Art Of Officiating

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Covering conflict management, the psychology of officiating, best practices and officiating/life balance.

‘Big Time’ Attitude is for Small People

Virtually every local association or chapter has at least one official who has “made it big,” the member who has worked a state championship...

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...

What’s Acceptable Contact Between Officials & Participants?

The issue of the propriety of any two human beings touching one another runs the gamut of the human condition; from liberal to conservative, man to woman, western to eastern....

Earn That Good Reputation

Ever try constructing a tower out of playing cards? It isn’t easily built. Once achieved, it’s something to be proud of. But one wrong...

Climb Your Mountain

A mountain is such a commonly used metaphor because it provides beautiful imagery to our goals and the challenges we face to reach them. Every...

Rehearse Fundamental Judgments

Officials can develop healthy habits that have nothing to do with streamlining their diet or counting calories. Many sports have repeated practices or habits...

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...

5 Post-game Discussion Strategies

It’s been a long day. There was the travel to the event, the pregame meeting, a long grueling contest, some testy coaches, an opinionated...

Pregame Meeting Etiquette

Pat the referee arrives at Hometeam High School for a basketball game. With Chris, the inexperienced partner, in tow, Pat approaches Hometeam Head Coach...

Techniques to Speed Up Games

One of the great debates in sports these days is how long it takes to play the games. Television has been a great boon...

Use Your Confidence for the Good of the Game

Confidence is not a suggestion when it comes to being good in this avocation. It is at the core of what it takes to...

Top Tips to Terminate Tiffs and Tough Talks

Not all arguments with coaches end perfectly. The goal of all officials is to resolve volatile conflict quickly and to an extent that allows...

Learn Lessons From Sports You Don’t Work

“What’s My Line?” was a popular TV game show 45 years ago. Larry Blyden was the host and the premise was that four celebrities had to guess...

7 Ways to Hone Your Edge in the Offseason

For many, the offseason is welcomed in the same way a teacher welcomes summer break — with open arms. You ’ve worked hard but now it’s time for...

Get it Right the Next Time

We’ve all had one. Or two. Or 102. That moment when stark reality hits and you realize you have just kicked the ever-living daylights...

Why R You Officiating?

Officiating is an avocation, and no two people come to it the same way or for the same reasons. I knew that whatever I...

Tips on Handling Blowouts

Sometimes games are less than games; they are a mish-mash of horrendous play and lopsided scores. Officials can either contribute to the mayhem or else...

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 in sports...

It’s Not Your Timeout

A timeout provides officials with an opportunity to galvanize, regroup, clarify or simply maintain focus on the game at hand. What can a person do in 60 seconds? An Olympic-level...

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...

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...

The Big Difference Between ‘Hearing’ and ‘Listening’

There are essentially five reasons why people listen: to gain information, to empathize, to anticipate responding, to make judgments and to enjoy the reception...

Leave Your Bad Day at Home

Television newsman Neil Cavuto says, “There’s nothing wrong or evil about having a bad day. There’s everything wrong with making others have to have...