Conflict Management
Dealing with Obnoxious Fans
Between the lines, sports officials have every right and can take immediate action to eject a player or coach from a game for unruly...
4 Tips for Talking to Coaches
Talking to coaches is not an exact science; they are as different as anyone else you would encounter in another forum. What works with...
5 Ways to Manage Conflict
When situations explode on the field or court, it's up to sports officials to restore the peace and manage conflict. In managing conflict, showing a little empathy, demonstrating good listening skills and providing people with options rather than...
How to NOT Argue
It takes a minimum of two people to have an argument. If one person chooses not to participate, that leaves the second party blustering...
When Do Comments Go From Noise to Unprofessional Conduct?
Comments from head coaches, their coaching staffs, team supporters and fans can vary and deserve a multitude of responses. But when the comments go...
Become Unflappable with Emotional Control
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...
Deconstruct the Conflict
No two ways about it, the nature of competitive sports is one of conflict. Conflict between two opponents sets the stage for points, goals, baskets or runs scored....
Automatic Eject Button
Skim the rulebook for any high school or college sport under the section of automatic ejections and the word “flagrant” is likely to appear.
For...
Don’t Try To Win The Argument
As an official, when you are involved in a conflict, your goal is to resolve it. You have to fight the tendency to want to win the...
What to Do When Fans Cross the Line
What’s the protocol when a fan throws something on the court or field? How do you react on a personal level, and what should...
How To Handle An Instantly Irritated Coach
The legendary Ed Hightower was “on loan” to the Western Athletic Conference many years ago handling the referee duties during a Fresno State game. About 30 seconds into the...
7 Ways to Avoid Attacks
Unfortunately, in today’s culture, many officials have been followed out to their car by unfriendly people after a game. Others have been threatened during or after a...
Effective Relationships With Coaches
I was working a boys’ basketball game a few years back and the home team was getting shelled. They couldn’t shoot, pass, handle the...
Oklahoma Referee Tackles Bad Behavior Using Social Media
Veteran soccer official Brian Barlow of Broken Arrow, Okla., believes a little public shaming is not necessarily a bad thing.
Especially if it results in...
Confidence Through Strong Body Language
The score is tied in the championship basketball game with less than a minute remaining. The fans in the packed arena are on their...
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...
Fight Negative Comments with Finesse
Sometimes people will make negative comments knowing you’re an official. So how should you react? Here’s a vote for speaking up on behalf of...
Tips For Improving Sportsmanship
Turn on SportsCenter any morning and while you sip your coffee I’ll guarantee you something. Within the first 10 minutes, a big-time coach will...
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...
Breaking Up With A Partner Is Hard to Do
Cutting off an association with a crewmate or partner may be the most difficult thing an official ever has to do. Even though diplomatic...
Correcting Bad Behavior With Well Timed Warnings
W
arnings come in a variety of forms. There’s “the look,” “the stop sign” and “the quiet word,” to name a few. Each can be...
