Becoming An Official? Sports Officiating ROBERT LOSE, AHSAA SOUTHWEST DISTRICT FOOTBALL DIRECTOR LINDA HATCHETT, AHSAA SOUTHWEST DISTRICT SOFTBALL INSTRUCTOR & OFFICIAL

Qualities of a Good Official  Integrity  Knowledgeable  Teacher  Communicator  Confident  Professional  Approachable  Team Player  Fair  Calm  Alert

Course Topics  Game Management  High School Officiating Philosophy  Education Based Athletics  Professionalism & Ethics  Local Organization Structure  Similarities Between Sports  AHSAA Minimum Standards for Officials  Conflict Management  Sportsmanship  Commitment

Game Management  Be Professional / Look the Part and Do Your Job  Be in the Right Spot / Have a Firm Grasp of Mechanics  Be Focused / Focus on Your Area of Responsibility  Be Approachable / Talk to Coaches in a Respectful Manner  Be Brief / Focus on What Needs to be Communicated, No More  Be Quick / Move the Game Along  Be Humble / Deal with your Mistake and Move On  Be in Control / You May Have to Take More Serious Action

High School Officiating Philosophy Three Area of Officiating: 1. Rule Knowledge 2. Mechanics 3. Philosophy Most of the time it is referred to as the three-legged stool. When all three legs of the officiating stool are strong, we have a game the players can play, the coaches can coach, and the fans can enjoy!

High School Officiating Philosophy (Cont.) Philosophy is not something that comes easy. It takes seasons to develop and it’s something that is ever changing. The best officials approach the game with an attitude that says we never stop learning. Those who feel they know-it-all will quickly be humble in the world of officiating. The best officials are those that let the game come to them. They see what is happening, absorb the information, take an extra second to process the information and decides the impact to the play. They continually adjust their philosophy to the level of the game and the changes in the game. They are lifelong learners!

High School Officiating Philosophy (Cont.) “Officiating philosophy is described as who we are and how we handle game situations. Remember, we have the responsibility to be the Teachers of the game. This is an awesome, yet important, responsibility that we need to take seriously. The game belongs to the kids playing it. No matter what the age of the kids, it’s their game, not ours” – Retired Big Ten Referee, Tom Quinn

Education Based Athletics  Extension of Regular Classroom  Tracks, Courts, Fields, Pools, Courses are Classrooms  Compliment Educational Experiences  Inherently Educational  Enhance Academic Mission of the School  Many Lessons Learned not Taught in Academic Classrooms

Professionalism & Ethics  Officials shall bear a great responsibility for endangering public confidence in athletic contests  Officials shall be free of obligation to any interest other than the impartial and fair judging of sports competitions  Officials shall hold and maintain the basics of officiating which include history, integrity, neutrality, respect, sensitivity, professionalism, discretion and tactfulness  Officials shall master both rules of the game and the mechanics necessary to enforce the rules, safety, and shall exercise authority in an impartial, firm and controlled manner  Officials shall uphold the honor and dignity of the profession of officiating in all interactions with student-athletes, coaches, school administrators, colleagues, and the public

Professionalism & Ethics (Cont.)  Officials shall display and execute superior communications with the association, athletic directors, coaches, players and colleagues  Officials shall recognize that anything which may lead to a conflict of interest, either real, apparent, or perceived, must be avoided. Gifts, favors, special treatment, privileges, employment, or a personal relationship with a school or team which can compromise the perceived impartiality of officiating must be avoided  Officials shall prepare themselves both physically and mentally, shall dress neatly and appropriately, and shall comport themselves in a manner consistent with the high standards of the profession  Officials shall be punctual and professional in the fulfillment of all contractual obligations

Professionalism & Ethics (Cont.)  Officials shall not be party to actions designed to unfairly limit or restrain access to officiating, officiating assignments or to association membership. This includes selection for positions of leadership based on economic factors, race, creed, color, age, sex, physical handicap, country or national origin  Officials shall work with each other and the governing body of the association in a constructive and cooperative manner  Officials shall resist every temptation and outside pressure to use one’s position as an official to benefit oneself  Officials shall never participate in any form of illegal gambling on sports contests, may never gamble on any sporting event in which they have either a direct or indirect involvement, and may never gamble on events involving high school athletics

Professionalism & Ethics (Cont.)  Officials shall not make false or misleading statements regarding their qualifications, rating, credentials, experience, training or competence  Officials shall never accept an assignment for any contest for which the official has not met the minimum mandatory requirements as determined by the AHSAA  Officials shall accept responsibility for all actions taken

Local Organization Structure  Administration Structure Based on Robert Rules of Order  Weekly General Meetings  Mentoring Program  Sub-Varsity and Varsity Crews  Local Association Game Evaluations  Video Game Review  Weekly Training Meetings  Basic Training for 0-5 Years  More Advanced Training for 6+ Years

Similarities Between Sports  Integrity of the Game  Knowing the Rules of the Sport  Knowing the Mechanics of the Sport  Quality of the Official  Working as a Crew  Football – 7-Man Crew  Baseball – 2-Man Crew / 3-Man Crew  Basketball – 3-Man Crew  Softball – 2-Man Crew  Soccer – 3-Man Crew

AHSAA Minimum Standards for Officials  Register with AHSAA is mandatory!  Pay AHSAA Application Fee  Register with a local officials association  Pay local officials association dues  Complete online clinic and pass officials registration exam  Eligible to officiate All AHSAA sport levels (i.e. Middle School, Freshman, Junior Varsity and Varsity)

Conflict Management Main Tool : Acknowledgement 3-Step Method to use in Every Conflict: 1. Build Rapport – Build Foundation by Getting in Tune with your Person 2. Understand and Acknowledge – Ensure them that you understand and you respect their efforts 3. Call to Action – Instead of telling them what they shouldn’t do, tell them what to do!!

Sportsmanship  Officials should make the welfare of all players their paramount concern when administering all contests  Officials should officiate in an unassuming manner. They should maintain poise, self-control and dignity throughout the contest  Officials should never assess penalties out of anger, but rather because the behavior is inappropriate and deserving of consequences  Officials should never make their partners look bad, even when they may have missed a call

Commitment An Official should commit to:  Officiating in a fair and safe manner that ensures players and spectator enjoyment  Maintaining their physical fitness for peak performance  Faithfully keeping all appointments assigned to and accepted by them  Supporting fellow officials with loyalty, pride and dignity  Granting players and coaches dignity and self-respect  Contributing to the overall development of the officiating  Remaining committed to a continuous learning and improvement process that enables them to perform to their fullest potential

Questions ?

Robert Lose AHSAA SW District Football Director (251)

Linda Hatchett AHSAA SW District Softball Instructor & Official (251)