[JRutledge]

In all the sports that I have done over the years in college and Pee Wee games, there is almost never one way to handle a situation. I have done hundreds of games in different sports. I have been a wing in football, where you are always by the coach (or at least it seems that way) and have to answer for almost everything that happens on the football field. Or on the baseball diamond as a HS and college umpire, where I have been challenged for being in perfect position and still had coaches come out and argue particular calls. And in basketball where coaches complain about because they have one foul more than their opponent. There is no one way to handle any situation. If you poll 20 different officials, you might get 20 different answers on what is best.

Your personality is what is going to come out. If you are more confrontational, you might not be afraid to essentially telling a coach when enough is enough. If you are less confrontational or timid, you might have a problem defining boundaries. Or you might just be somewhere in the middle.

Just think before you speak. You do not want to make a comment that is flippant without thinking or realizing the consequences. SILIENCE CANNOT BE QUOTED!!!! Sometimes the best thing is to say nothing. But as I said before, you have to read the sitatutions. And because you are so new (and believe me, the coaches know) coaches will be on you more than veterans that they have been seeing for years or have a reputation that preceeds them. You do not have any paint on the canvas and they are going to test what kind of ability you have or what they can influence by intimidating you. You will only learn by doing and witnessing.

As I said before, go to games with much more experienced officials. Perferably varsity or college games. Talk to the officials that are doing the games whenever possible, and go to as many Officials Association Meetings as you can to learn and fellowship with much more experienced officials and hear war stories of how they handled or did not handle situations when they were officiating in their first few years.

And finally (yes this is finally) do not stop coming here and asking questions and reading posts. This board and others can shorten the learning curve a bit, by learning what others all over the world do in handling coaches and other screwy situation that we go through on the court or field.

Good Luck and God Bless. You will do alright, we have all been there at one time or another.

Peace