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REFEREES , SCORER’S TABLE AND COMMISSIONERS

REFEREE MOUNTAIN

CLIMBINGby Ronnie Nunn

Ronnie Nunn, a veteran of 19 NBA sea-sons, he is the NBA's Director ofOfficials. He handles the day-to-daymanagement of the referee staff,including the daily instruction of theofficials on the interpretation and appli-cation of NBA playing rules. He reportsdirectly to Stu Jackson, Senior VicePresident, Basketball Operations.

I am not a mountain climber, except forsome experiences in hiking as a BoyScout during the early developmentalyears of my youth. Hiking with all thatgear was tough and demanding and it took a long while to reach the top. It cer-

tainly doesn't compare with seriousclimbing that documentary televisionshows reveal, but it includes skill andcaution to reach the peak. Even for those attempting facsimile mountainclimbing in some of the more progres-sive fitness centers, it proves to be a task as well. They've included this exer-cise and feat as an additional way to

focus and concentrate in reaching agoal.

Refereeing basketball has many of thesame principles as those needed toclimb mountains. First and foremost, theaccomplishment doesn't come quickly.

It requires strength in mind and body,good footing, guidance, safety precau- tions, and other quality traits. Mostly, itis a step by step process. All of us wishfor immediate gratifications in our pur-suits in life but, in reality, greateraccomplishments come after hard, dis-ciplined and step by step work.

At various levels we all think we're bet- ter than we are and think we should beselected ahead of the other official cho-sen for an assignment. Officiating is alsoa STEP by STEP process.Not one official I've ever seen hasimpacted any division, any conference,

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and any international or pro level catego-ry with skills that reflected unprecedent-ed value or expertise.

Players do most of the impacting in bas-ketball.

Coaches, when they have talented play-ers, can create an environment thatleads to winning results.Credit should be given to those whomesh talented people into winning teams. Certainly, other coaches can cre-ate winning attitudes though the resultsmay not be reflected in the win column.

Nonetheless, the best referees demon-strate their value after being taught,mentored and supervised in their climb.Basic criteria for accomplished officialsare skills culminated in play calling,game management techniques, experi-ences in various venues and diplomatic,yet firm, decision making to name a few.One of the most important criteria isACCEPTANCE. Each of us forgets thisimmeasurable piece. It's often found in the minds and eyes of onlookers:Coaches, Supervisors, AthleticDirectors, General Managers, Owners,Media and Fans. Even when your skillsand abilities register high on the profi-

ciency scale, it's not until a certain peri-od of time passes that the official getshis/her proper respect.

Networking has its value on the referee-ing climbing system. However, choosing the right training programs will developyour skills and will ultimately increaseyour opportunities for success.Sometimes the "Old Boy Network" lookslike the political way to go but, in the longrun your skills and continued experienceare your closest allies. Remember that there are others competing against youwith "Old Boy Network" ties as well.Secured and polished skills are two of the safest ways to proceed.

Here are some recommendations forsuccessful "Referee Mountain Climbing":

▼ SACRIFICE your time and moneywhen looking for the best trainingprogram. Find the "Harvard" ofOfficiating camps and attempt to signup.

▼ LOOK for the training program thatprovides growth in you as a personand as an official.

▼ NETWORK in your local area by find-ing and asking for opportunities toreferee and hone your skills in smallvenues - i.e. high school summerleagues, year round recreationleagues, etc.

▼ COPY and /or MIMIC quality and suc-cessful officials with respect to theirsignals and court demeanor and callselectivity.

▼ NEVER attempt to move upward tooquickly. You may find yourself over-whelmed with a lack of expertise.Returning to that opportunity caneither be distant or never.

▼ BE CAUTIOUS about presenting your-self in competitions before getting the proper instruction and properexperience. First impressions arelasting.

▼ WORK towards unifying your per-formance with your partners rather than being a "know it all".

▼ REMEMBER to review your game andcritique your abilities. You can neverbe someone else so, build on yourstrengths and minimize / eliminateyour weaknesses.

▼ UNDERSTAND that refereeing at thehigher levels is a process defined byslow and deliberate productivity.

▼ REFRAIN from anxiety knowing there's always a veteran officialahead of you and he/she has thebelievability and credibility that willlater be yours.

The goal is to be a believable andrespected official. Remember to enjoy theclimb. There's a great view from the top.

CREW DYNAMICS / PARTNERING

The above title and concept is essential-ly at the core of successful officiating today. Neither the individual official norhis / her crew can succeed in theirrespective work without giving strictattention to Crew Dynamics andPartnering.

Crew dynamics include terms likemechanics, primary and secondary cov-erage, rotations, call selectivity, calling

the obvious, open and closed angles,consistency of calls and game manage-ment in naming a few.

Partnering describes the way we inter-act with our fellow officials. It includes

our attitudes, character, demeanor and the manner in which we work togetherfor the common good of the game andourselves.

There is a strong need for the assimila- tion of these two components in everyofficiated game. We are more involved than ever with this thinking since the"Three Person System" of refereeing bas-ketball games has become more broad-ened. We must refine it and sophisticateit to meet the needs of excellencerequired of officials today.

The most important and necessary piecein officiating is to get the play called cor-rectly. There's nothing new in this think-ing at all. However, the method in which to accomplish this goal needs fine-tuningof the individual and the crew. A morenotable and obvious example in getting the call right for officials and the viewingpublic is often seen when a controversialcall is made that requires a conference

of the officials. We've all seen these onparticular plays like, out of bounds, ascore or no score concern, a rule inter-pretation, etc. The process of coming together must always continue. Theresults of those conferences reinforce toall that the officials continue to demon-strate, that getting the right call is at thefoundation of the integrity of the game.

However, it's clear that officials cannotconference on each and every call. Theconcern now is, how can we make theright call individually and as a crew, as the game moves as its rapid pace andyet, employ working methodologies anddynamics to reach the lofty goals of mak-ing correct calls?

As mentioned above, there are severalways to optimize Crew Dynamics andPartnering that will result in raising thepercentage of correct calls and correctno-calls in a game. Let's review the fol-lowing 10 steps:

1. Understand what's required of youfrom all three positions on the floor -Trail, Lead and Slot [Center].

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REFEREES , SCORER’S TABLE AND COMMISSIONERS

2. Understand, interpret and apply theguidelines to the type fouls / violationsyou'll encounter at each position.

3. Be clear on your primary coverage ateach position for yourself and your

crew.

4. Recognize secondary coverage andapply yourself to help on those plays that clearly require a whistle.

5 Recognize the Purpose of Rotation.Give meaning to your movement andknow that you should rotate in the lead to the ball side [strong side] as often aspossible.

6. Remove from your mindset a "sense ofurgency" in attempting to judge plays inyour primary or secondary that areunclear and inconclusive. DEPEND ONAND TRUST YOUR PARTNERS FORHELP!

7. Reinforce for yourself and the crew that, all plays are either fouls/viola- tions, or they are not. Inconclusive[borderline] plays are not fouls or viola- tions. THEY ARE INCONCLUSIVE ANDTHEREFORE CANNOT BE JUDGED AS

INFRACTIONS.

8. DON'T GUESS!.... Refer to item 6 above.

9. Don't be offended by a whistle in yourprimary blown by your partner fromhis/her secondary. He or she shouldnot whistle the play unless it can beclearly validated as a foul or violation.

10. Understand that some calls creep through that are missed by all on the

floor at one time or another. It is thenature of the business. However, wemust attempt to keep those instances to a bare minimum and "make them theexception rather than the rule".

In summarizing, it's more and more evident to all those who watch our game, play in it,coach it, scrutinize it, and follow it, that there's a continued need and a demand forexcellence in our work as officials. Wemust use the current tools available to us inmaking us better by securing mentors,using video tape, honing our skills work inproductive summer and winter leaguesand attending camps that teach, instructand develop the current edge approaches

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that result in bettering our abilities andchances to officiate basketball games atall levels.Crew Dynamics and Partnering are majorkeys in the development of those officialswho wish to reach higher goals and meetgreater successes wherever their officiat-

ing schedule may take them.Be encouraged to know that education of the issues and individual talent will promoteyou from within yourself, while the results ofyour hard work, schooling and skills willpromote you to those who will undoubtedly take notice.