Beginning your Boy’s Lacrosse Officiating Journey

STARTING OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT

Presented by Buzz Lynn and Nick Tropiano

OVERVIEW This presentation is a guide to help “New” Boy’s Lacrosse officials develop and nurture their skills

PREPARATION A Good Official is well prepared both Mentally and Physically

KEEP IN GOOD SHAPE Do not lay around and expect to get in shape during the season.

KEEP FIT Remember as you get Older the players get Younger Get on the treadmill Build your stamina Exercise Ride a bike Walk

Know the Rules Read the Rule Book Make notes Go to your Local Officials Associations Meetings Ask questions Keep a journal Have a study group

KEEP YOUR PRIORITY’S IN ORDER Keep “Your Home Team” Happy. Juggling your Schedule between Home, Work and Officiating. Concentrate on the Game at Hand.

APPEARANCE “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” Look Professional – Clean Uniform, Shined Shoes. Get New Uniforms each season (Hat. Shorts, Socks etc.) Keep an Extra Uniform in Your Car or Game Bag.

PRIOR TO YOUR GAME Call your Partner Call the School If there are any conflicts, let your Assignor know immediately. Give your self plenty of time to get to the game, it is better to be early then late.

A GOOD PRE-GAME CONFERENCE -In the locker room -In the parking lot -On the phone

THINGS YOU SHOULD COVER Rules -New and Old Recent Interpretations Memos from Assignor or Supervisor Mechanics – 2 or 3 man coverage Game Expectations - What are your potential problems – Rivalry / Tensions Bench Decorum – Acceptable / Tolerated Behavior

GAME TIME Meet with the Coaches (as a Crew) Head Coach First, Get His Certification Ask for Captains and In-Home Numbers Ask if there is anything Special: National Anthem, Announcements etc..) Visiting Coach, Get His Certification Ask for Captains and In Home Numbers Relay any Special things the Coach told you

ON THE FIELD Talk to the Table Personnel

ON THE FIELD Tell the Coaches that you are available to check their players sticks Check the sticks away from the Coaches

ON THE FIELD Get your Captains for the Coin Toss minutes prior to the Game

ON THE FIELD Line-Up Check to make sure the In-Home is on the field Face Off

ON THE FIELD Be in position Anticipate the play, not the call Make the call if it happens, not before

ON THE FIELD If you’re in the right position to make the call, you’re much more likely to get the benefit of the doubt from the coach.

ON THE FIELD Hustle, but don’t hurry Don’t move for movements sake. Know where you want to be in certain situations

ON THE FIELD It is very important to give good, clear, crisp signals. You are not only communicating with the Table and the Benches…You are letting your Partner know what you are signaling.

ON THE FIELD Get the Call right. If you have to get together, do it! Nobody remembers how long it took you to get the call right, what they do remember is when you get it wrong

ON THE FIELD Confidence is not Cockiness Be Confident Look Good, and Get it right

INTERMISSION Take a Five Minute Break

ON THE FIELD Be Inconspicuous, but have a presence Help players play according to the rules You are there to make sure the game is played fair and safely Be a Good Dead Ball Official

POSTGAME Leave the field as a Crew…Quickly Do not seek out a Coach, you’re the last person that he would like to see. You don’t need him to tell you that you did a good job- you and your partners will know Anything unusual- report immediately to your Assignor or Supervisor

continued… Ask your partner for feedback. If you have time go out and have a “Few Milkshakes”, discuss the game, Ask yourselves, What could WE have done better? Or Talk about recent games. Don’t wear your stripes in a Bar or Restaurant

REMEMBER THE SIX C’s COMMUNICATION COMMON SENSE COURAGE CONSISTENTCY COOPERATION CLOCK MANAGEMENT

COMMUNICATION WITH COACHES  Good officials know how much criticism they will take. They know where to draw the line. Then “TCB”  Be a Responder, not an Initiator  Acknowledge Questions, not Statements

continued…  Speak to them at all times the way that you would like them to speak to you.  Sometimes it is good to let them vent, as long as they are not nasty.  Remember, they could be frustrated with their team and not you.  Keep your composure. Cooler/calmer heads prevail.  Do not make coaches the enemy.

CONFRONTATIONS Gauge the coach’s anger from 1 to 10, and react at least 2 “points” lower, but never higher than a “4”.

COMMUNICATING WITH PARTNERS Your partner is your only friend on the field. Do not let the Coach divide you. Do not talk to the Coach with out your partner present.

COMMUNICATING WITH THE TABLE Table people are on “our team”. When addressing the table, make it clear and concise. You might have to explain it a couple of times. Be Very Patient.

COURAGE Make the calls that you have to make. Do not let the Coach influence your call. No matter what you call 50% of the people will not like it.

CONSISTENTCY Be on the “same page” as your partners. Remember call it the same way at both ends of the field. If it’s a foul in the First Quarter than it’s a foul in the Fourth Quarter. If you don’t call it in the First Quarter then don’t call it in the Fourth Quarter.

COMMON SENSE Do Not Wake the Coaches up! Three Types of Fouls A Foul that hurts or injures A Foul that will cause an unfair advantage A Foul that the “Other Coach” sees

COOPERATION Cooperate with the Game Managers, Coaches etc. Cooperate with your Assignors Cooperate with your Fellow Officials

CLOCK MANAGEMENT Face Offs- The players should never have to wait for us to be ready Quick Restarts Know the “Game Situation” Under 4 minutes

MISCELLANEOUS DO Be Positive, Courteous, Helpful, Firm, Sincere, Pleasant and Confident

MISCELLANEOUS DON’T Be Antagonistic, Excitable, Overly Officious, Indecisive and Slow to react

MISCELLANEOUS Do not acknowledge the Fans. Most think it is ‘fair game” to yell at the Referee. They for the most part do not know the rules

MISCELLANEOUS Most fans and Coaches are not yelling at you personally, so do not take it personal They are yelling at the Stripes

MISCELLANEOUS If you have a problem with a fan, ask the Game Manager or Head Coach to take care of them. DO NOT engage at all with the fan. If a Coach or Fan come after you after a game and you feel threatened Call the police and report it to your assignor.

HAVE A MENTOR Call your Mentor with any concerns you have. (problems in a game, assignments, rule questions) Accept Constructive Criticism. (Do not be “thin skinned”) Write down things you need to work on.

Most of All…HAVE FUN!!!!!!! Good Luck this Season and Have a Rewarding Officiating Career!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME!