By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Euroleague Basketball referees will be sharpening their skills over the next four weeks with a stimulating timetable of online events as part of the new Officiating Webinar Program.
The first event took place on Wednesday with a guest appearance from English Premier League soccer referee David Coote. He explained how top-level soccer referees deal with players and coaches during games, especially the type of communication they adopt as part of their overall game management.
Next week will see the first in a number of presentations from sports psychologist Mar Rovira, who will explore the benefits of mental training to maximize the on-court performances of referees. Rovira is a former Spanish international who has already been part of the Euroleague Table Talk series, discussing the psychology of retirement for professional athletes.
The next scheduled online guest is one of the continent’s most knowledgeable and successful coaches, Ettore Messina. The AX Armani Exchange Milan coach will share his extensive experience of working in the NBA, comparing the different styles of referees and discussing which methods could be transferred across the Atlantic.
Euroleague Basketball’s Senior Officiating Director Richard Stokes explained that this new series of events is the start of an ongoing program, saying: “It is our intention to add to this program in the weeks following. We are planning to make this an integral part of our support and education for all our referees, even when we are able to return to the court.”
Photo Credit: Getty Images