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Harry Bohn of Clarendon Hills is in his 42nd year of officiating basketball games. At one time, he worked 40 high school games a year. Now he works 25 high school games and 20 small college games a year. He worked the finals of the state tournament in 1983-85 and worked the Proviso West holiday tournament championship in December.
On top of that, Bohn has served as an Illinois High School Association rules interpreter for 25 years, a head basketball clinician for 10 years and assignment chairman for the South Suburban League for the past 15 years. If anyone knows the game, he does.
"The biggest change has been the speed of the game," Bohn said. "More and more teams play an uptempo game. It evolves from AAU and the kids playing year-round. More kids are capable of playing and playing at a younger age. There are more good athletes at a young age."
Bohn recalls the way the game was played in the 1960s and 1970s. There wasn't as much athleticism. A 6-5 kid was considered tall and frequently played in the pivot. There weren't as many good players or teams. The game was played at a slower pace. The kids wore shorts and Converse sneakers.
"Today, officials have to have a much more patient whistle," he said. "Instead of anticipating what might happen, they have to wait on the whistle to see what actually happens."
Bohn believes the migration from the city to the suburbs has changed the landscape of the game. More kids are playing. Suburban programs are improved and more competitive. Kids want to play uptempo and coaches are following their lead.
Unfortunately, coaches aren't staying in the game as long as before because it has become a 12-month activity. There are fewer Dick Van Scyocs and Will Slagers and Vergil Fletchers and Dolph Stanleys and Gene Pingatores and Max Kurlands and Gordy Kerkmans. There is more of a burnout factor and a turnover among coaches who don't have as much experience.
Bohn believes there are more positive aspects to officiating today, citing three-man crews to keep up with the faster pace of the game, more training programs, clinics and camps, heightened security in the gyms, less verbal abuse and even an increase in the number of new officials in the Chicago area.
"What is exciting in a lot of places is that students and fans are coming back to the game and more and more students are getting involved, following what they do at Duke and other colleges," Bohn said. "They are bringing more enthusiasm back to the game. It has been a very positive factor in the last five years."
He said irate fans aren't as much of a problem as they were in the past because schools are doing a better job with security and are dealing with sportsmanship on a regular basis. But he admits "there are cases at the end of a tough game with a tough crowd that you wonder how you will get off the floor and wonder if there is enough security," he said.
While the IHSA once hinted that there was a rising crisis in officiating, Bohn said lack of officials isn't a problem in the Chicago area. While all officials associations continue to actively recruit new officials, hoping to lure former players or fans, the economic recession has helped because more people are looking for ways to supplement their income.
So what is the state of officiating?
"They are more consistent in using proper mechanics than ever before. Because young officials are required to go to training at least every three years, some every year, they are much better in being in the proper position to make the right call, much better in the last 10 years than ever before," Bohn said.
"People would argue with me but I am convinced that basketball officiating is better than ever before. It used to be that Chicago teams would worry about Downstate officials and Downstate teams would worry about Chicago area officials. But the IHSA has broken up the teams and we haven't missed a beat.
"The problem is most fans are not educated in the rules of the game, some coaches, too. They aren't qualified to be officials. They don't understand the three-second rule or the continuation rule. And the biggest issue of all is palming and traveling. Fans think any time a player gets on the side of the ball, it is palming. The fact is the ball must hesitate in the player's hand."
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Taylor,
Didnt you and I just have this discussion. I emphatically stated that the players of the 60's and 70's couldnt keep up with today. Then this, from Harry Bohn with 42 years of experience..
"Bohn recalls the way the game was played in the 1960s and 1970s. There wasn't as much athleticism. A 6-5 kid was considered tall and frequently played in the pivot. There weren't as many good players or teams. The game was played at a slower pace. The kids wore shorts and Converse sneakers."
There has not been a better advocate for training officials
than Harry Bohn. No one has been a better friend to helping young and old officials become the best they can be.
Harry bohn has been the reason that officials are better today.
Taylor we have had this discussion before. Officiating is getting worse big time. And also the "homers" I call some of these officials have no integrity. It's like that at all levels high school, college, and pro. Of course Mr Bohn is gonna say officiaiting is better he's an official. If he said it was worse then he would be called on the carpet. There would be repercussions with him working with other officials. Most to me seem to have an agenda especially against majority African American rosters. Yes it has changed some in that aspect but has not gone far enough for Public League and other teams such as Evanston or Waukegan not getting a fair shake with the officials. One example Taylor Evanston at Maine South two weeks ago. Evanston was called for 33 fouls to Maine South's 4. BIG DISPARITY!!!!!!!!!!!! Also recent Evanston-New Trier game at Northwestern University. Second Half Evanston called for 10 fouls to New Trier's 4. Just a couple of examples there. Coincidence? Well Evanston has a predominately African American roster with a black coach. Maine South and New Trier have all- white rosters with the exception of one New Trier player that's black. As I have said before have seen it happen to CPS schools also. Anotheer example undefeated Crane-St Ignatius in a regional Final at St Ignatius a few years ago. Crane was top seed at that Sectional.
While Mr. Bohn is entitled to his opinion, as bias as it may be since he is an official, I would have to disagree regarding the state of officials at this time. The old guys are staying too long and there are not enough young guys to take their place. The game has changed quite a bit, but the officiating on many nights is absolutely horrendous. For every good official, there are two either inexperienced or just plain bad ones. Most of the time you know what you are getting as soon as you see the three officials come out on the floor, which is inconsistency. Every year there are points of emphasis for the officials that don't seem to make it to the floor when the ball goes up. There is still way too much hand checking going on that is not called. There is also way too much travelling that takes place in the game today that does not get called. So many players spinning and taking two or three steps on their way in for a layup or a short shot in the lane and it isn't getting called. The charging/blocking call is also not uniform from game to game. One way to help officials on that call is to establish a halo or a mark in the lane out in front of the basket like you see in the NBA which would especially help the younger referees to determine when a charge should be called. Many times a player is standing directly under the basket and takes a charge, which shouldn't happen. I have also noticed that many times a referee on the outside will make a call from 30 feet away when it is not his call. I would have to disagree with Mr. Bohn regarding the fact that the new guys on the block are better trained and are in better position to make calls. If what we are seeing is the quality of training that is being done, it doesn't paint a pretty picture. What we are seeing are officials that are now doing varsity games that don't belong on that level, but are getting moved up since there are not enough quality officials to go around. I would also argue that there are many officials that are not qualified to referee, either because they are out of shape and can't get up and down the court, or they have just been in the game too long. Many others just aren't sure of themselves on the court when they do make a call. While I know that Mr. Bohn keeps himself in very good condition for someone who has officated for 42 years, there are many others who aren't able to keep up with the speed of today's game and it shows when they are out of position to make the call and consequently miss a lot of calls.
One question I would pose to all referees, do you review game tapes from schools where you officiated games at? Do you ask for those game films to see where you can improve your skills during the season?
I realize that officating is not an easy job, I know a lot of referees that do take pride in what they do on the court and it shows in the games they call. They don't get paid a lot of money and they take a lot of unwarranted abuse from fans who don't understand the game. There just aren't enough of those guys around now days and there needs to be more guys who are professional about their job and don't make it personal. I certainly would not want to do it myself, and for those guys like Mr. Bohn and a lot of others who have devoted their lives to the game of basketball via officiating, they should be applauded for their efforts. Lets just hope that when it is time for guys like Mr. Bohn to finally hang it up, that there is a quality referee trained and ready to take his place.
Mr. Bohn is clueless. He may have been a good official in 1983 but his days are past. Most young officials are confrontational and lacking in game management skills. Mr. Bohn officiates from half court, is continnually out of position and is worried more about correct positioning on the floor then calling the game. Harry should retire but some of the posters are correct, there are not enough good younger officials and guys are moved up too quickly and cannot handle the job.
Harry is right the coaches today do not have the wear-all opf the coaches of the 60's-70. Maybe we should go back to two officals. The games that I since over many years and today only one conclusion is made the three do not know what their assignment is in the portion of the playing floor. If you ask some they come back with thats not by area. We who's area is it.
Referee "Ted" from Lake Zurich is a perfect example of a referee who needs to retire or take a refresher course. He continuously makes ridiculous calls against the visiting team, while allowing the home team to travel, as well as slap, push, and trip their opponents, without any calls. Amazing that the foul count of the visitors is always double or triple that of the home team. In addition, if the foul count is too even for Ted, he will start making the calls for his partner. I recall severall calls under the basket, when Ted's partner was right infront of the action, and Ted was halfway down the court, yet "Ted" made the call. Time to take a break Ted!
good dolphin,
While I agree with most of your points about inconsistant refereeing, I must disagree with the NBA 'halo'. I would NEVER look at the NBA for good refereeing. In the NBA, refereeing changes from player to player and even from first period to fourth.
Also, in high school, you can take a charge anywhere on the court. That is a good rule. I want referees watching the players and not a 'halo'. If a player pushes off with his forearm, instigating a charge, what does it matter if teh defender is under the basket? An offensive foul is an offensive foul, no matter where it happens.
Once again, though, I agree that high school refereeing is very inconsistant. The three refs are rarely ever on the same page.
Having had Harry ref my team's games, I can safely say that anyone who has something bad to say about him is a fool. He has a consistent whistle, communicates well with the benches and coaches, and calls the game as he sees it.
His point about the uneducated nature of fans is spot on. I coach 30+ games plus scout about another 25-40 each year and I'm embarrassed for the nature of high school sports fans, and I'm not talking about the kids. I hear fans consistently yelling for 3 seconds when no one is in the paint or 3 seconds when a shot is attempted, a travel call on an air ball, his feet were moving so it has to be a block and not a charge, or "over the back" when there is no such call. We all want our teams to win, but that doesn't mean every call against your team is a conspiracy.
Learn the rules of the game and the mechanics of refereeing, like the trail official in a 3 man crew should be near half court, which one referee, I mean poster pointed out and you'll see that 95% of what is called in a game is correct.
Do referees always get it right? No, the best officials will tell you they missed something or didn't see it that way. Just because you disagree or the call went against your team doesn't mean you can or should harass the refs. Remember you set an example for your kids in the stands. If you're an arse, then your kids on the floor think it's ok to be one too.
I can not believe these posts. Have any of you guys ever tried to officiate? It is easy to sit in the stands and criticize. I have talked to many a former coach who then started to officiate and was amazed at the difference. One of my favorite lines is "the kids stay the same age, and we get a year older."
There are bad apples in any line of work or avocation. The majority of guys I have seen or worked with over the years
have been nothing but professional and giving for the sport of HS basketball.
Why is it that fans expect referees, umpires, and game officials to be perfect. Yet players miss shots, coaches put subs in & out at the wrong time, yet this is OK. A little temperance is needed. In football, they throw flags, get together and then "pick up the flag"; no foul; go figure !!!
Tim is cluelss and a perfect example of what Harry was talking about. The exapmles Tim uses are pointless. There is absolutely nothing in the rulebook that says team foul totals must be the same. Sometimes you have two teams playing two different styles with one committing more fouls. Sometimes you have one team adjusting to what the officials are calling and one team that keeps doing the same thing. The fact that a black team has committed more fouls in a game is meanungless. What if they are committing more fouls? Harry suffering repercissions? Harry can say what he wants. What repercussions- the IHSA doesn't hire him to officiate games during the regular season. Then there is Skip Chaucer who accuses Bohn of refereeing from halfcourt, but is more concerned about proper positioning than calling the game. Hey Skip, how can be at halfcourt but be concerned about proper positioning? Isn't an officials supposed to get in proper positioning to make a good call? These two are examples of clueless fans.
Unfortunately, some of the idiotic comments we hear from the stands have reared their ugly heads on this forum as well. How can someone that has never earned an engineering degree tell an engineer how to build a better engine? How can someone that has never balanced a checkbook tell an accountant his numbers don't add up? I am amazed at how many people scream stuff at us as if they wrote the rulebook, yet they truly have NO CLUE as to what the rule is or how it should be applied to any play. I do wish there was a mandatory class for fans to get a proper understanding of what it is they are watching before they make fools of themselves. I hope you all feel better about yourselves after hollering at us as if we are stealing food off your tables.
I challenge each and every one of you that has criticisms for officials in any sport to pay your $35 - $40 dollars to the state association and get your license. I then challenge you to get on the court and 'show us how to do it better'. I guarantee that the great majority of you that are so critical of officials wouldn't last 5 minutes in our shoes, let alone 5 games or 5 years.
Mr. Bohn is one of the most respected officials in the state, and he has helped so many of us get to higher levels on the court due to his instruction. And he has been doing this for 42 years, and he has seen the game evolve, and the rules adjust with that evolution.