Adaptability

Technology has become an important tool in all sports. Whether it’s using an app in your pregame, setting up an online study group or clipping and sharing game video, mentors have the ability to change with the times. They look for ways to incorporate technology and use it to their advantage. As games change, so do rules, mechanics and philosophies that go along with them. Mentors stay on top of those changes.

Approachability

Mentors build trust early on in order to establish confidence in the relationship. They know they need to initiate conversation that makes a potential mentee feel comfortable. Sometimes it’s as simple as reaching out to an official to say, “I’m here for you.”

Availability

Mentors pick up their phones and return text messages and emails. They make the effort to foster the relationship.

Communication

Mentors know how to manage the uncomfortable conversations that will inevitably take place. They may need to tell an official to lose weight or they messed up a rule. Mentors handle those situations with a tough love approach. They are honest, fair and always keep the best interest of the ones they mentor at the forefront of their interactions with them.

Character

Mentors are good people. They carry themselves in a way that makes others excited to work with them. They tend to be like O negative blood, which works well with everyone. They do not engage in gossip. Mentors have a way of putting the best face on even the toughest situations.

Consistency

The best mentors are “do as I do” kind of people. They practice what they preach and believe in what they are doing. Their actions are a direct reflection of the lessons they teach. If a mentor tells a mentee to update his or her availability daily, the mentor is constantly making sure his or her own is up to date. If a mentor tells the mentee to lose 10 pounds, he or she has worked hard to maintain his or her own physique.

Credibility

Mentors are able to help others achieve their goals because they have experienced successes of their own. They’ve put in the time to master their craft and have somewhat of a resume to show for it. That doesn’t mean mentors have to be at the end of their careers. However, the more games, tournaments and experience they have, the more knowledge they have to pass down.

Humility

Former NFL coach Tony Dungy said it so eloquently in his book, The Mentor Leader. Dungy wrote, “If you do it right — if you really mentor others — more often than not, people will notice what a remarkably talented team, staff or child you have rather than what a great coach, employer or parent you are.”

Mentors aren’t in it for the glory. They don’t make it about themselves. They find deep satisfaction in helping others succeed.

Positivity

A true mentor makes a positive impact in the lives of those they mentor. They have an uplifting attitude. When mentees are dealing with tough situations, a mentor puts a positive spin on it rather than engaging in talk that brings themselves or others down.

A mentor’s job is to help develop the next generation — of great officials as well as great mentors, too. Mentors know they may very well end up working a game or two with their mentee. If they have helped their mentee and given them keys for success, they know their game is going to go a lot more smoothly. Their example keeps the game on a positive trajectory and ultimately creates the mentors of tomorrow. Are you up to the challenge?

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While there is no substitute for strong rules knowledge and solid mechanics, the best officials also possess qualities that are independent of those skills. They have a demeanor or confidence about them that sets them apart from most officials. How can you rise above the rest and, with minimal effort, make yourself look better to everyone who views your performance?

As in other areas of life, there are “little things” that you can do right now — starting with your next assignment — that will enhance your performance, improve your image, increase your comfort and confidence levels and simply make you a better official. The following skills and habits won’t be ingrained overnight but improving a little bit at a time with each of them doesn’t require any significant study or exceptional effort.

1. Keep moving

Hustle really doesn’t take all that much extra effort. It’s simply a matter of being dedicated to being in position and looking interested and athletic during your games. If you know where to be, it is usually easy to get there. Just remember the basic hustle rules: Get as close to the ideal position as possible while ensuring that you are not running when the play actually happens, you don’t interfere with the play and you don’t leave a potential secondary play uncovered.

2. Look professional

No one should underestimate the value of appearance. Buy the standard clothes and equipment for your level of play and wear them properly. Iron your shirts and pants, and shine your shoes. Be dressed and ready before you appear on the field or court and dress professionally when arriving at your changing room before the game. Looks are seldom deceiving; make sure your first impression is one that you can try to live up to and not one that you have to overcome.

3. Arrive early

As with appearance, arrival time is a first-impression issue. It should surprise no one that the official who comes running up to the field a few minutes before game time creates a terrible impression on everyone at the location.

Plan your game days carefully to ensure that you’re able to observe the 15-minute rule for arrival time. The absolute latest you should arrive is 15 minutes early. Most games at the high school level and above will require you to arrive between 45 minutes to an hour and a half early. If you arrive 15 minutes earlier than that, you will always be on time. You will need to properly warm up for your duties, inspect the playing surface, equipment and teams before the game and conduct a managers’ or captains’ conference in addition to your own pregame conference with your crew.

4. Meet the teams

Don’t underestimate the potential value of a meeting with coaches and captains, which gives you an opportunity to get the game started on the right note.

Know what you’re going to say before you talk to the coaches. That diminishes the possibility of you stumbling over your words, creating a negative opinion of your ability or comfort level. Speak in a confident, yet friendly tone, introduce yourself and give a firm handshake. Cover everything you need to cover completely, offer to answer any questions
(that indicates a willingness for two-way communication) and always adjourn your conference with an earnest “good luck” to both parties.

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The work of conflict management should begin well before any crisis has erupted — for sports officials it starts when first arriving and meeting participants. Not only does appearance matter, but how officials first communicate with people sets an important stage. Greet people with a smile. It’s the universal greeting and it disarms people. Introduce yourself and let coaches and players know you understand what they are saying.

That’s a basic starting point for “Verbal Defense and Influence/ Conflict Management for Athletic Officials,” a management approach used to defuse conflict that Pete Jaskulski, developed from his years of experience in law enforcement and officiating.

Five Maxims

His conflict management program focuses on five maxims, which have an underlying theme of treating people with dignity by showing them respect.

1. Listen to people with all of your senses. There are things happening on the field, on the court and on the benches that will give the official a sense of how the game is progressing. Officials should be listening and not just hearing what is being said.
2. Ask, don’t tell. All people, including coaches and players, want to be asked rather than being told what to do. Instead of telling a batter to get back into the batter’s box, an umpire can ask the batter to return to the box. That is a sign of respect and generates less resistance.
3. Explain why. Not every call needs to or should be explained, but when appropriate, give explanations. The first great American question is “why?” Explanations answer that question.
4. Offer options, not threats. By offering options you give the players and coaches the choice of which way to go. The options start with the positive choices and then outline the negative choices — but it’s helpful to review the positive choice at the end.
5. Give a second chance. All sports are emotional. We have all done things that we later regretted. When it’s appropriate, let the players and coaches think about the options you give them. Good officials can talk players and coaches out of an ejection.

Dignity and Respect

The first step in treating others with dignity and respect — and receiving the same in return — starts the instant an official arrives on the field or court. Appearance affects how people perceive you and the respect people will give an official for the job that official is about to undertake.

In fact, the benefits go beyond perception. The benefits flow to the official in terms of his or her physiological response to the way he or she looks and comes across.

Officials should be conscious of their posture and how they stand. As you pull up your height, stress goes down and testosterone goes up. When a coach comes up to you, ‘stack up the blocks.’ Breathe in. Breathe out. That clears the mind and gets you more prepared for the action.

The first introductions in a contest are critical. They establish the pattern. Coaches are looking at you and sizing you up. The universal greeting is to introduce yourself to coaches and players, shake hands, smile and say a few words, but a lot of officials can struggle with that. Communication is a skill. Most officials practice going over the ground rules, but not the communication side of officiating.

Focus on basic human nature — and answering the four questions that people tend to ask.

First, people want to know why something happened.

Second, they want to know who you are.

Third, they’ll ask where you get your authority.

Finally, people want to know, “What’s in it for me?”

Applied to officiating circles, answering those questions builds a foundation for preparing to handle tough situations and defuse conflict in fast-paced, excitable environments. “What we do all comes back to answering those four questions,” he said. “Everybody wants those answers.”

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Conversely, there are several easy ways to put your career on the fast track to Nowheresville. If it’s your aim to attempt career suicide, simply try any or all of the methods listed below.

Suicide by mouth.

Want to become a pariah in our industry? Spread harmful information (especially unfounded rumors) about other officials to coaches. It may seem like you’re doing yourself some good, making yourself seem like a peach of a human being in comparison to the louts and louses who work the same teams you do. But spout enough venom and you’ll find the coaches will begin to ask around about you. And good luck finding a partner or getting on a crew if the people you want to officiate with are the same ones you’ve been denigrating.

Assigners and coordinators also enjoy being bad-mouthed…not. So if you want a full schedule of good games, don’t yammer to your cronies about the one week you’ve been assigned a game featuring the two cellar-dwellers. It will get back to the assigner faster than you can say, “You’re done.”

Suicide by deception.

Speaking of assigners, you’ll get on their bad side by lying about why you’re dumping a game you were previously assigned. The vast majority of assigners are more than happy to find a substitute for you if you have to turn back a game because an offer for a game at a higher level came along.

Depending on local policy, the assigner might be even more forgiving if you offer the name of a qualified, competent substitute you’ve contacted before you accepted the better game and contacted the assigner.

But if you develop an imaginary cough in order to convince the assigner you’re too sick to work his or her assignment, you’d better be sure your photo doesn’t show up in the newspaper or your image on the TV highlight show that night while you were working a “better” game.

Suicide by sarcasm.

Your skills as an amateur comedian may serve you well at parties and at association meetings, but those one-liners will come back to haunt you if they’re directed at coaches and players.

More than one official has been told by an angry coach, “You’ll never work here again.” But the ones who have responded, “And the downside of that is … ?” earned a rim shot, a cymbal clash and a lot of open dates for future seasons.

Communications with coaches and players must be even-tempered and professional. Save the wisecracks for the comedy club.

Suicide by sloth.

Have you taken care of those contracts you got electronically or in the mail? Failure to take care of the business side of officiating will bite you in the posterior eventually.

Are you constantly waiting for the deadline to turn in tests, pay dues or take care of registration? That sort of procrastination speaks to others about your reliability and organizational skills. Take care of the paperwork immediately and concentrate on the more important aspects such as rules and mechanics study.

Suicide by tardiness.

Despite constant reminders, it’s amazing how many officials show up late for assignments or meetings. For some, tardiness has become so habitual that it is counted on by associates.

“Can we start the pregame if Joe isn’t here yet?”

“Why not? We’ve done it the last three weeks.”

At some point those who count on you to be on time will tire of your act and cut you loose. Emergencies and unforeseen incidents do occur and in most cases occasional lateness will be tolerated (but not appreciated).

Remember, however, that the first time you are late for something truly important might be the last because your phone will stop ringing and your mailbox will be empty.

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Associations’ Role

An officials association needs to regularly educate its membership on sport or league rules that pertain to officials’ safety. Those rules range from governing ejections and fights to rules governing attacks on officials to rules and procedures governing unruly crowds. Associations should also address how to handle difficult or threatening spectators postgame.

An association also needs to reach beyond its membership. Meetings with the school, league and the tournament personnel who will be managing sites are essential. Those meetings should not be adversarial. Officials need to regularly remind people who are not officials that attacks and threats occur and they need certain things done to minimize their risk. However, officials must be cognizant of the fact that the people they are meeting with probably don’t regularly see or deal with attacks on officials.

An association should arrange security escorts, ensure security in the officials’ changing areas and review basic security procedures.

Education and coordination are keys to meetings with the non-officials who can help in keeping officials safe.

Officials Must Commit to Safety, Work as a Team

An association also needs to communicate with mid and lower levels of affiliated organizations. A failure to meet and gain a commitment from those organizations could be the difference between a police officer recording an attack against an official as a fight instead of an attack.

All the meetings in the world are useless if officials associations don’t inform member officials about safety protocols. It is very easy for safety concerns to be a low priority item for some officials, and it is not uncommon for safety procedures to become poorly performed rote exercises.

Consequently, uninformed officials often directly address angry spectators, even though they shouldn’t, and they engage in other breaches of officiating procedures and mechanics that may increase their risk of harm. Evaluations must point those things out. If hustling off the court or exiting together are part of the safety and exit protocol, evaluations must note any breaches.

The key thing for officials and associations to note is that it is a team effort. If the lines of communication are constantly open, officials, in case of attacks, have a better chance of having game administrators, police officers and others react positively.

Stick Together

An obvious way for officials to protect themselves is to arrive, dress and leave with their partners. Officiating manuals have long advised that as the professional thing to do, but now the suggestion goes beyond appearances. There is safety in numbers, so before, during and after a game, you and your partners should be inseparable. Discuss before the game how you will leave the playing field/court, dressing area and parking lot.

Another often-overlooked bit of pregame business is to identify the game-site supervisor. Often at the high school level that person will be the athletic director. At other levels, or non-school sponsored events such as AAU tournaments, that designation can blur.

Arrive at the game site early enough to find and identify the person in charge of the game site. Before you even get in uniform, find out from that person how you and your partner(s) are to get on and off the court or field, who (if anyone) will accompany you, who will handle unruly spectators, if there will be uniformed security personnel available and where they will be located.

Preventive Officiating

Officials need to enforce the rules as written, do it quickly in a contest and make sure the participants and coaches understand the parameters. The fans will figure it out. The players will adjust. The coaches will learn. Hold them accountable through their players. If the jersey is being held, blow the whistle. When the defender reaches around and pins the arm of the receiver down while breaking up a pass, throw that flag. If there’s a shove, don’t stand by passively and let it go. It is the responsibility of officials to make those rulings quickly, repeatedly and consistently, all within the intent of the rules.

Prepare for the Worst

That is a sixth sense every official must hone. Look for where an incident could ignite into a fire and defuse it. That is easier said than done, but it means keeping your eyes wide open. In-game, it means building camaraderie with the players, using the captains as necessary and maintaining a strong yet calm demeanor. For fans, make note when statements and body language change from the background noise we’re used to into something more aggressive and threatening. You have to use your judgment, but if you’re feeling unsafe, it’s within your rights to speak to the game administrator. At minimum, know where those particular fans are when the game ends so you aren’t caught off guard if they try to approach you.

States Toughen Laws

Several states in recent years have passed laws strengthening punishment for assaulting officials. South Carolina, Nevada and 19 other states have passed legislation designed to protect officials.

In South Carolina, assault and battery penalties for crimes against officials and coaches include a fine up to $1,000 or imprisonment for a term up to 60 days or both.

In Nevada, an unarmed assault against a sports official has been elevated to a gross misdemeanor, carrying up to a year in jail and a $2,000 fine. Armed assault of a sports official is a felony.

Officials and associations can reach out to state lawmakers to ask for tougher laws to act as a deterrent.

Use Common Sense

Other techniques for remaining safe after a game require some common sense.

Don’t get into a shouting match with an irate coach, player or spectator during or after a game. Leave the field/court immediately and swiftly with your partner at the conclusion of the game. Never dally to chat with coaches or players.

Park as close to an exit as possible, but away from fans. Park your vehicle “nose out.”

Safety for the official should be everyone’s concern, but the reality is that it begins and ends with you. Taking even the minimal proper precautions can help assure that you don’t become another statistic.

The post 7 Ways to Avoid Attacks appeared first on Referee.com.

John C. Maxwell is a motivational speaker and author with a focus in leadership. He recently shared a thought on his Facebook page regarding preparation and it struck a chord. He said, “Preparedness is a state of readiness. My mentor, John Wooden, used to say that when opportunity comes, it’s too late to prepare. … The main point is that we need to be intentional each day about being prepared so when the opportunity comes our way we can immediately seize the chance.”

No matter where you are in your officiating career, you want to be ready when the call comes for you to take one step (small or big) toward your goal. Whether it’s getting a call to work a big game or filling in on a game because of another official’s turnback, the success of your performance lies in the hands of one thing: preparation.

Here are five ways to prepare.

1. Know your learning style.

Learning is an important part of your development as an official. Reading the rulebook does you no good if you can’t understand it enough to enforce the rule properly. Often the way we learn requires us to go beyond just the words in order to gain a better understanding.

I am a visual learner. When I read a caseplay or a rule, I process it by putting it into action. That could mean looking at a pregame board of some type or using the people in the room to walk through the scenario. Some may learn best by reading a bunch of literature on a given rule topic, while others may learn best in a group or meeting setting. Whatever it may be, figure out how you best like to learn because understanding how you learn makes the process more efficient. It allows you to process the information that is being given to you in a manner that makes sense in your head.

2. Collaborate.

Every official wants to be that well-rounded official who is fit, has extensive rules knowledge, strong leadership skills and is an all-around great communicator. In reality, we can all use work in one or more of those areas. If your communication skills are particularly strong, find someone who has a good grasp on the rulebook. Find out how they have become so strong in that area. By surrounding yourself with others who can help in specific areas, you open yourself up to becoming that all-around solid official.

3. Manage sleep deprivation.

Alison Levine is another author who has used her experiences to teach leadership skills. She shared her experiences climbing Mount Everest in her book, On the Edge. The book is about the preparation and execution of her climbs. One of the preparation techniques that she writes about is managing sleep deprivation.

She notes, “Don’t let the fact that you haven’t slept … create unnecessary anxiety. Just push through it. It’s a short-term thing.”

That holds especially true for an official in the midst of the season when it gets to be a grind and all the travel starts catching up to you. Nights away from home become a little more difficult and you’re just plain gassed. Allow yourself to be tired. Don’t fixate on the fact that you are worn out. Make wise decisions about building natural breaks into your schedule to be sure you are always bringing your best.

4. Visualize.

Anticipating difficult situations and figuring out how you will handle them can work wonders in how effective you are as an official.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson talked with ESPN reporter Terry Blount prior to the 2015 NFC Championship game. He shared with Blount the scenarios that he goes through in his head so when they happen, he’s ready. He said, “I’m a person that visualizes all the time. I anticipate those situations before they happen. That allows me to make quick decisions. I think it also gives me that sense of poise and grace under pressure.”

Poise and grace under pressure — those are things every official could use. Visualization can be a very important tool for officials. It allows you to walk though potential problems that may arise in your game and address them before they even happen. That can be an especially helpful tactic during your pregame with your partner(s).

5. Be ready for change.

Change is inevitable. It’s a necessary evil for growth. Officiating is ever evolving with the game. Video is readily available now more than ever. There’s new competition. The pressure officials face from coaches, supervisors and themselves to be at their best has reached a new high. Know this: Your assigners desire to make the game better. In order to do that, things won’t always be done in the same manner they were 20 years ago. Sure, the fundamentals such as integrity, rules knowledge and solid mechanics will remain important. But philosophies and even rules will change. Some changes you’ll like; others, not so much. Either way, be ready. Change is coming your way. Drink the Kool-Aid.

Every official at one point in his or her career has experienced the discomfort of being in a situation he or she didn’t quite feel ready to face. How quickly we learn! There is a great amount of confidence that comes from being prepared. It’s the type of confidence that your partners desire and your supervisors can’t ignore. Not all your experiences will move you in the direction you want to go. But nevertheless, they are steps in the preparation process. All your efforts on and off the court or field are equipping you to be at your best when the opportunity arises.

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We are trained to get our rulings correct. We study the rules, learn complex situations, review video and get feedback from clinicians at camps. All that work doesn’t ensure perfection. Nor does it ensure we’ll always be on the same page as our partners or that reasonable people can’t disagree on a specific play.

At the same time, there is this presumption in almost all sports that there is only one correct ruling for a specific play. You are either right or wrong. That’s not true. Given the complexity of factors and the speed with which players run, balls are thrown and bodies clash, we can’t presume that certain movements or contact can always be ruled one way or another. Sometimes the play is a 50-50 call and we should remember that.

Take baseball, for example. Umpires know the strike zone. The pitcher has to hit a small area. If he’s just off slightly, it won’t be a strike.

But there are edges to the plate. The ball is thrown at speeds up to 100 miles per hour. Balls curve and sink. Every umpire knows and recognizes those factors, yet we still expect his right arm to go up consistently only if certain parameters of the strike zone are met.

What about the ball that ever-so-slightly shaves the corner? Or the ball at 98 mph that appears to cut across the corner? Did the umpire see it? Did he see it perfectly? If not, he may see it one way, his field partner may see it differently and a camera catching the ball’s movement played back in slow motion may support one or the other or identify it as a 50-50 ruling.

We should stop beating ourselves up under the presumption that one ruling applies to all plays. There’s no question that many, if not most, of our rulings are clear cut and should only yield one decision.

There are also times where the judgment is fuzzy and you can go either way. Holding by the offensive line in football certainly fits the category. You can study the rules for decades, but when you head onto the field, there’s so much action and the bodies are gigantic, so you can’t see everything at all times. When you do, even with a great angle, you may not see a hand grabbing or a jersey being yanked. What looks like a significant tug to you may be a light pull to one of your crewmates. There’s judgment involved and you’re expected to decide quickly whether to throw a flag or not. Hindsight from video may clarify that the ruling should have gone one way or the other, but on the field it was 50-50.

Keep in mind when you officiate that you won’t always get 100 percent agreement with your partner(s), nor should you expect to on certain plays. Some are 50-50, and we should leave it at that.

The post Sometimes There Is No Right or Wrong Call appeared first on Referee.com.

When resolving a conflict, the best outcome is when there are two “winners.” If there is only one winner, self-esteem and trust erodes in the loser. To avoid that, strive to keep an open dialogue and keep thinking about the words you choose and the way they impact the situation. There’s an old officiating saying that summarizes this philosophy: “As officials, we always have the last word. However, we don’t always have to say it.”

1. Permit the other person to talk without interrupting

Have the courtesy to listen before you say anything. It is then more likely that the other person will extend you the same courtesy. When both sides have been adequately heard, problem solving begins.

A Retired NL umpire Doug Harvey, one of the most respected ever to work in the profession, applied his “10-Second Rule.” He gave a manager who argued with him 10 seconds to vent before Harvey responded. His theory: The comments from the arguer were so emotional that his breath couldn’t last for more than 10 seconds. When he stopped to take a breath, Harvey could calmly begin his explanation.

2. Limit discussion only to the immediate issue that is adversely affecting your relationship

One of the fastest ways to get off to a bad start in solving a problem is to rehash the past or bring the discussion into other non-pertinent issues. A few coaches like to do that. You’ve got to “keep them in the box,” meaning keep them focused on the play or situation they are complaining about. Coaches may try to talk about things that happened earlier in the game. When they do that, say something like, “Let’s focus on this play and get it resolved. Now, how did you see this play?”

3. Choose an optimal time to bring up and discuss problems

Many problems that compromise positive conflict resolution can be avoided by carefully choosing the time to discuss an issue. To find that time, approach the other person when you are both calm and free to talk. Dead-ball time, like during a timeout or between periods, is a great time for officials to talk to people. Keep the conversations focused and brief.

4. Judiciously avoid the other person’s vulnerabilities or emotional sensitivities

Everyone has personal vulnerabilities and it’s very tempting to hit below the belt. It is a sign of maturity to avoid those areas when engaged in conflict. A deliberate strike at a personal vulnerability is irrelevant as well as hurtful. It also invites a counterattack focusing on your areas of sensitivity. No one will trust you with emotionally sensitive information if you use it as a weapon whenever there is a problem. In other words, it is inappropriate for the official to counterattack. A testy umpire once shouted to a coach who had questioned a safe call in softball, “I see that white hair under your cap. You probably think your huge experience entitles you to second guess me.” Sarcasm is never a good instrument for promoting serenity.

Probably the biggest temptation to avoid is using a team’s record or game score as a weapon. When a team is losing in lopsided fashion and a coach or player is complaining about a call, it is very tempting to fire back with, “You’ve won only three games this year and you’re down a bunch today. Maybe you should start focusing on playing instead of officiating. You’ve got a lot of work to do.” While the premise behind that statement is true, saying it gets you in trouble. You’ve used a team’s vulnerability to your advantage, a bona fide taboo.

5. Regularly touch base with the other person

It is customary not to take the time to talk when things seem to be going well. If you don’t talk when things are going well, then angry interactions may be the only times when you connect with coaches and players. Make it a point to make periodic comments about the progress of the game, even if those remarks may be innocuous. Continuing dialogue is one of the best possible ways to avoid problems. That concept straddles a fine line too. You want lines of communication open with participants, but you can’t have a constant running dialogue with them. Talking should be limited to brief words at appropriate times, such as during a dead-ball interval. Keep in mind you are only sending the message that you are willing to communicate; you are not commenting on all facets of play.

Learn additional advanced techniques for resolving arguments and conflicts with Verbal Judo, available in the Referee Training Center store.

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First impressions occur every time you jog onto the court or field to officiate. Fans, coaches and players watch you and judge. Body language experts say with that first seven seconds people have formed an opinion about you.

You may think those first impressions don’t start until you introduce yourself to the coaches and shake their hands. That’s important, no question. But people watch you and your style even earlier than that.

When you emerge from the tunnel or sprint onto the court or field — that’s really the first time folks have the opportunity to examine you as an official. Don’t wait until you actually get on the court or field to put on your officiating face. Prepare in the locker room, and when you come out, know that others will be watching.

What do they see?

Your style.

How do you carry yourself? Are you slouching? Do you come onto the field with purpose in your stride? Do you hold your shoulders up?

Clothing.

How do your shoes look? In need of a shine or polished to a high gloss? Is your jacket zipped properly and well-cleaned? Do your pants fit well? Are they too long? Too short? It goes without saying that you want your uniform clean and without wrinkles. We often overlook how our uniform appears to others. Have someone critique you. You may need an update.

Pace.

The way you walk or jog onto the court or playing field demonstrates energy and interest. If you’re lollygagging your way in, viewers will see a lack of engagement. Show them you care about what you’re doing by establishing a brisk pace.

Facial expressions.

Do you smile or scowl? Does your face look serious? Your facial expression tells others if you are prepared, open to others or in a bad mood. Make sure you regulate it, and display openness by looking people in the eye, listening intently and smiling appropriately.

Interaction with partners.

That is often overlooked. The interplay between you and your officiating partners shows others how you get along. Remember, you’re the third team out there. Demonstrate that as soon as you walk on the court or field. Enter together. Don’t isolate any of your partners.

How you stand.

Your posture says a lot about you. Stand up straight. Keep your shoulders back. Your stance should convey confidence without arrogance, not too rigid, and relaxed without being sloppy or disengaged. Do not stand with your hands in your pockets. If your hands feel uncomfortable, clasp them lightly together behind your back.

Personal Grooming.

Ah yes, your personal grooming. Funny how we don’t talk about that one much. Most male officials keep their hair fairly short and get their hair cut regularly. Men who follow that routine are fine. If you prefer to keep your hair longer, you can’t let it be uncombed or unruly. Some strong product may be needed to keep it in place or a quick visit to a stylist may be in order to get some tips on keeping it presentable while working. Men also need to either be recently shaven or keep well-manicured facial hair, no exceptions. If you are unsure what is acceptable, your assigner will most likely let you know the standards they expect you to follow.

Women will want to ensure their hair looks professional and stays out of their face. It may need to be tied back or put in a bun. Most importantly, it needs to be controlled so it doesn’t flop, look unprofessional or require constant attention while running and sweating.

When you boil it all down, as to what participants, coaches and fans want to see in officials when they enter the arena, it’s fairly simple: enthusiasm, energy and desire. Does this guy or gal want to be there?

I happened to see a basketball game this past season with a woman and two older men officiating as partners. It was clear the woman was there for the right reason. Her posture, how she assumed her position on the court and how she monitored the players stood out to me. She wasn’t the most experienced in the crew, but she demonstrated to those watching the game that she was an official for the right reason — she cared about being out on the court and doing her best.

When you enter the arena, keep in mind how you appear to others and your court or field presence will take a positive step.

The post Arrive and Shine With Good First Impressions appeared first on Referee.com.

1. You learn how to better express yourself so others understand exactly what you mean.
2. You’re going to get yelled at.
3. You’re going to spend more than you think on the uniform.
4. During the offseason, you use vacation time to attend camps — and enjoy it.
5. You become a better planner because you must prepare for traffic and weather to get changed in time for a pregame conference with your partner(s).
6. On the weekends, you officiate a lot of games to learn, improve your skills and for the sheer joy of being part of the contest.
7. Good shoes are important for foot, knee and back health.
8. Though you may not like politics or networking, they come into play regardless.
9. The semifinals are often more intense than the finals.
10. You’ll learn to ignore (or handle) obnoxious fans.
11. At some point, you come to understand that officiating is about the journey. Every game counts, so hold onto moments of joy.
12. Breathe. It will get stressful but staying calm will lead to better resolutions.
13. You learn how to defuse anger in others.
14. Improve how you dress and respect for you grows.
15. Long after you retire, you will wish you were still officiating.
16. There will be partners you like, partners you hope you never work with again and partners you want beside you when all hell breaks loose.
17. You learn to admit you’re wrong and move on quickly.
18. Displaying confidence in your tone of voice and body posture goes a long way to preserving and promoting your credibility.
19. Officiating teaches you to become a better leader.
20. Mastering the definitions in the rulebook is critical to understanding the rules.
21. You improve your listening skills or perish.
22. Get a mentor, and later in your career, be a mentor.
23. You learn how to enforce rules judiciously.
24. You figure out how to build a strong team.
25. People look at you with respect when you walk out of the locker room if you carry yourself with the proper demeanor and attitude.
26. You become a continuous learner out of necessity.
27. You understand the importance of being a great partner.
28. You will be evaluated. Those evaluations will help you develop. Most of the time. But not always.
29. Some game administrators work really hard to take care of you and some simply see you as a necessary nuisance.
30. Sometimes you have to ignore minor illnesses and injuries — and keep going.
31. Putting bad things in the past will become the norm. Look through the windshield, not the rearview mirror.
32. The action isn’t always where the ball (or the puck or whatever object being used) is.
33. You’ll drive your spouse/significant other crazy with your officiating stories.
34. Assigners do play favorites. How to become one of those favorites is by having good availability, showing up on time, being dependable and developing a good reputation.
35. You will find that proper hydration and nutrition matter.
36. Fitness is critical — you need to be as physically capable in double overtime as you were for the opening play.
37. Not every veteran is willing to help you.
38. Wear the proper uniform for your level. What the pros wear isn’t necessarily what you should be wearing.
39. You need to have uniforms and undergarments for all sorts of weather, and there are times you will have to pack all of them because conditions will change between the time you leave home and the time the game begins.
40. You will actually learn the rules, rather than just thinking you know the rules.
41. You start to watch college/pro games from an officiating perspective instead of just a fan’s perspective.
42. There is no substitution for repetitions. Get out there and work every chance you get.
43. See what you call; call what you see.
44. Don’t let an injury linger without treatment; get it checked out early before it gets worse and ends your season.
45. Advancement may come slower than you expect — but better a year too late than a year too soon.
46. You learn to take care of your officiating gear because it’s not inexpensive.
47. You will sit in the stands and mumble “you’re wrong” every time you hear another person in the stands yell at the officials because said fan does not know the rules.
48. You won’t work varsity right away — and shouldn’t.

The post 48 Timeless Tips appeared first on Referee.com.

Make time for the important things.

It is very tempting when planning next year’s schedule to leave all of your dates wide open for supervisors to assign you games. The thought process is that the more available you are, the more likely you are to get games. Although that may be true, are you really available to work every day of every week during the upcoming season? The answer is probably not.

Be honest with yourself and determine ahead of time just how often it is feasible for you to work. Have you taken into account whether your employer will allow you to leave early four consecutive nights to head to a ballgame? Have you considered family members’ birthdays, anniversaries or school concerts? Have you thought about how many nights each week you can be gone without sacrificing your marriage or relationships? During those months when you are removed from the grind of games, it is easy to lose sight of those considerations.

Don’t allow yourself to trump those important non-officiating events for the possibility of getting a game. You will be kicking yourself when you have to miss an important event because of another game. After taking all of those items into account, close those dates and stick with them. If you are doing your job on the field or court, the supervisors will work around your closed dates.

Prioritize your leagues.

As you begin the scheduling process for the upcoming season, think realistically about the leagues in which you work. Is there a particular supervisor who has been more generous to you than others? Is there a certain league that makes more geographic sense for you?

If you answered “yes” to either of those questions, perhaps it is time to start prioritizing assignments. In doing that, you will be giving that supervisor the ability to choose from your open dates before having to work around another league’s assignments. Supervisors appreciate the gesture, and it often results in more assignments. It is critical to let the supervisor know that you are prioritizing his or her league so that the supervisor can expedite your assignments. That allows you to move on to another supervisor.

Prioritizing leagues carries with it the potential for alienating other supervisors who may be lower on your list for whatever reason. That means that you run the risk of hurting your standing and assignments with other leagues at the expense of the leagues you prioritized. That concept is often used by more established officials who have developed relationships with supervisors who allow them the ability to exercise that strategy. Furthermore, you need to be honest with yourself about the likelihood of getting assignments in the leagues you prioritize. Is it likely that you will get assignments from the best league in town if you just started officiating last season? You need to be smart when prioritizing leagues. When used correctly, it can be an effective tool in managing your schedule.

Keep your closed dates updated with supervisors.

Nothing is more frustrating to supervisors than assigning you to a game on a date on which you are no longer available. Often your availability changes after submitting your closed dates to a supervisor, however the onus is on you to keep the supervisor abreast of those changes. Thanks to online assigning, it is not difficult to keep supervisors updated with changes to your availability. That simple courtesy will allow you to accept the full number of games for which the supervisor had you originally slotted. If you fail to update your availability, and a supervisor assigns you a game on a date which you are already booked, there is no guarantee that the supervisor will be able to replace that date. Keeping on top of your closed dates will allow you to maximize the number of games you receive from each league.

Honesty is the best policy.

That axiom is not only true in life, but also when managing your schedule. During the assigning process, be open and honest with supervisors about your desire to move up or about any possible conflicts that could arise. Find out the supervisor’s policy about turnbacks, and under what circumstances he or she finds them acceptable. If your goals and the philosophy of the supervisor are at odds, do not accept the assignments. If the supervisor is open to working with you should conflicts arise, accept the assignments.

It is better to be upfront with supervisors about the possibility of getting off assignments, rather than upsetting them during the season when a situation arises. Be aware that your honesty could negatively affect your number of assignments, but it will save you a thousand headaches down the road.

Figure out how many games per week, month and year work best for you and try to set up your schedule accordingly.

The work you do on the front end will save you come next season.

The post Honesty, Integrity Are Keys To a Full Schedule appeared first on Referee.com.

When it comes to dealing with non-playing participants in any sporting event, the difference between noise and unprofessional conduct must be clear in an official’s mind.

Officials should establish their own line ahead of time as the emotions of a game or specific comment can be a trigger that has a specific negative effect. You must have absolutes that you won’t tolerate and non-absolutes that you will allow and treat fairly and evenly.

Most of the absolutes can be established with the rulebook as a guideline. Profanity is an absolute — it is unprofessional at best and disrespectful at its worst. Non-playing participants cannot be allowed to use profanity. They should be dealt with swiftly and succinctly — yellow cards, technical fouls and unsportsmanlike penalties are among the examples within the rules. For team supporters, direct and immediate referral to game management is the best option.

What makes the difference between “noise” and “unprofessional conduct” should be a personal determination by the official. There are few absolutes (perhaps only profanity) that might be worthy of a sanction.

However, there are many types of conduct exhibited by non-participating personnel that can fall close to either side of the line. Officials need to ask themselves what they will tolerate and then remain true to the standard. Consistency in applying those standards will make the official’s role in applying his or her standards simpler when the heat is turned up.

Here are some questions for an official to consider when establishing his or her own “noise vs. unprofessional conduct” policy.

• What words are on your own list of profanity? Is your own vocabulary and tolerance for others’ use of words close to the standard of the community in which you are serving as an official? Does officiating in a gym that’s affiliated with a parochial school make a difference in what you’ll allow? Should it?
• What types of non-verbal communication will you tolerate? Will a certain type of body language be permitted in one sport, but not in another? Can body language have different meanings to you than the person delivering the message?
• Does disregarding a directive from a game official once warrant a second chance? Does your policy have an elasticity that comes with the game situation? Do you treat something that would be unprofessional conduct in the early stages of a game as noise late in a game, fearing your call might impact the outcome?

Let’s look at a few situations that might help get your thinking started on how you’ll answer those questions.

Words have definitions found in Webster’s Dictionary, and words have meanings that can be close to universal. They are not necessarily the same thing, and it’s your job to sort that out.

Late in a soccer game, a head coach yells, “What kind of frigging call is that?” as the referee points for a free kick. In the closing moments of a football game, the offensive coordinator shouts, “Are you freaking kidding me?” when no flag is thrown on a potential pass interference play.

Both italicized words are being used as substitutes for a more profane word. However, if penalized, the speaker of the words would declare that he or she had not uttered a profanity. Yes, the gentler words could be deemed as offensive toward the official, but probably fall on the side of noise.

When the moment settles, the official’s best choice might be to simply tell the speaker, “You can use a better choice of words.” Most often, the speaker will retreat from the remarks, recognize that the official has made an effort to defuse the situation and move toward resolution.

Should the speaker return to the language again, it’s time to say, “I’ve asked you, now I’m telling you to use better words.” And while it should remain unspoken and never threatened, the speaker now has two strikes and a penalty looms on a third offense.

Midway through the first quarter, a coach rises from the bench and receives an explanation of a traveling call from an official. As the official walks away, the coach gives a dismissive wave. Many basketball officials consider that an absolute example of unprofessional conduct, so much so that partners will often call the technical foul if it’s done behind the official’s back.

That is unprofessional conduct. Coaches deserve explanations occasionally. The official’s explanation must be respected — even if not agreed with or understood. Conduct like that would not be accepted in any professional environment from the boardroom to the checkout lane. The conduct should be penalized.

Same game, but this time in the third quarter, the other coach stomps his or her feet as the opposing team takes the ball from his or her offensive frontcourt toward its own basket following a steal. There was contact during the steal, possibly either a foul that was not called or contact that was ignored by rule. The calling official does not see the stomping, but definitely hears it.

Most often, that is noise. The coach is reacting to the play, primarily in frustration over the turnover. Any game is emotional, especially for the non-playing participants who have hours of coaching work invested in the outcome. A spontaneous and even demonstrative reaction can be tolerated; if it’s a “missed” call, even more, leniency can be applied by the officiating crew.

Non-verbal communication is much more difficult to be certain about. Be cautious in penalizing it. Yet always know when a non-playing participant is “looking at you in that tone of voice.”

Officials are hired to do a job — administer the game by an agreed-upon set of rules. Without the rules, we have little purpose. Still, non-playing participants often attempt to bend those rules. Worse yet, bending those rules has become an accepted practice in other games for them and they are not about to stop.

Recently, a youth football coach was asked to remain out of the restricted area during the opening kickoff. In his own unique form of protest, the coach stood on the playing field during the kickoff return. When a penalty flag flew, his jaw was agape as he commented that the restricted area had not been enforced all season.

That is also unprofessional conduct. It’s a direct and intentional violation of the rule. Defiance of a request to comply sends a strong message from the coach that he is not treating an official as a peer. A message of non-compliance needs to be dealt with immediately and firmly.

The post When Do Comments Go From Noise to Unprofessional Conduct? appeared first on Referee.com.

fficiating has been in my blood since I was a scholastic wrestler during the mid-1960s. Throughout the decades, I gradually began to understand the personal characteristics that all great officials possess. They are human qualities that are based on common-sense behavior. I have developed eight principles for success.

Composure

The official’s professional demeanor under stressful and/or unusual occurrences can be the calming element that alleviates potential unsportsmanlike, irrational responses from coaches, athletes and fans. If officials appear flustered, confused or irritated, they could easily lose both control of the situation and the respect of all involved.

Openness

The official’s communications with all coaches, athletes, scorekeepers and team personnel should be respectful and formal in nature. Don’t be too friendly. On the other hand, don’t display a condescending attitude. Arrogance has no redeeming qualities and only antagonizes others. Be approachable.

Mechanics

It is imperative that you use the correct signals. Just as important, strive to be in the proper position at all times. Coaches are unlikely to question an official who is on top of a difficult call.

You’re going to make mistakes at times; you’re only human. If you can correct the mistake, do so. If the rules don’t have provisions to provide a correction, don’t become defensive when coaches question your error. Be honest and admit you missed the call.

After all, how can you argue when both sides agree? But too many admissions should lead to a self-examination of your mechanics.

Rules knowledge

It is a must to review the rules weekly during the season. The competent official is an expert in the interpretation of the rules. Great coaches are also knowledgeable of the rules. When you are questioned about a rule, you better have in-depth knowledge of its significance. That’ll make you prepared to answer all inquiries. Be a student of the game.

Appearance

Just as the athlete physically prepares himself during the preseason, the official must also do the same. The official’s exercises should include endurance, agility and lateral motion.

The official’s jacket (if appropriate to the sport), shirt and pants should always be cleaned and wrinkle-free. Shoes should be polished before every contest. That presents a professional appearance, demonstrating to the spectators, coaches and competitors that officials mean business and take personal pride in their position of authority.

Decisiveness

Be demonstrative when making each call — be it routine or difficult, exhibiting complete confidence in your decision. Coaches and fans can easily sense if you seem unsure or wavering regarding a call. Be resolute.

Consistency is also a facet of decisiveness. Every sport has its subtle situations that involve an official’s subjectivity: holding in football, the balk in baseball to name a few. Theoretically, every official should indicate those infractions in the same manner. In reality, such is not the case. No two officials perceive situations with identical judgment.

The key is individual official consistency. My area of officiating expertise is wrestling. While some referees are more liberal, others tend to be more moderate in their view of stalling. That’s OK, as long as that official is consistent from match to match.

Superior coaches not only scout their opponents, but also the officials who oversee their competitions. They respect an official who is consistent, even if they tend to disagree with the official’s overall philosophy. At least they know what to expect. Inconsistency in officiating frustrates coaches in all sports.

Enthusiasm

Officials should emanate a demeanor of excitement in performing the trade, no matter the level of competition to which they are assigned. In doing so, the athletes feel a sense of pride in the skills that they have developed, knowing that the official sincerely appreciates their dedication to the sport.

Safety

Adept officials check that participants are legally equipped prior to an event, especially when it involves contact sports. Likewise, they are constantly prepared for the unexpected. For example, the observant official can sense if there is friction between opponents and is ready to step between combatants to quell potential problems.

As a state rules interpreter for nearly three decades, I incorporated those principles to evaluate hundreds of officials. I found them to be beneficial for developing competent and compassionate officials.

Officiating is an admirable and rewarding avocation. It is also a challenging endeavor. To be honest, not everyone has the essential characteristics needed to be an official. It takes individuals who can ignore criticism, knowing they will never be able to please everyone. Exceptional officials perform their duties for the love of the sport and its participants.

The post 8 Universal Truths To Elevate Your Game appeared first on Referee.com.

You first need to recognize that you are committing time not just to games, but to a variety of related activities as well.

Games generally last from one to three hours, and you may be asked to officiate several games in succession. You must also allow time for travel and on-site preparation. Travel time is obviously variable, but becomes significant when a game site is a half hour or more away. On-site preparation time is also variable but can be diminished if you have the opportunity to travel to the game with your crew. If not, you may need to allow time for pregame conferences with fellow officials. You may also be required to perform pregame inspections and to observe player warmups.

In addition to all of those “day of” time considerations, you must make time for meetings — some associations meet weekly during the season — as well as time for studying rulebooks and attending clinics.

Managing your time effectively can make fitting all of those activities into your schedule much less difficult. However, a few common bad habits can thwart your time management efforts.

• Putting tasks off is one of most people’s worst habits. You may put off your less attractive responsibilities, planning to get to them later. Somehow, all of the time you actually had available to complete the tasks gets used up on other things, and things are left undone, or are done shoddily.
• Juggling tasks is another common bad habit. When too many tasks are juggled at once, none of them are completed thoroughly.
• Poor concentration can also lead to inefficient use of time by allowing you to be easily sidetracked.
• Overloading is another common problem. Many people take on more than they can realistically handle.

The good news is that you can learn new time management strategies that will help keep you on track. Here are a few to get you started.

• Set aside a little time for planning. That may seem like yet another thing you don’t have time for, but, in the long run, you’ll be glad you did it. Use the time to prioritize your tasks and define your goals on paper. You can organize these as long-term goals, weekly goals and daily goals. This gives you the opportunity to see the big picture without sacrificing the focus on tasks at hand. Checking off goals and tasks as they are completed can help keep you motivated.
• Set time frames for task completion. Having an estimate of how long you will be spending on a given task can help with planning.
• Whenever it’s realistic, delegate. Don’t waste time, and don’t allow others to waste your time. Be diplomatic about it, but don’t let yourself be drawn into needless, time-consuming conversations or activities.
• Don’t neglect day-to-day responsibilities. They’ll just build up and take excessive time to clear up later. Set deadlines and adhere to them.
• Reestablish your goals as necessary. See your goals and plans as flexible. That serves, not as a way around onerous tasks, but as a way to adapt to unforeseen circumstances.
• Make time for yourself. You will be much more effective at all tasks if your state of mind is positive. Don’t put your own well-being at the bottom of your priority list.

If, despite impeccable time management, you find that you simply don’t have enough time for everything you’ve set for yourself to do, you may need to pare down your commitments.

The post Make Your Time Work For You appeared first on Referee.com.

While each assigner may have his or her own rules, the following tips will aid you as you travel the turn back trail.

Do it early

The more notice the assigner gets, the less heartburn you will cause. Injuries, illness, deaths of family members and similar events result in last-minute panic. But in cases when you have advance notice, get on the phone with the assigner as soon as possible.

Offer a replacement

Don’t simply hand the game over to another official without getting approval. The assigner may not wish to use your proffered replacement for any number of reasons.

Don’t lie

Honesty is a must in turnback situations. What seems like a harmless fib can prove damaging or fatal to your career.

Sometimes a better game is offered on the same date as an already accepted assignment. Only the most cold-hearted assigner would refuse to release an official from, say, a high school game if the opportunity to work a college game came up. But if the answer is no, get back to the college assigner and explain you are already committed. The college assigner will respect you for living up to your contracts.

What really grinds an assigner’s gears, though, is a parallel move. If you ask to be released from one high school varsity game to take another simply because it figures to be more competitive, pays better or is closer to home, don’t expect reverse cartwheels on the other end of the phone.

Pay it forward

If an assigner helps you out, return the favor. If you have an open date, let the assigner know you are available. That can be a godsend at a time when the schedule is especially heavy due to weather-related makeup games. Your phone call could make the assigner’s day, which helps you in the long run.

The post Right Way to Turn Back a Game appeared first on Referee.com.

Most officials think about that often when they see who their partners will be for a given game. We all prefer to work with partners that look forward to the game and can’t wait to hit the court or field. Many officials have been working for a long time, and with longevity can come complacency. For some, the excitement and enthusiasm that once defined those excellent officials have now leveled off.

Don’t let that happen to you. If you think you might be slipping into that unwelcome frame of mind, put up a stop sign to yourself and set a goal to return to that extraordinary official you used to be. You remember that person — the one constantly studying the rules and picking up extra training materials. The one always sticking around to observe other officials. With only a few small adjustments in your thinking and your approach, you can restore that gusto you once had and again be champing at the bit to officiate your games.

Like so many things in life, it begins with attitude. What kind of attitude do you have in your everyday life? Are you a positive person? Do your friends see you as someone who is outgoing and optimistic — someone they like to be around? Remember, the attitude you wake up with each day will carry over onto the field or court and begin to become obvious to those around you.

How is your approach to the game? Are you bursting with energy for the game to get started? If not, then you may need a little tweak or a slight attitude adjustment. A great place to resurrect your attitude is an offseason camp. Those are a must for all officials and are a great time to re-energize your level of anticipation for the upcoming season. Along with classroom presentations, some camps offer live officiating and video of your work. That is an invaluable tool that gives you a real look at yourself in action. Are you standing up straight? Do you have a friendly, approachable look on your face? How are your mechanics? Remember, the players are playing hard, many for a spot on next year’s varsity team. The coaches are coaching as best they can, trying to instill a winner’s environment into their team.

Your demeanor should reflect your desire to be working that game to the best of your ability. Remind yourself why you became an official in the first place. Many people officiate to stay involved in the game, or to earn a few extra dollars. But along with that often comes a love of the game. If it is something you truly love and are very passionate about, nothing short of your best effort is required for each game to which you are assigned.

As someone your assigners know they can count on, you will from time to time be partnered with officials who are just starting or early in their careers.

Among your many responsibilities, there are few greater than your role as a mentor to young or less-experienced officials. The early years for a referee or umpire are very impressionable. The newcomers work extremely hard to soak in all the experience and knowledge that is out there. The sweat on their brow is as much from nerves as the pace of the game. Your conduct on the court and the enthusiasm you display in your game will have a lasting impression on your protégé. He or she will be watching your every move, wanting to emulate the veterans as the official begins to earn respect from coaches and fellow officials.

What better way to invigorate yourself and make a formidable impression than to show this next wave of officials exactly what it takes to be among the elite? Demonstrate to them the thrill and pure joy you feel from calling a strong game and the confidence you possess by instinctively enforcing the rules as they are written.

There is no excuse today not to incorporate exercise and a healthy lifestyle into your everyday life. Today’s games are played at an intense pace, with players getting bigger, stronger, smarter and faster each year. It behooves you to be in the best shape you can to keep up with the speed of the game. Your partners will be grateful, the coaches and players will appreciate your efforts and you will feel a greater sense of accomplishment when that exceptional call you made is a result of your keeping up with the action and being in perfect position to see the whole play.

The late Zig Ziglar was widely regarded as one of the most inspiring motivational speakers of our time. He spoke to millions of people all over the world and many times I’ve read his best-selling book on reaching goals and having a positive attitude. I remember a line from his book and his lectures: “We all need a daily checkup from the neck up to avoid stinkin’ thinkin’, which ultimately leads to a hardening of the attitudes.”

Do you perform a daily checkup? Are you able to avoid stinkin’ thinkin’? How’s your attitude these days? If you wake up with an outstanding attitude each day and bring that to the court or field for each game, you’ll be a better official and no matter who your partners are, they’ll be excited to work with you anytime.

The post Don’t Lose Your Passion appeared first on Referee.com.

Be aware, put yourself in position and be prepared, not just to make the right call in a contest, but to make the right career moves. Let’s take a look at how you can avoid some of the most common regrets from officials.

I Regret … Not Taking Care of Personalities

Officiating requires dealing with difficult people who are often at their worst, especially under the stress of a close contest. Letting their behavior get to you personally can take you away from the game, but ignoring it brings its own issues. There’s a delicate balance to keeping control of the game and yourself but, like it or not, sometimes you have to face it head on.

You may tell yourself that the hot-headed, foul-mouthed coach with the explosive personality disorder is just blowing off steam. You may reason that addressing the situation will only escalate the disruption. You could be rationalizing your way out of a situation that you should address.

Despite what many fans and coaches may think, officials are flesh and blood. Each individual has a different level of tolerance. For some, the gnawing relentless heckling from the bench blends into the white noise of the contest. For others, it becomes a thorn in the side of focused attention.

Knowing you’re not the only official in the world is important, too. Keep in my mind that if you don’t take care of business you might be leaving a mess for another official to clean up later in the season.

Taking care of the situation and dealing with poor behavior so that the game can progress naturally does not mean escalating the situation. Be direct, assertive and responsible without throwing gas on the coach’s sizzling embers. Check your own ego at the door and rely on the subtle confidence your experience has brought.

Walking the thin line of addressing the situation without escalating it is as much art as it is science. A fair amount of social skills, body language and a few choice words can get the job done and it is an easier strategy than taking on an ego-driven coach wanting to go head-to-head.

Keep your mind clear, leave personalities out of the situation and deal with what’s in front of you before it becomes an unmanageable problem that you wish you had taken care of earlier.

I Regret … Not Making the Big Call

A good official knows the game is about the contest and the participants. By nature, officiating is not about garnering attention.

Many like to say, “When you do your job well, you are invisible to everyone.” But that sentiment can get in the way of optimal performance. The rules and games often call for difficult and unpopular calls at crucial times. Those attention-drawing calls have to be made, but sometimes an official won’t make them because he or she wants to stay in the background. That is a mistake and one that can linger.

Keep in mind the players are responsible for their actions. Officials are there to enforce the rules and manage the contest. It is up to you to assess what you see and take action. It is not your fault or responsibility when a player screws up at a crucial time.

Avoid feeling responsible for how the contest will ultimately be decided. Make the calls you need to make based on what the players do while in front of you. Let the chips fall where they may and go to your next assignment without regret.

I Regret … Failing to Write the Report

A good part of any profession, in or out of officiating, is taken up with what can seem to be an excruciating amount of minutiae. It’s a necessary evil.

Adopt that type of attitude and don’t expect to get a lot of assignments. The reporting requirements to conference and association leaders are there for a reason. You may get all the calls right when you blow the whistle or call safes and outs, but you’ll live to regret not taking care of business after the buzzer sounds or the final out is called.

Internet blogs are set up to criticize officials, so supervisors can be aided by backup documentation to support decisions that wind up under the microscope. Supervisors want to support you and cover themselves because their reputations are on the line as well. Information is power and organized documentation can help you, your supervisor and your organization come out with your respect intact.

The attention to detail is vital. It will help for down the road when the situation is called into question.

Report writing is tedious and isn’t glamorous, but we know the devil is in the details. If you want to avoid your own private hell get the reports done on time and in order. It will save you headaches down the road.

I Regret … Not Taking Care of My Appearance

You probably didn’t get into this because you liked the show “America’s Next Top Model.” You love the game and you want to be close to it. You care about getting the rules right, staying in position and keeping the contest fair. You have no interest in walking down a runway, so why focus on appearance?

Looking good is superficial, but much of your responsibility hinges on the intangibles of things like respect, leadership and confidence. A waist line with the Michelin stamp on it or having as much trouble navigating the field of play as Oprah would have doing a chin up isn’t going to help perceptions. A lean physique and a pressed uniform gives off the message you want conveyed. Keep it simple and give yourself an advantage that is easily in your control.

I Regret … Not Taking the Extra Career Step

It is common for officials to feel like their careers have grown stagnant. If you’ve been stuck at the same level, doing the same games in the same conference for years and you want to break out, you have to ask yourself: Am I doing everything I can to advance?

You can build your career or you can choose to not take those steps because they cost money, involve travel or are inconvenient. Make the latter choice and you’ll live with the regret.

One of the simplest ways to open up doors is to attend camps and clinics.

Part of the formula is honing your game skills and staying on top of rule changes and approaches, but the networking and face-to-face contact is just as important as any education. That isn’t about manipulative do-anything-to-get ahead salesmanship. It is about making connections, developing camaraderie and letting the industry know who you are. In our world of Facebook, iPhones and Blackberries, sometimes it is easy to forget face-to-face meetings.

The fact of the matter is that people have to know who you are to assign you. Word of mouth isn’t efficient and it is only natural for those doing the assigning to go with officials they are familiar with. Instead of getting resentful of those who seem to have an “in” you can take the necessary steps to promote yourself.

You could make the next step in your career. It might mean joining a new association, paying the dues and traveling to camps and clinics across the country. Sure, it’ll take some cash out of your pocket, some time off from work and a few days away from the family, but the rewards are likely to mean a step up in your officiating career.

Failing to make the move to put yourself into that position will certainly be a tough regret to live with.

The post Have No Officiating Regrets appeared first on Referee.com.

My kids asked me, “Are you coming to watch my game?”

My response to my wife and kids was, “You know I have a game.”

My son looks at me with pleading eyes. “When are you going to make it to one of my games?”

I am sure officials have had those conversations many times in their lives, just as I have had them for the past 20 years. I get those questions not just from my kids, but from family and friends. Officials often struggle when they are assigned a game on the same day or weekend as another activity, such as a family wedding, child’s school event, sporting event, etc.

Some assigners will be gracious and allow you to turn back an assignment if an unexpected mid-season event pops up. But dates for out-of-town trips and other occasions should be blocked out before assignments come out, thus preventing headaches for the assigner.

In 2002, I was selected to work in the Arena Football2 (AF2) football league. I did not have any kids at that time, so I was available for more games. That same year, several of my high school buddies were getting married. One friend in particular was getting married on the same weekend of a huge AF2 game. I was in my first season and did not want to let down the assigner. The wedding was in another state. I had a big decision to make. I decided to officiate the football game. To this day we are still friends, but he was pretty upset, and I figure he had the right to be. Meanwhile, AF2 folded.

Fast forward many years. I have three young children of different ages and they are all active in sports and other extracurricular activities. Each a unique personality and coping mechanisms in dealing with participating in an event without their dad being in attendance. By the way, I also have a great day job that requires my utmost dedication and commitment.

If I have to miss an event, I hope another parent took pictures or even a video to help recapture the moment. Then I can discuss the event with my child when I get home.

When communicating with my kids, I would prefer that they tell me a story about the game. One strategy I have developed is called “Re-tell the Story.” When they do that, I can see the excitement build in them and it provides them confidence in telling a story to me about the game that I missed.

With one son, I ask him to start at the beginning and take me through the journey of the game before telling me the score. That helps him to think about how to structure a story with a beginning, middle and end.

With my other children that approach does not work and I need to have a different method. It is very difficult to use the re-tell game strategy with them as all they want to do is tell me the score and move on.

One child allows me to ask a few questions, but no more than three about the event. If I ask too many questions, I’m told I’m being a bother.

My other son is the combination of the other two. He does not mind that I miss the event, as he would prefer I would not attend at all or even watch his functions. He gets embarrassed when I attend, but I think that is just an age situation and that will change. If that son is in a good mood, I get every detail I can imagine, though he will not allow me to ask questions. If his day is not going well, asking him questions will frustrate him.

Every child is different and sometimes I have to get information out of them any way that I can using any of my unorthodox approaches or simply just settling for the final score.

So that’s a few things that I do with my kids, but I have not addressed how I, the sports official, deal with all of this. What am I to do? How do I cope? I have to treat my games as a business trip as it is part of my weekly routine. It does not mean that I officiate and travel five days a week because that is not my everyday job. Sports officials need to make an interpersonal commitment to two parts of their lives: A dedication to the officiating avocation that requires studying the rules and mechanics, and a second commitment to family and kids.

When I am not officiating, I do not make plans to go out with my friends, though I would like to. In my real job, I always hear that you have to strike the right work-life balance. With me, I have re-phrased it and embodied a new slogan called “Life’s Official Balance.” What is the difference between those two slogans, other than official? Not much really, because you officially need to think about striking a balance between taking too many games (called travel days for work) and attending your kids’ events.

It is the “official” part you need to re-think, as it is just an avocation and not real work per se. The word “balance” in the slogan you are all familiar with as it is the key to a successful and happy lifestyle for you and your family. There will come a time and place in your sports officiating career that will require you to take a backseat (if you choose to). Your kids grow up only once and will only play varsity sports for maybe one or two seasons, or act in a school play maybe only once or twice.

After you read this, you may be considering your own situation. I wrote this story from the perspective of a father with three boys, who loves officiating just as much as the next official and cannot stop doing it. As my children get older, more milestones are coming, and I need to prepare for my final departure.

When I have to leave sports officiating, I do not want to regret that I missed so much of my family’s personal adventures and events. Today, I have adjusted my officiating calendar. I went from officiating five games a week to three games a week. At the end of day, you need to decide how many games you can handle and cope with missing your family’s events. Just think about what you are doing and how you want to remember your offspring and their childhood. It is possible to enjoy both, but it takes a time sacrifice on both ends.

The post Balancing Officiating with Family appeared first on Referee.com.

The best officials are those who can properly handle routine situations with skill and speed. The ability to handle those types of situations comes with experience, it can’t always be taught.

In the absence of a strong mentor or experienced partner to point out how to acquire some of the finer skills, here’s a short list of some of the things you can do to make sure you are rounding out your experience every time you work.

• Study the rulebook. Have you ever met a good official that didn’t know the rules? Great officials have read through the rules enough that recall is second nature and that only comes with repetition.
• Look at the officials manual. The easiest way to get more calls right is to improve your mechanics. Seems simple right? You’d be surprised how often missed calls are strictly the fault of poor positioning.
• Show up for your assignments. Working games is the most basic requirement of getting more. Experience can’t be gained any other way.
• Have a pregame meeting. Talk about the stuff that’s likely to happen, before it happens. Every game has a unique set of circumstances and if you identify potential situations you’ll be prepared if they come up.
• Observe the pregame warmups. You might observe something that will help you do a better job.
• Have a pregame meeting with captains and coaches. A short and to-the-point pregame will show participants you’re on top of things, and let them know you won’t tolerate them causing problems.
• Move to improve. Don’t get straight lined or blocked out. If you need to move, do it without hesitation because the gameplay certainly won’t wait for you.
• Stay out of the stands. It’s not beneficial to get into anything with fans before, during or after a game you’re working.
• Hustle. Even if you can’t quite get into position on every call, the fact that you’re clearly trying your best will be noticed by everyone in attendance.
• Communicate with coaches. If they ask you a reasonable question in a sportsmanlike manner, acknowledge them. They will appreciate it even if you don’t have an answer, and it teaches them the right way to address officials if they want a response.
• Concentrate on your primary coverage area. We all have a job to do out there, even if you’re responsible for something that isn’t especially interesting that game. If your partner(s) are watching what they’re supposed to, it’s vital you maintain your focus.
• Watch away from the play. You might catch something nobody else is looking at and, the kind of heads up calls that show people you know what you’re doing.
• See the entire play. Taking in everything going on during a specific play will help you make judgment calls when you only have a split second to decide. Every movement of the participants involved can give you information you can use.
• Learn to Count. Make counting participants a reflex so you never miss an extra player.
• Use preventive officiating techniques. The best way to avoid situations that will interrupt the flow of the game is to nip them in the bud before they even get started.
• Have a postgame review. When the game is fresh in your mind is the absolute best time to identify what you did right, and more importantly, what you did wrong. Our minds tend to blur the negative in hindsight and that doesn’t help you get better.

Those are only a few of the more obvious ways to make sure you’re on the right path. The key here, regardless of sport or level, is to keep searching for things you don’t know. Whether you find something that helps you through basic observation, or you get guidance from those who’ve been there and done that, being an official that can solve problems is a lifelong endeavor.

The post Everybody Wants a Problem Solver appeared first on Referee.com.

No matter how good you are in your profession (lawyer, police officer, office worker, etc.), you are not at the top of your officiating profession. You might be the best in your local area, but as you travel to youth competitions, college showcases or top tournaments, you are going to run into a speed of play and a level of intensity that is above your ability.

Being able to handle, and then get comfortable, at those new levels takes self-evaluation.
Look at yourself. Recognize your shortcomings. Understand what you could do better.
Overweight? Don’t study the rules enough? Quick temper? Too technical? Once you know what you need to work on, you can start to improve. Wanting to improve is a sign of having a good attitude. You must want to improve before you can improve.

In a past interview interview with Referee, NFL great Ed Hochuli said, “If you believe there is no room for improvement, get out of officiating because the next step is an obvious decline. That is embarrassing to you and your fellow officials. Every year, I am less content with my own abilities. I see so many great officials and I realize how many things I have
to work on.”

Officials tend to want to hear what they did wrong, but part of self-evaluation, just like part of a good assessment, is to know what you did right. What are your strengths? What do you do well? Foul recognition? Dealing with players? Protecting the superstar? Getting a team captain to help you with a troublesome player?

Tools

Personally, because it was always close and always there, I took notes on the back of my game-data sheets and about once a month would look for trends. At the end of the season, everything got reviewed for trends. Others use a low-tech spiral notebook, others might use an Excel spreadsheet and keep potential deficiencies right next to teams, age groups, score, what game of the day (fifth game of the day might be either fitness or concentration!), etc.

Not yet there?

There are going to be aspects of your game that you will want to improve. Read books, speak with a mentor and talk to an instructor or assessor. Get the tools you need. Then
practice. Then practice some more until muscle memory takes over. If you normally work youth games, try your new skills at lower age levels. If you normally work varsity contests, ask to be assigned to a few sub-varsity games to work on the new skill.

Rules

If rules knowledge is your downfall, there are dozens of on-line practice tests. If rules differences are a problem, studying the different rules books regularly is useful. The Referee Training Center has a wide variety of rules based publications in many sports including the official rulebooks and specialized titles available in print and digitally.

Mechanics

The best way to fix poor mechanics is through video. Seeing for yourself what others see will be the most effective feedback. From then on, a mirror is your best friend. If you can get access to footage from games you’ve recently worked, that will help immensely. If you cannot, then plan to have someone record your your next game or match and start to keep record of your improvements.

Officiate who you are

If you are not a humorous person, leave that out of your arsenal, even if suggested by an
assessor or observer. If you lack an authoritative aspect to your personality, don’t try to play the bad-cop on the field. If you are the silent type, don’t try to become a salesman and talk players out of bad behavior. If you are faster than a speeding train, stay near play. If you have a wide array of facial features use the appropriate one to send your message to players and coaches.

Forcing any type of behavior that you don’t have naturally will come off as fake or ineffective most of the time. If you want to add something to your skill-set, then practicing in front of a mirror, then with friends or partners is wise. As with changes to your mechanics, trying new skills at lower levels is always advised.

Take time to look inside

No matter your level of officiating, when you’re working a full schedule you may not have time to spend contemplating the finer points of your officiating skills and personality. Find the time. When you have downtime, make a point to really think about the criticism you’ve received over the years. Even if you brushed it off before, was there a grain of truth there somewhere? Have you really been the type of partner you’d want on your crew if the roles were reversed? Over the years, have you spend as much time as you should have on the rules, mechanics and intangible skills that are fundamental to being a competent official?

These questions and many more are the type only you can answer for yourself and only if you take the time.

The post Self-Evaluation is Critical appeared first on Referee.com.

Because of that, people often mistake speed for decisiveness. Speed is an element of being decisive, but it’s only one component. Tom FitzGerald of FitzGerald Associates, a CEO consulting firm, says that decisiveness in any discipline has four components:

1. Speed — the time it takes to make a decision.
   
2. Importance — the nature of what is being decided upon.
3. Commitment — to carry out the decisions, no matter how difficult.
4. Rightness — the correctness of the decision.

Certainly each element has a parallel in officiating. Speed is important. You never want to rush a call, but there is that fine line between pausing to make sure of what you saw and taking a split second too long.

Many of the calls you make in a game (some people would say every call you make) are important. Do you ever treat a call as if “it wasn’t mine to make” or as if “that one didn’t matter anyway”? What is your commitment level to being the best official you can be? Do you want the big games? Are you ready for them? Speaking of readiness, are you committed to being ready every play? Finally, the cliche is that officiating is the one avocation where you are expected to start out perfect and improve from there. Being right? It’s everything for an official!

So if the components can be identified, why does the ability to be decisive come so difficult for some? Some people are better decision makers than others. What makes their decisions more effective, more credible and more respected by their peers? Probably it has most to do with a commitment they made to themselves to integrate decision-making into their overall officiating learning plan. They consistently seek out better ways to get the work done, take responsibility for themselves and their decisions and strive to
learn from others.

Make better decisions.

Effective decision-making is the process of identifying potential infractions and then taking action. The three main stages of the decision-making process are: clarifying what the decision is, assessing exactly what is involved and utilizing all the necessary resources including rules knowledge, mechanics and experience. Being decisive does not come naturally for most people. Experts say that the most common reason people have for being indecisive is that they are striving for perfectionism. In other words, they have a fear of failure.

Certainly, there isn’t an official who doesn’t want to call a perfect game every time, but the reality is that it rarely — if ever — happens. If you make a bad call, there’s nothing you can do about it. That’s when you have to move on and tell yourself that the next time you’ll make the right call.

Another hindrance to decisiveness is that many people see conflicts as “bad,” and have trouble being decisive because they fear their decision will lead to confrontations. Mark Twain once said, “Courage is the mastery of fear, not the absence of fear.” An official who has mastered his or her fear through confidence can be decisive.

Without question, the best officials at every level are decisive.

Without question, the best officials at every level are decisive. The tough calls come their way, and they make them accurately and without flinching. But how do the rest of us get to that place? There are several parts of your game you can work on that will improve your decisiveness. This include rules knowledge, proper mechanics and positioning, experience and continued learning. The latter can be a camp, film viewing or just plain
discussion. Talking game situations over with new officials who have questions
often helps veteran officials at least as much as the newer official.

If you make the effort to become a more decisive official, what’s in it for you? Plenty.

Certainly your games will go better: coaches and players will accept your calls most of the time, you’ll suddenly start to have an “easier time” of things out there, but you’ll also quietly be developing something much more important to any official— a good reputation. Coaches, players and fans all want to believe that their game is in the hands of one of
the most competent officials in the area. Want to be one of those officials? Be more decisive.

The post 4 Elements of Decisiveness appeared first on Referee.com.

Conversely, if the referee responded, “You’re right. The play could have been handled better,” he has created a win-win situation. The line judge understands his crew chief will listen to his concerns and the referee has been given a tip for self-improvement.

By involving the rest of the crew, the referee can even expand the situation into a learning opportunity: “Phil is bringing up a good point. How do you guys think we should operate when that happens? Should we get together quickly and talk about it before we enforce the penalty? Should I simply look to you for a nod yes or a shake no? What can I do to prevent this from happening again?”

Sometimes the problem is a state of chronic hopelessness. A partner can help by relating a tip that has proved successful. An example involves an official who moans, “I hate working a game at Central High because the coach constantly gets on me about my block-charge calls.” Obviously that official enters games involving Central High with a feeling of dread, a negative attitude that likely exacerbates the problem with the coach.

A helpful cohort might point out a mechanic the unhappy associate could try. “I used to have the same trouble until I realized that Central likes to run a screen and roll at the top of the key. When I see that screen, that is my key to watch the off-ball defender in the lane. I started to do a better job of refereeing the defense in that situation and it really helped me do a better job on those high-screen hedge plays.”

Notice the partner did not criticize and did not order the other official to try the mechanic. The unhappy official may find that the tip won’t work, but it will inspire him or her to experiment until a solution is found. If nothing else, it will (at least for one night) replace the official’s apprehension toward working a Central game with anticipation and hope.
Sometimes it takes more of a kick in the butt than a pat on the back to shake a fellow official’s attitude. Crewmates sometimes need to be lectured.

The key is to do it in private, rather than risking embarrassment in front of other officials, spectators, coaches or players. Being firm without being cruel and staying on point are the keys. Saying “You did” instead of “You are” takes personalities out of the equation and addresses the issue, not the person.

Criticism from coordinators and assigners must be acknowledged differently than that from other officials. Because those who observe and hire officials sometimes have a “my way or the highway” philosophy, it is easy for an official to go into a critique meeting with a negative attitude. A sure-fire way to prevent negativity in yourself (and boost your image in the eyes of the supervisor) is to ask before you’re told. A supervisor who hears, “What can I do to get better?” is going to feel he or she has an official worth hiring. Such an official is easy to work with and is willing to accept criticism.

If you disagree with the coordinator, it is better to say, “That sounds like a good tip; can you explain why your way is better than mine?” rather than, “I tried it your way once and all hell broke loose,” or, “Yeah, but doing it my way, I’ve worked the playoffs the last two years. If it ain’t broke, why should I fix it?”

Video is a great tool to let officials see for themselves and with luck they become critics of their own performance.

Enjoy any success in officiating, and you’ll soon be faced with jealousy. Because officials in effect compete for plum assignments such as playoffs or rivalry games, it is easy for less successful officials to resent those whose résumés are more impressive.

Many officials have been accosted by a counterpart who sneers, “I’ve officiated twice as long as you have, but you get playoff games and I don’t. I guess it’s not what you know but who you know.” It is sometimes satisfying to answer such a complaint with a comment such as, “I get playoff games because I’m a better official than you.” In some cases, it would also be true. But such a retort will only further infuriate the jealous official.

That sort of negativity is better addressed by enlightenment. Information can be shared in a way that engenders thought. “You’re right that I know some influential people. I met them at the annual camp at Hometown College. Not only did I make some valuable connections, I picked up a lot of tips that helped my officiating. I highly recommend the camp. Want to go with me next year?” Such a technique puts the ball in the accuser’s court.

An official who chooses not to take you up on your offer has no one but him or herself to blame. Yet you have not extended the feud because the challenge has been couched in the form of a non-confrontational tip.

Officials most often encounter negativity when dealing with players and coaches. There are no magic words or proven formulas to convince a furious coach that a judgment call was correct or that a rule was properly applied. But there are ways an official can make the best of a bad situation.

Correct body language is perhaps the easiest technique an official can employ. That means facing an angry coach with a relaxed stance and making eye contact. Acting calm projects an air of confidence and decisiveness. Let the coach make his or her point without interruption. Once the coach stops talking or begins repeating the bone of contention, explain the decision or the rule calmly and briefly.
See yourself in any of those examples? Negativity is infectious. It’s like a disease, and like a disease, it can ravage your joy for officiating and leave you burned out, apathetic and lackadaisical.

The next time you feel the creeping effects of negativity, whether they come from your own doubts or from an infected partner or crewmate, step back and examine the roots of the problem; do you care, or do you “no”?

Jeffrey Stern is Referee’s senior editor.

The post Defeat Negative Attitudes. Enjoy Your Games. appeared first on Referee.com.

“Not today, coach. Not today.”

“But …”

“Not today, coach! Not today.”

“How can you …”

“Not today, coach! Not today.”

The coach relented his argument, and only then did Hightower break his statue-like position and retire to the scorer’s table to report his foul. He got his message across, and likely would have held his ground another 30 seconds until the coach decided to take the higher road for the night.

We’ve all had this happen (or will). First minute or so of the game, and for some reason the coach is determined to get his point across loudly and often. Someone spiked coach’s Wheaties, or his shoes were too tight, or who knows what, but tonight this team leader is irritated and is going to let your crew know it, immediately. What to do? We can’t all be Ed Hightower. Heck, only Ed Hightower can pull off the school-principal-meets-traffic-cop bulldozer attitude to calm a coach for the next 40 or so minutes.

For the rest of us, there actually are a series of steps we can take as an individual and as a crew to corral the coach early so the night doesn’t become a Mike Tyson boxing match times 10.

When it comes to referee/coach communication, usually one uses a combination of practiced phrases and a dash of his or her own personality. After many years of experience, a veteran official can smooth out most issues with grace and professionalism. Younger officials are also given catch phrases, using terms like, “By rule, coach,” and “That’s enough,” with the palm facing the floor. Finally, there’s a mention of the tools provided in the rulebook: official warnings followed by technical fouls, and, if necessary, disqualification of the coach.

All of those methods earned throughout the ages are helpful during a contest, but there’s an entirely different program to follow for the early onset irritated coach. There’s really no way a crew wants to start a game with a technical for unsportsmanlike behavior, or even an official warning. The hefty and loaded tropes of, “I heard you, coach!” and “Enough, coach!” are just going to up the stakes and create havoc before the players can work up a sweat.

Time to put on your psychology hats, kids, and start by finding out the problem.

Generally, at least one member of the crew has an idea how the opposing coaches will tend to act during the course of play and will bring up the generics of bench control during the pregame. Ideally, none of the crew will be warning or penalizing any coaching behavior during the contest until the coach has acted completely out of character, above and beyond his or her consistent activities. If you know a coach is loud and animated throughout a game, you can deal with it when said coach steps out of that mold and/or personally attacks the crew.

But in that first minute, when a coach is instantly out of character, stop what you’re doing. It’s time to talk to that coach as a human being, using a quiet tone and empathy. Ask what’s going on. Use the old, “Hand me a towel so I can wipe off the ball” or “Let me tie my shoe here” to get close to the coach at the first opportunity. If you can, stand with your back to the coach and your mouth covered by your fist, so no one thinks you’re confronting or about to show up the coach.

Then ask a simple question: “Coach, is everything OK? What’s going on, Bill?”

I know, some referees don’t advocate using the coach’s first name. This one time, this early in the game, do it.

“This isn’t like you, Sue. Seriously, what’s going on? Can I help?” And mean it when you ask. You don’t have all day, of course, but you have to make a little time for this. If the coach blows you off or waves you off, ignore the action and move on. During the first timeout, try to sidle up to an assistant and ask similar questions, because something is causing this coach pain today.

More often than not, you’ll find out the answer from the sheepish coach. He or she was looking for a confrontation. You gave a heartfelt ear of concern instead. Nine times out of 10 it’s going to relate to a past game’s officials, or a tournament snub, or a short-handed roster. That other time there actually will be a personal conflict where the coach feels he or she was wronged by one of the crew members the last time and isn’t going to let it happen today.

For the first nine times, remind the coach quietly that this is a new day, you’re a new crew, and promise you’re going to work your tail off. “Sorry to hear about that last game, coach. I can’t imagine what that’s like, but I can tell you we talked earlier and we’re gonna give you 100 percent on this one. If you have any questions about a call, find one of us at the right time and just ask. We’re here for you.”

On that 10th time , you’ll have to be more direct. “Hey, I hear ya. But this is the crew you’ve got today, and if you give us a chance, I think you’ll see we’re gonna give our best effort out there. I understand if you’re going to be angry about a few calls, just keep it short and contained and we’ll work with you.”

Even if the coach grumbles a bit, it’s guaranteed you worked some magic, just by breaking that animosity between what the coach believes are warring factions. Let the coach know you’re human, and if it was you the coach is upset about, own it. “Hey, Stacy, that was a rough night for me, I had a lot going on. I’m with a great crew today, though, and I feel really good about this game. If you can forgive me that last game, I promise to bust my butt today for you. Are you good with that?”

Yes, this conversation could delay the game for a bit, but it has to happen, or the coach will give you no choice but to prove his or her suspicions correct, that you’re the kind of crew that’ll throw said coach under the bus and give a technical without hesitation. If it’s the first minute or two of the contest, hesitate.

Find out what’s wrong, then communicate with your crew as soon as you can about what you found out.

Then? It’s back to business as usual. You’ve got a game to call, rules to enforce and situations to control. If the coach doesn’t accept your goodwill, it’s time to return to warnings, stern reminders, and finally, technical fouls. From that first minute’s conversation onward, the onus is on the coach to act like the professional he or she is supposed to be, the example for the athletes, and the solid representative of that school or organization.

If it happens in that first few moments, remember — somebody hurt that coach. Find out what happened, and like any good human being, reassure that you’re there for all of the players and both coaches, you’ll work your heart out, and for as long as they’ll let you, you’ll work with them to resolve any confusion during the game.

If it happens after that? “Not today, coach! Not today!”

Stephen A. Mintz, Fresno, Calif., is an award-winning writer. He officiated basketball for 30 years and now is a collegiate evaluator and instructor.

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It’s important to note officials must recognize they will never be able to completely control others’ behaviors; they instead will only be able to manage difficult situations. Nothing we say or do will fundamentally change fan, coach or player behavior during the course of the game.

Take care of what we can control. Instead of focusing on external factors we cannot control, we can examine and develop the components that are wholly within our circle of influence.

Imagine you decided to tackle the Tour du Mont Blanc, a 110-mile hike through France, Italy and Switzerland. A shrewd person would study maps, research blogs and testimonials from previous hikers, purchase essential equipment, formulate a schedule, develop meal plans and reserve accommodations at appropriate intervals. The person would also design a fitness regimen to ensure he or she was in peak condition to undertake the physically challenging quest. It’s safe to imagine an untrained and ill-equipped hiker would encounter many more obstacles than one who had meticulously prepared.

The hiker cannot control the weather, airline schedules or behavior of other hikers on the trail. However, by minimizing or eliminating variables that are well within the hiker’s span of control, the hiker can completely focus on the task ahead and on managing unforeseen events.

The same concept applies to officials. There are multiple factors an official will not be able to control, such as the maturity level of fans, players and coaches. Officials working outdoor sports cannot flip a switch to shut off rain, snow, cold and wind. Instead, officials must strive to eliminate or minimize unwanted variables over which they have complete control.

The adage “proper preparation and planning prevents poor performance” is definitely relevant to officials. Learning and preparation will always precede successful decision-making. It’s inconceivable an official would step on the playing surface in poor shape or with incomplete rules and mechanics knowledge, but it happens all the time, with predictable results.

Adjust a misplaced sense of righteousness and justice. Officials have “positional authority” and possess distinct status as game arbiters. Some officials become offended because they are not afforded the respect and dignity they feel they deserve based on their status. That feeling of self-importance inhibits an objective response when fans, players or coaches undermine their positional authority.

Some may also believe they are solely responsible to preserve the integrity of the game; if they tolerate any undesirable behavior, mayhem will ensue. The axiom, “What you permit, you promote,” is overly simplistic and infers that an official’s decision to offer grace will somehow invite anarchy. We are grateful when a police officer lets us off with a warning after a traffic stop, but some of us seem to think any grace on the playing field will somehow damage the game. Each rulebook clearly outlines essential behavioral tenets; many of which are absolutes. Some decisions must be black and white, but the majority of our judgments will be less than clear-cut. Swift justice does not always have to be meted out for indiscretions.

Develop and adhere to principles. Standards and principles are the foundation for our conduct. As we develop sound behavioral principles, we can be more precise and less arbitrary with our decisions and we can take emotion completely out of the equation when we encounter an agitating situation. As much as possible, crews and local associations should develop the same set of principles. Officials on a crew should strive to mirror “benchmark” crew decisions and should attempt to provide a consistent set of rulings. But it’s understandable each official on the crew may have distinct ideologies and attitudes. The key is to take the time to thoughtfully consider and establish principles to avoid impulsive reactions. Establishing principles is also relevant when communicating with coaches.

Foster teamwork, trust and loyalty. The human body’s tissues organs and systems are organized and work in harmony to maximize performance. An officiating crew is very much like a living organism. Crew teamwork, trust and loyalty are vital to success. When a crew believes in, trusts and supports one another and fosters a “we’re in this together” and “I have your back” mentality, the environmental stresses will have less of an emotional impact.

Unfortunately, some officials view their peers as rivals and competitors. Instead of supporting a teammate following a mistake, some officials amplify stress by arguing and bickering in the locker room. We often see that behavior from players; a running back criticizes his offensive line for not effectively blocking. That conduct may be understandable for young adults, but it does not promote effective crew performance.

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