You are the referee for tonight’s game. You have completed the pregame conference with your crew, met with the head coaches and conducted the coin toss. Now you hustle into position for the opening kickoff. While you have probably performed that routine hundreds of times and taken it for granted, there is a long list of action items that need to be processed in order …
When the word “intentional” is mentioned, the first thing that springs to the mind of most football officials is intentional grounding. However, intent plays a role in many more acts than that. There are roughly 15 acts in which intent is a factor at least to some extent. Intentional is an adjective which means done on purpose or deliberately. Some of the synonyms that may …
No one has ever attempted to rank fouls in the order of the difficulty in calling them. However, it’s clear there is pecking order. For example, encroachment is easier to call than holding. There are some fouls which are understandably called inconsistently, primarily because it’s often difficult for a single official to see everything which …
No one has ever attempted to rank fouls in the order of the difficulty in calling them. However, it’s clear there is pecking order. For example, encroachment is easier to call than holding. There are some fouls which are understandably called inconsistently, primarily because it’s often difficult for a single official to see everything which …
It takes a great deal of fortitude to venture into the jumble of flailing arms and bodies where only linebackers dare to tread. But in addition to being fearless, umpires must be intelligent. They should be able to read offenses and defenses equally well; should talk to defensive players when they need talking to; must stand with the ball at the correct enforcement spot until …
It takes a great deal of fortitude to venture into the jumble of flailing arms and bodies where only linebackers dare to tread. But in addition to being fearless, umpires must be intelligent. They should be able to read offenses and defenses equally well; should talk to defensive players when they need talking to; must stand with the ball at the correct enforcement spot until …
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 …
