Referee

Why Crew Harmony Matters When any game assignment arrives, all sorts of questions usually race through an official’s mind. First, who’s playing? Great teams? A rivalry game? If you’re an official for the right reason, it really doesn’t matter. They’re all good. Second, where is it being played? Is it the brand-spanking-new gym across town? The loud and raucous stadium? Again, it really doesn’t matter a whole lot. But one question that does matter to officials is, who are my partners?

The most frequently utilized crew size for high school varsity contests across the country consists of five people. As stated in the NFHS Football Game Officials Manual, “Game officials must utilize hustle, angles, distance and planned compromises to observe and control the action.” With 22 players moving at high rates of speed, it’s altogether unreasonable to expect five individuals to see everything.

It’s been 10 years since former legendary boxing referee Mills Lane refereed a fight. But even after suffering a stroke in 2002 that left him paralyzed on the right side, Lane has plenty of fight left in him and continues to inspire those close to him. Her voice wavered, punctuated with sobs. The tears started slowly, like a drizzle. They picked up in intensity until it became a downpour. Kaye Lane was having a meltdown. But like a summer thunderstorm, it was over almost as quickly as it started.

It takes extraordinary strength to take charge of a Super Bowl – strength of will, of desire and of conviction. Ed Hochuli has done it twice. But the NFL referee, renowned for his skill and recognized for his muscles, has found certain weights in his life too heavy to lift. The little brother, grass-stained, sweat-soaked and sore, gazed into a pair of eyes that were acknowledging him with unwavering conviction that November night in 1967, not with the older-brother indifference he had long known.

Cohesion and unity are essential if a military unit is to function at peak efficacy. Those qualities carry over onto the football field. Scott Jacobson has worked high school football for more than three decades. A resident of Rapid City, S.D., he’s also had a long military career and is a retired colonel in the South Dakota Army National Guard.

The coin toss is the first visible and formal chance to make everyone comfortable the game will be fairly administered. Associations and other authorities have adapted their own modifications to the ceremony, but what follows is the template for a high school crew of five. The coin toss is normally conducted in the center of the field three minutes before the game. The toss may be held at an earlier time off the field if both coaches agree or if the state association mandates a different time.

In a 40-year officiating stretch, Jon Bible hit some mighty high peaks — seven College World Series assignments as a baseball umpire and three Big 12 championship game assignments as a football referee. He also skimmed some deep valleys — his firing from the NFL in 1996, being called a scab and losing friendships for working the 1984 AL Championship Series as a replacement umpire. It was a wild ride, but Bible had few regrets.

For many, the offseason is welcomed in the same way a teacher welcomes summer break — with open arms. You ’ve worked hard but now it’s time for a break. Let’s be honest with ourselves though, no matter the profession or how long the supposed break is, there is always work to be done. Here are seven ways to maintain your “A” game in the offseason. Teach Find a way to get involved with new officials through being a clinician at camps or through your association. Teaching is an excellent learning tool.

Deciding when to issue a card during a match is a delicate balance of art and science. Some situations require immediate action, while others call for careful judgment, clear communication and effective behavior management. Knowing when to communicate — and when to card — is key to keeping the match fair and under control. Automatic Infractions: When to Card Immediately Certain behaviors require an automatic card to maintain the integrity and safety of the match.

Over the last five decades, this magazine has provided innumerable tips on how to improve as an official, maintain a work-life balance, maintain a healthy lifestyle and interact with assigners, players, coaches and fellow officials. We’ve printed entire books on those and other topics. So, the advice that follows isn’t new or groundbreaking. It may not be considered the very best counsel. But there’s no denying it’s valuable information you can use in your officiating. 1.