Officiating two sports concurrently

[Rich]

Originally Posted by RadioBlue

I disagree with Rut and the others who say being around the sport is of no help when it comes to officiating. There are some benefits (knowledge of the game, seeing how the game is played, noticing in a general sense of what is "normal" in terms of game management and flow, etc.).

In other words, you are way ahead of someone who's never seen a football game. (Believe me, I've seen those types try and officiate. I saw a first-time baseball umpire show up to his first game with a whistle!)

With that being said, don't think for a second that your time around the game (whether playing or spectating) is going to give you much of a leg-up when it comes to officiating.

When you enter the world of officiating, come in with an open mind and a willingness to learn and work hard. My advice: don't come in believing you know a lot about the game(s), because you're just about to find out how little you really know. Best of luck to you!

The one thing that aggravates me is that coaches and casual fans think that people "that played the game" simply make better officials. I've heard some say that leagues should simply hire former players because "they understand and know the game."

You know what? There are some good/great ex-player officials. But they are great not because they played the game, but because they put the time and effort into learning how to officiate.