Getting picked up very young

[BryanV21]

While meeting the right people can go a long way in getting games, that doesn't mean you don't have to be a good official. And being a good official oftentimes takes experience.

[Kansas Ref]

Originally Posted by BryanV21

While meeting the right people can go a long way in getting games, that doesn't mean you don't have to be a good official. And being a good official oftentimes takes experience.

*BryanVs, I cannot disagree with that point; however, prospective refs who decide/attempt to go the "fast-track" route generally acquire "experience" as a result of working the practices and games of their relevant competition level. Hey don't get me wrong, I realize there are a wealth of "non-curricular" type of experiences that can be (must be obtained) towards becoming an elite ref (such as how to get along with obstinate crew partners, how to manage confrontational coaches, how even to manage your own psychological stance in order to endure the immense challenge of reffing a live game, etc...). Yet, for the most part these are, shall I say, tangential issues. The key aspects are: knowing the relevant rules, getting self in good position to make calls, and managing the game--all of which can be learned by attending a relevant camp/clinic and identifying the relevant assignors.

[Rooster]

Originally Posted by Kansas Ref

*BryanVs, I cannot disagree with that point; however, prospective refs who decide/attempt to go the "fast-track" route generally acquire "experience" as a result of working the practices and games of their relevant competition level. Hey don't get me wrong, I realize there are a wealth of "non-curricular" type of experiences that can be (must be obtained) towards becoming an elite ref (such as how to get along with obstinate crew partners, how to manage confrontational coaches, how even to manage your own psychological stance in order to endure the immense challenge of reffing a live game, etc...). Yet, for the most part these are, shall I say, tangential issues. The key aspects are: knowing the relevant rules, getting self in good position to make calls, and managing the game--all of which can be learned by attending a relevant camp/clinic and identifying the relevant assignors.

1. Why is experience in quotes?

2. Help me understand here: You think working practices and games of their relevant competition level will give an official enough "experience" to work college games if they know the rules, how to get in the right spot, etc?

3. Ballpark...How many practices and games do you think would be needed to learn those "tangential issues" so that he or she could couple them with the key aspects you identified and be in a good position to get picked up?

[Kansas Ref]

Originally Posted by Rooster

1. Why is experience in quotes?

*To distinguish context-specific experience from generalized experience.

2. Help me understand here: You think working practices and games of their relevant competition level will give an official enough "experience" to work college games if they know the rules, how to get in the right spot, etc?

* By working an active combination of jamborees, scrimmages, practices, and games at your desired level of officiating vocation, you will eventually and assuredly acquire the acumen to become a satisfactory ref at that chosen level.

3. Ballpark...How many practices and games do you think would be needed to learn those "tangential issues" so that he or she could couple them with the key aspects you identified and be in a good position to get picked up?

*At best I can offer here is 2 to 5 years. There is a book called "The Tipping Point" that indicates that the average human needs 3500 to 5000 hours of practice, experience, feedback/evaluation on a task to transition from complete novice to satisfactory performer. So, I think that is a good baseline to begin with.

Are we good here?

[Rooster]

Originally Posted by Kansas Ref

*At best I can offer here is 2 to 5 years. There is a book called "The Tipping Point" that indicates that the average human needs 3500 to 5000 hours of practice, experience, feedback/evaluation on a task to transition from complete novice to satisfactory performer. So, I think that is a good baseline to begin with.

Are we good here?

Yep. Thanks for expanding.

[JRutledge]

We have a lot of young officials that think they should after a year work a full varsity schedule, but cannot handle a low-level varsity game already. HS and college in almost every case has nothing to do with each other. Just like working the NBA or pro ball has nothing to do with what you accomplished at the lower levels. It actually never was apart of the process unless you just happened to work college for someone that assigned some high school. And even in those cases, that only applies to their standards, not everyone that assigns college basketball.

Peace

[Robert E. Harrison]

Michael Nance, Larry Nance's little brother. I worked JV games with him for one year and he went to camp and was picked up the next year. He moved to Atlanta and the rest is history. He is a very good D1 official. Brian Forte, Joe Forte's son is another one that went through our association very briefly and has been in the NBA for 5 or 6 years. Both of them knew what they wanted to do and went for it.