RayTheRef

Basket Interference is one of our Rules that is SO CLEARLY STATED.  So…let’s re-visit Rule 4.6.

There is ONE ball and ONE basket.  We do not need to discuss all the parts of the ball, but knowing all the parts of the basket is crucial.  The best way to remember this is:  The Basket is made up of all the ORANGE and the WHITE net.  But…there is another area we must know in order to make accurate rulings on Basket Interference.  The problem is…WE CAN’T SEE IT, so we must IMAGINE it, while knowing it is there.  This area is called the IMAGINARY CYLINDER.  This area is made up of only AIR.  This area is directly above the RING and shaped just like the RING, with a diameter of 18 inches and extends all the way to the ceiling (if playing out-doors…it reaches all the way to the Golden Streets of Heaven).

The ball will be in one of THREE locations: 1) On or In the basket  2) Touching the Imaginary Cylinder  3) Outside the imaginary cylinder and not in contact with the basket or the cylinder.

When the ball is in the #3 location…basket interference CANNOT occur. When the LIVE ball is in the #2 location…only the BALL is off-limits to BOTH teams (touching the basket is not a violation when the ball is only touching the air of the imaginary cylinder). When the ball is in the #1 location…everything “up there” is off-limits except the Backboard.  Touching, Slapping, Hanging On or ripping the backboard off its braces is NEVER Basket Interference or Goaltending.

Also remember…the ball must be LIVE, and does NOT have to be a “shot.” For a FREE COPY of our Basket Interference Study Guide & Five Star Course Hand-Out…just send an email to: ray@raytheref.com.

Determining whether a Backcourt Violation has occurred can be as simple as: A-A-A. The “A” represents TEAM A, which is the team on offense. The “A” is also one of two possible answers to THREE QUESTIONS, which will determine whether a Backcourt Violation has occurred. This “Three-A Teaching Technique” has proven to serve as an “easy-to-remember” lesson for officials, regardless of their years of experience.

The first part of this Lesson is…
ALL THREE A’s MUST BE PRESENT in order to have a backcourt violation.

Here are the THREE-A QUESTIONS:
1. Which Team has TEAM CONTROL in the frontcourt? (If the answer is A…that is the FIRST A.)
2. Which Team was the LAST TO TOUCH…or be touched by…the ball BEFORE the ball went into the backcourt? (If the answer is A…that is the SECOND A.)
3. Which Team is the FIRST TO TOUCH…or be touched by…the ball AFTER the ball has gone into the backcourt? (If the answer is A…that is the THIRD A.)
Again…if ALL THREE ANSWERS ARE TEAM A…a backcourt violation will ALWAYS result. If either one of the A’s is missing…there can NEVER be a backcourt violation.

Here is a Case Play to clarify…
• A1 is dribbling the ball in the frontcourt, when B1 hits the ball.
• The ball deflects off A1’s foot and goes into the backcourt.
• A1 quickly recovers the ball.
• The official rules this to be a backcourt violation, as soon as A1 touches the ball.
• Is the official correct?

Apply the THREE A’s and the ACCURATE RULING becomes obvious. The official is correct. This is a backcourt violation.

Here is another Case Play for further clarification…
• A1 is holding the ball in the frontcourt near the Division Line.
• He spins the ball into the backcourt and has it to bounce back to him while he is still in the frontcourt.
• The official rules this to be a violation.
• Is the official correct?
Once again…when we apply the THREE A’s…the ACCURATE RULING becomes obvious. The official is correct. This is a backcourt violation.

Let’s now apply the THREE A’s to each of these situations to determine the ACCURACY OF THESE TWO RULINGS…
• Question #1: Does TEAM A have TEAM Control in their frontcourt?
The Answer: “YES”…in both Case Plays. (That is the FIRST A.)
• Question #2: Which TEAM was the LAST to touch…or be touched by…the ball BEFORE it went into the backcourt?
The Answer: “TEAM A”…in both Case Plays. (That is the SECOND A.)
• Question #3: Which TEAM is the FIRST to touch…or be touched by…the ball AFTER it has gone into the backcourt?
The Answer: “TEAM A”…in both Case Plays. (That is the THIRD A.)

One more time…
If ALL THREE A’s are present…a backcourt violation will ALWAYS result. If either one of the A’s is missing…there can NEVER be a backcourt violation. So…not only do we basketball officials need to know our ABC’s, but it will certainly serve us well, to know our AAA’s.

PRE-SEASON
• Conditioning
• Study Review
o Rules
o Proper Mechanics
o Approved Signals

ASSIGNMENT PREPARATION
• Rested
• Ready
• Organized
• Travel Arrangements

DAY OF GAME
• Packed
• Partner Contact
• Early Arrival
• Dressed Professionally

PRE-GAME CONFERENCE
• In Dressing Room Early
• Groomed Sharply
• Leave As A Crew Ready To Serve The Game And Participants
• Realize That You Are Part Of The Education Process

PRE-GAME ON THE COURT
• Attend To Duties
• Team Warm-Ups
o Identify Pivot Foot, Etc.
• Table Instructions
o Thorough & Sharp Pre-Game Meeting
o Build A Team Concept With All
• Appear To Like What You Are Doing

THE GAME
• Good Toss
• Hustle…When Necessary
• Take Your Time…No Hurry After sounding Whistle
• Excellent Eye Contact With Partner(s) & Table Crew
• Thorough Communication With Partner(s) & Table Crew
• Listen…When Possible
• Enforce The Rules
• Be Courteous
• Be Composed
• Don’t Get Caught By Surprise. Be “Johnny On The Spot!”
• Think: Check/Cover My Individual PCA
• Think: “When Possible Improve The Crew’s Coverage.” (Rotate)
• Think: Field Of Vision Cones
• Think: Move To Improve Angle

SUMMARY
• Build And Develop An Excellent Officiating Package
• Shine Professionally
• Realize That Every Ruling You Make Matters To Both Teams
• Realize That Sportsmanship, Courtesy And Rules Enforcement Are Not The Enemies Of Fair Play And Competition.
• Realize That Proper Mechanics, Proper Signals And Composure Do Not Get In The Way Of Accurate Rulings.
• Don’t Officiate To Stay “Out Of Trouble.”
o Be So Prepared, Be So Thorough, Be So Composed, Be So Good At What You Do That… “Trouble” Does Not Find You!

GAME MANAGEMENT IS NOT…

• A Replacement For Rules And Rule Enforcement
• Letting The Players Play
• Being Sure That The Fifth Foul Is A Good One
• Talking To Players To Prevent Penalties (There Are Two Teams…It Matters To Both)
• Letting The Players Decide The Game
• Failure To Penalize When The Game Is “On The Line”
• Maintaining A “Flow” To The Game
• Controlling The Game…Coaches And Players Control The Game
• Equalizing The Number Of Fouls…Styles Of Play Could Be Affecting This Statistic
• “If It’s A Charge Or Continuous Motion On One End…It Should Be The Same On The Other End.”
• Preventative Officiating
• Warnings Rather Than Rules Enforcement
• Warnings To Avoid Penalizing
• Knowing The Number Of Fouls On Individual Players
• Knowing The Number Of Time-Outs A Team Has Remaining
• Officials Having Their Own Tolerance Level For Coach And Player Conduct

Officials are to OFFICIATE THE GAME. They are not the police, the coach, the medical personnel, the scorer, the timer, or…THE GAME MANAGER. We are to have a very high-level of GAME AWARENESS, but our focus and concentration is to be the GAME OFFICIALS.

“Let’s all get real good at what we are asked to do by basketball… before we try to master what we are NOT asked to do.”

We officials, are always hearing and using this “buzz word” called CONSISTENCY, in an effort to express the desired actions of a basketball official.  However…if an official is consistently inaccurate in his/her rulings…obviously, that is NOT the consistency THE GAME or its officials are seeking.

Therefore…let’s consider using the term that better describes what basketball officials are charged with doing:  CONSISTENT ACCURATE RULINGS. Basketball officials should not have their own personal “strike zone,” their own personal “tolerance levels,” their own personal “philosophy,” nor their own personal “call selection.” Basketball officials (all sports officials) are to ENFORCE THE RULES OF THE GAME. It only makes sense that everyone involved in THE GAME has the right to assume and expect paid officials to KNOW AND ENFORCE the RULES of THE GAME.

When observing basketball officials, we often hear Supervisors, Assigners and other leaders, justify an official’s rulings by stating, “Well…that’s his judgment.” Or… “She has a different ‘call selection’ than her partners.” No where in any support materials can we find that a basketball official’s accuracy is determined by their own “call selection.” CONSISTENT ACCURACY is only achieved when an official is officiating THE GAME by the RULES of that sport.  Basketball officials who KNOW Rule 4.27, Rule 4.23-24 and Rule 10.6 will KNOW the difference between legal and illegal CONTACT. This can be duplicated, which creates CONSSTENT ACCURATE RULINGS.

So…to all you leaders in our officiating “world”…please become an EXPERT of the RULES, so you will KNOW if your Staff Members are making ACCURATE or inaccurate RULINGS. My guess is, your officials are experts on the RULES that pertain to out-of-bounds. They can also become an expert on the RULES that pertain to Guarding/Block/Charge, Traveling, Continuous Motion, etc.  Then, we all can say “good-bye” to inconsistent, inaccurate, meaningless terms, such as:  “feel for the game”… “call selection”… “well, that’s his judgment”…, etc.  Because…if his “feel”…his “selection”…or his “judgment” cannot be supported by THE RULES OF THE GAME…it is time to TRAIN that official until his “consistency” becomes ACCURATE CONSISTENCY.

WOW!… History was made yesterday, July 30, 2011, as more than 1,700 Georgia Sports Officials came together at the Galleria, in Marietta, Georgia for what has been characterized by the National Association of Sports Officials, as: THE LARGEST ATTENDANCE AT ANY SINGLE EVENT IN THE HISTORY OF SPORTS OFFICIATING! This was truly an AWESOME day for Sports Officiating in America and the state of Georgia. It was extremely obvious to everyone in attendance, that Alan Smith, GAOA Executive Director, and his Planning Committee, certainly exceeded the expectations of all attendees. The “bar has been raised” throughout the Country for such gatherings.

The first scheduled Course of the season will be at Mt. Vernon High School on April 30th & May 1st.  That’s a Saturday (9-5) and Sunday (1-6). AWESOME & SUCCESSFUL CLASS!!!

The second scheduled date is May 21 & 22, (same times) at Sonoraville Middle School in Calhoun, Georgia.  THIS COURSE WAS CANCELLED DUE TO GRANDDAUGHTER GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL!

Also…our GHSA Summer Camp is scheduled for June 13-16.  That’s in the EVENINGS, Monday-Thursday, with games at 6:00, 7:00, 8:00 & 9:00.  Why miss work to go to camp?  FOR OFFICIALS WHO OFFICIATE AT THE JV, AND HIGHER, LEVELS.

Another CAMP is now scheduled and is also at ALLATOONA HIGH SCHOOL. This Camp is for ALL officials, and it too, is an EVENING COMMUTE CAMP. The Dates are JUNE 27-30.

For more information on these up-coming Training Sessions…call me at 678-451-9357 or by email at raytheref@gmail.com

Thanx!

Officiating basketball is a SKILL…not an ART. Skills can be LEARNED.

I was in the Art Business for more than 10 years, with an Artist as my business partner.  Paul Miller’s tremendous ART talent was obvious while in elementary school.  He just “had the gift.” Not me.  I cannot paint a straight line, and that, too, has been obvious, since I was in elementary school.  I just did NOT “have the gift” and found out that I just couldn’t learn it.

Things that required a “learning skill”…whether athletics or other physical tasks…I could LEARN. So…again I repeat what I hold to be true:  Officiating basketball is a LEARNED SKILL; not an art.

So…that means we all can LEARN this SKILL of officiating basketball.  But…will we all have the same talent level?  Certainly not, even if we each scored 100 on the written exam every year.  There is much more to officiating than memorizing the RULES of the game; so much more.  In fact…the LIST of skills is really long.  However…learning the RULES, learning the proper MECHANICS and using approved SIGNALS are the necessary FOUNDATION upon which to build your career.

So…be sure to “build your career” on THE solid FOUNDATION, so as to ensure it withstands the storms that WILL come.  Choose SUBSTANCE OVER STYLE, because the “only real thing that matters” is ACCURATE RULINGS!

“We can’t make accurate RULINGS on RULES we don’t know.”

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

As the title suggest…there are three distinct areas that we officials must master before we endeavor to “master” any others:  RULES-MECHANICS-SIGNALS.  If we were to “rank” them in the order of importance…they are so listed.  The “good news” is that officials are not required to choose between these three.  Good officials will strive to be good at all three and pride themselves in their accurate performance.

Every game has RULES, by which the sport is to be coached, played and officiated.  “You can’t make accurate RULINGS on RULES you don’t know.”  MECHANICS tell the game officials “where to put their feet.”  SIGNALS are the non-verbal communication tools of the officials.

The game is to be officiated BY THE RULES, as written.  The #1 Point of Emphasis for the 2010-2011 season for high school basketball is:  RULES ENFORCEMENT.

MECHANICS put the officials in the proper place to use their eyesight to MONITOR the activity and thereby make ACCURATE RULINGS.  Sometimes these Rulings are accompanied by the sound of a whistle…and sometimes not.

Perhaps we should substitute the word RULINGS for the word CALLS, because officials make “calls” even when they do not sound the whilstle.  That wasn’t a “great no-call”…it was an accurate RULING, that did not require a whistle.