Season wrap up

[dammitbobby]

As we wrap up this year’s regular season tonight, how did your season go?  What did you learn?  What will you do differently in the future?
TBH, this was my most challenging season yet, for multiple reasons.  I felt like I actually declined in a lot of areas, mechanically particularly, and did OK rules-wise, I feel I’m at least on par with guys/gals that have been calling the same amount of time as me.

Part of the challenges of being in a chapter that doesn’t use set crews, is having to adapt and adjust mechanically for 3, 4, 5-man crews, in both 6-man and 11-man.  In my day job I deal a lot with metrics, and am attempting to keep better track of certain things, for trend analysis, interesting insights, etc.  So for Varsity games this season, I’ve been LJ 43%, HL 36%, BJ 14%, and U 7%.  91% 6-man games.  I’ve got stats on point differentials etc. as well.  I also had my first century club football game, where one team scored over 100 points.  Our chapter doesn’t keep track of fouls but I’m going to, for my games next year.
For me this year, I think part of the challenge is that as I mature as an official, I become a lot more self-aware and especially self-critical.  Especially on the few games that we get on film.  One game, I was awful, couldn’t do (or get) anything right.  So embarrassed by it actually.  I missed stupid easy gets and spots, positioned wrong mechanically, everything went south that game.  To the point that afterwards, I texted the crew apologizing (hoping they wouldn’t block me ).

The hardest part is not knowing/having a good baseline of where I am at, in relation to similarly experienced officials.  We don’t get graded, we rarely if ever get game film, there’s just not a good way to know if I am learning/progressing at the same pace, or if I’m behind, my peer group.  And that frustrates me, because I don’t want to burn out pushing too hard, but I want to make sure I am maturing and improving ‘on schedule’. (Always open to tips/ideas on that!)  I’m my own harshest critic and felt like I had more misses than I expected to, more uncertainty than I wanted, more self-doubt, more everything negative, it seemed. 

So how was it for you, positives and negatives?

[JasonTX]

Getting game film is crucial.   The chapter should depend on the coach to send it.  They have to submit a request on HUDL.  Before I go to bed on Friday night I have submitted requests for all games.  This sends an email to the coach and all they do is click one time to share it.  If I don't have it by Saturday afternoon,  Im submitting requests to the visitors and then sending reminders by text.  We get 100% ,of our games and we have 6 film evaluators that get assigned to 2 or 3 games each week.  Comments and all games are shared with the full chapter and training clips are created from those.  Someone in your chapter needs to do this.  Our chapter submits foul reports and those get tagged on HUDL. 

Also, no stats on R position?

[dammitbobby]

No stats on R position, because I'm not one. 

I'm going to press and see if we can get a HUDL coordinator for our chapter, heck I'd even do it, just to hound the coaches to get film.

[AlUpstateNY]

FWIW, Bobby, the most important factors in "progression" are "Attitude" and honest self evaluation, and you seem to be on target with both.  Recognizing where you might need improvement, and then concentrating on correction is the right approach.  Vince Lombardi suggest, "although perfection is NOT attainable, it's a direct path to achieving excellence".  Excellence, however, is not a static objective, it keeps moving requiring constant pursuit and adjustment.

Film review is a great tool, however it is NOT absolute. Film highlights; Positioning, coverage, reaction, proximity, but it's view is rarely (if ever) the exact same view as the filmed official actually sees, hears, senses which are also important factors. 

You seem to be pointed in the right direction and critical self evaluation, as well as accepting & evaluating corrective advice with your own expanding experience will keep you pointed in the right direction. Perhaps our best learning tool is "scar tissue" from mistakes, inevitably made, but thereafter NEVER repeated, or forgotten.

Honest self evaluation, a never ending pursuit of rule comprehension, openness to suggestion and willingness to adapt (when proven) are valid and constructive pursuits.  You seem to be on the right path, keep going, enjoy the journey and best wishes for it to be a long ride.