Video of yours truly officiating

[crosscountry55]

Originally Posted by jpgc99

If you run to the proper spot on the floor, you should be in a good position to officiate the play. Hustle more on the front side of the play, and limit your movement once you are there.

I've been watching the NBA officials more closely this year and am impressed by how well they do this. Watch them and copy their movement.

Originally Posted by ballgame99

Get to your spot and set up. If you need to move to improve your angle, do so in short quick bursts, and don't peek around the corner!

+1 on both comments. Goes back to the discussion a few weeks ago about ball lines and opening low/high. The bottom line is that in this day in age, with players as mobile and athletic as they are, I believe we're seeing a paradigm shift about "getting angles." Before we needed to move a lot to get them. These days, the angles come to you, so you're better off being static, and possible making a subtle step here or there, but that's it. Now, granted, in a two-person game, you have more to cover, so you may need to move a little more, especially as lead.

Originally Posted by MechanicGuy

Get the number of the fouling player before taking off. I've always thought looking back at the play looks bad.

Great point. When you have to look back, it's a tell. The same way checking your hole cards a second time is a tell in a game of Texas Hold'em.

[Kansas Ref]

I commend you for posting that vid of you reffing a game and availing yourself to the critique of this esteemed forum.

My advice is basically in two notes: so take it for what it's worth in applying to your officiating practice ok.

1. "The Look-Back and Lean": be a little more patient in identifying whom you are calling the foul on--wait until the traffic clears so you can see the actual player number before taking off to go tableside for your report--in some leagues the player jersey only has a number on the front or back and not both sides--so just have to wait until you can i.d. the player # before taking off. I used to do this myself (i.e., the lean back look while you are walking tableside).

2. Strive for "confident stature" when observing the play and try to bend at the knees when you are walking/trotting/running. I realize that when reffing one often has to instantaneously cover short distances and long distances--and you cannot predict where you have to be--so just bend you knees when running instead of the "half-walk" gait.

3. On behalf of all coaches, players, and fans of the hoop game, I sincerely thank you for choosing to be an official and commitment to improve your performance.