Can you all tell me some of the things that you do to prepare for the upcoming basketball season?

I say this every year, but I think it's really important, especially for the newer guys/gals. The best preparation for the upcoming season (and the only preparation that I do) is to cut down on the nachos and beer. ;)

Or the diet coke, with tofu and bean sprouts. Definitely not good for you!

I know a guy who ate Taco Bell as his pre-game meal, before his 1st varsity game! Needless to say he had a sh*tty night

In my opinion the best thing you can do to prepare for the season is to carefully read the newest version of the rule book and case book. Conditioning is certainly important, but without a comprehensive understanding of the rules being in good shape is a waste of time.

I'm sure you'll get some sarcastic replies (not from me, of course), and I'm sure you'll get some really good suggestions on conditioning, etc. But - here's something I recommend that usually is overlooked. Check your equipment (no - not that equipment - although that's not a bad idea also). I mean try on your uniform to see if it still fits, check for wear and tear, make sure your whistles aren't all chewed up, etc.

Most important - check your shoes. Don't just try them on, actually wear them for a little while. Are they still comfortable? Do you need new insoles? Do they need polishing and/or deodorizing? If they don't smell fresh, try putting them on an air conditioning vent overnight (really). This is a great trick when you are on the road.

Also check your bag to make sure it is stocked with the essentials (don't forget Bactine and Band-Aids).

Yesterday, I checked my jerseys and found one had a dime-sized hole under one of the arms. I guess I'll have to ask my wife (yeah, suuuuuure) to sew it. I'd do it myself, but I'd probably sew the sleeve to the Smitty loop or something.

I agree re-reading the latest rule book and situations is very important--i also lift some weights and do some running just to make sure i am in shape-one of my pet peeves is officials who do not look like they are in shape-i think the fans/coaches etc get a negative first impression if you don't look in shape--
Also try and get in as many early season scrimages as you can-

lose 10 pounds
start running
check my uniform and bag
clear my calendar
find a good babysitter (usually the most difficult task)
freeze some dinners for the kids
get my car looked at
find some hoppin' tunes for the car
watch a few game tapes (not me!! NCAA games that were on TV)
talk to my mentor
track down a few rec games for early November

I've seen the new diet vanilla coke, but not this tofu and bean sprout thing. Is it any good? :D

The football season gets me a pretty good shape before the season. I do work out a little, but I really do not have to that much. I am already in great shape.

I also go to as many basketball meetings as I possibly can. I belong to more than one association, but I try to go to them all, just to get me thinking more and more of basketball during the football season. Meetings start in early October.

Other than that, I go to a yearly clinic run by an organization called IACAO. Not only are their vendors at this clinic to buy stuff, but it kind of signifies the start of the basketball season for many.

Peace

I've seen the new diet vanilla coke, but not this tofu and bean sprout thing. Is it any good? [/B][/QUOTE]It's quite popular with yuppie scum and BoSox fans,actually. Of course,designer water is also optional as a replacement for the diet coke.

I usually don't think about getting ready for the season until I get to my first meeting in October. The physicial conditioning should have been done all summer long. It wasn't? I just got my eyes checked, I will probably get a physical. I will next check my bag to see if I need any new equipment. More whistles, pants, shirts, socks, shoes, etc. Now, to make sure I have enough money in my account to pay local dues.8-0

:D

I get my wife, neighbours, and co-workers to help me out by taking a bit of time each day to heap criticism and verbal abuse on me.

I also leaf through the rulebook and review some old exams.

Oh yeah, polish my shoes.

BTW, you guys, quit knocking tofu! It's actually pretty good!

To-fooey!

The Vanilla Coke would be great. . .if they just left out the Vanilla. Bleh :mad:

I don't do tofu.

"Hey, I came in 'ere for an argument!!"

"Oh, sorry. Arguments are down the hall. This is abuse."

:)

Ok, my serious reply. The best preparation for the upcoming season that I've found is summer camps. Invariably, I pick up numerous things that help me in the regular season.

It's kind of late to schedule camps for this summer, tho. So if you didn't do that, then I'd say the best preparation would be:

1) Rules study (including the changes, obviously)
2) Conditioning
3) Scrimmages

In that order. Just my opinion.

You're kidding, right? The vanilla is the only thing that makes the cough-syrupy taste of Coke palatable.

Are you in shape
 

A physical may be in order. In off season, I do a lot of aerobic excercise. Keeps the heart rate up which is what you need during a game.

I like to look at the rule changes, read the new books cover to cover and talk with others about the changes. This forum is pretty good for that most of the time. You'd be surprised the officials you work with that don't keep up with the changes, so it reinforces your understanding and you provide a service to your fellows.

I'm actually a tofu and sprouts fan, myself. I'll take some good fresh tofu over a beefsteak any day of the week. I also like tempeh, but I don't expect you guys even know what that is. Unless you served in the military in Indonesia.

My wife has a hot tempeh all the time. I constatly tell her, "don't yell at me, you need to control your tempeh".:D

Are you guys kidding about looking in your bag to see if you need any equipment? I hope so. Why would you keep all of your equipment in your bag during the year? I have quite a few uniforms and I know what condition everything I have is in without looking.
Seriously, in most places right now is the only dead time of the year for basketball. I used to be in Southern Nevada and the beginning of the school year was our time to rest before the season.
I would suggest getting a grasp on the things you can control. What I mean is everytime we step on the court there are a million things that could happen that night. We have to be able to handle these situations so I'm of the opinion that we should control the things that we can control ahead of time so we aren't worried about them on the court. These things include:
1. Know the rules. If it is in black and white you can stand on it.
2. Be in shape and warm up good. You can't officiate the plays if you can't get in the right position.
3. Make sure you look good in your uniform. The impression you make when you step out of the locker room is important. If you don't look good people will think you can't work.
4. Get in front of the mirror and go over mechanics. I'm of the opinion that a perfect mechanic in front of the mirror turns into a good mechanic in the heat of a game. A good mechanic in front of the mirror is an OK mechanic in a game. It goes down hill from here. Once again, if you look sharp you look like you know what you are doing.
5. Talk to or get a friend that loves this game.
6. Look at your shoes. Shoes wear out on the inside way before we retire them. If you are attached to a certain shoe then buy more than one pair. During a season our feet are very important!
7. Get ready for some serious fun! I don't think there is a successful official who doesn't have fun doing this. It is a beautiful game.

Don't know about turning down a grilled ribeye for tofu, but tofu would be great stirfried with some veggies to go on the side!

As for tempeh, it's very good (I love the texture and hearty flavour), although sometimes hard to get. Those thin sheets of dried bean curd, or the fried tofu puffs might be good substitutes in a pinch, I guess.

I can hardly see Padgett's response to this one. Maybe we should start talking about FRENCH cuisine, to really get him going.

Can someone tell me what tempeh is?

Do not ask me what a Rhizopus is.
 

An Asian food prepared by fermenting soybeans with a rhizopus?

Peace

Sounds uh uh good, I guess...Besides myself & JR does anybody have a clue what Rhizopus is?

Rhizopus is a part of the slime mold family. The soybeans are innoculated with the mold, and then pressed. The mold grows between the beans and the whole thing forms into flat cakes. I know it sounds gross, but it's quite tasty, if not over-"grown", and it's extremely nutritious, especially for vegans who have no natural source of B12. It's not really any more disgusting than eating old, curdled milk (cheese) or drinking very old barley and hops that have a yeast infection!!

Could we have gotten any more off topic?