Young Officials

[TheOracle]

Originally Posted by grunewar

I hope after many years of experience I eventually turn out like one of the good ones.

Better yet: Hopefully you will pass what you got on to the guys that follow you.

[tomegun]

One thing I think a young official should realize in this "friendlier" age is this: you can't necessarily ask for advice and give all the conditions with which that advice is given. This is similar to a "Yeah but" official at camp - if you want to constantly contradict what someone is saying to you, or in this case give the parameters for delivery, the person might simply choose to not say anything.
I had to realize a long time ago that the people who often gave me some of the hardest to swallow advice were the ones to cared the most. The people who sugar-coated things did so without sincerity.
Sure, a good word will make my chest swell temporarily, but the cold hard truth will help me get better. I always ask those who are more experienced than me to give me feedback without holding back. I also learned to ask all officials if they noticed anything in your game. This will open dialogue up with younger officials that may end up helping them more than me.