Basketball Referee

Basketball Referee

Rndballref

20 Years Experience

Chicago, IL

Male, 60

For twenty years I officiated high school, AAU and park district basketball games, retiring recently. For a few officiating is the focus of their occupation, while for most working as an umpire or basketball referee is an avocation. I started ref'ing to earn beer money during college, but it became a great way to stay connected to the best sports game in the universe. As a spinoff, I wrote a sports-thriller novel loosely based on my referee experiences titled, Advantage Disadvantage

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Last Answer on September 20, 2019

Best Rated

So my son is in little league.. Ref came up to him and told him he need toto learn the game and quit whining... Hes 11. He wad asking me a question before the ref came up to him. Is the ref allowed to do taunt a child like that and what can i do?

Asked by April over 9 years ago

When I umped little league baseball, there were times when I admonished a player directly - most often a pitcher for disrespectful body language in protest (slamming his mitt after a call four call, shaking his head purposefully when not getting a strike called, etc). Depending on how grievous the infraction determined my intensity.  

One time while umping a 14 year old tournament game a pitcher was trying to get strike calls for balls 2 inches off the plate. After watching his demonstrations a few times, I stopped the game and took three paces toward the mound. I said loud enough for all to hear, "pitcher, you are not as good as Greg Maddox and I will not give in to your pitches off the plate. I suggest you challenge the hitters with strikes, or at least stop your sophomoric demonstrations. Or I can solve this for you and throw you out of the game". The coach came out to talk to me and instead of protesting he thanked me for humbling this young man.

In general, in basketball no good comes from arguing or negatively interacting with the crowd or the players. Mature refs avoid this.

Dear ref,

How much u get $ per a match ?


Thx
John from Czech republic

Asked by jan.lejcko@gmail.com over 10 years ago

High school varsity games pay about $60 - $75 for single game assignments. Underclass double headers (i.e. 2 freshman games) pay $80 - $100. I know that some states will give the referees a percentage of the gate for well attended, big match ups. These are rough numbers - it varies by location, parochial vs public, suburban vs city, etc.

I'm not sure if there is another page where I can ask this question or not, if there is just let me know... I'm currently in the military and we run an intramural league and we follow the NFHS rules, we are trying to clarify a proper call to further help educate our league/ refs/ and coaches..... We had an instance where a shooting foul occurred, so the Shooter went to the line, however before the first FT the opposing team made an illegal substitution which resulted in a technical foul. So dead ball, technical foul the team gets to shoot whoever they choose to shoot those technical FTs. After those FTs, what should the refs do? They had a shooting foul before the Technical, does the shooter still get their FTs? To they get their FTs and the ball? Or do they get the tech FTs and the ball out of bounds? We tubal you for your time and any help clarifying a rule in a situation like this would be greatly helpful

Asked by Paul over 9 years ago

Sir, thank you for your service! The answer to your question lies in a simple rule of thumb: administer fouls in the order they occurred. So, clear the lane, let the original player shoot his free throws or one and one. Then, the same team can choose any player on the floor to shoot the technicals, then award the ball at half court for the same team.

Offensive player O1 at top of key is guarded by defensive player D1. Offensive teammate O2 is moving to set a pick on D1. O1 starts dribbling and D1 starts moving directly into O2. D1 and O2 are both moving as they collide. any foul call on O2?

Asked by Larrysm over 8 years ago

Here are the screening rules:1) Stationary B1: A2 is setting a pick and B1 can see the pick within his visual field, then A2 can set the pick anywhere short of contact. If B1 cannot see the pick within his visual field, A1 must set the pick no closer than 1 normal step.2) Moving B1: When screening a moving opponent, the rule book says he must be given time and distance to avoid the pick. The speed of the opponent is a key to allowing this distance and may be one or two steps, all in the judgement of the officials3) Moving B1 and A1, the player moving behind the direction they are moving is responsible for contact.

So I am coaching as a volunteer children (8-10) we came to a critical point in the game and I called "TIME TIME TIME" -- The ball was then turned over and the ref turned to me, with me saying nothing, and he said"you have to say TIME OUT" Is this so?

Asked by konopisos@yahoo.com almost 10 years ago

The NFHS rule book lists one of the officials' duties is "granting time-outs". It does not specify that the words "time-out" are used. For example coaches can get a time out by signaling his hand in a "T". So if I heard a coach yelling time, time, time, I would grant that time a time-out.

Team A rebounds the ball and tries a long pass to player in front court. Team B player with both feet in Team A's back court jumps and intercepts the pass but lands with one foot on each side of the half line. Is this a back court violation

Asked by John F over 9 years ago

No violation. Normally, an airborne player is considered to be from the court position where he was when he jumped. So, in your example, Player B jumps from his front court, catches the ball and lands in his backcourt (partially), This would normally be a violation. However there are two situations where this principle does not apply. 1) either team on a throw in, and 2) a defensive player intercepting a pass (exactly your scenario). No violation because of exception # 2. Play on.

can you catch your own air ball if it is a shot attempt?

Asked by NGUYEN LE over 9 years ago

Yes in NFHS rules a shooter can retrieve his own airball as long as it was deemed a legitimate shot.