“What does it take to become a Successful Flank Official?”
Mentors / Mentoring / Leadership Mechanics Rules Knowledge, including proper enforcement of all penalties Physical Appearance Physical Fitness Communication Skills Confidence / Presence Pre-Snap “Money Plays”
Mentors ◦ Finding a mentor ◦ Accepting feedback, both positive and negative Mentoring ◦ Time to give back ◦ Looking for opportunities to mentor Leadership ◦ Taking active roles in local associations
Purpose of Mechanics ◦ Puts us in the right place to make the right call. ◦ Proper mechanics portray confidence that you are in the game. Pre-snap Routine Communicating with Partner, with Referee, Umpire, and Back Judge
Flank officials are the communicator with the head coach regarding penalties and enforcements. Flank officials must know the enforcements and available options to be able to communicate with the coach. Study one rule per week. Rules study is year round.
What does your physical appearance say about you? ◦ Confident, takes pride in appearance or lazy, lacks confidence. ◦ Coaches, AD’s, fans get less than a minute to size you up. How do you appear to them? Updated and clean uniform ◦ New Hat – Each year ◦ Shirt – clean, not wrinkled, stripes are white and not gray ◦ Knickers / Black Pants – clean, white, not yellow, pressed ◦ Socks – new each year if striped, are you wearing black socks with black pants ◦ Shoes – polished, cleaned, not covered with mud
Are you in shape? Are you overweight or could stand to lose a few pounds? Can you keep up with the players for 48 minutes? Can you cover your sideline from goal line to goal line and be in the right position to make the difficult call?
Sideline Crew Chain Crew AD
Are you confident in your abilities? Do you portray that or come across cocky and arrogant? Do you command respect? Are you in control at all times?
Do you have one? Is it written down? Is it consistent or does it change week to week?
Line to Gain Goal Line Close sideline plays DPI / OPI