By Gerry Grunska Recently I witnessed a victory that was essentially accomplished through timing errors by the officials. The process went like this. Time was running out for team A, no timeouts left, ball on team B’s 40 yardline. A 20-yard pass to team B’s 20 yardline, caught near the sideline, gave team A a first down with about five seconds left. The line judge …
Teamwork can be traced back to the Neanderthal age. It has been used to find food, build shelter, drive away enemies and protect the weak and the young. It has greatly contributed to the survival of the human species and many others as well. According to Laura Benjamin, an internationally known management consultant, scientists have …
Football Crew Success Depends on Working Together Read More »
If you’re used to working on a crew with the same people from week to week, you know that you can quickly reach a comfort level. Everyone knows what to expect from each other on and even off the field, but it can be hard to know how to handle a new crew member. I’ve …
“Don’t Talk To My Kids!” Ever heard that shouted from the sideline? Coaches don’t want officials coaching their players. They do want officials to help their players avoid dumb penalties. How do you walk that line and make sure the game is played the way it’s supposed to be played? Here’s my situation: The high school team …
Trying to manage a football game would be nearly impossible without effective and pointed communication. Although managing players is primarily the responsibility of the coaching staff, officials can facilitate the conduct of the game if specific officials manage certain players. To do that, officials must talk with players frequently. There are a few special relationships and here are the most notable ones. Referee/Quarterback The referee’s first …
Official/Player Communication Influences Conduct Read More »
There are four questions that no referee wants to ask when a foul has been called. That’s because they should have been asked and answered by the calling official before he reported to the referee. The four queries are: Who committed the foul? What was the foul? When did the foul occur? Where did it occur? Let’s break those down and see why they are …
24Communication between officials and coaches is extremely important and is an essential element of a properly officiated game. Most coaches identify good communication as the single most important attribute of an official. There are limits, however. Being able to recognize when not to engage is as important as knowing what and when to have proper …
By Jon Bible My eyebrows raised a bit when it was suggested I write a column on bad habits because it implied I had messed up everything there is to mess up on the field. But I soon realized I have and that it’s a good topic. What follows is a list of five things, …
It was the championship game for the local semi-pro league with a crew of six officials. A pass was intercepted and the down ended near the sideline. The side judge promptly called for a new ball, but the ball assistants were nowhere near to be found. After what seemed an eternity, they were located behind …
Even if you are too young to have watched the TV show, you should be familiar with the Lone Ranger, a fictional character that has become an enduring icon of American culture. He is a masked ex-Texas Ranger who, with his Native American companion Tonto, fights injustice in the American Old West. His alter ego …
