OFFICIATING

In the formative years of Scottish Basketball the SCPR assumed responsibility for training and educating referees (officials). Courses were held at local venues and the SCPR organised weekend residential courses at the Boys Brigade centre at Carronvale House, Larbert. These courses graduated to week long courses at an annual summer school in St Andrews. Guest lecturers were recruited from CCPR staff in England who had made a study of the new sport.

An early officiating pioneer was William (Bill) Bird, an American basketball enthusiast based in the West of Scotland who was emplyed by a US company to sell locomatives. Alec Leslie, who had the distinction of being in charge of the Princes Street Gardens demonstration by the 1948 US Olympic Team, led the way in the East. They were followed by Thomas (Tucker) Johnston and Ronald (Ron) Hyslop who became dedicated basketball officials. In 1959 they achieved the distinction of becoming Scotland's first internationally qualified referees The duo were instrumental in founding the Scottish Basketball Officials Panel (SBOP) and conducted innumerable courses for officiating candidates, throughout the length & breadth of Scotland.

The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) had been founded in Geneva, Switzerland in 1932. In addition to organising all international competition, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognised FIBA as the responsible body for the first Olympic Basketball Tournament which was in the 1936 Games in Berlin. At its inaugural meeting FIBA would also assume the right to determine the Rules of Basketball and standards of equipment and facilities for all international play.

R William Jones had been the catalyst for the formation of FIBA and the inclusion of basketball in the Olympic Games. At the first meeting, aged twenty-six, he was appointed General Secretary of FIBA. He had attended Springfield College in Massachussets in 1928 where his interest in basketball and the Rules of the Game were developed. Various versions of the rules of play had developed in the United States. Jones was determined that there should be a universal standard and in 1934 produced the first International Basketball Rule Book in English. The fledgling ABAS in 1947 relied on a few copies of rule books which had been published abroad. Rule interpretations were varied and inconsistent. Messrs Johnston and Hyslop attended FIBA Rules Seminars where General Secretary Jones would give definitive pronouncements on the interpretation of the rules of play. They would return to Scotland and relay the information to other Scottish officials thereby creating a more uniform refereeing standard.

The annual residential Summer Schools at St Andrews incorporated an officials' course organised by the SBOP. Trainee officials were given practical experience working the daily matches played by youngsters participating in a concurrent player improvement course.

In the 1960's the ABAS struck a deal with the English Basketball Association for the joint publication of the latest version of the International Rules. Enough copies of the Scottish version were printed to enable the distribution of a rule book to every registered player in Scotland. This process was repeated as FIBA modified the rules every four years.

In order to participate in European competitions the ABAS had an obligation to have internationally qualified officials accompany their teams. Scottish candidates were groomed by Tucker Johnston and Ron Hyslop and encouraged to attend the annual clinic organised by FIBA. Robert (Rab) Petrie would gain his "FIBA" licencee in 1965 and Ken Johnston followed the same route in 1966.

The Commonwealth Games of 1970 had provided Edinburgh with an impressive new sports facility which incorporated three full size basketball courts. It also boasted rooms suitable for theoretical sessions. With four FIBA candidates in the pipeline the ABAS volunteered to host the 1971 officials clinic. Officials and candidates from all over europe were housed in the new Edinburgh University residences and bussed to Meadowbank for the daily activity. An innovation for the clinic was a competitive tournament organised by the ABAS each evening. These games were used by the FIBA examiners to assess the practical ability of the candidates. All four Scottish candidates, Alan Crow, John Glen, Danny Kaye and Roddy Willson would pass the test.

In all twenty Scottish officials have attained the FIBA quailification but perhaps the most interesting were Muriel Gilligan and Maureen McKenna. Muriel was the first woman FIBA official in europe when she qualified in 1979. Maureen would follow in her predecessors footsteps when she passed in 1990.


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