All Articles by Barbara Bleiweis

SEP games 7&8 took place June 30th.  I have been mulling over my performance and that of the crew for days, trying to sort through my feelings. My goal at the outset was to merit an "A" performance by game 5-- and sustain that through games 9&10.   Before June 30, I was at an A, but after last week, I took a step backwards and I don't feel really good about it.  Why the set back?    I was the more experienced person on the crew.  I knew that from the time I got the assignment that this was a chance to step up and take care of little details that influence crew performance. I knew what to do and I knew what to expect from the players and coaches and yet, I still fell short.  Why?

SEP Games 5 & 6 can be summarized in one word:  communication.  Like any team sport, communicating with your teammates is key to success.  As the third team on the court, my partners and I communicated from the opening tip to the final buzzer ending overtime. The referee, or the "R",  before the opening toss, established eye contact with the U1, who is near the table and "chops the clock", and the  U2, who is opposite one of the team benches.

Each summer, my officiating organization evaluates non-varsity officials for potential promotion. The event, the Summer Evaluation Program (SEP), is by invitation only. Three-person crews officiate highly physical and intense boys' varsity games. We are evaluated on game management, crew/coach/player communications, call accuracy and quality, court demeanor, physical fitness, and ability to apply suggested changes. I will be evaluated over a ten game, five week period. A decision to promote me (or not) to officiate high school varsity games will be made by end of summer.