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...
Appreciating Every Game
It's easy to get caught up in chasing the next assignment, the next postseason opportunity, the next rung on the ladder. But every now...
Setting the Tone
So much time is spent teaching young officials about rules knowledge, game management, proper mechanics, court coverage and the like. Heck, there are some...
Big-Small Match-up Awareness
The ballhandler dribbles up the court and, as the lead official, you are working to find the best possible position along the endline to officiate the play. Some...
Do You Take The Easy Way Out?
The officiating culture can be brutal. An easy way out of a tough situation might seem like a good idea sometimes. After all, certain officials...
Police the Pile
How does the runner usually react when he’s been tackled? The norm in college and pro football is that runners lay patiently after they...
You’ve Got the Look: Why Basketball Officials’ Appearance Matters
By Tim Sloan
It’s well known among the basketball crowd that, “You can’t teach tall.” You can train players to dribble, shoot, pass and guard,...
Five Ways to Enhance the Volleyball Officiating Experience
By Michael Flowers
When people think of volleyball referees, they often imagine someone simply blowing a whistle and calling faults. Volleyball is no different in...
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...
Forward Fumbles Lead the Way
By Joe Jarosz
Forward fumbles ruled out of bounds between the goallines will now be brought back to the spot of the fumble due to...
No Argument About It
Not all arguments with coaches end perfectly. The goal of all officials is to resolve volatile conflict quickly and to an extent that allows...
Protocols for Inadvertent Whistles
Late in the fourth quarter, the home team was up, 16-14, and the visitors lined up at the 25 yardline for what would almost...
The Best Games Include These Three Elements
Safe, fair and fun.That phrase — that triangle, if you will — contains the ingredients to the best game you’ll ever have. And there...
Ups and Downs of Jump Balls
Jump balls set the tone for the rest of the game. It’s the first action directly related to the game, and that first impression...
Body Slam
By its very nature, the game of football can be rough. With 22 heavily padded players moving at full speed in a confined space,...
Movement and Coverage Tips for the Second Referee
Volleyball referees don’t move a lot during play, compared to referees in other sports. But there are a lot of challenges involved in calling...
5 Tips for the Tag Play at the Plate
Atag play at the plate is among the most exciting plays in softball. The decision the umpire renders on a close play at home...
How to Tackle Pre-Match Responsibilities as a Team
It is important to arrive at a match with plenty of time to prepare yourself mentally as well as making sure to have enough time to conduct pre-match...
Officiating Loose-Ball Action
There are a few rulings you can make that can affect possession. Rulings such as traveling, three seconds, loose ball fouls and illegal dribble...
How to Keep Calm During Rundowns
Rundowns are usually the result of a runner being too aggressive. Depending on the level of play, players may go into panic mode. Umpires...
Goalline Extended?
By definition, progress spots are relatively simple concepts. In practice, when airborne players, striding runners, out-of-bounds status, goallines and pylons are introduced, rulings can...
3 “When In Doubt” Judgment Guidelines
According to Webster, judgment is the ability to make a decision. An official’s judgment calls will be questioned more often than his or her...
11 Hacks for Onfield Umpires
With a new baseball season rolling along, here are a few tips and hacks involving plate work that can help you out as an...