Art Of Officiating
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Covering conflict management, the psychology of officiating, best practices and officiating/life balance.
An Effective Way To End The Argument
It is human nature to argue. When someone challenges your authority, your opinion or your knowledge, it’s normal that your first reaction is to...
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 guy...
6 Common Errors and How to Avoid Them
It seems no matter how long a person has been officiating, and regardless of the sports he or she works, any official can fall...
Finding Acceptance as the New Person in Town
When I accepted the offer to join Referee as an associate editor in January, I had next to no concerns about how I’d fit...
Ed Hochuli On Balance
It takes extraordinary strength to take charge of a Super Bowl – strength of will, of desire and of conviction. Ed Hochuli has done...
Does Appearance Still Matter If You Get the Calls Right?
Beards and tattoos have become much more prevalent and accepted in today’s society than in years past. You see them on everyone from CEOs...
Try Angles
There is one thing I find more important than all others in getting my calls on the field and on the court correct: the...
Four Errors You Might Be Making
We don’t like it when we mess up. Yet, in trying to eliminate errors, most of our focus is on rules and mechanics. The...
Strategic Planning For Your Officiating Career
Do you sometimes feel that your officiating career has grown stagnant, that your future seems unclear and that you’re not sure where you’re heading...
When to Retire
Are you thinking about retiring soon, or do you think that decision is years from now?
In talking to people about retiring from any job,...
Week In The Life of An SEC Football Official
SEC FOOTBALL OFFICIATING WEEKLY PROCESS
SATURDAY
From the SEC Football Command Center, monitor games as well as internet and social media and note issues for...
Getting the Play Right Is Not Enough
Many officials can cite large swaths of the rulebook from memory. Others know down to the inch where the mechanics manual says they’re supposed to be on the field or court. But...
Conflict of Interest?
Conflict of interest. Whether it actually exists between an official and coach or administrator or family member or whatever the case, when that phrase...
6 Qualities That Get You Respect
In a business environment, you know the people you don’t like to work with. You know the laggards, the braggers and the ones who shove daggers in your...
Employ Active Recruitment To Get New Officials
How would you feel if you were thinking of getting into officiating and these were the recruitment slogans thrown at you?:
“Tired of the...
16 Unwritten Rules Of Officiating
1. When you “think” you saw something, YOU DIDN’T.
There are times you will be focused on action in your coverage area but something on...
Why Are You Talking?
When it comes to the necessities needed in becoming a successful sports official, the art of conversation might not seem to be high on...
What It Takes To Get What You Want
S
ome years ago, Brian Tracy, one of the world’s leading experts in personal development, said, “Success is goals and all else is commentary.”
Imagine the...
Taking the Officiating Plunge in a Father’s Footsteps
If you were offered a job where you had to travel, sometimes long and far, got frequently criticized when you performed your duties and...
Are You Mentor Material?
Mentoring is a great way to give back to the avocation, but it’s not for everyone. So what does it take to be the...
13 Immutable Laws of Officiating
There is no sense in building an architectural masterpiece on a sand dune. The view might be great but it will be short-lived and very expensive. It might be part of our...
Are You a Reactor or a Decision-Maker?
Officials must be decision-makers versus reactors. Officials are trained to
make decisions based on plays and not just be reactors to the action. Rely...
The Right Way to Share and Accept Criticism
W
hich of the following is defined as “the art, skill or profession of making discriminating judgments”?
a. Sports officiating.
b. Studying texts for the purpose of...
Lessons Beyond the Games
It’s Worth the Wait
“I’ve officiated football and volleyball since 1978 and worked the volleyball state finals in 1994, even though my self-evaluation had me...
