LockerRoom Volume 10 Number 8

Pick Up Your Game With a New Sport 

 

Back to the beginning. Adding a new sport and becoming, for all intents and purposes, a rookie again can help you take your game back to the basics. We reach a comfort level after a number of years officiating the same sports at the same schools. We may fall into routines that are not helpful. For example, if you are working a baseball game with an experienced partner at a school close by, you may anticipate no “surprises,” and have a truncated pregame with your partner — if one at all. Becoming a rookie again will, in essence, force you to have a meaningful pregame. Revisiting that ritual may help you to recall the value in holding such meetings with every partner prior to every game. The results can’t help but help.

By the book. When you’re new at a sport, mechanics seem more important. You tend to avoid shortcuts and laziness. Going through another rookie experience may help you sharpen your mechanics in all sports by pointing out areas where you may have started relaxing. Better mechanics give a better impression. Renewed concentration on mechanics can only help revitalize your game.

Apples and oranges. Related to mechanics is positioning. Different sports require different angles and varying visual acuity. I know football officials who felt their game improved after adding basketball because they became adept at “looking through” players to see action. Watching an 83-mile-per-hour fastball come in may help you get an eye for the volleyball spike.  

Give up the crutch. You’ve probably worked with experienced veterans who practically make the calls before the action is over. The crutch of “experienced anticipation” is not available to the new official. You must wait for the play to end before you can make a call. You slow down to pause, read and react. That is a valuable lesson for every official to recall.

I love this game. Perhaps the most critical lesson to learn from adding a new sport is the recollection of why we decided to do this in the first place: We love it! A renewed interest in the sports we’ve been calling for years will add new life to our efforts and increase the “psychic” pay we take home.The real question is not should you officiate a new sport, but why shouldn’t you?

Written by Dave Sabaini, a freelance writer and official who lives in Terre Haute, Ind.This article originally appeared in the 5/05 issue of Referee.

Ruling Favors Texas Football Officials  

A San Antonio court of appeals in June ruled in favor of high school officials Charles Harpole, Jim Carroll, Alan Kwast, Albert Lopez and Brock Pittman that they were not liable in carrying out their duties on the football field during a game in 2004. The crew has been in and out of court with Midwest Employers Casualty Company, which had been seeking damages for Brackenridge High School Coach Terry English as part of a $10 million lawsuit that was filed in 2006. English suffered a Grade 3 traumatic brain injury during a sideline collision with Harpole at a 2004 game, leaving English with impaired memory and forcing him to retire from teaching and coaching. Harpole sustained a concussion, but was not seriously injured and returned to officiating.

Midwest, in an effort to recoup expenses that it has paid and continues to pay English, was twice denied summary judgment against the officiating crew by a trial court. Midwest then went to a San Antonio appellate court earlier this year, but the court ruled in favor of the officials. Midwest still has the option to appeal to the Texas Supreme Court.

An amicus brief, filed by NASO on behalf of the football officiating crew in Texas, played a role in supporting the officials involved in the case. Below are some comments about the brief from those involved and interested in the case.

“We at NASO feel the matter at stake is of significance to all officials, football and all other sports. We feel it is vital to prevail upon the appeals court on the basis presented in this amicus.” — NASO President Barry Mano

The amicus provided multiple benefits. On the one hand, it bolstered the legal arguments and provided additional support for the court to make the ruling the way it did. The amicus can argue public policy issues and sort of provide a broader public view to the court than the parties that actually have a dog in the fight. It is beneficial for the court to have the additional analysis that the amicus provided.” — Attorney Gary Schumann, who helped to represent the officials.

“You never really know how (the courts) come to their decision or what motivates them, but it is clear to me that this (the amicus) was a good decision.” — Attorney Alan Goldberger, who drafted the amicus on behalf of NASO.

“I am proud to be a member of NASO, which will stand up for officials at all levels. What happened to Charles Harpole could happen to any of us while we are on the field or court.” — William Miller, sports official from Wichita Falls, Texas.

 

I Turned into One of Them

 

By David Knopf

It was a three-on-three soccer tournament, a “national tour stop” leading to the promised land — the finals in sunny Orlando, Fla.

I’d refereed for years, but was now coaching eight-year-olds, one of whom was my son. Our team was strong and could make the tournament finals. That singular goal, though, prompted a 57-year-old coach to act like a fool.

It was hot, and the parents had brought tents, cold drinks and snacks to keep the kids primed for several games in one day.

Before our game, I spotted a friend’s son on the field next to ours. The 13-year-old referee was crying after being yelled at by an adult coach. I don’t know what the coach said, but I was told he’d been on the boy throughout the first half and tournament officials were now reading the coach the riot act.

The damage had been done.

I took the boy aside and told him the coach was a bully. “Call your game,” I said, “and ignore him. You’re doing a great job.” He wasn’t the first young ref I’d seen in tears because an adult failed to act his age.

Much to his credit, he gathered his courage and finished the game. Feeling good about comforting and advising him, I turned to prepare my team for its own game.

It was the tournament semifinal, and a win meant we would qualify for the final and a possible trip to regionals. Our referee was tall and said little. I guessed he was in his early 20s and should’ve known better than to call the game from the halfway line, even if he was working along on a small field.

“This is for a final and these teams are busting their butts,” I yelled. “Work as hard as they are.”

I was hot.

The ref missed a call, then another. All, I thought, because he wasn’t hustling, wasn’t getting in position to see what was happening.

I was right, of course, but — as I learned later — I was also wrong.

Just as the heat of the day affected him, the heat of the moment got to me. I peppered and peppered him with comments until he told me to be quiet. He spoke calmly and didn’t show me a yellow card.

Certainly, I’d earned one. He demonstrated more restraint than I had.

My team lost what turned out to be a close, exciting game, and after the ritual handshakes, I signed the scorecard and unloaded a final volley of criticism.

It was only later that I learned what a fool I’d been.

“Do you believe that referee?” I asked my wife and daughter. “You’d expect more someone his age.”

The referee I thought was 21 or 22 was, my family said, actually 15 or 16. He just looked older.

I didn’t believe them, just as others couldn't believe Freddy Adu was actually 14 when his Major League Soccer cameo began. He, too, looked older.

There was no excuse. As a coach, I’d always preached that players should adjust to referees and play through their shortcomings. I wasn’t one to find a scapegoat.

As it turned out, I hadn’t taken my own sermons to heart.

The next day, I went up to the referee and apologized.

“I was out of line yesterday,” I said, shaking his hand. “I shouldn’t have said what I said.”

The tall boy stood quietly and listened.

As with my friend’s young son, my good judgment arrived after the damage had been done. It might’ve been true that our referee failed to hustle. But as an adult, I’d failed an even bigger test — not being mature enough to find a more appropriate way to vent my frustration.

David Knopf refereed high school and youth soccer, high school and college basketball and umpire college baseball. This originally appeared in the 8/06 issue of Referee.

 

July Poll Results 

Which of the following is the most important attribute for an official to have?

NASO members said:

38% Quality decision-making skills

34% Good people-management skills

18% Solid rules knowledge

7% Solid mechanics knowledge

3% High Level of fitness  

 

News Flash

*NW General Membership Meeting - TBD 2020

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