In a lot of places, once you get slotted into one side or the other (men vs. women), that is the side you stay on. Many college assignors and most college coaches don't like to see people working both sides. If you don't want to stay in girls basketball, you need to consider starting there carefully.

[Sharpshooternes]

Originally Posted by johnny d

In a lot of places, once you get slotted into one side or the other (men vs. women), that is the side you stay on. Many college assignors and most college coaches don't like to see people working both sides. If you don't want to stay in girls basketball, you need to consider starting there carefully.

Yeah, i understand that. Can't say I had much of a choice presently, but I hope to make the switch later.

[johnny d]

Originally Posted by Sharpshooternes

Yeah, i understand that. Can't say I had much of a choice presently, but I hope to make the switch later.

You did have a choice. You could have told the assignor that you appreciate the offer, but you are going to continue working on your game until he can offer you a position on the men's staff. If working men's basketball is your goal, there isn't really much upside to starting on the women's side, other than learning to manage a shot clock. The difference between men and women on the college level is bigger than the difference between boys and girls at the hs level.

Since you are committed to do it, I will echo what others have already said. You need to be prepared and mentally focused to officiate the type of game you are working each night. On the drive to the game, go through a mental checklist of the rules and mechanics that you will have to utilize that night. The table at the back of the books is a good starting point for this type of preparation.

Good luck.