Progression of Responsibilities Helps Simplify Rulings
This past summer I had the opportunity to attend an evaluation camp for umpires looking to advance their collegiate careers. The camp schedule...
What the Best Instructors Do Right
Whether we've been officiating for some time, figure ourselves to be seasoned vets or we simply have three more games under our belts...
The Secret Body Language of World Cup Referees
Here is how elite referees manufacture authority under pressure, straight from the man preparing them for the biggest stage.
Can Our Intuition Deceive Us?
By Rick Gaydos
A couple of years ago I was watching a local TV talk show. A panelist recommended a book that wasn’t typically sports-related...
CCA and Referee Enterprises Enter Agreement for Collegiate Officiating Manuals
RACINE, Wis. – The Collegiate Commissioners Association (CCA) and Referee Enterprises, Inc., (REI) have agreed to a six-year publishing agreement to produce the...
A Sharp Signal Speaks Volumes
Every official knows the feeling — a buzzer-beater sails through the net, the crowd erupts but before the shot was released the buzzer...
Benefits and Landmines of Working Multiple Sports
More and more, we seem to lose sight of the fact kids might be playing three sports just for the fun of it....
Paul Tamberino: Nothing Dirty, Nothing Cheap
For two years in a row, Paul Tamberino was voted the MLS’ top referee. As one of America’s premier soccer officials, he also...
Slap-Hitters and Bunters Force You To Think Outside The Box
With first base only 60 feet away from home plate in softball compared to 90 in baseball, the left-handed slap hit is a...
Sell the Tough Call
What do a ninth-inning call at home plate, a crucial roughing penalty late in the fourth quarter or a block/charge call all have...
NFL, NFLRA Sign Seven-Year CBA
The NFL and the NFL Referees Association have reached a seven-year CBA that will run through the 2032 NFL season.
Kari Seitz Inducted to National Soccer Hall of Fame
She remains the only referee to officiate in four World Cups and three Olympic Games.
Blurred Lines: The Ins and Outs of Court Boundaries
Volleyball officials are ruled by lines. The majority of our calls are centered on whether volleyballs are in or out, and many of...
Get Yourself an Injury Witness
It happens. A player has an injury in a game you’ve just officiated. You managed the players and the crowd. The trainers handled...
Doug Harvey: The Umpire’s Umpire
And for 31 National League seasons, that's just what Doug Harvey did before retiring after the 1992 season. His passion for the game...
Be a Rock, Not a Robot
When people say, “There’s no need to get emotional,” that’s probably more true for officials than for the average person. Put a regular...
NFHS Board of Directors Adopts Position Statement
The NFHS Board of Directors has approved “The Case for State High School Athletic/Activity Associations.”
Barry Mano
Founder of Referee Magazine and the National Association of Sports Officials, Dies at 82.
Umpires Announced for 2026 Maria Pepe Little League Baseball® Legacy Series
The event is named in honor of Maria Pepe, an inspiration to hundreds of thousands of females across generations.
MASL ANNOUNCES REFEREE AWARDS
The Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) is proud to announce this season’s MASL Referee Awards
Not All Double Plays Are Created Equal
Some umpires are unabashed about their love of double plays; they do serve to shorten the inning. Double plays can occur in a...
Two Right Hands Too Late: Lew Eskin and the Willie Classen Tragedy
November 23,1979 — Referee Lew Eskin stops the fight seconds into the tenth round. Middleweight Willie Classen has heard his last bell.
It was...
Wall Street Journal: Barry Mano
Barry Mano, who died March 31 at the age of 82, published the first issue of Referee magazine in 1976.
Major Miner: Jay Miner’s Remarkable Life
Pumping the brakes on a remarkable life during which he used to literally rocket close to 300 miles per hour, Jay Miner takes...