RULES, MECHANICS, TECHNIQUES:

Basketball
Technically Right or Wrong? Dealing With Administrative Ts; Professional Expectations; Pass and Crash; Chalk Talk: Three-Person: Spin Move Away From Lead; Create Space as the Trail

Baseball
Hurlers Can Throw You a Curve: Umpiring Varying Styles and Pitches Can Test Your Timing; Hit Batters Don't Always Benefit From Their Pain; Whose Ball is It?; Five Minutes With ... Mark Carlson

Softball
How to Get the Tough Calls Right: Situations They Don't Teach in Clinics Examined; Move Your Head, Not Just Your Eyes; Batter's Position Before the Pitch; Five Minutes With ... Kathy Strahm

Soccer
Playing the Opponent, Not the Ball: How to Judge 'Jumping at an Opponent'; Hall Named Referee of the Year; Balancing the Rules and Justice; Legal and Illegal Corner Flags; Chalk Talk: When Injuries Happen

Football
Learning From the Best: Officiating Lessons Available in Every NFL Game; A Chop Off the Old Block; Don't 'Walk Through' Your Signals; Chalk Talk: Reversing Field

FEATURES:

What Lead Officials Do Better Than the Rest
Some officials walk out onto the field or court and you just know they've got the game in hand. There's something different about them. Every word and action from them tells you they are in charge. They are lead officials — not necessarily crew chiefs, but they have that intangible quality that makes you take notice. So what do they do that's so different? And can you learn it?

Well-Stated
The majority of officials in this country work high school sports, and it's at that level of competition that the major issues facing officials are most critical. Referee sat down with the heads of seven state high school associations to talk about sportsmanship, officiating shortages, technology in officiating and other critical issues facing prep officials.

Work More Sports!
Less than half of all officials work more than one sport, but those who do couldn't imagine sticking to just one path. Presenting seven great reasons why officiating multiple sports will benefit you in ways you probably haven't even considered.

You Are There: Notre Dame Snaps UCLA's Streak
There are only three "streaks" in sports that matter: DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak, Ripken's 2,632 consecutive game "iron man" streak and UCLA's 88-game winning streak. Retired referee Rich Weiler was the "bookend" official for UCLA's 88-game streak, working the last game the Bruins lost before embarking on that Herculean effort, and the next one the team lost 89 games later to Notre Dame.

COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS:

Publisher’s Memo
Pay Attention to Those 'Rattlers'

The Gag Rule
Transcending Sports; 'No Different at All'; Concerned About the Game

The News
Sportsmanship Training to Help Youth; Germany's Hoyzer Sentenced to Prison; 'Gee, Thanks Mister Referee'

Back to Basics
You're Not Alone Out There

Getting It Right
Football is en Fuego in Mexico

Tools
'You Make the Call' Video Site; Skin MD Natural; Bernie Saggau and the Iowa Boys; Hockey Canada Officials Homepage

Law
A Contract to Protect?

Take Care
Preparation Countdown to Your Game

For the Record
Minor League Baseball and CBA rosters

Classifieds
Camps/Clinics; Equipment/Apparel; Leadership Resources; Cyberspace; Miscellaneous

Last Call
'Bush' Leaguer