Rndballref
20 Years Experience
Chicago, IL
Male, 60
For twenty years I officiated high school, AAU and park district basketball games, retiring recently. For a few officiating is the focus of their occupation, while for most working as an umpire or basketball referee is an avocation. I started ref'ing to earn beer money during college, but it became a great way to stay connected to the best sports game in the universe. As a spinoff, I wrote a sports-thriller novel loosely based on my referee experiences titled, Advantage Disadvantage
Parents are the problem with youth sports. I have had more parents removed from games than players and coaches combined. Here's an irony: freshman games are harder to call than varsity, because unless you want to ruin the game completely in underclass games you are deciding when not to blow the whistle. in varsity games you call mostly what you see. Yet, as you progress and hone the referee craft you work less underclass games. So inevitably in a blowout freshman game a player is mildy fouled while dribbling going east and west near the half court line. The dribbler maintains control of the ball, but you are trying to keep the game moving. The freshman's father stands up screaming for a foul, because he wants his 3rd string kid to shoot a free throw to get it on tape and in the record book. There is a learning curve for fans as well - varsity parents are generally better. One of my peers was once attacked at halftime by a freshman player's grandfather.
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In high school ball (and even college) the girls game is played below the rim. So, there is generally more passing and bombing away compared to the boy's game. Having said that, there is an unmistakable trend in the girl's game where the guards can handle the ball and are skilled enough to penetrate the lane and dish. In my view, the most boring basketball (boys, girls, mens or women) is when they dump the ball into the post and watch a turnaround jump shot by tall players. If you lower the girl's rim (ring as the rule book calls it), I'm afraid you will encourage more rough post play. Just my opinion though, because there are plenty of people who loved watching Shaq play.
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It is absolutely not a legal play to use a teammate or an opponent to leverage a jump. By the way, a couple years ago players started showing up with shoes that had built-in springs in the heels - also illegal.
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No one has ever offered me a bribe. Darn!
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I have thick skin, and in twenty years I have tossed maybe 2 players (more coaches for sure!). I have always looked at like this: If a player disagrees and argues with a call I will not T him up, especially if the player approaches with respect. And I will always explain my call even if I have booted it. What can never be tolerated is any personal attack, which usually is designed to intimidate the ref. More than anything a player's actions after a close call does determine how you view the player on the next one (we are just human). The tougher situation when you have to be calm is when a player deliberately acts to show you up - some refs automatically T a player, but I feel like that is putting your ego in front of the game.
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In NFHS there are players fouled in the act of shooting, common fouls, player control fouls, team control fouls and technical fouls. A player attempting to tip the basketball into the hoop is fouled in the act of shooting and will get 2 free throws, unless the ball went in - the bucket counts plus 1 free throw.
It has to be this way because if it was considered a common foul (and assume the team is in the bonus) and the ball went in, then you would have to count the basket and award a one and one - which would be crazy and severe.
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Yes it matters. On sideline throw-ins, the referee inbounding the ball should between the player and the opponent's basket, so the ref is behind the most likely foreward movement of the play.
In 2 man officiating the referees are to be opposite of each other and the throw in will occur to the inside of the ref.
In 3 man crew, I have worked with some officials who position themselves between the basket and the throw in player on the baseline, but I think this positioning should only be used when the throw in on the baseline is near the sideline.
These postions have developed out of the objective to put the ref in the best possible position to see the play. That is why referees are allowed to bounce the ball to the throw in player - you get to stand back and have a wider view.
These practices seem picky but doing them correctly is pre-requisite for advancing. The evaluators I have encountered expect spot on mechanics. Being out of position on a throw would lower your rating.
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