25 Most Important Things
 

This was passed along to me. I thought it had some good stuff in it for all of us camping this summer!


25 Most important things to know about officiating


1-Don’t make excuses

2-Ninety percent of officiating is being a “people person”

3-Officiating is seldom fair

4-Keep player safety number one

5-Understand the intent of the rules not just the rule

6-You have an obligation to hold yourself to a higher –than-normal ethical standard

7-Expect criticism and learn how to handle it

8-Officiating builds skills for a lifetime

9-Never let your signals convey your emotions

10-Always have a pregame meeting

11-If you’re going to blow the whistle, blow it hard

12-Understand that you will make mistakes

13-Don’t criticize other officials

14-Be professional

15-Know your role

16-Be prepared

17-Continuing study is a requirement

18-Body language will do you in quicker than a lack of knowledge

19-Pour no gasoline ie coaches, players and fans

20-You don’t care who wins

21-You must have a reverence for the rules

22-Don’t carry over feelings to the next game

23-Remember where you came from

24-You referee who you are

25-Carry out your responsibilities in a way that brings credibility to the officiating product

I love the list. I'm going to print it and hand it out at our next meeting.

I did get a chuckle out of the fact that Player safety being number one was actually #4 on the list :)

Now THAT'S funny. :D

Don't like 2 & 3.

Like 5 & 22.

Really like 7.

The number may be high, but the fact is the vast majority of most jobs is being a people person. That's what separates varying levels.

And nothing in life is really "fair." That's just how it is, and ignoring it tends to lead to violating #1.

This. So much this. It can do nothing to help you and can only hurt you. Really "Don't criticize" is a good mantra for most parts of life.

“Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain - and most fools do. But it takes character and self control to be understanding and forgiving.” ― Dale Carnegie

This strikes a chord with me because I've heard a coach use this very term.


"___________ is a people person. It's hard to stay mad at him."

The unspoken part is that he gives you so many opportunities to get mad.

You can be a people person and still be a lousy official.

I do not think this list or anyone has said that being a people person is the only gauge of ability. But if all things being equal the person that can deal properly with people will be put higher on the list as opposed to the person that only calls the game and pisses everyone off. Right or wrong, we have to communicate and deal with people. That also does not mean you have to be liked by everyone either.

Peace

You're right, they didn't say it was the only gauge. :rolleyes:

I get out of this that most of what we do is dealing with people. I really do not make it much more complicated than that. You seem to think this is mutually exclusive to other things we do.

Peace

Every official gives a coach many opportunities to get mad. That has to do with the coach mostly, not the officials.

But some officials know how to handle those coaches better than others do. And being able to handle a coach is not mutually exclusive to being a good "game-calling" official. Being able to handle those coaches is still a weakness of mine. It's something I have to learn to do better just like I had to learn better judgment, how to hustle, how to run, how to get in position, how to adjudicate rules.

#3 for Five Hundred, Wink
 

#3 is not correct.
Officiating, without bias, favoritism, and me-ism typical with fans, players, and coaches, is wonderfully fair.
What's not fair is the reaction to it, often.

#3 is, however, a good discussion starter on the topic. Worthy to keep on the list.

I took #3 to mean that officiating isn't fair in terms of advancement, or game assignments, or other aspects not relating to calling a game. In other words, there's going to be politics, favortism, good ol' boy stuff regardless of your skill or ability. It may not be fair, but we shouldn't be in it for the "fairness"....at least that's my interpretation of #3.

Every item on the list can probably be debated...but I like the list in it's entirety. It's a good thought provoker.

Agreed.

That's how I interpreted #3 as well.