Ever Felt Overwhelmed By The Rules (And Questions) When Beginning To Officiate?

[TheOracle]

Originally Posted by DrFeelGood

I'm in the process of becoming an official but before I start to do anything I wanted to know if you've ever been overwhelmed by the amount of rules there are?

I'm 15 years in and still find times where I get rules wrong. Situations occur in games where decisions regarding rules are made. Big ones get attention, small ones usually do not. But like with any subject, if you go back and verify what you did in those situations, and more importantly learn not to repeat rule mistakes, you will get better at mastering them. Also remember, there are 2 or 3 of you, so there is nothing wrong with asking your partners for help on rules. Making sure you get it right as a crew is paramount, more important than your individual ego. Educating your crew when you do your own research--as almost everyone here certainly does--helps everyone. Read the book, but do as many games a possible, ask questions, and work with your partners to get it right as much as you can. Don't worry about anything else!