NTBOA REFEREE EVALUATION and FEEDBACK (REF) SYSTEM
Evaluation Opportunities
NTBOA uses many avenues to evaluate officials such as camp, showcases, leagues and regular season games. It is highly recommended that you participate in as many as possible to improve your officiating.
The Evaluation Process
The NTBOA utilizes a tier ranking system. Every official will be given a tier placement, which will determine the level of play and/or the officiating level (Referee, U1, U2) they are qualified to officiate. This tier ranking will be utilized by the Assignments Team during the season. The tier structure, along with a description of the elements used for evaluation, is listed below. Committee members have been given oversight and responsibility for a designated group of officials. Listed below are the committee members and the portion of the alphabet for which they are responsible:
FAQ
Will every official be evaluated/need to be evaluated?
Yes, all officials will be evaluated. If the Observation Chairperson/Assignments Team has concerns about an official’s tier determination, low or high, the official will be re-evaluated during the opportunities that are available.
Can I appeal my ranking?
If you feel you were not evaluated at the proper level, you should contact the REF Committee chair to discuss your ranking and the appeal process.
Will the tier system be explained?
The overall breakdown of the tier-structure along with a description of the elements used for evaluation purposes is provided below. As stated previously, every official will be provided with written feedback. It is our goal to give every official a document that can provide a roadmap for improvement. The evaluation will include constructive feedback that will help officials get to the level they feel they belong.
NTBOA TIER PLACEMENT CHART
The tier placements are meant to serve as a guide for the assignments team. There is no guarantee that you will receive any certain level of game; this guide just states that you are eligible.
Tier Ranking Descriptions for NTBOA
Tier Description of Expected Capabilities and Opportunities
100 Able to officiate as the Crew Chief at every level of play.
200 Can officiate all levels of play; able to officiate as the Crew Chief at every level of play, but should not be assigned as Crew Chief in higher-level 6A/5A boys games.
300 Able to officiate all levels of play; can serve as crew chief up to 6A/5A varsity girls.
350 Able to officiate up to 6A/5A varsity girls; can serve as crew chief up to 6A/5A JV boys/girls.
400 Able to officiate up to 6A/5A JV boys/girls and up to 4A varsity boys/girls as U1/U2; can serve as crew chief up to 3A varsity boys/girls.
500 Able to officiate as U1/U2 up to 3A varsity boys/girls; can officiate as crew chief up to 2A/1A varsity boys/girls; able to officiate all levels of JV boys/girls.
600 Able to officiate all levels of JV boys/girls; able to officiate middle school.
700 Able to officiate middle school.
Tier Notes Explaining Tier Revisions
100 No change here – the 100s should be the best NTBOA has to offer.
200 This tier has been expanded slightly to allow a 200 to serve as Crew Chief in a 6A/5A varsity boys’ game, but this tier now includes all the 200s who are not yet ready for the most competitive boys’ games which NTBOA services at the 6A/5A level but can officiate the less competitive 6A/5A varsity boys’ games.
300 No change here.
350 This tier has expanded expectations to include officiating as Crew Chief at 6A/5A JV boys/girls level. Officials in this tier are expected to be able to officiate any game NTBOA services with the exception of 6A/5A varsity boys’ games (allows for the cases where an official has lost a bit of mobility or is not yet ready for the highest level games).
400 Expands this level to include the 6A/5A JV boys/girls along with the 4A and down varsity. Can officiate as Crew Chief at 3A varsity boys/girls level. This level should be the training ground for all those officials who expect to move up or think they have the talent to call the higher level games. It also now effectively requires that no lower-ranked official can be thrown into a JV game which is over his or her head.
500 This tier has expanded expectations to include officiating as Crew Chief at 2A/1A varsity boys/girls level; able to officiate all levels of JV boys/girls; can officiate as U1/U2 up to 3A varsity boys/girls.
600 This tier includes the former 600 and 700 tiers. Able to officiate all levels of JV boys/girls and all middle school games.
700 This tier includes the former 800 and 900 tiers. Able to officiate only middle school games.
Evaluation Elements (5 Total)
Appearance & Court Presence
Is the official physically fit?
Is the officials’ uniform properly sized?
Does he or she carry himself/herself with good posture and look like they belong on the court?
Is he/she concerned with the game itself rather than drawing attention to himself/herself?
Is he/she confident without being arrogant?
Judgment & Application of Rules
Are rules correctly applied?
Are calls correct?
Can official differentiate between incidential and illegal contact?
Is officiating consistent within the crew?
Are non-calls made when legal play occurs, even though something may “look bad?”
Game Management/Communication
Is illegal action called throughout the game or does the allowed level of contact change during the game?
Are potential problems between players recognized and addressed before they escalate into technical foul situations?
Are coaches addressed when needed and warned for inappropriate behavior, not only with the head coach but with the assistant(s) and players?
Is inappropriate bench behavior allowed to continue?
Do officials have an awareness of the game clock, multiple free throws, and dead ball situations and communicate clearly with the table?
Does each official clearly communicate with his crew members during foul calls and prior to inbounding ball?
Hustle and Work Ethic
Are officials able to keep up with the pace of play?
Can officials get into position to see through the offense and the defense?
Are officials purposeful in their movements?
Do officials administer free throws and throw-ins in a timely fashion?
Mechanics
Does the official know his areas of coverage and responsibility in relation to ball position?
Does the official watch off-ball or does he keep his eye on the ball at all times?
Does the official always use proper signals?
Is the official confident and strong with his or her signals?
Is the official believable and clear in his or her foul call reporting techniques?
Does the official cover the floor as needed in relation to his or her co-officials?
Are rotations done at the proper time?
Is the official watching competitive matchups?
