Great Night for Three-Person Training

Last night was a great night for Board 23. Nearly 30 members participated in a three-person mechanics training class at the Leadership Through Athletics (LTA) Gym in Lansdowne. Interpreter Al Bundy, Tom Reese and Jeff Cyryca guided us through a one-hour class, and then officials were divided up to cover six games of an adult recreation league, each with a three-person crew. Three-person veterans and college-level Board 23 members got on the courts to guide those new to officiating with three people.

I've been fortunate enough to benefit from some formal and informal training on three-man mechanics, but it can be a lot to absorb if you've spent most of your officiating career using two-man mechanics. It's important to stay with it, though, and ask plenty of questions. You'll realize the benefits. The more you do, the more comfortable you get and the more you realize there should be three officials on most basketball games.

Al and Tom mentioned that, at least in the Mid-Atlantic, Maryland and Delaware are behind the game in that they use two officials for the majority of high school basketball games. But three-person crews are the future, and Board 23 is making progress towards that on our own. President Gary Stewart announced that several Anne Arundel County Public Schools were receptive to our suggestion to provide three officials for one boys' and one girls' game per school. Those assignments are being worked out, and the training program is a great way to get more qualified officials proficient in three-man mechanics. All of this helps us better serve our clients.

Kudos to Al and Tom and their committee for making this happen. The Board 23 three-person training program continues each of the next seven Thursday evenings at LTA Gym. For more info, contact Al Bundy (his info is on his Arbiter profile).

-PK