How many would be umpires

[DownTownTonyBrown]

All the facets mentioned are intertwined.

Rules knowledge gives you confidence - a definite game management/social skill.

Mechanics gives you judgement. Without proper mechanics, one cannot be in the proper position to make the correct calls.

Rules knowledge without game management and social skills makes for the worst official - blind, impersonal enforcement of the rules leads to lots of screaming.

Hustle is a fundamental of proper mechanics. As are appearance and voice. They are also elements of management and social skill.

I like the 80%/20% rule and tend to feel that success for any endeavor in life is 80% attitude (social skills and management) and 20 % knowledge. I also feel that this 20% (rules knowledge and mechanics knowledge) is readily learnable - read the books. Whereas the 80% (attitude/social skills/management) is not so readily learnable. Some come by it naturally; others, like myself, need to work at it and continuously remind ourselves to maintain the proper attitude.... I tend to defend myself and become angry/upset when only a second more thought would have allowed me to maintain complete composure and impartiality.

Personally, I think I might score 18-19 out of the 20% but probably more like 65 out of the 80%... I'm still working on it.

The FED tests are ridiculous. I think they are more intended to get you into the rule and casebook than they are to test your game knowledge. But maybe they are appropriate because I find most coaches are ridiculous also...

Oooohhh my.... There I go again. Still working on it.