Basketball Official

[fref]

This year I am going to take the plunge. From basketball officiating to football officiating (my favorite sport).

So, I would like to ask this. What form of officiating is more difficult, and what can I expect.

[BktBallRef]

The rules are more difficult in football.

The officiating is more difficult in basketball.

Rules - Seems the more players on the field/court, the more complex the rules. In football, different rules apply to different players, depending on their location on the field. There are more restrictions on the players, even when the ball is dead. Although basketball rules are complex, I these items are the major differences.

Officiating - Officiating football is easier in that you have the same responsibilities and positioning on every play, with the exception of kicks. You're basically doing the same thing 80-100 times a night. In basketball, you're constantly moving/rotating/switching, 10 players in a confined area, always refereeing the defense.

That's a brief, simplified view from someone who does both. I think you'll enjoy football.

[JRutledge]

Most good football officials would struggle at becoming a basketball official. And most good basketball officials picking up football would find it very easy.

Tony made some very good points about the two sports. But as a basketball officials you cannot hide from coaches like many do on a football field (umpires, back judges, referees). The fans are closer in basketball, which many football officials have admitted bothers them. The environment can be louder and more intense in basketball (I have to emphasize the word CAN). You have to be in over all better shape as a basketball official. I also feel it is harder to advance in basketball. This might vary by area, but you are dissected more as a basketball official. And the bottom line, you are working more games, more confrontations, more physical stress on your body. And being a basketball official is much more of an individual sport to officiate. You are not relying on a crew or a group of people to cover you. In basketball you are judged largely as an individual and what you do as an individual. In football you can hide on a crew and your crewmates can protect you. Not the case in basketball. And in basketball you have to be able to do all the things your partners can do in that game. In football you are playing a position. As a Referee I have totally different responsibilities in a game than a backjudge. In a basketball game, all a Referee does for the most part is throw the ball up at the beginning of the game, but after that we are all equal.

An assignor in my area that is an accomplished football and basketball told me,

"Football is a game of rules, basketball is a game of judgment."

I will also say this. The friends that you gain in football tend to be deeper than those of us that work basketball. You spend a great deal of time with the same people during the football season. In my state we only have a 9 week season. So I will work at least 9 weeks with the same people and learn a lot about my partners and their lives. I am lucky out of the 40 varsity games in basketball, I am lucky to work with the same official more than once.

Officiating in general is a great experience and picking up a sport will do nothing but help you in another. Just understand that your expectations have to change when you move to another sport. But that does not mean it cannot be a lot of fun.

Peace

[Bob M.]

REPLY: Tony and Jeff each make great points. It's been a number of years since I officiated HS basketball (no more jump balls on held balls, right?) but there are some other elements of basketball that makes it a more difficult to officiate: In football, after each play, there's a dead ball period. Even though there are things required of each official during this interval, it is a dead ball period where you can use the time to gather yourself and refocus for the next play. In basketball, split-second decisions really need to be made in that spilt-second, whereas in football, you can take a look at a play, process it for a second or two, and then decide on a ruling. And...in basketball, almost every ruling is accompanied by a whistle which stops the play and results in a subsequent dead ball. Unlike football, where many rulings (fouls, primarily) are made outside the scope of a play in progress and then sorted out after the ball becomes dead by rule.

[Jim S]

Hey Bob! Some of the kids even wear these new fangled low top shoes.

[Bill D]

I agree with the comments above. I haven't done basketball in many years, but I started with football. I agree that basketball is more difficult to officiate mainly because of the flow of the game. I think there is much more camaraderie in football and I think you will enjoy it. I have also felt that an official in one sport can transition to another sport because he understands how to officiate and the great importance of mechanics and positioning.

Once many years ago, we had a basketball official join our football association. In his first scrimmage, he detected holding on a play, and promptly blew his whistle, put his fist in the air and pointed with the other hand at the offender. Obviously, you want to avoid that.

[Snake~eyes]

Originally posted by Bill D
Once many years ago, we had a basketball official join our football association. In his first scrimmage, he detected holding on a play, and promptly blew his whistle, put his fist in the air and pointed with the other hand at the offender. Obviously, you want to avoid that.

lol, that's a good story, even if it isn't true.

[ref18]

Originally posted by Snake~eyes

lol, that's a good story, even if it isn't true.

Funny as you think this might be, it does happen. I actually had this exact same situation in a 9-year olds game, and i blew the whistle and did a bird-dog. Then i quickly realized where i was, and hurled my flag in the air. We used the inadvertant whistle procedure, and i was advised to use a finger whistle from then on. Advice which i didn't take.

The one difference in basketball, is that you have to make a split-second decision, and in football, you should take a second or two to really think about what you're gonna call or not call.

I love reffing football, although i do a lot of work on stick-crews, its a great atmosphere, and i'm glad i got involved in it.

The only downside is wearing white knickers in muddy weather.

[Jim S]

Hey I started football officiating after a number of years as a soccer ref. First play of the first scrimage (thank god not a game) there was a righteous clip right in front of me. I threw the flag like a good football official and immediately blew the whistle like a good soccer ref. Happens when you cross over.
Had a play in a baseball game that looked like one we see in football quite often. Started to reach for my flag before I caught myself.

[fref]

Wait a minute -

No-one told me about muddy weather!!