A call for more Gus Busters
I saw head Gus Buster Mark Abbott earlier this week, and I told him that I read his plea to the public for more volunteer Busters.
Abbott penned a letter to the editor that appeared in the Monday, July 6 edition of The Evening Sun. In his piece, Abbott said he is (again) woefully short of volunteers to officiate or supervise courts for this weekend’s 3-on-3 basketball tourney. It’s a message that Abbott has needed to deliver year after year, and yours truly has submitted numerous columns on the same subject matter.
It’s the 14th year of the popular tournament, and as Abbott stated, the Gus Macker 3-on-3 Tournament is one of Norwich’s signature summer events along with the Blues Fest, the Chenango County Fair, and in early September, Colorscape.
As a sporting event, Gus Macker stands alone in Norwich as its top drawing card. It’s no secret, either, that this is a basketball-rabid town. Our players, fans, community members, supporters, and longtime alumni have great pride in the quality of basketball produced here. And Gus Macker is a hoops frenzy that is sure to satiate even the most die-hard basketball fanatic.
In nearly a decade and a half of tournament play, we have never had a shortage of players and teams willing to participate. We have never had a shortage of local businesses willing to lend financial support. We have never had a shortage of concessions booths – profit or not-for-profit. And we have never had a shortage of fans taking in the sights.
What we have lacked, consistently, are the lifeblood and backbone of the Gus Macker Tournament: Gus Busters.
Abbott said he has heard virtually every excuse as to why this person or that person will not serve as a volunteer official. The one that stands out to me is, “I don’t want to take the (verbal) abuse from fans.”
It’s an excellent excuse if you have actually suffered the wrath of an indignant or unruly fan. (Or a player, for that matter.)
I would gauge my own skin as relatively thin. I dislike confrontation, and would prefer to avoid arguments. Still, I worked several years as a volunteer official. I was out of my comfort zone, but it proved an enjoyable task. Yes, I had a couple of incidents where a player or parent did not agree with call I made, but the vast majority of my experiences were positive.
The key to officiating a basketball game – and this holds true for any sports contest – is to understand the rules of the game. Just give your best effort, get in the right position to make a call, and stand by the calls you make. You will make mistakes, that much is a given.
What Abbott suggested – and this is a great avenue for the wary official – is to enlist a buddy, and officiate the court together. Two officials on a court will improve the experience for the official, and it ultimately will improve the quality of officiating for the players.
Keep in mind that the Gus Macker 3-on-3 tournament is considered a family event where the grand prize is a relatively small trophy. Sportsmanship is not an exception here, it is the rule for all participants of all ages.
Sure, some tempers may flare up during the heat of a highly contested game. It’s a competition, and the goal in any competition is to win. As an official keeping order during a competition, you (the Gus Buster) may become the scapegoat for a disgruntled player or fan who loses in the competition. It’s hard not to take those negative comments personally. What those comments amount to, in a nutshell, is poor sportsmanship.
The actual rewards for officiating at the Gus Macker tournament are multi-fold:
One, and most important, Gus Busters keep the tournament running smoothly. Two, the tournament committee provides a nice gift package for officials, while also providing all the free drinks you need during a sweltering summer weekend. Third, Gus-Busting builds self-esteem and confidence for those who have never officiated a real game. Lastly, the Gus Macker Tournament is perhaps the purest family-oriented, community event of the summer. As a Gus Macker volunteer, you’re doing your part to support a tremendous community event.
The YMCA is hosting a meeting Thursday at 7 p.m. for volunteer Busters, and anyone who may be interested in volunteering. It’s an opportunity to finally shed those old excuses, and become a proactive participant in a worthy community function.
Abbott penned a letter to the editor that appeared in the Monday, July 6 edition of The Evening Sun. In his piece, Abbott said he is (again) woefully short of volunteers to officiate or supervise courts for this weekend’s 3-on-3 basketball tourney. It’s a message that Abbott has needed to deliver year after year, and yours truly has submitted numerous columns on the same subject matter.
It’s the 14th year of the popular tournament, and as Abbott stated, the Gus Macker 3-on-3 Tournament is one of Norwich’s signature summer events along with the Blues Fest, the Chenango County Fair, and in early September, Colorscape.
As a sporting event, Gus Macker stands alone in Norwich as its top drawing card. It’s no secret, either, that this is a basketball-rabid town. Our players, fans, community members, supporters, and longtime alumni have great pride in the quality of basketball produced here. And Gus Macker is a hoops frenzy that is sure to satiate even the most die-hard basketball fanatic.
In nearly a decade and a half of tournament play, we have never had a shortage of players and teams willing to participate. We have never had a shortage of local businesses willing to lend financial support. We have never had a shortage of concessions booths – profit or not-for-profit. And we have never had a shortage of fans taking in the sights.
What we have lacked, consistently, are the lifeblood and backbone of the Gus Macker Tournament: Gus Busters.
Abbott said he has heard virtually every excuse as to why this person or that person will not serve as a volunteer official. The one that stands out to me is, “I don’t want to take the (verbal) abuse from fans.”
It’s an excellent excuse if you have actually suffered the wrath of an indignant or unruly fan. (Or a player, for that matter.)
I would gauge my own skin as relatively thin. I dislike confrontation, and would prefer to avoid arguments. Still, I worked several years as a volunteer official. I was out of my comfort zone, but it proved an enjoyable task. Yes, I had a couple of incidents where a player or parent did not agree with call I made, but the vast majority of my experiences were positive.
The key to officiating a basketball game – and this holds true for any sports contest – is to understand the rules of the game. Just give your best effort, get in the right position to make a call, and stand by the calls you make. You will make mistakes, that much is a given.
What Abbott suggested – and this is a great avenue for the wary official – is to enlist a buddy, and officiate the court together. Two officials on a court will improve the experience for the official, and it ultimately will improve the quality of officiating for the players.
Keep in mind that the Gus Macker 3-on-3 tournament is considered a family event where the grand prize is a relatively small trophy. Sportsmanship is not an exception here, it is the rule for all participants of all ages.
Sure, some tempers may flare up during the heat of a highly contested game. It’s a competition, and the goal in any competition is to win. As an official keeping order during a competition, you (the Gus Buster) may become the scapegoat for a disgruntled player or fan who loses in the competition. It’s hard not to take those negative comments personally. What those comments amount to, in a nutshell, is poor sportsmanship.
The actual rewards for officiating at the Gus Macker tournament are multi-fold:
One, and most important, Gus Busters keep the tournament running smoothly. Two, the tournament committee provides a nice gift package for officials, while also providing all the free drinks you need during a sweltering summer weekend. Third, Gus-Busting builds self-esteem and confidence for those who have never officiated a real game. Lastly, the Gus Macker Tournament is perhaps the purest family-oriented, community event of the summer. As a Gus Macker volunteer, you’re doing your part to support a tremendous community event.
The YMCA is hosting a meeting Thursday at 7 p.m. for volunteer Busters, and anyone who may be interested in volunteering. It’s an opportunity to finally shed those old excuses, and become a proactive participant in a worthy community function.
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