Transcript OHSAA OBSERVERS PROGRAM

11/20/2014
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When you meet with the table personnel, stress
how important they are to the officiating crew for
a smooth game outside the rectangle.
If something unusual happens off the initial toss,
make sure the table knows how to set the arrow
prior to putting the ball into play. Also, make
sure that the arrow gets switched properly on all
AP situations.
Remind the scorer to be sure to make eye contact
when fouls are reported, and to promptly let you
know when a player has committed their fifth
foul.
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Use the pregame meeting with the captains to
gain their confidence in you for future use,
and to set the tone for good sportsmanship.
Remember the speaking captain's numbers
and try to work through them if you have a
problem child that needs to be addressed.
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Communication with head coaches is extremely important. Be approachable
and do not go about your business with a chip on your shoulder.
Three principles when dealing with coaches:
1.
answer questions
2.
acknowledge statements
3.
penalize insanity
When answering questions, be brief, to the point, and try to use language in
the rule book.
Sometimes, when acknowledging statements, a simple nod of the head can
be sufficient. Verbal responses such as "I hear you coach" or "We'll look for
that" can often be enough to satisfy the coach's need to be heard.
Penalizing insanity is self-explanatory. Deal with it in a professional manner
and remember assessing a technical is just like calling any other foul. It is
still just a foul, not a felony!
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Goal: 3 officials = 1 consistent crew
Inconsistent judgment on similar plays at
opposite ends of the floor (not good)
Goal: Consistency (as the coaches expect it to
be)
Focus: know what has been called during the
game and match our responses to similar
plays as the game continues
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Player's conduct during dead balls can screw up our game, if we let them.
Therefore, be proactive, and prevent, prevent, prevent!
Held balls: the two officials closest to the held ball situation need to
close in on the players involved, and calmly tell them that the play is
over. The third official will the oversee the rest of the players. Do not
be in a hurry to leave the action of the players.
Timeouts: once the timeout has been granted, watch the players as they
head to their respective benches, especially if they have to cross each
other's paths on the way. Be a pest when reminding teams not to be late
getting out of the huddle at the end of the timeout period.
If you do put the ball down on the floor for one team being tardy,
remember to do the same against the other team, if warranted.
As officials, we have a tendency to rest mentally, instead of resting
physically.
The center official can be the "crew saver" during free throws, because they
do not get involved with players and coaches prior to the attempts.
The center official should ensure that the bottom spaces are properly
occupied, the correct shooter is at the line, and not allow players to talk to
with bench personnel below the foul line extended.
On release, be prepared to observe the players entering the restricted
areas too soon, especially from beyond the arc or by the shooter chasing a
bad shot.
If you have a situation where a live-ball foul is then followed by a
dead-ball technical, the crew should communicate amongst
themselves prior to reporting to the table.
Once you get the teams separated, and preferably sent to their
respective benches, the officials should do a "dress rehearsal" as to
the order of the fouls, the numbers of the players that fouled, the
numbers of the players who will shoot free throws, the number of
shots for each, and where the ball and which team will the ball be
put in play following all of the free throws.
Take as much time as you need to sort it all out before you go the
table. This will enable you to report the facts in a clear and concise
manner while hopefully not confusing the official scorer and/or the
public address announcer.
If you know that your partner has erred on an out of bounds (OOB) call, do not
be afraid to go to them with information.
Do not go running at them, blowing your whistle after the play, drawing undo
attention to the situation. Walk briskly toward the calling official, and in a calm
and quiet voice, offer your 115% correct opinion as to whom the ball went OOB
against.
This will give the calling official the option of taking your info, or staying with
their original call. If the call is changed, it should be done mechanically by the
calling official, not the one offering the new information.
Most officials will change their call because they know their partners would not
come to them unless they are 115% sure it needs to be corrected. Bottom line,
swallow your ego, and let's get the play right!
Remember the old adage that says "they always remember how you finished,
not how you started".
Coaches complain most about what we do during the last 2 minutes than any
other time of the game.
In a close game, every possession is extremely important during this time
period. If we have not made a three second or an illegal screen call in the first
30 minutes, it most likely does not to be need to be called in the last 2
minutes.
If called, it will stick out like a sore thumb because it did not "fit" the game,
because due to what we had passed on earlier in the game. Every call in the
last 2 minutes should have a high degree of certainty to it.
After the game, if we go look at it on tape, we shouldn't have to rerun it three
times to find the call. We should not insert ourselves into the game for a call at
this time, unless we have made that call earlier.