6 Tips To Better See The Point
Proper positioning is being where you have to be, to see what must be seen, to make the correct decision. That includes seeing the point.
During dynamic...
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...
Take a Wedge
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...
Refereeing Gives Skills For Your Lifetime
Through three decades and nearly 3,000 games of my officiating career, I've accumulated insights, notions and generalizations I didn’t have before which I can...
Dead or Live?
Imagine that you’re working the plate in a two-umpire system. There’s a runner on second with one out. The batter hits a towering fly...
Flying Flag
On Dec. 19, 1999, Jeff Triplette — in his first year as an NFL referee — was working a game in Cleveland when he...
Four Hits or First Contact? Techniques and Tips for One of Volleyball’s Toughest Calls
Volleyball referees are tasked with making many split-second decisions during a match. One area where coaches, spectators, players and referees see things differently is when an attacked ball is...
So You Say You Want Games?
Ispent years as an umpire assigner from Little League to major college and, of course, I worked for my fair share. All have pet...
Grab Those Borderline Pitches and Help Your Game
I once worked a college game with an umpire with the proverbial postage-stamp strike zone. It lasted three hours, 31 minutes, and featured as much head-shaking by pitchers and...
No Substitute for Awareness
There is more to know than just foul or violation. Commonly astute officials might have heard once to have an awareness to what type...
Onfield Meetings – Short, Simple & Complete
Much has been written and said about the importance of perception in officiating. Image is everything, as the saying goes and that is true not only of...
Timed Properly, Appeal Plays Result in an Out
Why should umpires like appeal plays? Because we can get an out if appealed properly. An appeal play is a play or rule violation...
In the ‘Try Right Zone’
The plate umpire in fast-pitch softball faces the demanding task of making split-second rulings hundreds of times each game, regardless of the competition level....
Discretion Available For Dangerous Play
T
he prohibition against engaging in play that is dangerous or likely to cause injury to oneself or an opponent has been a part of...
Video Tips for Working as the Referee with Legendary White Hat Jerry Markbreit
Jerry Markbreit is one of the most well known and respected sports officials in the world. Not just in the football community but across...
Three Major Keys to Success in the Two-Umpire System
The three major keys to success in the two-umpire system include a system of angles, compromises and priorities. Here’s what that means.
Angles
In the two-umpire...
Improve Your View of the Play
When an article says that using your eyes properly will improve your umpiring skills, your immediate reaction is probably, “No kidding.” But upon closer...
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...
5 Rule Differences Every Referee Must Know
Many volleyball referees work multiple sports. While it is difficult to keep all the rules straight from sport to sport, it is unlikely a...
Hot Buttons
You can’t teach an old dog new tricks, and apparently you can’t get umpires — old, new or in between — to clean up...
Manipulation Or Management?
One of the attributes that separates the best referees from their good counterparts is the ability to manage a game. Good game management includes...
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...
It’s a Foul Now or Later (But Not Never)
You observe movement in either line just as the ball is snapped. You know it is a foul, but do you prevent the play...
Where Was That?
By Jon Bible
Last season, I was watching an MLB game and the plate umpire — I forget who it was — was giving the...
