3 officials

[PA42]

is it just me or does it seem like that referees are more aware and content with 2 referees? They should always be running to get position.

[grizz]

Yeah get the 3rd leg outta there. 2 man was sweet

[3s & Dunks]

If they only need 3 refs in College Ball, we for sure only need 2 in High School!! They do better by being in position more and hustle with just 2.  But I think they the REF ASSOC> wants 3 cuz it gets more refs to be involved in the Dist. and Reg. and At State.  Also I think it is about the $$$.  More refs getting paid!

[marchmadness10]

It seems like with 3 man crews there will be a play where a call is needed and all of the refs are waiting for one of the other ones to call it, and it ends up nothing will be called. I'd say go back to the 2 man crews so refs have more control over the courts.

[BB11]

[user=2560]marchmadness10[/user] wrote:

It seems like with 3 man crews there will be a play where a call is needed and all of the refs are waiting for one of the other ones to call it, and it ends up nothing will be called. I'd say go back to the 2 man crews so refs have more control over the courts.

Exactly and amen to that - in fact District 11 is going back to a 2-man crew to work their tournament as the coaches in that District are disgusted with the way the 3-man crews had worked the previous 2 years.

[eyeinthesky]

[user=2560]marchmadness10[/user] wrote:

It seems like with 3 man crews there will be a play where a call is needed and all of the refs are waiting for one of the other ones to call it, and it ends up nothing will be called. I'd say go back to the 2 man crews so refs have more control over the courts.

Exactly and amen to that - in fact District 11 is going back to a 2-man crew to work their tournament as the coaches in that District are disgusted with the way the 3-man crews had worked the previous 2 years.

Maybe those coaches should use some three-person during their regular season games. Another thought is to hire officials that know what they are doing

[Nick_Papagorgio]

If they only need 3 refs in College Ball, we for sure only need 2 in High School!! They do better by being in position more and hustle with just 2.  But I think they the REF ASSOC> wants 3 cuz it gets more refs to be involved in the Dist. and Reg. and At State.  Also I think it is about the $$$.  More refs getting paid!

Obviously none of you have reffed a high school game and i suggest that everyone tries it. I agree that there are times when having 3 officials seems like overkill but that is mostly due to the lack experience. 3 man crews are by far the best way to officate varsity games at any level. If people would just be patient and allow the younger or inexperienced officials learn the 3 man routine they would begin to like it. In a 2 man crew it just seems like they get more calls but in reality they are actually missing the extra-curicular acitivity that goes on. I think all games, including the regular season should be 3 man and then come tournament time the referees and players would all be more comfortable. But as the saying goes, Don't knock it until you've tried it!!!

[ndlionsfan]

If they only need 3 refs in College Ball, we for sure only need 2 in High School!! They do better by being in position more and hustle with just 2.  But I think they the REF ASSOC> wants 3 cuz it gets more refs to be involved in the Dist. and Reg. and At State.  Also I think it is about the $$$.  More refs getting paid!

The ref assoc has nothing to do with having 3 man crews at tournament time. The coaches and AD's in each district vote each year and decide what they want. Simple as that.

[tellmeaboutit]

I have a great friend that coaches and officiates HS basketball. He has told me many times that a 3 man crew just gives the official one more reason to say, "Sorry coach, thats not my call."

[Nick_Papagorgio]

I have a great friend that coaches and officiates HS basketball. He has told me many times that a 3 man crew just gives the official one more reason to say, "Sorry coach, thats not my call."

Your friend should have slapped that official then because that is exactly what you SHOULDNT say to a coach. Yes there are times when its not your area but a good officiating crew, that has done 3 man before, calls it no matter if its in your area or not. They should not worry about stepping on each others feet, rather call it if you see it but make darn sure that you get it right. Once again, this can all be cleared up with a little experience and patients from coaches and fans. The more that it is done the better it will get.

[ndfan]

People are gonna cry about officiating whether its a 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 man crew its just the way it goes.

[hoops247]

I have a great friend that coaches and officiates HS basketball. He has told me many times that a 3 man crew just gives the official one more reason to say, "Sorry coach, thats not my call."

Your friend should have slapped that official then because that is exactly what you SHOULDNT say to a coach. Yes there are times when its not your area but a good officiating crew, that has done 3 man before, calls it no matter if its in your area or not. They should not worry about stepping on each others feet, rather call it if you see it but make darn sure that you get it right. Once again, this can all be cleared up with a little experience and patients from coaches and fans. The more that it is done the better it will get.

Actually he should slap himself in the face. If you read the original post correctly. He said his friend coaches AND officiates and I honestly cannot believe he feels that way.

With time and experience 3 officials will do a better job than 2 officials. Like you said, a good crew that has confidence in themselves and their partners will call want needs to be called regardless of whose primary area it is.

[Hinsa]

Making the call is the issue here. Too many officials will ignore something they see if it's in their partner's area of responsibility. They don't want to show up their partner.

I used to referee and I would ALWAYS tell my partner that if you see something, call it. I don't care where it is. I was not out there to protect my ego - I was out there for the kids and to try to get the calls right.

Here's a perfect example of how an officiating team SHOULD work together: Region tournament - I was at the halfcourt line and there was a steal. I was scrambling to get out of the way to the side to see the action. Before I could get out of the way and far enough to the side to see, there was a travel. My partner, who was at the baseline, called the travel because I was too close to the play to see the feet.

Was I embarrassed or did I feel showed up? Heck no - my partner got the call right which is what the ultimate goal is.

[bigpoppakdog]

I haven't seen(at least from what i've read) the true nature of what I think people are unhappy about. I believe the problems you see with state is that you are putting 3 refs together that have never reffed with each other, so consequently you get 3 refs who could all have different styles. I for one, like to let the players play, while other refs like to keep things tight. What would be nice is to get 3 man crews together that involve refs that have worked together. Downfall of that is of course running into the situation where 3 refs are officiating a game involving a team that they are familiar with. Which could hinder that team just as well as it could benefit them. I don't know if you will put out a crew for state that would be as good as a crew that officiates the region finals due to the fact you will be matching up officials who are unfamiliar with each other. Am I correct with my theory?

[eyeinthesky]

I haven't seen(at least from what i've read) the true nature of what I think people are unhappy about. I believe the problems you see with state is that you are putting 3 refs together that have never reffed with each other, so consequently you get 3 refs who could all have different styles. I for one, like to let the players play, while other refs like to keep things tight. What would be nice is to get 3 man crews together that involve refs that have worked together. Downfall of that is of course running into the situation where 3 refs are officiating a game involving a team that they are familiar with. Which could hinder that team just as well as it could benefit them. I don't know if you will put out a crew for state that would be as good as a crew that officiates the region finals due to the fact you will be matching up officials who are unfamiliar with each other. Am I correct with my theory?

I don't have a problem with your therory but here are some of my thoughts. Different officials working together should never be a big enough problem to actually effect the game. Look at the local college scene. Different guys and some gals working different levels all the time. The key is a STRONG pre-game when you have not worked with somebody before.

Officials are no different than players...some are simply better than others. The real issues here regarding three-person officiating is that not enough opportunity exists at the HS level regular season to do games (ie class B coaches and AD's) and SOME of the officials being voted in to do districts and regions don't put the time in during the off season to really learn three-person officiating.

[asiantangy99]

A 2 man crew is the way to go. With a 3 man crew the refs seem to be more layed back and hope for the other refs to make the call instead of hustling to the play. Kick out the 3 man crew, go back to 2.

[Metron12610]

I'll give you a very interesting example. In a very physical dist 2 tournament, the total fouls were down over 50% from what the teams were averaging in the regular season. 2 teams never shot a free throw in the entire game, and there were many quarters were either team had a foul. This also continued into the region one tournament, not quite as severe, but close. All these games were done with 3 man crews. So in the regular season the teams are averaging just over 20 fouls a game, and it drops to 6-7-8 at tourny time? So either all the teams spent a week on not fouling, or the 3 man crew didn't do there job. And it was more than fouls that went uncalled, there were travels and 3 seconds etc... I don't think the outcome would have played out any different if all calls were made, the better teams won, but something just isn't right with the 3 man.

A 2 man crew is the way to go. With a 3 man crew the refs seem to be more layed back and hope for the other refs to make the call instead of hustling to the play. Kick out the 3 man crew, go back to 2.

[The Schwab]

you let kids play at tournament time

[Hinsa]

No you don't. Letting 'em play is giving the advantage to the more physical team. Games should be called the same way as in the regular season.

[The Schwab]

i respect your opinion...but in the tournament you need to let the kids decide it, not the officials

[Hinsa]

I agree to letting the kids decide it, as long as the rules are enforced.

[The Schwab]

well me too....but i hate going to a region championship game and seeing "ticky tack" fouls called

[shooter]

Just make sure that if you are gonna let em play, it's the same for both teams and doesn't change just because it is getting down to crunch time. If it's physical in the beginning, it better stay that way.

[Flying Wallenda]

If its a foul in December, it should be a foul in March...I don't buy the "let the kids play" in the tournament. I believe referee's have to be consistant year around....that consistancy is the essence of being a good ref and is what I believe to be the hardest job a ref has.

[The Schwab]

alright then let them play all year