[Back In The Saddle]

I think the biggest problem/challenge/opportunity, that comes from being a good official is that you are frequently partnered with weaker officials. This is something you're going to have to learn to do, and do well. Here's what I've learned so far:

• Communicate, communicate, communicate
• Take care of everything in your area. Obviously not normally a problem, or you wouldn't be where you're at. But we have to do our own work first.
• Expand your area some, to help out when you can, and when it's appropriate
• Call your game, and let your partner adjust. How else will they learn if not by your example?
• Let your partner make mistakes. It's how you and I learned. It'll work for him/her too.
• Free your partner to focus on the game. You take care of the coaches, table, everything that isn't directly related to refereeing the action between the lines.
• Be aware for the whole crew. Know foul counts, arrow, time out situation. Communicate this to your partner. Get the shooters. Know where you'll restart after timeouts.
• If the game is tanking, step it up.
• Realize that you're almost always be better off with a any partner than no partner. So keep him/her in the game.
• If everything else truly fails, you may have to take over the game entirely. This is not a good experience for your partner, but your loyalty is to the game first.
• Be positive, instructive, supportive. But also be honest. Never send a partner who wants to learn home with a, "You did fine. Just keep it up." And never send a partner who doesn't want to learn home with false praise.

As always, just my $0.02