Unruly Fans and Dealing With Them.

            It is never a comfortable moment, but officials have every right to take action and remove a player, coach, or bench personnel from the game for inappropriate behavior. It is the right thing for them to do.  But what about unruly fans?  How do officials deal with the unruly behavior of people who are […]

RETENTION of OFFICIALS

Keeping officials, especially new ones, is a common problem in every organization.  Without some help and solutions, an organization may be losing many officials who may have the potential to become quality officials. Here are a few ideas to help improve and retain officials. MENTOR PROGRAM:  When accepted and supported by an organization, this program […]

Enforcement vs. Judgment

Nobody is perfect.  Human beings make mistakes.  It is a part of life.  Yet, many coaches, players, parents, and others who attend sporting events expect officials to be perfect. Like players and coaches, officials strive for perfection.  They do all they can to make the right decisions and make the correct calls to have a […]

Don’t Pass on Safety Enforcement

The IFAB Laws of The Game, specifically Law 4, states, “A player may not use equipment or wear anything this is dangerous.”  The referee’s duty is to inspect the players and substitutes before allowing them to participate in a match. Players wearing unauthorized or dangerous equipment or others are not allowed to play until the […]

Enforcement vs. Judgment

Nobody is perfect.  Human beings make mistakes.  It is a part of life.  Yet, many coaches, players, parents, and others who attend sporting events expect officials to be perfect. Like players and coaches, officials strive for perfection.  They do all they can to make the right decisions and make the correct calls to have a […]

Prepare to Have FUN

To be prepared, especially after some time since they were contacted for their next assignment, most officials will review rules and make sure their uniforms and supplies are packed and ready to go. Officials may want to think about a few other things if it has been some time since they were contacted. Make your […]

Successful Referees Use Effective Communication.

            For most of us, refereeing is not a primary job but an avocation. No matter how hard we work to do the best job we possibly can, we often find ourselves questioned and criticized for our decisions and the work we do. Generally speaking, as referees, we have a tough assignment, but unfortunately, we […]

Enforcement vs. Judgment

Nobody is perfect.  Human beings make mistakes.  It is a part of life.  Yet, many coaches, players, parents, and others who attend sporting events expect officials to be perfect. Like players and coaches, officials strive for perfection.  They do all they can to make the right decisions and make the correct calls to have a […]

Officiating non-sanctioned matches: A Good Idea or Bad?

It is not unusual for a licensed official to be asked to work a non-sanctioned match.  Whether someone has already been asked to officiate one or will in the future, anyone who is contacted needs to consider some things prior to accepting an assignment. With a referee license, an official working a sanctioned game has […]