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To
Be or Not to Be
Compliments of Referee Magazine
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BE
APPROACHABLE
NOBODY LIKES TO BE IGNORED. One of the things that turns
off coaches and players is an official who seems unapproachable,
standoffish, even cold. You can be great with rules
and mechanics, but if you aren't tempered with human-relations
skills your career will be fraught with problems.
BE PREPARED
NO ONE SHOULD TRY TO WORK A GAME WITHOUT FIRST DISCUSSING
THE GAME. No matter how long you've refereed or how
many times you've worked with the same official, it's
crucial to have a pregame conference before every game.
Even if you've worked 20 games with your partner already
this season, you've got to refresh your memory; you've
got to make sure everybody on the crew feels at ease.
BE READY
AT TIMES, IT'S ROUTINE THINGS THAT CAN TRIP OFFICIALS.
Concentrate at all times, because there will be times
when routine duties are poorly excuted. Have you doubts?
Consider whether you've ever seen a football official
mark off an 18-yard penalty, watched a basketball referee
hand the ball to the wrong team or seen a batter go
to first on ball three.
BE FOCUSED
IN ORDER TO DO A SOLID JOB, YOU MUST MAINTAIN CONCENTRATION
THROUGH THICK AND THIN. To do that, you cannot allow
anything to get under your skin. Some rookie officials
are convinced nothing is worse than three dozen little
league parents screaming at them. In fact, some pro
officials agree, even after facing more than 50,000
spectators in an afternoon. Why? Because the pros learned
quickly to "tune out" what the spectators
have to say.
BE YOURSELF
DEVELOP YOUR SIGNALS AND MECHANICS UNTIL THAT ARE INSTINCTIVE,
BUT KEEP YOU PERSONALITY INTACT. Control the game first
and foremost, and administer it within the framework
of the rules. Then, go out and work the game and have
some fun. Keep control of the game; use preventative
officiating. But, at the same time, let the players
know what is going on, what you're trying to do. Talk
to them. Don't just stand there during timeouts like
a toy soldier.
BE SURE
DEVELOP THE SELF-DISCIPLINE THAT PREVENTS "PHANTOM"
CALLS. Often, the best call is a good no-call. Many
top officials agree their greatest fear is a phantom
call at the end of a game. Every call is important,
but to call something that's not there at a crucial
time is devastating.
BE REALISTIC
LOOK BOTH WAYS AS YOU CLIMB THE LADDER OF SUCCESS. Remember,
if you move up too soon, you may forever eliminate the
chance of another try. Your officiating friends might
think you're crazy for turning down a promotion, but
that's what you should do if you're really not ready
to move to the next-higher level.
BE BALANCED
GAIN EXPERIENCE BY WORKING "EVERY GAME YOU CAN,"
BUT RECOGNIZE WHAT QUALITY OF GAMES YOU CAN WORK. It's
counterproductive to work too many games or to work
games at levels which don't offer challenges.When your
officiating glass is full, whatever experience you pour
into it will simpy spill over the top.
BE SAVVY
"SPIRIT AND INTENT" IS MORE THAN A CATCH-PHRASE,
IT'S A DEPTH OF KNOWLEDGE AND A WAY OF LIFE. Knowing
the rules is an initial step toward becoming a capable
official. The next step: Truly understanding why each
rule developed and how rules interrelate. Particularly
at the collegiate level, top supervisors agree they're
less interested in rules knowledge than in rules understanding.
If you don't see the difference, you're probably not
ready to advance.
BE BETTER
COMPLACENCY CAN BE AN OFFICIAL'S WORST ENEMY. No matter
what you've done lately and no matter how lofty your
reputation, you must firmly believe that you can become
an even better official. Set your long-term goals early.
Enter each season with clearly defined intermediate
goals. Work each game with a careful number of objectives
in mind, aimed at helping you meet an intermediate goal.
Whether it's timing, positioning, positive communication
or another objective, if you don't have one tonight
you're wasting a game.
BE LOUD
IF YOU SOUND OR APPEAR TIMID, YOU'LL BE PERCEIVED AS
WEAK. Cultivate you voice. It should be firm: loud enough
to be heard, yet not challenging. Develop a brief list
of planned statements that will convey your message
without provoking anyone. Example: "Hey, I've heard
enough," leaves no doubt that you do not want a
conversation to continue, but it's not a threat.
BE QUIET
THE MORE YOU SAY, THE LESS IT MEANS. Rookies and veterans
alike are often quilty of the "Yeah, but"
syndrome. When another official or supervisor questions
your mechanics or your judgement and your first utterance
is, "Yeah, but," you're usually not listening.
Grandma used to say, with rolling pin hand: "Be
quiet and listen. That's why you've got two ears and
only one mouth." Moral of the story: You'll learn
more by listening than by talking.
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