Veteran Approach
As we prepare for each season, we study rules and interpretations, casebooks and officiating manuals, and attend preseason clinics and meetings. And once the season starts, we usually have...
No Dead Ends
When the late Jerry Seeman was NFL director of officials, he developed his 10 Commandments for Officiating. Ninth on his list was: Thou shalt...
Formation Consternation Demands Concentration
Defensive players can align themselves anywhere for scrimmage plays as long as everyone is on the proper side of the neutral zone. There is...
Zone of Verticality Comes With Its Own Set of Challenges
A meeting this past season of the Wisconsin Basketball Officials Association (WBOA) saw a lively discussion break out regarding arm positioning as part of...
High Time to Talk Timing
U
mpires always stress the importance of good timing behind the plate (and on the bases, but that’s a topic for another day). But to...
4 Habits Softball Umpires Must Have
If you took a poll of coaches and players and asked them to name the skills and habits that are important for an umpire...
Nothing But Net
Work Together to Correctly Call Faults
It should be easy, but there are many factors that play into our accuracy of whistling net faults. As...
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...
Multiple Whistle Blasts Effective in Certain Situations
If you watch a basketball game closely on TV, you are bound to hear multiple whistle blasts several times. Multiple tweets are not disallowed by rule, but they...
Just Deal With It!
I
f umpiring were simply confined to ball/strike, fair/foul and safe/out rulings, it would still be a game fraught with disagreements about arbiter judgments, but...
Nail the Postseason Transition to a Larger Crew
As high school baseball enters the postseason, umpires face a major transition beyond the mere increased intensity of the games. In many states, the arrival of postseason play brings...
50 Percent Better in 45 Minutes
Do you want to be a 50 percent better umpire in 45 minutes? It’s all right here and my unique techniques are easy to...
What Happens When the Neutral Zone Expands?
The neutral zone is one of the basic tenets of a football game. In practical terms it’s the space between the offensive and defensive...
The Art of Assessments
Carl, I think I’m becoming a softy at assessments.”
Matt Slovacek is a referee and assessor from Michigan.
That was the way the email started. He...
Second Referee Is The Voice of Reason
A successful second referee needs strong speaking and listening skills. They must possess thorough rules knowledge that allows for quick, accurate answers during the heat of battle when...
The Eight-Minute Pregame
Arriving to the three-umpire system at various upper levels is the culmination of hard work, preparation and demonstration of the knowledge and skills necessary...
Anything But (Base)ic
Just as we can have rough days on the plate, we can have base games where it seems we’d be better off to flip...
Listen to Everything You Hear
When was the last time you heard someone say, “Consider the source”? That saying has been around for as long as one can remember, but what is the...
A Quarrelling Quandary
"B
lue, where was that?”
If you have not heard this question at least a hundred times, you’re probably still in your first year as an...
Intentional Groundrules
Intentional grounding is likely the rule that requires the most judgment. Any rule that requires an official to determine “intent” is prone to inconsistent...
Tips for Working With Catchers
One of the attributes of a successful plate umpire is the ability to work with catchers. The catcher is a major factor in a...
Zeroed In
One of the biggest challenges in officiating is how to be completely locked in mentally for the entire game. It is of upmost importance...
Let’s Meet Up
There are times in a game when officials should get together as a crew. There are times when officials shouldn’t get together.
During warmups is...
Filter Player Comments
“C’mon, ref! Open your eyes! He’s fouling me!” We’ve all heard that and similar phrases from frustrated players. Dealing quickly and appropriately with their frustrations and complaints is essential if...