Leadership Officiating
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Covering pregame preparation, team-officiating and being the crew chief.
9 Points To Grade Your Officiating Crew
Most people think two teams are required for athletic competition. Officials know better. It takes three — the teams scheduled to take the field or court, plus the team...
How to Transition Smoothly with a New Partner
In many areas, we don’t have a choice about who we’re teamed with. We might have some input into the process, but the final...
How to Pass on Your Wisdom
Whether you’ve been officiating for some time or you simply have three more games under your belt than another official, you’re in a position...
The Secret of ‘Officiating Up’
“Leading up” has become a common mantra in American business. Many have read the work of University of Pennsylvania professor Michael Useem, who argues...
Five Lessons on Leadership
By George Gately
As CEO of a small, nonprofit corporation, my avocation as a soccer referee has been an adventure in learning. What began as...
9 Characteristics of a Good Mentor
Ask anyone who has “made it” in officiating about the people who have helped them along the way and they will without a doubt have a list of...
Step Up When Your Partner Needs Help
The excitement of getting an important assignment can be dampened when you discover that your partner needs help because they may not be at...
Create your own Luck
Luck has been defined as what happens when preparedness meets opportunity, and opportunity is there all the time. Question: When opportunity comes, will you...
Saying the Right Thing at the Right Time
We’re used to practicing restraint in conversations with coaches and players, because saying it like it is could cost us our careers. But should...
Stabilizing Your Crew
Matt Austin, Louisville, Ky., is a Southeastern Conference football referee who has worked in the league for 10 years. Through a quarter-century of officiating,...
Working at a Lower Level
Have you ever worked with an official from a different level? Maybe you are a well-established high school football referee and once in a...
Don’t Be Afraid to Take the Lead
There is nothing wrong with being a wallflower by nature. There is, however, a major problem with being one as an official, a lesson I was fortunate enough to...
Dictator or Facilitator: What Type of Official are You?
The late Bill Klem, perhaps the greatest umpire in the history of baseball, was once shown a photo that supposedly proved he blew a...
Decisions, Not Reactions
Officials are supposed to make decisions based on close observation of plays, not on gut reactions to the action. To do that we must rely...
Act Like the Role Model You Are
One night I drove to a rink in Amherst, N.Y., to watch the Empire State Games, an Olympic-style event for amateur high school athletes. The hockey game I...
Scrutiny Keeps Rising on Video Review
T he first time video review was used to make an officiating decision was during the 1968 Winter Olympic Games in Grenoble, France. Officials...
Poise and Dignity Go a Long Way
The best way to answer criticism may be not to answer at all. Ignoring the remark denies it credence. No one of an astute...
Be a Team Player
“I hear you, Coach, but it wasn’t my call.” That statement can send shockwaves of negativity into a situation on the court or field....
The Fine Art of Building Your Crew
Great crew chiefs are like great leaders because … well, because they are great leaders.
But in officiating, the whole is only as good as the sum of its parts....
Make the ‘Third Team’ the Best Team
Most people think two teams are required for an athletic competition. Officials know better. It takes three: the two teams scheduled to take the field or court, plus...
Move from Camp to Classroom
Every serious official has been there: in a classroom, looking at a PowerPoint as a clinician goes over a rule or positioning principle. They’ve made...
Five Quick Mentoring Tips
There may be no more important role in officiating than that of a mentor. If the next generation of officials is to become proficient...
5 Tips to Mentor the Next Generation
There may be no more important role for current officials than to be mentors. If the next generation of officials is to become proficient...
5 Mentoring Strategies That Work
Experienced officials are often asked to mentor men and women who are just beginning a career in officiating. It can be a daunting task to take on. Before you agree...
