RULES, MECHANICS, TECHNIQUES:

Football
Put Time on Your Side:
Knowing When to Stop the Clock;
The Goal: Great Coverage in Goalline Situations;
The Linesman’s Role on Penalty Enforcements

Soccer
Is the Match Fit to Be Physical?
Amount of Contact Allowed Varies by Level;
Wasting Time or Consuming Time?;
Ten Guidelines for Better Match Control

Softball
Going Back to Blue:
NFHS Changes Address Umps’ Uniforms;
The OSF Method at First Base;
Five Minutes With … Aileen Durrant

Baseball
On Top of the Hill:
Rules Regarding the Pitcher’s Plate;
The Challenges in Working Different Levels;
Five Minutes With … Dan Perugini

Basketball
‘Quit Reaching In!’:
The Dos and Don’ts of Hands and Arms;
When Your Partner Makes a Bad Call;
Double Free-Throw Violations

FEATURES:

Say No to the Heave Ho
No matter how gratifying they can sometimes be to your ego, ejections are always a tool of last resort. The key to becoming a better official lies in prevention. Learn how to keep players in the game without compromising your authority.

Help Me Out Here
Timers and scorekeepers — they can be your best friend or your worst enemy. It depends on how you work with them and develop a relationship. Learn some simple tips that will make your next encounter with a timer or scorekeeper a mutually beneficial experience.

Sex, Drugs & Rock ’N’ Roll
The wild, wacky underside of semi-pro football officiating is something not always discussed, but Referee’s own Jeffrey Stern recounts his years of trying to maintain a sense of commitment and professionalism in a milieu that includes, as the title says, “sex, drugs and rock ’n’ roll.”

For All the World to See
As one of only 10 Americans with the necessary qualifications for the job, soccer referee Brian Hall stepped onto the world stage in front of an estimated 1.5 billion TV viewers to officiate the World Cup.

COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS:

Publisher’s Memo
The Big Red Button

In Black & White
Be Aware of Your Surroundings

The News
NBA OKs Instant Replay

Back to Basics
Angling for the Proper Angle

Tools
Official’s Study Guide to NFHS Football Rules;
Converse All-Star Whistle Shoes;
Myths of the Game;
Amateur Baseball Umpire Home Page

Getting It Right
Firefighter’s Gratitude

Profiles
Umpire Hits Home Run in the Classroom

Law
A Right and Wrong Way to Discipline

For the Record
NIFL and Gold Cup officials

Classifieds
Camps/Clinics;
Books, Manuals, Cassettes;
Equipment/Apparel;
Miscellaneous

Last Call
Daddy Has a Game