T, communication and feelings.

I think I have a good subject for my writing this time.
Basketball season has started and more than ever in Finland people are talking about basketball. That's a good thing, cause more people here will know more about basketball.

The thing what I wanted to write about is "THE new technical foul -rule". People please, it's not a new rule, it's something what we have always have in Official Basketball Rules, check Official Basketball Rules, page 40, chapter 38. You know now something more about basketball and something how I as basketball referee see this game.

Beginning this season (2012-2013) we got to know that Finnish Basketball Federation wants to correct the technical foul-rule. NBA did it two seasons ago, FIBA Europe did it during last season and it's our time now. The thing what is new is that we want everybody to focus on game and leave all extra.


What I think: This new correction gives us, referees, an opportunity to get more involved to a game. We can do something when there is too much talk, too much asking and too much "why why", "oh no, c'moon" e.t.c. Meaning that emotions are not going anywhere. Feelings (good ones and disappointments) are still part of the basketball game. I hope that with this correction basketball will be more and more the game of good attitude.

I as a referee appreciate when there is some good talk during a game and when players, coaches and referees can communicate with each others. Still there has to be some understanding that we can't talk and talk and talk. One fact is sure that when player is playing, coach is coaching and referee is officiating we all can focus on our own areas of responsibility BUT communicating in good way is BIG part of GOOD BASKETBALL GAME.

Good communication is more than talk, it's what we say and how we say it. Sometime communication can only be a look or smile.

Preparation

Game in an evening.

My preparation for tonight's game started already yesterday when I called to my colleague and we decided where and what time do we meet before the game. This time I had my workday (24h) just before game so I started my work yesterday 9:00am and got back home this morning 10:30am. We got to sleep well last night so now I have plenty of time to get ready.

Next I check I have all a clothes and stuff what I need. What should I wear when I go to the game and what do I pack to my bag.

Something casual on before the game.

Certainly I check my bag like million times before I leave from home. Good way for me to make sure I have all is thinking "down to up": shoes, shocks, pants, shirt and so on. Works for me!

Now I go to run (~20min) to wake up my body, stretch, shower and some good food. I meet my colleagues at the gym one hour before the game (5:30pm) so we have enough time for warm up and pre-game.

Talk to you soon!

Getting ready for a season

Cause I have lost my inspiration, I'll only add some pictures from summer.

Be on time - arrive to a gym one hour before a game.

Be professional - wear clean and nice clothes, jeans are not enough. 

Getting ready for a game - just before warm up.
Hair up.

 Black shoes, black trousers, black jacket...

...grey shirt, whistle and big smile.

Be ready physically

and mentally for the game.

Communication

Be there for a game

Understand the game

Be humble

Learn for your mistakes

After this kind of summer I'm more than ready for the season. Waiting to learn more about officiating and about my self. Have a nice season everybody. See you on and off the court!!

Little guy in audience

I heard from my friend what one little guy was thinking in audience in my game, MU20 NC Norway-Sweden. He didn't know why there is three referees on the court but after thinking a while he said something like this: "Oh, now I know why there is three referees ! One of them is girl and cause there is so many guys in less clothes she will look only them. There have to be more referees so they can officiate this game at all."

Good thinking ! ;) I love basketball fans !

Summer as a referee.

What happens when season ends ? Holiday ? What is that ? Players and coaches are getting ready for next season and some of them are playing through the summer with national team's. They also need us and we also need to get ready for the next season.

I will do various drills during the summer to get better shape and get better as referee. Warm-up, run, gym, stretching, those are some in my program.

Example:

Day 1.

• Warm-up 20min
• Stretching
• Intervals 3 x7min with 2min pauses
• 2min run slowly --> 40 sec fast (70-100%/max)
• Cool down 10min
• Stretching

PS.

I got some games for summer :) Women national team's  practice-game FIN-LAT and MU20 NC-game NOR-SWE. I love this game ! :)

Day 2. @ YNC 2012.

Okay, I'm alive ! First day was long but good. I officiate only one game and then I was watching much more than that. My game was okay, not even good but okay. It was clearly tournaments firs game for teams and for us referees also. We didn't have so clear line and I think there was some "be a team" things what we have to work on.

Something about this kind of tournaments:

• We have different referee group every day
• We officiate with 3person
• Referee can'n ever be in the game were is her/his own country playing

Something about teamwork with table-officiate:

• We are a team, if referee asks something it doesn't mean we are mean or don't believe you, we just want to be sure
• If you have something you want to know, ask. We can't help you if we don't know there is something wrong.
• We all; players, coaches, referees, table-officials, are humans and we do make some mistakes. That's part of the game/life and we have to deal with it.

Today is a new day and I have two games. The first one is WU18 Iceland-Sweden and the second one is WU16 Iceland-Denmark (night game..).

Maybe I have some energy to write you in an evening, if not..talk to you later !

Day 1.

Cause some of my colleagues here said I should write in english I will do that. It's not easy for me but I think it will be a good help for me and for my future :)

We had only dinner together with referees today and tomorrow we start our games. I have MU16 Norway-Sweden @ 15:00 with Ronnie (from Denmark) and Orri (from Island) ! It's gonna be great :) I let you know how was it. Hopefully I can get some pictures also.