On-court Assessment

Foreword

The National Official Certification Program defines five levels at which basketball officials may progress during their career. The criteria to qualify for Levels 1 to 3 are described in terms of observable outcomes in the following areas: rule knowledge, floor mechanics, game management, and court presence. The “Assessment tool” should be used by evaluators when they are called upon to assess the performance of officials applying for certification within the national program. It can also be used for observing officials and to provide feedback in a training environment.

Using the assessment tool

1. 1. When an official is being evaluated to obtain his accreditation, he should be observed by one assessor
2. 2. If more than one official is being evaluated in the same game, there should be one evaluator for each candidate
3. 3. Using the tool requires constant and undivided attention on the part of the evaluator. If possible, having a “spotter” to assist in observing is recommended
4. 4. It would be wise for potential evaluators to practice with the tool before using it to assess a candidate for accreditation
5. 5. The tool is made of two distinct parts
6. a. Section 1 is used to evaluate rule knowledge and application by charting and evaluating decisions (calls and no-calls) made by the official as the game progresses
7. b. Section 2 is used to globally assess performance in the areas of floor mechanics, game management, and court presence.
8. i. The criteria in each area are defined in terms of observable behaviours to be produced by the official.
9. ii. Performance on each item is scored on a 4-point sliding scale, 1 representing a behaviour seldom shown by the candidate and 4 representing a behaviour always or consistently executed by the official during the course of the game

Guidelines

Section 1:

1. 1. Spaces are provided to record the time of the event and to check-mark the nature (contact or violation) of the decision which can be a call or a no-call and if the decision was correct or incorrect. Space is also provided for narrative comments on the decision.
2. 2. All fouls and violations called by the official evaluated should be recorded and rated as correct or incorrect
3. 3. No-calls (contact or violation) should only be recorded if the decision not to make a call occurs in a significant situation or, in other words, when the decision has an impact on the game. In laymen’s terms, should be charted those no-calls which normally would trigger a “Good no-call!” or “Ah, should have called that!”reaction.
4. 4. At the end of the game, a percentage of correct decisions should be computed over the total number of decisions recorded

Section 2:

1. 1. Each aspect in each area bears a description of the behaviours that the official should demonstrate over the course of the game.
2. 2. Using a scale from 1 (Seldom) to 4 (Always), the evaluator must give a global assessment of the relative frequency at which each behaviour is produced.
3. 3. In each category, a global score is computed.
4. 4. The form indicates the minimum total score that must be obtained to reach a passing mark.

Game Requirements

The minimum requirement for assessment for each candidate is two (2) games observed by one (1) evaluator for Level 2.