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...
6 Elements of Your Officiating Anatomy
The human anatomy is an intricate structure consisting of 11 systems and containing more than 37 trillion cells. Officiating requires the use of...
9 Steps to Put Out the Fire
There are many ways an officials association can help itself before an issue arises. It just takes a little forethought, effort and common...
Held Balls a Haven for Off-Ball Harms
How many officials does it take to rule a held ball? No, this isn’t some type of comedic riff on the well-worn “How many (insert insult here)...
9 Ways to Reach Your Dream Assignment
There’s a common human urge to improve. It runs through our work lives, the activities we undertake for enjoyment and our officiating endeavors. That urge manifests itself...
You Have Two Shots to Look Good
You have two chances to make a great first impression at the start of every match: (1) your arrival courtside when you’re tending...
Don’t Sell Your Halftime Short
Basketball officials have been instructed time and again about the importance of pregame discussions as a crew. The 60 minutes prior to tip are a crucial window...
Eyes Off the Ball
More than one clinician has joked about officials who should have to buy a ticket to officiate a game because they mostly watch...
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...
Adjustments for Better Look at the Plate
Any fast-pitch softball umpire is familiar with the slot position when working a game as the plate umpire: assuming a heel-toe stance behind the catcher, aligned slightly inside...
4 Habits of Successful Officials
If you took a poll of coaches and players and asked them to name the skills and habits that are important for a...
Keep Communication Lines Open with Players
While officials have a fair amount of contact with coaches during a game, they are most often communicating with players. Here are some...
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...
Let the Media Handle the Postgame Commentary
When it comes to officials and the media, it might have been legendary major league umpire Bill Klem who said it best. “I...
Board Must Lead From The Front
The folks who raise their hands and volunteer to serve on the board of directors for your non-profit officials association ought to be...
Accepting Assignments: Dos and Don’ts
Games! We all want as many as we can possibly handle, but when it comes to accepting assignments, you can't just say yes...
No Tunnel Vision With Wide-Angle View
What problem is most common among second referees? Some might say coaches chewing them out about questionable decisions or missed calls by the...
Always Assume You Are Being Assessed
For roughly the first half of my amateur umpiring career — which lasted from 1966-2016 — umpires could go about their business without having to deal with...
Respected High School Administrator Joins MHSAA Staff as Assistant Director
Brad Bush will serve in the position of assistant director for the Michigan High School Athletic Association beginning Jan. 17.
No Substitute for Awareness
There is more to know than just foul or violation. Commonly astute officials might have heard once to have an awareness to what...
Rushing in to Assist
In September 2017, Hurricane Maria tore through the northeastern Caribbean. The deadly Category 5 storm hit Puerto Rico especially hard, causing billions of...
Sources: 10 MLB umps retiring, most since ’99
Ten MLB umpires, including seven crew chiefs, are set to retire, making it the largest turnover at that job since 1999.
Mike Cannon ready to hang up whistle on offciating career
It’s his other job as a Big Ten Conference football referee that’s taken him around the country for some of college football’s greatest...
