It’s all fun and games until someone (insert injury here). Such can be the case when players get too wound up for their own good. They start to believe they really can wipe out that apparently insurmountable deficit.
Sure, a player can run faster, jump higher or swing harder in the hope that might lead to better results. But the method most players employ in such cases is to be more physical. And that’s when the game can start to go downhill.
More contact doesn’t usually produce better results. They get frustrated. Perhaps they lash out. The more likely result is more fouls and, depending on the sport, more scoring opportunities for the opponent. The opponents respond in kind. And soon, officials feel they are struggling to keep a lid on the game.
Game control starts with officials understanding the game. But in this case, that doesn’t mean recognizing the difference between zone and man-to-man defense or whether a double steal is in the offing. It starts before you arrive at the field, with knowing what’s at stake. What does the game mean to the teams?
These days, there is so much information available online. What are the standings? Have the two teams played recently? Perhaps the coaches participated in a preseason poll or a columnist has written with predictions regarding where each team will finish. Maybe you or a crewmate has previous experience with one or both schools.
That information shouldn’t directly affect your decisions in the game. You make rulings based on what happens in the game at hand, not what happened last week. But at the same time, officials must understand the assumptions and expectations of the players and coaches about what the game is going to be like. When officials understand what the players and coaches are probably thinking, they will have a better chance of knowing what they can do to keep the game under control.
Some examples of challenging game situations for officials:
- The teams played three weeks ago and one team suffered season-ending injuries to two seniors. Might some of that team be out for revenge?
- The home team has dominated the league for the last five years. The visiting team is on the rise, however, and might even have a chance at the championship. The visiting team jumps out to an early lead.
- The star player of the home school was formerly enrolled at the visiting school but left under unpleasant circumstances. Might that player and his or her teammates have extra motivation?
Besides knowing what’s at stake in the game before it starts, officials need to be alert for subtle clues about the players’ attitudes as they develop during the game. Are the players yelling negative comments to their teammates? Are they making cocky comments to opponents that are not really taunting but express an attitude?
Is one of the coaches yelling at his or her players to play more physically? Is the team that thinks it should be dominating not winning easily?
Officials who recognize the situation is getting out of control have options. One is to talk to the head coach or a player that a teammate is getting out of hand. “Please talk to number 55 and help us keep them in the game.” The player may be the captain or an obvious team leader, who is usually easy to spot.
If you understand the intensity level the players expect in a game, it will be much easier to identify which fouls require special discipline such as cards, personal foul flags, flagrant fouls or even ejections. Call the game the players expect will be called. A hard foul by one team will often result in the opponents getting more physical in response. That will quickly lead to a game that is out of control.
