Camp Stories

Greetings from the Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) basketball officiating camp, live courtside at Gettysburg College. The CAC is an NCAA Division III conference with affiliate colleges in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia. I've been following CAC hoops since I was a student Salisbury University, a conference member, and the league has produced fairly strong men's and women's basketball teams over the years.

As you know, college hoops is all three-person officiating crews. While there's plenty of educational exchanges at this camp, most officials are here to earn a spot on the CAC officiating staff -- men's or women's basketball -- for the upcoming 2009-10 season. So there is definitely a sense of competition when you participate at a camp like this, but not to the exclusion of teamwork among officials. That's stressed over and over here -- the officiating crew is the third team on the floor in any basketball game, and that team must stay together throughout the game or it will be a long and largely unenjoyable night.

Camp started Sunday for newcomers. CAC veterans usually must attend at least one day. IAABO Board 23 is represented on the floor here by Chris Coccagna, Joe Maurer, Rick Rosen and your humble correspondent. Joe and I got here Tuesday so we may have had some other guys here before that. Today is the last day. Many of the officials who have been on the CAC staff for years serve as evaluators.

It's my second year here and I was lucky enough to get picked up for CAC games in 2008-09, but that hardly qualifies as veteran status. Evaluators will tell you that as well -- there's always something you can learn, no matter how old you are or how long you've been officiating. From where I sit, each year's a new tryout. Working CAC games last season is no guarantee I'll be offered a contract this season, so I never stop trying to get qualified for the job -- even if you made the staff last year. That's a good position to put yourself in -- always wanting to learn and improve -- and it can certainly be applied to officiating and any other profession or hobby about which you have a passion.

A camp like this is mostly a good time if you come in with a solid knowledge of three-person mechanics. I was lucky enough to have that thanks to working informally with other officials in Board 23 over the years. Board 23 began a more formalized three-person training program last season, and I'd encourage anyone -- new or veteran -- with aspirations in officiating basketball to participate in the program this coming season, and every season, for that matter. There are certainly summer camps out there that are education-based, but for most camps in which you are trying out for a college staff, you need to come into that proficient in three-person mechanics -- and Board 23's program is a good head start toward that end. Stay tuned to this blog and the Board 23 Web site for info as it becomes available.

At this camp, there's a morning session of games, then a session after lunch, then an evening session. As you work games, you're huddling with evaluators during timeouts, halftime and postgame. Obviously a lot of learning goes on there, but one of the best pieces of advice is to participate in those huddles even when you're not working a game. When you see an evaluator gather some officials, just walk up and take a listen. It's a great opportunity to hear constructive criticism and learn what to do, or not do, when you take the floor.

The 11 a.m. games are wrapping up. There will be lunch at noon followed by a clinic/Q-and-A with one or more college veterans. Then more games this afternoon and evening before hitting the road.

If you get the opportunity, try a camp this summer or put it on your list for next summer.

Enjoy your Independence Day weekend and God bless America!

-PK