Blurred Lines: The Ins and Outs of Court Boundaries
Volleyball officials are ruled by lines. The majority of our calls are centered on whether volleyballs are in or out, and many of those...
Not All Double Plays Are Created Equal
Some umpires are unabashed about their love of double plays; they do serve to shorten the inning. Double plays can occur in a variety...
Timeout Talk: When Officials Should Huddle
In most sports, teams are allotted a specific number of timeouts so coaches may confer with players. Although timeouts may also be used in...
How to Have a Playoff Mentality On and Off the Field
For those lucky enough to be chosen for postseason assignments, it’s a reward for a job well done during the season. But there can be pitfalls. Most umpires do...
Sideline Officials Cannot Just Wing It
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eferees have a great deal on their plate. Before the opening kickoff they perform organizational duties, and conduct the pregame meeting and onfield tasks...
How to Identify and Address Taunting on the Pitch
How many times have we heard the “sportsmanship” complaint? The conversation usually starts with comments about the fans, coaches, and players and morphs into...
Detecting When a Player is Hit by the Pitch
Determining whether a batter was hit by a pitch can sometimes be a challenge for the plate umpire. Sometimes an umpire will have to...
Proper Three-Person Rotations Rely on Science and Art
As more states and officials’ associations transition to three-person mechanics, lead officials need to become more active and recognize when to rotate ball side.
Gone are the days of...
Make the Most of Your Postmatch Conversation
After finishing a match, what is the next obligation of an official? Should you have a postmatch conference with your team, or should you...
How to Get the Infield Fly Rule Right Every Time
One of the more difficult situations in softball are those involving the infield fly rule. While all the codes agree on when the rule...
Stay Accurate Above the Rim
One of the most difficult areas of the game to officiate is action that occurs above the rim.
At lower levels, the type of athleticism...
Little Things, Big Consequences
Newer umpires sometimes think if they master the rules and mechanics and have good judgment their careers will take a steady upward trajectory. There’s...
Pivot Foot Recognition Is Key to Calling Traveling Correctly
When James Naismith invented basketball in the late 19th century, he was looking for a healthy indoor sport to tough out the Northeastern winters. He wanted something that avoided physical...
8 Pre-Pitch Planning Points Every Softball Umpire Should Know
With each batter and before every pitch, umpires must do some pre-pitch planning. Where do I go on a hit to the outfield? A hit to...
Softball Umpire Pregame Preparation: Set Your Crew Up for Success
Pregame preparation is one of the simplest ways softball umpires can improve game management, crew communication and consistency. Here’s what to cover before the...
Seven Kinds of Hustle
Hustle means different things to different sports officials. Many think of hustle as pure speed, getting from one place to another as fast as...
Locked In: Lessons From a Triple-A Crew
I recently watched a Minor League Baseball crew work a Triple-A game at Coolray Field in Gwinnett, Ga. At that level, you expect professionalism,...
Back-to-Backs Provide Unique Opportunities
Before I ever called my first basketball foul, I was a young, successful soccer official. The good news was that, at 22, I still...
Inside Look: 2025 CFP Championship Game Officiating Crew
When Ohio State linebacker Jack Sawyer completed his scoop-and-score after sacking Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers with a little more than two minutes remaining in...
Three Keys to Plate Perfection
Do you sometimes suddenly feel like you’re struggling at the plate? One game, you’re fine, and the next you’re just … off? Take a...
Call With Authority, Not Theatrics
As umpires, we know we must sell our calls — especially the close ones. But how we sell them matters. Over the years, the...
Catcher You Later
By Jon Bible
A long-standing topic of debate in baseball circles is how we should relate to catchers. There are several schools of thought.
I’ve heard...
Captains’ Meetings That Matter
A basketball captains meeting plays a critical role in setting expectations and building respect before the game ever begins.
So much time is spent teaching...
Volleyball Referee Stand Safety: Prevent Disaster With Standard Checks
Volleyball referee stand safety must be part of every prematch routine to ensure a secure officiating environment.
Referees have a tough job. They have to...