Hot Topics
Home Hot Topics
General items of interest to all officials that don’t fit in the categories above.
When a State Draws the Line on Sportsmanship
It’s no secret that sportsmanship issues are an ongoing issue in high school athletics. The North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) decided to address the issue head on....
Are Big Calls Even A Thing Anymore?
The proposition is simple enough: safe or out? foul or not? catch or no catch? A good official has had hundreds of big calls in his...
Should Sports Officials Be Suspended?
Officials strive to do the right thing, enforce the rules correctly and administer the game properly. But inevitably, mistakes will happen. Sometimes it’s an error in...
Suspensions and Terminations Impact All Officials
Officials have never been under greater scrutiny. In the wake of high-profile officiating suspensions and terminations, Referee publisher Barry Mano examines the deep impact...
You Think Writing Rules Is Easy?
When I think about the process of writing rules, I remember a "The Far Side" cartoon in which some solemn-looking American colonists were gathered around another...
Why I Love Officiating
No matter what sport or level we work, we are bonded. We are drawn together by a passion for officiating those outside the industry...
Camp Preparation Do’s and Don’ts
You can stand out at an officiating camp best by doing exactly what your prospective boss expects in everything that matters. What matters? Here...
NFHS Executive Director Weighs in on Support of Officials
Dr. Karissa Niehoff needed no prompting to address the elephant in the room.
“We’re definitely supportive of the great work that our officials are doing,...
Inventive Incentive
L
ate last winter the math became clear for Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) State Commissioner of Officials Brian Gessner.
“We’re not doing a very good job...
2023 Mel Narol Medallion: NFLRA
The National Football League Referees Association (NFLRA) was awarded the 2023 NASO Mel Narol Medallion Award in Riverside, Calif., on Tuesday, Aug. 1, during...
Can We Improve the Culture of Sports?
“I did not like being a referee one bit, and I’m very happy to be done with it. It was very stressful, and I...
Master of the Rules
Mastery of playing rules doesn’t just mean ‘knowing’ what a rule reads
Rod Serling might have put it this way:
Imagine you’re attending your final year...
The Game of Life
The coronavirus crisis has disrupted our individual and collective life rhythms. Rhythm generally means, a movement marked by the regulated succession of strong and...
Summit @ Home Program Resonates
The Summit @ Home, which ran from Aug. 24 to Aug. 27 was a resounding success. Nearly 10,000 officials from around the U.S. and...
Video Changing the Face of Officiating
One of my favorite books is Instant Replay. The author, Jerry Kramer, was an All-Pro guard for the Green Bay Packers. In 1968, he...
Rule Changes That Changed Everything
Officiating standards and practices have changed considerably over the course of time. So have the rules all of us are expected to know and enforce. The evolution of the rules...
Ernie Yarbrough Accepts Mel Narol Medallion
The award was presented in Atlanta on Tue, July 30, during the Celebrate Officiating Gala, sponsored by Fox 40.
Catch This If You Can
It’s a question fans have debated for years: What’s the hardest thing to do in sports? Hit a baseball? Shoot par in golf? Score...
The Facts Behind Bad Sporting Behavior
Sports and American culture — the two are practically inseparable. Young children through those in their golden years get a thrill from the engaging...
More Players, Fewer Officials Point to Trouble Ahead
The NFHS reports a 16 percent increase nationally in the number of boys playing high school soccer in 2018 compared to 2009. While this may thrill soccer enthusiasts, it’s...
Prevent Mistakes on Obscure Rules
Over the past three decades, video review and replay have become staples in game administration. Officials’ judgment is often subject to review, and there...
Our Guide to High School Replay
Since its regular season introduction to pro football officiating in 1986, replay has found its way into nearly all of the major professional sports. Even the so-called beautiful...
Big Data’s Increasing Role in Sports Officiating
Rusty Acree got a call from Bill Carollo this past year, asking him to provide three years of Power Five (P5) replay data from...
Defining the “It” Factor
Rules knowledge, mechanics and making the right calls are important. Missing any of those elements can break your career, but having them won’t make...