I've been tagged with making a 15 minute presentation to our officials (baseball and softball, rookie to 25 year veterans) concerning PROFESSIONALISM.

I have a few ideas about:
personal appearance
promptness
rules knowledge
proper mechanics/positioning/hustle
communication/hand signals/voice
mutual respect
calm confidence, accept the emotional environment in which the game is played - expect excited responses
leadership
interaction with fans/crowd

I'm sure that will all fit in 15 minutes.

Give me some of your ideas of what you might talk about had you been tagged.

Thanks, Tony
:D

Hi Tony,

I've been umpiring for approximately 7 years and what I have found to work for me....stick to the basics. I try to know the rules as best I can and stay focased on "the basics". I've been complimented on more that one occaision and I can trace it back to "the basics". To me, if you have the basics constantly in sight, that will help you maintain your professionalism.

Paul

Tony,

There is a Powerpoint Presentation that might help you that the IHSA has developed. You might want to download it and get some ideas. You might not be able to use everything, but it can point you in the right direction.

http://www.ihsa.org/education/index.htm

Peace

Tony, I had to do the same for basketball a couple of years ago. Here's my notes:

PROFESSIONALISM

Looking neat and clean – shoe polish

Arriving early

No excessive fraternization w/ coaches, players or fans at game site

Detailed pregame meeting w/ partner

During game - never walk when you can run

Honor all assignments and contracts committed to.

Know the rules

Look sharp enforcing them

Use common sense


Treat each game they work as though they are working the NCAA championship game because that's what the kids are treating it as.

A referee is:
Trustworthy
Loyal
Helpful
Friendly
Courteous
Kind
Obedient
Cheerful
Thrifty
Brave
Clean
Reverent

Be ethical, to have absolute integrity - not to be just "more" ethical than those who I work with. We must have standards that are not compromised.

Don't argue with coaches.
Don't get into discussions with assistant coaches.
Don't lose your temper.
Don't talk back to the fans.


Do treat the players and coaches with respect.
Do expect to be respected in return

Do keep your sense of humor.
Do treat your table staff with respect.
Do let the game take its own time, Monday Night Football isn't as important as the game you're working.

As one who has given many presentations of varying lengths, I can tell you that 15 minutes will be over before you know it.

Pick a few important points and concentrate on those. Maybe use a slide with one general listing of the things you have cited here, followed by a couple of specific examples. Or pick one element that is even more important now than in the past. No platitudes. Stay in the real world. Don't harp on obvious things they have heard a thousand times.

Loud and clear. Don't hurry. Don't feel you have to fill every moment with speech. Don't try humor unless you're good at it.

Slides are a great idea, but don't try to put too much on them. Three or four bullet points, not an ad for a camera wholesaler. Give them three, four, five solid guidelines, connected by some sort of mnemonic device like an acronym.

Sorry for the sermon, Tony, but I taught presentation skills for 15 years. Good luck!

Tony,

Everything mentioned should be projected <I><B>off the field</B></I>, as well as on the field.

<LI><B>Loyalty/respect to partners</B> and fellow sports officials can be a good trait to have in our pouch.

Have some fun with it.
mick

So Gemini...

Is it safe to assume that if someone was a Boy Scout, they are perfect for officiating ???

Just poking some fun...

From the Boy Scout Web Site:

A Scout is:
Trustworthy
Loyal
Helpful
Friendly
Courteous
Kind
Obedient
Cheerful
Thrifty
Brave
Clean
Reverent

When I says sports official, what is the first word that comes to your mind? I know with me it is allways thrifty.

thrift·y ( P ) adj. trift·i·er, trift·i·est

1. Practicing or marked by the practice of thrift; wisely economical.
2. Industrious and thriving; prosperous.
3. Growing vigorously; thriving, as a plant.

Yep nothing describes an official better than thrifty.

LDUB, we're not all perfect like you. I was simply trying to help a fellow official. Have you always been like this or is it something that has just started?

I was just joking around. Don't take it personally.

I didn't. I was poking a little too.

You guys are missing your smilies :D

Look like a professional, be on time, know and apply the rules, respect the coaches and players, and have a good pre-game discussion with your partner.