The Crown Refs Podcast

J.B. Caldwell has been one of the officiating industry's top educators for quite some time now and is still as motivated as ever. More impressively, he's been able to build a loyal community of highly-skilled and dedicated officials who've been able to seasonally grow their game under his guidance and tutelage. It was an absolute pleasure. Remember to close down in the lead position when the ball...

Team A is in control in the front court when A2 and B2 intentionally pull each other to the ground. What's the correct NFHS ruling? Reporting the correct foul type shows that you are self-aware and have full clarity on the play. Don't rush any of the steps and always be thorough. With so much screening activity in today's game, illegal screens are fouls that we ponder calling many times throughout...

Getting together on time-outs is a great way to show chemistry & improve the dynamics of the crew. Be mindful when getting together to not judge previous plays or dwell on perceived mistakes. Next play mentality. Eliminating the unnecessary signals only simplifies things for us and can help us stay out of "trouble". Don't anticipate a foul when and where the contact might take place. This tip was...

Postgame feedback, we discuss staying wide in the lead when the ball is on the strong side but readjusting when it swings to the weak side. We also discuss how over-rotating can hurt the entire crew. The difficulties that officials have when switching back and forth from pro rules to college and high school. Passion and patience are contrasting flavors that can be paired together to create a delic...

We discuss the importance of repetition and consistency as the way to grow, make sure to tuck all of your fingers when pointing as we don't want our points to resemble a handgun. Keeping your signals even, straight, and not rushing the 5-second count. We focus on presenting the numbers to the table by having our hand's shoulder width while at face level and maintaining good posture.⁣ ⁣ Remember to...

Facetime Friday's is a Crown Refs Mentor session where 11 officials from the community scheduled a 15 min 1-1 face time with Paul. It was a pleasure to meet with so many great people from our team and we think you'll find tremendous value in each of these calls.⁣ ⁣ Our topics ranged from how Crown Refs is utilizing AI, camp preparation, and better communications to improve your coaching management...

⁣In this episode, Shari and Khalid, both first-year referees who signed up for the Crown Refs 1-1 program, guide us through their journey as former players & coaches and which parts of officiating they are struggling with most. We discuss the mental fortitude required in high-pressure games, the critical role of communication, and the unique challenges and rewards of being a female referee. Furthe...

In this episode, we are joined by Bo Boroski, a highly respected Final Four official and the founder of RefQuest. Bo shares his wealth of knowledge and experiences as a coordinator and clinician, offering valuable insights for officials at all levels. The conversation delves into setting realistic expectations, the importance of judgment and communication skills, and the challenges faced by offici...

Welcome back to the 3rd episode of "In the Paint," featuring John McNeal. As a 9-year official and former active duty Marine, John is determined to expand his knowledge by venturing into content creation. With a diverse officiating background spanning multiple sports, John currently tackles the officials shortage in intramural sports at Mississippi State University. Listen how John candidly shares...

In this episode, John seeks guidance on game management and handling challenging situations with coaches and fans. Key topics include establishing clear communication with coaches, asserting authority, and prioritizing player-official safety.⁣ ⁣ We share some effective approaches for addressing disrespectful fan behavior as this episode emphasizes the importance of setting boundaries, enforcing ru...

Welcome to our new series, "In the Paint", where emerging official John McNeal explores the inner workings of how Crown Refs was built. John is a 9-year official and former active duty Marine who is looking to take his knowledge further by learning how to create content. John is a multi-sport official and currently works at Mississippi State University where he has a unique opportunity to attack t...

Welcome back to the 3rd chapter of the Porsha & Pauly Pod! In this episode, we emphasize the importance of continuous self-improvement and mentorship for success. We discuss the value of analyzing game footage for better decision-making, understanding the intricacies of the game, and growing confidence as a play-caller. ⁣ ⁣ Key takeaways include the significance of patience in all parts of the gam...

In this episode, we dive deep into the mind of NCAA Official and creator of The Mindful Journey, Adam James. Adam shares his passion for officiating, the mental challenges faced by referees, and his pursuit of unattainable perfection in an imperfect world. Get ready for an insightful discussion on the importance of communication and rapport building with coaches, as well as detaching one's identit...

In this episode, we delve into the fascinating world of basketball officiating with our esteemed guest, Kristyne Esparza, a trailblazing referee with over a decade of experience. We unpack the intricacies of this demanding role, discussing the importance of maintaining objectivity, cultivating resilience in high-pressure situations, and mastering the art of effective communication. Kristyne shares...

In this special episode of the Crown Refs Podcast, we delve into the critical issue of raising the standard of officiating across various sports, while exploring groundbreaking strategies for recruiting, training, and retaining top-tier sports officials. We welcomed an esteemed panel of guests: Jordan Cohen from Protect the Game, Joan Powell from PAVO, Christopher Loving from Save Our Sports, Sara...

We are excited to reboot the first-ever content series that we started back in 2018 called the Crown Refs Spotlight where we highlight 1 official per month and give an in-depth look at their story and journey through officiating.⁣ ⁣ 𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆⁣ Patreon.com/crownrefs⁣ ⁣ 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗽 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗲⁣ https://sideline.bsnsports.com/schools/new_york/hartsdale/crown-refs⁣ ⁣ 𝗕𝘂𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗚𝗲𝗮𝗿⁣ Refereestor...

On this episode of Rapid Responses, we lay out the right times to establish those respectful communication guidelines with the coaches and players. ⁣ ⁣ Vinny also details a few unsporting stories from his past games that we review and break down. We discuss how to spot behavioral patterns, how to respond when they question our integrity, and how to respectfully exit the conversation when it times...

The 13th installment of our Camp Clips series, Crown Refs is always looking for more high character individuals like Brandon who love officiating and would appreciate being a part of a special community of referees. Our program was built to get stronger with each new member we add. Montrell talks about why he enjoys being a part of the Crown Refs Mentor Community and how the program has developed...

The 12th installment of our Camp Clips series, Paul describes what the origin of signal school and demonstrates all of the different signals in the workout. Paul provides a couple cues that will help add strength and polish such as - PUNCH THE SKY and Copy & Paste. How many of us have incorrectly called a 5-second violation because we succumbed to the pressure of everyone yelling for 5 seconds and...

The 11th installment of our Camp Clips series, we hear about one of the best parts about the crown refs community. Paul explains to Liberty basketball player Darius McGhee about offensive initiated contact. Also, a snippet from Rashaad Murphy a retired US Air Force and a devoted father of 5 and Porsha Waddey showing great humility and transparency by listing some of the things she wants to improve...

In the second installment of talking with Taylor, we discuss the importance of communicating specifically with coaches about plays and rulings, instead of using vague terminology like “body contact.” ⁣ ⁣ We also touch on the significance of not having expectations for games as it can lead to frustration if things don't go as planned. This call is part of the Crown Refs 1-2-1 service but we think y...

This episode is all about the power of positivity and all of the amazing things that come with having an optimistic perspective on life.  We speak about the importance of being grateful every single day, not judging yourself, following your passions and finding happiness. ⁣ ⁣ This episode was recorded after a fall league game with Mike Tucker, who was working the clock.  I stayed after the game to...

In this 38th installment of our longest running series, we review a high school game with Zach Villemaire, a 3rd-year official living in Arizona. During this break down, we discussed being side-line oriented in trail, stepping out of stacks, and finding the legality of the defender before the contact occurs. ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ We also discussed the importance of clear and concise communication, such as using...

In this episode, Porsche and Pauly discuss the importance of sharing knowledge and being a teacher, regardless of whether or not you consider yourself an expert. They emphasize the value of being confident in what you know and being open to learning from others to improve as an official, a leader, and a person. They also touch on the importance of being able to say "I don't know" and the power of...

In this episode, the hosts discuss some recent games that one of them officiated, including an encounter with a coach who was unhappy with a decision. The hosts discuss how to handle these situations and give some advice on how to defuse the situation and move on. They also touch on the importance of positive self-talk and not judging oneself or others during the game.⁣ ⁣ We also talk about a game...