12) The one with a life through a lens

This update is simply an opportunity to share some of the photographs I have taken over the last week or so from our journeys to the arenas and back to the hotel. We are also allowed short (approximately 15 minutes) walks out of the hotel, so I have included photographs from these walks as well. 

My impressions of Tokyo are of utter wonder and amazement. 

It is SO CLEAN! There are no rubbish bins on the street because everyone takes their litter home (and any litter there IS is collected by other members of the public and taken home). 

Smoking is banned outdoors in residential areas (and teams have fallen foul of this and been penalised accordingly. Any officials in breach of this rule will be removed from future nominations) 

The weather has been ridiculously hot and humid.

The Japanese people are incredibly polite and there is a huge culture of mutual respect for one another. 

The volunteers are so happy and focused in their work - I haven't seen or heard a single dissenting sign or voice against the staging of the Games. 

The Covid safety measures are VERY good - they are too long to list here but it is massively reassuring to know it is being taken so seriously. 

One day, I hope to return to Tokyo and explore what it really has to offer! 😁

11) The one about behaviour management

 "It's not what you said, it's the way you said it!" 

How many times as an adult have you said that someone, or at least had the thought process when being spoken to? It's also a common line used amongst some referees when dealing with emotional players and coaches. It shows a level of empathy and understanding to a situation, whilst at the same time asserting some control. 

This is an extract from a recent job application, underlining how transferrable the communication skills of being an international referee and a school teacher / school leader are:

“When officiating on the international sporting stage, participants can become highly emotional and aggressive at times. Include the likelihood that English is not necessarily their first language, multiple television cameras could be watching every move and thousands of spectators are screaming and shouting, you have a highly pressurised situation that requires acute communication skills, a calm head and an ability to quickly understand other people’s points of view.”

Whether it is a parent who is unhappy about something that happened at school, two children who have just been separated from a fight, a child upset in the classroom following a recent family bereavement or a controversial decision made on the basketball court, the number one focus has to be on dealing with the behaviour whilst remembering said behaviour is coming from a person / people. It can be extremely hard to separate the emotional reactions from the rational decisions, but as a referee and as an educator, it MUST be done. It promotes professionalism, authority and I suppose to some extent, reliability as well. 

Related to this, part of my teacher training many moons ago covered a topic called 'the hidden curriculum'... and was one of the most eye-opening units of my studies. 

Children watch. They see and hear more than we ever realise (but not necessarily what we want them to!). They mimic and imitate. They also invariably repeat word for word things that shouldn't have been said. The aspect of the hidden curriculum that struck me most though was that children REALLY notice how teachers act towards them. Their body language. Their tone of voice. The use of eye contact. If they've got a new perfume / after shave. Data shared with the trainees even included things such as children noticing whether the teachers had smelly breath, or if a teacher is going through a difficult time outside of school. 

Children will also learn to push the boundaries with parents, teachers and especially supply teachers! As a pupil myself, I remember many a fearful, unfamiliar face coming into some of my GCSE Chemistry lessons and the usual suspects acting up and ruining the sessions for those who wanted to learn. (To add some context, our usual Chemistry teacher was off on the sick and a rotation of supply teachers came and went.) That was until Mr Tedder came. 

This man single-handedly got us through the entire GCSE Chemistry syllabus in about half a year. He was awesome. Every child knew exactly what the expectations were (and the consequences if they weren't met), spoke to pupils on a level that was respectful but left no doubt as to who was in charge, but also showed that he cared. This skill cannot be measured, but is a vital part of the 'hidden curriculum'. It also proved that pupils will do exactly what the teacher will allow them to. The same is true of parents - how many times does a child approach one parent with a request, get denied so goes to the other parent or relative to get what they want? 

Now I have to tread carefully before making this next statement, but there are parallels between these situations and those on the basketball court. Players and coaches will do exactly what the referees allow them to do (and I AM NOT calling international athletes children!) If players sense inconsistency between referees, they will try to use this to their advantage, and this is why our role as referees is not just that of 'guardians of the rules', but as managers of the participants too: players, coaches and colleagues alike. 

As referees, we have a very clear set of rules, comments and interpretations to support us in our roles. They are not some sort of secret tome that nobody sees except us - everyone involved in the game should be familiar with them to ensure we are singing from the same hymn sheet, but as humans we all have the capacity for variations of understanding. This can also apply to referees, hence the publication of a document called 'Comments and Interpretations'. This is published approximately 6 months after the updated rule book is released and is designed to iron out the kinks that the wording of the rule book often creates. Attached to each rule are a number of statements, situations, examples and interpretations to assist players, coaches, table officials and referees ensure each game is played not only to the rules, but in the spirit of the rules as well. 

Ahead of the Paralympic Games starting, the referees had a number of clinics and meetings to refresh our rules knowledge (remember - the majority of the 24 referees here in Tokyo had not refereed anything in nearly 18 months!) but also to focus on specific areas which the referee supervisors thought would be worth spending more time on. These areas were (WARNING - basketball specific vocabulary coming up) Act of Shooting, Unsportsmanlike Fouls and the use of IRS (Instant Replay System) - the basketball equivalent of football's VAR. 

The theme of this update is on behaviour management. IRS allows us to review  specific situations at certain times of the game, including looking for any unsportsmanlike conduct. Players and coaches are not allowed to ask for reviews (like they are in tennis, for example), but it doesn't stop them asking, or seeing them drawing an imaginary box in the air! The same is true of school - it is common knowledge that there are CCTV cameras dotted around our school site. Children are savvy creatures and they have been known to ask the teachers to 'check the cameras' to support their version of events when dealing with situations. Speed camera mentality comes to mind as well - how many drivers edge beyond the speed limit only to slow down when they see a speed camera or police van by the side of the road? 

So here is a message to players, pupils, parents and people: The BEST thing to do is imagine you are always being watched (even though that is impossible) and conduct yourself accordingly, whether on the basketball court with 3 referees and 6 TV cameras OR in a school corridor/classroom, because you never know - someone might be watching! 

(All images are cheeky screenshots of the live feeds from back in the UK, taken by my long-suffering, but reasonably proud, wife!)

10) The one where I get back on a competitive court

The first few days of competition have gone REALLY quickly. Games started on Wednesday but with only a handful of matches, I didn't receive my first appointments until Thursday when both venues came into play. 

Ariake Arena is close to our hotel, however due to Covid protocols we are unable to walk there. Instead, we must take the official (air conditioned!) transportation. The second arena is a 40 minute drive out of Tokyo - the Musashino Forest Sport Plaza - and is just as impressive as Ariake. The added bonus of playing and officiating out at Musashino is since it is beyond the Tokyo emergency zone, spectators have been permitted to attend. Although they are not permitted to chant and cheer, their presence is felt through their enthusiastic clapping. It is clear to see what it means to the players, because at the end of each game both teams line up and wave to everyone, or bow to them. During group play, the officials have been split into 2 bubbles and alternate their games each day between both venues. I was appointed to a double-header of games at Musashino - one women's (Germany vs Australia) and one men's (Korea vs Turkey). 

 

As I said in a previous post prior to leaving for Tokyo, getting back on court felt so good. International athletes and sports-people always comment on how special it feels when pulling on their national team's kit, or 'wearing the badge with honour'. I can fully empathise with that feeling, because getting changed into my new IWBF uniform gave me a little shiver of excitement and pride. Granted, as a referee I am neutral and not representing any country, but I didn't let that minor detail detract from the feeling I had as I prepared for my games! 

Germany vs Australia ended with quite a large win for Germany, but Korea vs Turkey was a much closer affair. Korea had played really well the night before against Rio silver-medallists Spain and pushed them until the final couple of minutes of the match. They did the same against Turkey, keeping the match close until the final few minutes. 

In between these 2 games, there was quite a long gap. Since I was working with one of the officials on both games, we decided to use the time effectively and rest in the changing room. Using benches from the changing area, we even managed to each create our own make-shift beds to lie on and catch up on some sleep, since we were still adjusting to the time difference. I was woken by my colleague with about an hour to go before the game, to the sound of my own snoring which he had recorded on his phone!(And if the recording is anything to go by, I can only apologise to my wife!) 

 

The following day I only had one match - the first of the day. It was another women's game involving two unbeaten teams: Canada against the host nation, Japan. It was a reasonably quick match, the kind of game which is easier to referee because the players just wanted to get on with it and play hard. Canada won convincingly, but Japan kept it competitive throughout. 

Stepping out onto a basketball court in a cavernous arena and under blindingly bright lights can be an intimidating experience. I remember it well from Rio and having to work particularly hard to block everything out of my mind except the game. This time round, it has been a little easier due to the lack of spectators screaming, shouting and banging drums. There isn't as much atmosphere at these games, but it certainly allows us as officials to focus on the task in hand. 

Each match is observed by a referee supervisor, who has access to the video replay system. As we work hard on the court, they work equally hard watching the match, making notes and capturing video clips for our post-match analysis. Being able to go from the floor and into a conference room to sit and watch clips of your own performance within 15 minutes is amazing - it is one of the most powerful developmental tools we have as officials and we are all very grateful that we can use this to improve on a daily basis. Having 4 camera angles also ensures that there is no room for disagreement when it comes to feedback - the camera never lies! 

In summary, the first few days of competition have been great. The feedback has been fair, supported by video analysis and provided clear areas of strength and development for future games. I have worked with colleagues from previous tournaments, but also had games with officials who I'd never met before until arriving in Japan. The consistent focus we have is on the game of wheelchair basketball - we may come from different countries, speak different languages and have different backgrounds yet basketball is the one thing binds us together and provides a strong foundation as we get to know each other better. 

As our Technical Delegate said in an email to all officials recently:

"We are all part of something unique in the history of sport, thank you for supporting it and thank you for making this event possible for all of our teams and players.

We are all wheelchair basketball!"

9) The one where you meet the IWBF family

One of the requests for content on this blog was information about the other officials involved in the Games. An important point to make here is that there are not just referees involved in officiating a game of wheelchair basketball. In Tokyo, there will be referees, game commissioners, table officials, classifiers, statisticians, referee supervisors and technical delegates. All of these roles join together to make each game run as smoothly as possible - the third team involved in each match (that the title of this blog alludes to).  

For events such as the Paralympic Games and World Championships, the referees, table officials, game commissioners, classifiers, technical delegates and referee supervisors are all appointed by the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) and are referred to as International Technical Officials (ITOs). The local team of tournament organisers appoint the table officials and statisticians from the organising national federation and are referred to as National Technical Officials (NTOs). 

Here is the background of all the ITOs appointed to Tokyo 2020 by the IWBF. 

I will always remember the conversation I had with my supervisor when I qualified as an international referee in 2013. Instead of saying 'Congratulations, you have successfully passed your examination' or something similar, I was given a firm handshake, a warm embrace and the comment 'Welcome to the family!' Family is the certainly the best way to describe the feeling of collective belonging when working as an IWBF official. 

We support each other. 

We challenge each other. 

We trust each other. 

We make some amazing memories together. 

We may not see each other for years in between tournaments, but when we meet it is like we've never been apart. Tokyo is no different and it has brought me comfort knowing that even though the world is still a crazy place, my basketball family is just as they were. Being able to reminisce about experiences from previous events, discuss games we worked together or sightseeing trips we took are all things that are personal to us - the basketball family. They are conversations and experiences that are specific to our group and that others might not fully appreciate or understand. 

I have worked with 29 of the ITOs at these Games, many of which at multiple events. This provides an extremely strong basis for successful teamwork during games, but also offers exciting prospects for making new friendships with those I have not worked with before. Many of the other ITOs will be in the same position in having a group of officials they know and some that they don't. 

It is this aspect of officiating which I really value. How many jobs / vocations / hobbies offer the participant the opportunity to say 'I know people that live in Argentina, Costa Rica, Brazil, USA, Canada, Malaysia, Australia, Poland, South Africa etc' AND get to meet up with them on a reasonably frequent basis, or have the open offer of meeting up should you ever find yourself in their home country? Making these friendships and relationships is so important - we only have a limited amount of time together at events (and even less in these Games due to Covid protocols) so making the most of it is vital. 

A personal example of how my basketball family rallied round me in a time of need was when my dad died from Covid-19 in November 2020. The number of emails, text messages, sympathetic GIFs or other forms of communication were overwhelming and I was extremely grateful that any of them took a moment in their day to let me know they were thinking of me. 

To come to Tokyo 2020, I have left my own family behind for 17 days. To say it is a hard thing to do is an understatement, but knowing that I am going from my own family to my basketball family makes it a little easier and the advances in technology, especially during the pandemic, have guaranteed that communication from Japan to the UK is much more straightforward. (Although the time difference is still confusing my children - seeing their confused faces as I go to bed whilst they eat lunch is hilarious!)

Now the actual matches have started, it is time to support each other by watching them on the live feeds, praise each other for matches well officiated and picking each other up if we feel like our performances weren’t as strong as we’d have hoped for. We are all putting ourselves under a global microscope, and I’m sure we’ll all need an encouraging smile or a supportive fist bump at some point along the way. 

But isn’t that what family is for? 

8) The one with the first few days...

As you can imagine, the last few days have been pretty hectic with travelling to Japan, initial referee meetings and all of the other things that we've needed to do to prepare ahead of the Games. 

I'm writing this on the morning after the Opening Ceremony, so the GAMES ARE OFFICALLY OPEN! 

There is lots to cover between last Saturday and today (Wednesday) - where on Earth did all that time go!?!?

Prepare for lots of subheadings and  even more photographs in this update!

The journey to Tokyo

In a nutshell, my journey began at 6.30am on Saturday morning, leaving home for Leeds train station to catch a train to Manchester Airport. At the point of booking the train, it was cheaper to buy a seat in First Class than it was in standard class, so who was I to argue? 

The flight from Manchester to London Heathrow was uneventful, other than the lady at check in trying to tell me I had the wrong documentation to get into Japan... However after speaking with a supervisor, I was quickly sent through to airside where I grabbed some breakfast (and got the obligatory photograph with the giraffe outside the Giraffe restaurant!)

When I arrived at Heathrow, I transferred from T5 to T3 and headed to the Japan Airlines desk to get my boarding card for the next leg. Before I even opened my mouth, I was greeted with 'Good morning, Mr Wood. I've been expecting you...' I FELT LIKE JAMES BOND! 😂 We discussed seating options and I was moved to a row without any other passengers. 'You'll want to stretch out and get some sleep, I'm sure, Mr Wood. It IS an 11 hour flight, after all.' 

Still feeling like a wannabe secret agent, I found my way to the No.1 Lounge. A friend from work knew someone who worked at the airport and managed to organise complimentary access for me, since I had a 6 hour wait before boarding my flight to Japan. (Thanks Parie!) There were only a handful of other passengers in, so I managed to use the time to do some school work ahead of reopening in September, make some phone calls to family and avail myself of the complimentary food and drink, even if there WAS coriander on the vegetable curry! (Not a big fan of that particular herb...) The flight left on time, and probably only had 50 passengers (of a capacity of 350+!) The level of service was outstanding, with each of the flight attendants in my zone introducing themselves personally to each passenger.  

After a few hour's sleep, some tasty food and listening to some relaxing Japanese music, we touched down in Tokyo and I prepared myself for the 3-4 wait we had been warned about. Documentation checks, PCR testing, accreditation activation, immigration and customs lay in wait for me, but first I had to get off the plane! Disembarkation was VERY smooth. All Tokyo 2020 delegates were told to remain in their seats until everyone else had left, since there were separate processes for our group of passengers compared with Japanese nationals and residents. 

Following the signs, and a HUGE number of happy, smiling volunteers, my first impressions of Japan were ones of organisation, respect and safety. All of my documentation was checked meticulously, the pre-installed apps on my phone activated and I then went for the first of the 16 PCR tests I will do do whilst here. Thankfully, each of the PCR tests are saliva-based and not nasal insertion or throat swabs!

Each passenger received a document with a PCR test number on it. After the test, I was sent to a holding area to wait for the result. I needed to watch the screen you see in the image below for my PCR number. Once it flashed up, I could head on to immigration and customs but I'd been told it was currently a 2 hour wait. I sat and started to read a book, when suddenly a huge cheer and round of applause erupted around me. Thinking a famous Paralympian or celebrity had arrived, I looked up in anticipation to simply see a passenger stand and leave the waiting area - their PCR number had appeared on the screen and their travel companions decided to give them a send off. It became a bit of a game over the next half hour, until my number flashed up and I made a quick (and quiet) exit. 

It quickly struck me how clean everything was and how polite everyone was. I must have been bowed to at least 20 times as I moved through the airport, each of which I responded to with the same gesture, and also managed to use a little bit of broken Japanese to say 'hello' and 'thank you very much' at appropriate times. 

In total, it took me just over an hour to get from the plane to meeting the transport representative in Arrivals who organised my transfer from the airport to the hotel. I had made it onto Japanese soil. I was finally here - 365 days later than planned, but I was here. And boy was it hot and humid!

Tokyo 2020 Kit Collection

After dropping my bags quickly at the hotel, it was straight off to another place to collect our official Tokyo 2020 ITO kit. It was also an opportunity to catch a glimpse of some of the Tokyo skyline, since we travelled into the middle of the city. 

Arriving at the uniform centre, we were met by a very organised system, similar to a production line. A number of tailors were on hand to help with the process (think 'Suits you, sir' from The Fast Show - Google it!) and within an hour, we had collected our casual and formal uniforms. Yet again the atmosphere throughout the process was one of positivity, organisation and respect - and completely different to the kit collection procedures from Rio (which employed a similar production line system, but in the basement of one of the Village apartment complexes)

By the time we'd all finished it was dark outside. The Tokyo skyline was breath-taking, especially when we approached the Rainbow Bridge with the full moon sitting proudly above it. 

There won't be much opportunity to wear this kit though, because we are essentially confined to the hotel or the arena for Covid safety reasons. We even have to travel to and from the arenas in our referee kit because the changing rooms are closed! 

Referee Preparation

Many of us haven't refereed competitive basketball in more than a year, so the preparation meetings for this year's Games have been even more important. We have covered points of emphasis for the  tournament, toured the arenas, had practical sessions to recap correct refereeing mechanics (positioning) and also some training on mental preparation from a sports psychologist. 

Words can't actually describe the feeling you get as you walk into a Paralympic venue for the first time. I will always remember the first time I walked into the arena in Rio - I was hit with such a wall of unexpected emotion it took all the strength I had not to burst into tears of happiness and pride. That experience 5 years ago prepared me well for this one, but walking into the Ariake Arena for the first time still took my breath away. I'm not sure if arenas can be called beautiful, but this one comes very close. There is wood EVERYWHERE, adding such a beautiful aesthetic to the interior. I'm also pretty sure the sound quality would be amazing if fans had been allowed in to watch. 

Once we got back to the hotel, there was time for a quick dinner (in my room) before being interviewed on the radio about my refereeing journey, the basics of wheelchair basketball and what people should look for when watching the games on TV. The interview was live and I was so nervous! (But not nervous enough to quickly wish my wife a happy 13th anniversary and a cheeky hi to my two boys!) 😇

Official Photographs & Referee Uniform Collection

From our casual uniform on one day to our formal uniform the next for the official ITO photographs of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. 

Of the many things I have learned over the years of international officiating is that at big events there can be a lot of waiting around. I enjoy this aspect of tournaments though, because I like to watch people. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy the social aspect of waiting - it is a perfect opportunity to catch up with friends and colleagues (and since we are confined to our rooms in the hotel, these are the only 'social' times we are currently allowed). But I also like to take a moment to myself, to sit and watch others interact. I find it fascinating to watch people's body language and listen to spoken intonation, especially since there are noticeable differences depending on where you are from. I use this as an opportunity to refine my communication and personal interaction skills, to use both on the basketball court but also when working at school with pupils and parents. 

We also picked up our referee uniforms at this session, consisting of 2 referee shirts, a jacket, 3 pairs of socks, 3 IWBF-branded face masks, a back pack and a whistle. We were told to bring our own trousers,  but had to remove all branding on them (since Nike is the primary sponsor for us at this Games, as opposed to Champion at many previous games). New kit is always exciting, whether it is Tokyo casual, formal or for refereeing. It provides a tangible  memory from the event, and is only provided to a very small, select group. 

As we were told at the start of the very first meeting:

"Congratulations. You are all here because you are the very best 24 officials in the world." 

That kinda focuses the mind a little bit, don't you think?

Game On!

The Games officially opened last night, with a spectacular opening ceremony. Listening to the commentary in Japanese was interesting, but was particularly impressive to see the amount of diversity reflected in the ceremony, including LGBTQ+. I think the use of rainbows throughout the ceremony (in particular the fireworks that went off from the roof of the stadium for all in Tokyo to see) was a fantastic touch. 

There was a time not too long ago where I was questioning whether I should still attend these Games, and some colleagues from all around the world have said similar. 

Now that I'm here, there is no place I'd rather be.*

*for the next 12 days 😉