[Back In The Saddle]

I've also been running the officials for a church league for a few years now. Will this just be a youth league? Or will there be a whiner adult league as well?

Some things that have helped me:

• If you want your refs to take it seriously, you need to create a "serious tone" to the job
• Get a core group of refs that you want to work with, and focus your time on them
• Let them know your expectations for their performance. You'll be surprised at how willing most people are to step up if they know what the expectations are and have some training in "how to get there"
• Before the season, hold a clinic. Teach them basic mechanics, especially floor positioning and areas. Teach them rules basics. I use Billy Mac's "Most Misunderstood Rules" for this. Everybody loves a good "mythbusters" handout. Then put them out on the floor to work a scrimage. Run with them, ask what they're watching, stop the action when something needs to be corrected. Kind of like a mini camp situation.
• Generally the hardest thing will be getting them to blow the whistle.
• Hold a couple of meetings during the season. Keep it to an hour. Talk mechanics, rules, take questions, encourage discussion, make any observations you have. To them, you'll appear as SuperRef. I've found it helps to bridge that gap by occassionally illustrating points with tales of my own screwups
• Offer lots of positive feedback, mixed with some constructive feedback.
• Show your appreciation for their volunteer efforts
• Ensure you and your league people always back them. Nothing destroys a corp. of volunteers faster than idiot league directors cutting their legs from under them.
• Be at some of the games. Treat it like a camp situation. My refs know that if I'm there, we'll be huddling up at timeouts, half time, between games, etc. They welcome it.
• Unlike a school league, or even a wreck league, the goals and aims of a church league are such that your refs should be encouraged to go beyond merely refereeing. They should be teachers on the floor. They should ensure a proper atmosphere exists.

Hope some of that helps. PM me if you have any questions about what I've done. Or just post 'em here.