Far away from the bright lights and huge crowds in NBA arenas, Al Battista is on a mission.
As the league’s scout for officials in the Northeast, the D.C. native is working to find the sport’s future referees who will call fouls and violations, enforce the league’s complex rule book and manage the best athletes and coaches in the world.
Today’s officials must also deal with a media-saturated environment where every call is scrutinized and reviewed by the league, its announcers and its fan base — who are very critical on social media.
The soft-spoken 65-year-old is considered by some to be a D.C.-area basketball officiating legend because of his encyclopedic knowledge of the rules, and his ability to train and mentor referees — from young officials to those at the highest level.
“I taught junior high school history for 40 years. Ultimately, I am a teacher. It’s all about preparation and hard work,” Battista told WTOP. “You have to be a student of the game to do this right.”
Calling fouls early
As a student and college baseball player at American University in the late 1970s, Battista began officiating part-time for D.C’s. Approved Basketball Officials Association, also known as IAABO Board 12.
In his first year as a game official, he worked 500 games from the lowest level youth games to junior varsity and freshmen-level games in D.C.’s Washington Catholic Athletic Conference and at Montgomery County Public Schools. His dedication to the craft was apparent to those who got to know him.
“I could always rely on Al Battista,” retired commissioner Joe Marosy said, “He’d drop everything to work a game and you could see immediately he was going to be very good.”
Within three years, Battista climbed the ranks up to the high school varsity level and started working Division 1 college games, all while being a just few years older than the athletes on the court.
“You must understand the rules and how to apply them,” Battista said. “Every day I make time to review the rule book, watch video and dig into the casebook.”
Even as he began his career as a teacher at D.C.’s St John’s College High School and the Heights School in Potomac, Maryland — where he also coached the baseball team — he remained loyal to refereeing basketball.
Teaching a new generation
For the past 20 years, Battista has had a relationship with the NBA, beginning as a part-time observer.
However, for the past six years, he’s been a full-time employee of the league’s officiating management team as a scout, where he’s helped mentor an estimated 3,000 registered referees from around the world who hope to be promoted up the chain from the G-League (the league’s minor league), the WNBA and the NBA itself.
Former NBA referee Joey Crawford, also a full-time member of the NBA’s officiating training team, called Battista the “finest classroom instructor” he’s ever seen.
“Al can break down a play, explain the rules and make it understandable,” Crawford said. “People hang on his every word when he does a clinic or a presentation.”
At an age when many consider winding down their careers, Battista, now a grandfather, is going strong with no plans to cut back his schedule. He makes presentations at dozens of officiating clinics and camps, which has become one of the essential ways referees can get additional critical exposure to supervisors and learn from those who work the highest-level games.
“I love what I do, and I enjoy teaching,” he said. “It’s very gratifying to see officials improve at any level. From junior high to the high school level, and when someone makes it to the college level or the NBA, there is a sense of accomplishment because being a good official is hard work.”
On an average day, Battista fields dozens of phone calls and emails before he turns to watching video clips from officials to assess their positioning, application of the rules and handling of difficult situations. He attempts to personally scout many of the league’s top prospects who are competing to officiate some of the league’s most high profile games.
“We want the best officials, period. The players, coaches and fans are demanding that and it’s our responsibility to get them ready,” NBA Senior Vice President of Referee Development and Training Monty McCutchen said. “Al is a big part of what we are doing.”
When looking for the best officials, they must have the courage to go out and officiate, regardless of level, Battista said. Refs with that attitude will survive the rigors of the pros.
“The NBA has a very disciplined process to advance, and the league looks at a lot of factors,” he said. “It’s about personality, integrity, humility, determination and physical conditioning. It’s all about doing the work, every play, every game.”
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