The BIG thing with any sports official is being decisive, and many times when an official is starting out they are not, they don't mean to be "bad" sometimes they are just slow to react. That is why they are calling Fresh and JV games. Many times they younger officials have a better knowledge of the rules since they have just studied (in theory) the rules and taken the test, but they just are not decisive enough to make calls in a timely manner so they let stuff go, which makes it worse.

 

I speak from experience, I was terrible till I got older and became more decisive, and that made me a bettter official, (although I was still bad according to the fans...LOL).

The BIG thing with any sports official is being decisive, and many times when an official is starting out they are not, they don't mean to be "bad" sometimes they are just slow to react. That is why they are calling Fresh and JV games. Many times they younger officials have a better knowledge of the rules since they have just studied (in theory) the rules and taken the test, but they just are not decisive enough to make calls in a timely manner so they let stuff go, which makes it worse.

 

I speak from experience, I was terrible till I got older and became more decisive, and that made me a bettter official, (although I was still bad according to the fans...LOL).

 

You are correct. Mechanics and confidence make every call easier to sell to the crowd. Knowledge and application make them an easy sell to the coach. These are skill that take time to develop. :thumb:

The BIG thing with any sports official is being decisive, and many times when an official is starting out they are not, they don't mean to be "bad" sometimes they are just slow to react. That is why they are calling Fresh and JV games. Many times they younger officials have a better knowledge of the rules since they have just studied (in theory) the rules and taken the test, but they just are not decisive enough to make calls in a timely manner so they let stuff go, which makes it worse.

 

I speak from experience, I was terrible till I got older and became more decisive, and that made me a bettter official, (although I was still bad according to the fans...LOL).

 

You will always be bad according to the fans!

You will always be bad according to the fans!

 

No better place to call a game than eight rows up in an anonymous red sweater without a whistle..

:ohbrother:

No better place to call a game than eight rows up in an anonymous red sweater without a whistle..

:ohbrother:

 

Ha! Thats right, they never miss a call. :laugh:

Obviously lots of referee's are members of this site.

No better place to call a game than eight rows up in an anonymous red sweater without a whistle..

:ohbrother:

 

AMEN!!!!!:thumb:

So I guess if you don't like a meal at a restaurant, you should ask for an application and begin a career as a cook?

 

I agree, its a very tough job, but it is a job. These guys are getting paid, I don't think its asking to much for them to be good or better at their job.

 

The only way to get better is to do it. :idunno:

I never advocate calling out a referee by name.

 

If you see an official at a Frosh or JV game, you know that he is there because of where the coaches' rated him the year before. That being said, you will find several excellent officials working at the JV level. You will also find those that will never make it to the top 40.

 

Take it for what it is. Each official is giving it everything they have from the start. Meetings and clinics in the offseason, hopefully some preparatory physical training, and countless hours of study (rules).

 

If you're at one of these games and see an official having a hard time, I feel your pain, but try to look at it from the other perspective.:thumb:

 

I do agree that you shouldn't call a referee out by name and it was not my intention to call him out. I was just trying to make the point that things can change from game to game. Even though there were a lot of calls in the game I was speaking of, it was still a very conistent game by the officials. If that post was taken as "calling him out" I apologize because those were not my intentions.

Most JV & Freshman referees I know have no interest whatsoever in officiating varsity games. I do it myself. I officiate every sport in our county from elementary to JV. I also umpire varsity HS softball. I enjoy traveling with friends and attending all varsity football & basketball games. If I join our association, that wouldn't be possible.

 

Keep in mind that when a JV game is being played, there are many more violations (most of the time) than in a varsity game. There are only two officials. Time is important. Most of the time you want to make sure the shooter is protected while letting most ticky fouls go. It's also nice if you can stay out of the bonus. Not many people are interested in JV teams having a foul shooting contest. Right?

 

I have officiated from both the stands and the fields/courts, trust me, it's much easier from the stands.

Most JV & Freshman referees I know have no interest whatsoever in officiating varsity games. I do it myself. I officiate every sport in our county from elementary to JV. I also umpire varsity HS softball. I enjoy traveling with friends and attending all varsity football & basketball games. If I join our association, that wouldn't be possible.

 

Keep in mind that when a JV game is being played, there are many more violations (most of the time) than in a varsity game. There are only two officials. Time is important. Most of the time you want to make sure the shooter is protected while letting most ticky fouls go. It's also nice if you can stay out of the bonus. Not many people are interested in JV teams having a foul shooting contest. Right?

 

I have officiated from both the stands and the fields/courts, trust me, it's much easier from the stands.

 

1) Are you seriously stating that, as an official you're worried about the duration of a game? How can you change your focus from a JV to a V or any other game? I agree that there is a movement within all HS sports to avoid the ticky tac, but not in order to speed up the game... You may want to reevaluate your officiating priorities.

 

2) In order to receive JV assignments in KY, you must be liscenced by the state and a member in good standing of your local association. If you're telling me that you are taking these assignments outside the normal means, you may be jeopordizing your liabiliyt insurance through NFHS as well and the schools'.

I do agree that you shouldn't call a referee out by name and it was not my intention to call him out. I was just trying to make the point that things can change from game to game. Even though there were a lot of calls in the game I was speaking of, it was still a very conistent game by the officials. If that post was taken as "calling him out" I apologize because those were not my intentions.

 

:walk: I believe at the Freshman and JV level at small schools especially, there are tons of violations and fouls. Fans want to blame the refs for poor skills, play and/or fundmentals. On top of poor play and fundmentals the coaches decide to press most of the game, adding to the violations and fouls. If the refs let "ticky tack" fouls go uncalled and violations weren't "too bad" go uncalled, where do you draw the line? A refs job is to enforce the rules and don't give team A and advantage over team B by being constant. If a ref is deciding what degree a foul is, or how bad is a violation then he is more a factor in the game than the players. The game is meant to be decided by the players not the refs. I do not believe you should ever call out any refs by name. Especially on a negative note. Its a thankless job!:confused:

No better place to call a game than eight rows up in an anonymous red sweater without a whistle..

:ohbrother:

 

The unfortunate thing is this is actually sometimes true.....

The unfortunate thing is this is actually sometimes true.....

 

You're absolutely right. Sometimes the best angle is from up top.

 

That doesn't change the lack of respect that most of this thread has shown for beginning officials.

1) Are you seriously stating that, as an official you're worried about the duration of a game? How can you change your focus from a JV to a V or any other game? I agree that there is a movement within all HS sports to avoid the ticky tac, but not in order to speed up the game... You may want to reevaluate your officiating priorities.

 

2) In order to receive JV assignments in KY, you must be liscenced by the state and a member in good standing of your local association. If you're telling me that you are taking these assignments outside the normal means, you may be jeopordizing your liabiliyt insurance through NFHS as well and the schools'.

 

1) Again, I do not do V basketball games, so no need for a focus change. No, I do not "worry" about the duration of a JV game because it is called in an efficient manner, unlike some refs that take JV games past the starting time of V games. I have no need to reevaluate my officiating priorities at all. I rarely if ever have received a complaint in JV basketball games. But yes, the JV games I officiate move in a timely, fairly called and smooth manner because that's the way I want it to be.

 

2) I am licensed by the state in three sports, have been for years. I am not a member of the "Region" association but I am a member of our local association and am in very good standing. I will tell you that I am in no way jeopardizing anything by making sure JV basketball games move along at a good pace. Actually I receive many thanks from visiting and even losing coaches on my superior JV officiating skills. Thanks for your concern though.