| Concentration
|
|
| OK, so now you’ve worked a few games. You’re starting to feel a little more confident, and you’re even cool when the coach screams at you from 10 yards away or when the fans describe your mother to you in intimate detail. Now, you can actually start getting good at the skills you’ll need to actually call the game, as opposed to simply being out there surviving. One thing new officials can teach themselves to do is concentrate. Your veteran partners may be able to help nurture your confidence and composure, but they can’t get inside your head and make you watch the play. That ability to block out outside influences comes with time says John Carter, a 59-year-old rookie official from California who just completed his first year. Everything from wild fans to pretty girls to the band playing your favorite song can serve as a distraction — if you let it. Carter retired after 30 years with the California Department of Corrections and was looking for a hobby to pass the time. He found it in baseball and softball umpiring. “In the beginning, I remember being distracted by something, maybe a sound, and not watching the ball,” Carter says. “Always watch the ball because that’s going to be your salvation.” Of course, that credo doesn’t apply to every sport, but the principle holds true: If you can stay focused on your coverage area while blocking out the noises and sights that used to turn your head as a player or spectator, you’ve got half the battle won. At least you’re looking in the right area. Whether you can make judgments based on what you see might be another story. |
| Previous Page |