[sportswriter]

As a new-ish (halfway through third year) official, I think I can concur with many of the other comments here, but I'll touch on a few.

+ appearance is vital
+ learn the rules, and signals.

Now here are the two I think I still have to work on, and suspect a new guy/gal will also have to deal with.

DON'T THINK.

If you THINK you have a penalty, you probably don't.
If you KNOW you have a penalty, you probably do.
If you don't see the ball, don't THINK it might be dead. In short, if you aren't SURE, don't throw the flag or blow the whistle.

And two - GET FIT.

Your body is a platform off of which everything else operates. Like an athlete, an official becomes more likely to make mistakes.

When you break down the duties of most positions - especially the sidelines where most officials start out, you may find yourself making some 20-30 decisions/actions PER PLAY. Screw one of those up, and you're doomed. If you're too busy panting, you're more likely to miss one of those decisions.

Here in the great white north, the CFL referees are in top shape. I can't ref their games, but I can be in good shape. Last year, I put in over 100 hours of book-study and pre-season physical training. This year, I plan on doing much the same - if not more. (I've gained weight... sadly.)

I may be entering this coming fall as a third-year guy, but I want to be a third-year guy that has a resting heart rate below 50, and isn't sweating like a pig after the third play..... and believe me, in hot climes, physical conditioning is VITAL.

I'd suggest working on aerobic potential (lots of sprinting- not jogging SPRINTING, to build endurance and simulate the job at hand). Core exercises to ensure the back doesn't break down with running, or tripping over a pothole/player/coach/whatever.