In his book, The Cavalcade of Basketball, Colonel Alexander M Weyand wrote a chapter titled “Development of the Game.” In Part 2 of The Game We Love,we continue looking at how basketball rules have changed over the years: “One of the most exciting and roughest… Read More »The Game We Love, Part 2
I’m old enough to remember when basketball rules-makers introduced the 3-point line and the shot clock. Back in the 1980’s, I was sitting beside my girl friend (now my wife of 38 years) in Assembly Hall, watching Iowa play Bobby Knight’s Indiana Hoosiers. Toward the… Read More »The Game We Love, Part 1
Communicating with coaches was one of the hardest skills I learned as an official. I started refereeing when I was 17 years old, so most coaches were twice my age. I think I did a pretty good job calling the game on the floor, but… Read More »Communicating with Coaches
FLOW is a psychology term describing a mental state where a person or persons are performing an activity in which they are fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process of the activity. In sports, FLOW occurs when… Read More »The Importance of Referee FLOW
I’ve watched a lot of high school basketball. Here are the five most missed high school calls over the past 45 years, from someone who has watched the game as an official, coach, parent, school administrator, and fan: Most referees would say that the block/charge… Read More »The Top 5 Missed High School Calls
In every line of work there is a language that serves as the basis for communicating, both internally and externally. Medical doctors own a language. Attorneys have a language. Accountants, too. And the same could be said about basketball referees. It is the referee’s language… Read More »The Language of Refereeing
One of the topics we discuss during our crew’s pre-game is the importance of refereeing the defense, or, in other words, making sure you are watching what the defense does during a competitive matchup, a drive to the basket, or a shot by the offense.… Read More »Why Do We Penalize the Defense So Often?
Today’s high school basketball officiating relies on the lead official too much, especially on any play moving toward the basket. Any crew of 3 that says all plays to the basket are the lead’s responsibility are just asking for missed calls and unnecessary problems during… Read More »Matchup Proximity
In the February 16, 2022 issue of “The NFHS Voice,” Dr. Karissa Niehoff, Chief Executive Officer of the National Federation of State High School Associations, stated nearly 50,000 sport’s officials have quit since the 2018-19 academic year. Although these 50,000 represent officials across all high… Read More »You Can’t Have it Both Ways
Recently I was approached by a younger official asking me how he could deal more effectively with other referees who had more experience than he did, but less talent. As a young referee in Texas back in the 1980’s, I could advance to the highest… Read More »What To Do When You Are Less Experienced but More Talented
