Leadership Officiating

Covering pregame preparation, team-officiating and being the crew chief.

Leadership Officiating

Leadership Officiating
Covering pregame preparation, team-officiating and being the crew chief.

The Secret of ‘Officiating Up’

“Leading up” has become a common mantra in American business. Many have read the work of University of Pennsylvania professor Michael Useem, who argues...

9 Points To Grade Your Officiating Crew

Most people think two teams are required for athletic competition. Officials know better. It takes three — the teams scheduled to take the field or court, plus the team...

What it Really Means To Be A Crew Chief

As the crew chief, you’re the maestro on the field or court. That means you have a lot of responsibilities. You must be ready to lead. Retired NBA referee,...

Five Lessons on Leadership

By George Gately As CEO of a small, nonprofit corporation, my avocation as a soccer referee has been an adventure in learning. What began as...

5 Mentoring Strategies That Work

Experienced officials are often asked to mentor men and women who are just beginning a career in officiating. It can be a daunting task to take on. Before you agree...

Saying the Right Thing at the Right Time

We’re used to practicing restraint in conversations with coaches and players, because saying it like it is could cost us our careers. But should...

Dictator or Facilitator: What Type of Official are You?

The late Bill Klem, perhaps the greatest umpire in the history of baseball, was once shown a photo that supposedly proved he blew a...

9 Characteristics of a Good Mentor

Ask anyone who has “made it” in officiating about the people who have helped them along the way and they will without a doubt have a list of...

Be a Team Player

“I hear you, Coach, but it wasn’t my call.” That statement can send shockwaves of negativity into a situation on the court or field....

Move from Camp to Classroom

Every serious official has been there: in a classroom, looking at a PowerPoint as a clinician goes over a rule or positioning principle. They’ve made...

Step Up When Your Partner Needs Help

The excitement of getting an important assignment can be dampened when you discover that your partner needs help because they may not be at...

5 Tips to Mentor the Next Generation

There may be no more important role for current officials than to be mentors. If the next generation of officials is to become proficient...
Pass On Officiating Wisdom

How to Pass on Your Wisdom

Whether you’ve been officiating for some time or you simply have three more games under your belt than another official, you’re in a position...

Break Time Doesn’t Mean Time Off for Officials

A college football game encompasses 60 minutes of playing time divided into four 15-minute quarters. But those 60 minutes typically require something approaching three...

Working at a Lower Level

Have you ever worked with an official from a different level? Maybe you are a well-established high school football referee and once in a...

Make the ‘Third Team’ the Best Team

Most people think two teams are required for an athletic competition. Officials know better. It takes three: the two teams scheduled to take the field or court, plus...

Don’t Be Afraid to Take the Lead

There is nothing wrong with being a wallflower by nature. There is, however, a major problem with being one as an official, a lesson I was fortunate enough to...

Stabilizing Your Crew

Matt Austin, Louisville, Ky., is a Southeastern Conference football referee who has worked in the league for 10 years. Through a quarter-century of officiating,...

Understand the Mindsets of your Crew Members

Getting the most out of a crew is challenging to say the least. Rather than just expecting everyone to be on the same page,...

Act Like the Role Model You Are

One night I drove to a rink in Amherst, N.Y., to watch the Empire State Games, an Olympic-style event for amateur high school athletes. The hockey game I...

The Fine Art of Building Your Crew

Great crew chiefs are like great leaders because … well, because they are great leaders. But in officiating, the whole is only as good as the sum of its parts....

Five Quick Mentoring Tips

There may be no more important role in officiating than that of a mentor. If the next generation of officials is to become proficient...

Decisions, Not Reactions

Officials are supposed to make decisions based on close observation of plays, not on gut reactions to the action. To do that we must rely...

Welcoming Adversity

E veryone handles nerves and adversity differently. Some believe if you don’t get at least a little nervous before a big game, you don’t understand the...

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