Future of Officiating

[GarthB]

It is a balancing act.

When working with a new or weak partner I'll have an intensive pregame and concentrate on game management.

I'll tell him to feel free to come to me with any questions or if he feels he's getting "in trouble." I'll tell him that I will come to him and speak privately if I feel he has made a mistake in rules, but I will not come to him in regards to any judgment calls unless he invites me. I also tell him that I will leave his game management up to him unless it appears that a situation could get out of hand, at which time I will, again, privately give him my opinon on handling the situation.

The only time I'll step in unvited is if he has ejected someone and they need to be lead away, he gets into a two on one situation and someone needs to be peeled off, it appears he is experiencing a melt-down, or to do otherwise jeopardizes someone's safety or the completion of the game. I won't throw him under the bus, nor will I let him unknowingly climb under one.