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Don’t Lose Focus

Some inexperienced second referees lose focus at times and turn their attention away from the net too soon to watch that great defensive play in the back row. As...

You Say It Best When You Say Nothing At All

I’ve always felt the following are some of the greatest sayings relating to speaking: “You can’t be misquoted for something when you say nothing.”...

Prevent Timing Errors

There are three seconds to play in the game. The score is tied and team A must go the length of the court to...

Optimal Positioning at Home Plate

The evolution of the mechanics of calling plays at home plate has been fascinating to observe. Plate umpires can make decisions on 250 to 300...

Have Patience Considering Continuous Motion

“Two shots,” or “Going up!” Terms that are not used often enough. What many hear more often is, “No, on the floor!” Ask yourself what...

Think A-Head

Athletes in many sports that involve contact, either against opponents, teammates or with the ground/floor, are susceptible to concussions, a brain injury that interferes...

Infield Flies not on the fly

One of the more difficult situations in softball are those involving the infield fly rule. While all the codes agree on when the rule...

See the Three, Be the Three

At three different umpiring camps I have attended over the past two offseasons, I have heard one conference coordinator use the same phrase repeatedly:...

Dig Deep to Evaluate Your Game

I teach entry-level classes and frequently get situations about how the referee messed up and the player got a card for doing nothing. Let’s...

Cue on Defender to Officiate 3-Pointers

With the game transitioning more and more to outside jump shots and three-point attempts, officials need to focus on three separate but similar areas: Monitoring defensive players as they...

The Game Of The Century – Notre Dame vs. Michigan State 1966

In a game that featured number one against number two — Notre Dame vs. Michigan State — college football fans were highly anticipating which...

Team Officiating Beyond Out-of-Bounds Plays

Officials who are looking for a way to distinguish themselves should look no further than the topic of team officiating. The best officials at all levels have...

Tips On Staying Present

As an umpire, even we get nervous once and a while or you start to focus on a previous play. Maybe as the field umpire, your mind...

Honesty Starts with Yourself

If you’re not being honest with your partners, you’re lying to yourself, too. All too often, basketball officials attempt to leave the impression that every...

Thinking Outside the Box

The NCAA Softball Rules Committee and the Playing Rules Oversight Panel recently approved a significant amount of rule changes for the upcoming 2022 and...

Type Casting

T o be a top official you must understand coaches, their goals, their methods and their tactics. Coaches’ personalities range from timid to terrible, from...

Here’s Your Sign

During its annual June meeting, held virtually for the second consecutive year due to the ongoing COIVD-19 pandemic, the NFHS Baseball Rules Committee voted...

Check the Scoreboard after each Rally

During our careers, each of us is bound to hear those irritating words shouted by parents or spectators or a team, “The score is...

Keep Focus Sharp at the Buzzer

Most of us are well aware that bad judgment or lack of focus in the last minute of a game can destroy the other...

Take Your Line Judge Game to the Next Level

Line judging, at any level, has its challenges. The game can move quickly and there are so many things to watch and think about...

Three of the Toughest Judgment Calls

In most seasons, false starts are the most frequently occurring fouls and arguably the foul that requires the second least amount of judgment (calling...

For Basketball Officials, the Journey is the Destination

To achieve maximum personal success and productivity as a basketball official, one has to be highly motivated and have a positive attitude. Furthermore, to reach and...

Formal Check or Not, Illegal Equipment Deserves Attention in NFHS Play

N FHS rule 4-3 requires an illegally equipped player to leave the field and not return until the next legal substitution opportunity. For the first...