MHSAA-Referee Magazine-January 2024

BASEBALL

FOUL FAIR / FOUL CALLS

ALL SPORTS

MYTHINFORMED

SOCCER

IT’S ABOUT TIME

SOFTBALL

FOOTBALL

WRITE RIGHT

IN THE SIDE ZONE

VOLLEYBALL

USAV NEW RULES

JANUARY 2024 // REFEREE.COM

TAYLOR MADE 138

YOU ARE THERE

P. 76

SHIP IT! BASKETBALL

WHAT’S FAIR, WHAT’S NOT?

TESTING TESTING

P. 20

TONY BROTHERS P. 36

NORTH TO LASKA P.48

your voice member since edition 1976 $6.95 Cover_0124.indd 1

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CONTENTS

JANUARY 2024 Volume 49, No. 1 Issue 567 32

FEATURES TESTING: 1, 2, 3

24

Officials must demonstrate their rules knowledge. Is there a “right” way to do it?

VINTAGE TONY

35

Tony Brothers: NBA Referee.

Restaurateur. Future Mayor?

48

BARROW BOUND

76

YOU ARE THERE: BOMBS AWAY

A group of football officials ventured north to Alaska to a high school field near the top of the globe.

Grinnell’s Jack Taylor sets NCAAM single-game scoring record with 138 points.

SPORTS 16

ON THE COVER Jeff Wightman La Mirada, Calif.

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Age: 62 Occupation: Retired after 25 years with the City of Vernon, Calif.

Officiating experience: 21-year basketball official, including seven years officiating women’s college basketball

SOFTBALL

No Rest for the Weary: Use Offseason Time Wisely to Prep for Next Season; Get It Write; R1: Straight No Chaser; Collision Decision

BASEBALL

Fight Off a Foul Outcome: Three Tips for Proper Foul Ball Rulings; The 1-2-3s of HBPs; NFHS 2024 Points of Emphasis

42

BASKETBALL

52

FOOTBALL

Screen Gems: Who Caused the Contact Is the Key Component; One … Two …

Three? Not That Easy It’s a Matter of Time: Rules Regarding the Game and Play Clocks; Dead-Ball Officiating in the Side Zone; Snap to It; Lots of Fouls (and Chaos)

HESTON QUAN (COVER), GEORGE FREY/EFE/NEWSCOM (BROTHERS), KEN KASSENS (FOOTBALL)

60

VOLLEYBALL

66

SOCCER

78

ALL SPORTS

COLUMNS 4

PUBLISHER’S MEMO

10

THE GAG RULE

12

58

74

PROFILES

82

FOR THE RECORD

Brook Park Passes Law to Protect Sports Officials; Browar Named D-II Baseball Coordinator; Leadership Changes in Major Men’s Basketball Consortium; West, Montague Up for HOF Election; NBA Names Two Officials to Full-Time Staff

84

LAW

85

CLASSIFIEDS

GETTING IT RIGHT

86

Identify Who We Are

Letters: Babysitting Service Revisited; Survey Says; Snap Shot; Say What?; They Get It

THE NEWS

A Beary Special Milestone; Green Light for Green Cards; Trailblazing Across Los Angeles

Two Grand Is Notable, and a Nifty 50 to Boot; Youthful Exuberance; Putting Ink on Paper NBA Officiating Roster

Yup, It’s Tax Time; Officials Associations Should Be Ready for New Year Camps/Clinics/Schools; Equipment/Apparel; Leadership Resources

LAST CALL

Meant to B There: “I don’t know who you are or where you are from, but I am going to hire you.”

FOOTBALL HIGHLIGHT THIS MONTH

USAV Tweaks Rules: Uniforms, Coaching Location and Service Among Changes; Mission Possible Time Is on Your Side: Wind Your Watch for the Right Set of Match Rules; Corner Poise; 5MW Steve Montanino Swing and a Myth: LongHeld Philosophies Don’t Hold Water; You Know These Are Wrong, Right?

Forget Perfection! Nothing Wrong With Great

Jason Graham, Rockingham, N.C., signals delay of game.

The five-yard penalty isn’t always accepted, depending on field position and game situation.

FOR MORE, GO TO PAGE 52

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PUBLISHER’S MEMO Watch the video at referee.com/pubmemo

Chief Strategy Officer/Publisher Barry Mano

Identify Who We Are We need more sports officials. You know that. I know that.

Even the world now knows that.

The shortage has never been more acute and long term, at least in my memory, which covers the past 50 years.

Many organizations have undertaken thoughtful campaigns to increase our numbers. In some small ways, those efforts are bearing fruit. But truth be told, a key to improving the “health” of the officiating industry is going to be our ability to induce into officiating prospects from what are currently being called “underrepresented groups.”

I grew up in this business when there was zero thought being given to reaching out to such groups. That was the history of officiating in this country.

Now that has changed. The shortage is just a minor player in this change.

What is fully at work is more significant and lasting. Under the general rubric of “Identity,” we are now witnessing an incredible amount of attention being focused on the “Identities” of those who officiate.

I have an abiding sensitivity to this topic, albeit with its limitations because I’m a white guy looking from the outside in. I gained that sensitivity for a couple of special reasons. The first was that for more than 10 years, my dad ran the Little League baseball and Biddy basketball programs in our town. He was always going into the neighborhoods of the underrepresented to convince many of those kids to come play baseball or basketball and to come and have dinner at our house. A second influence was the fact that in my immediate post-college period, I spent some years working in the minority affairs department for a major corporation in Milwaukee. I was the “minority” in our department.

Those years gave me context and they also gave me some understanding of the challenges being faced by underrepresented groups. It was a very special experience, one that broadened my horizons and my thinking.

Our culture now shouts, maybe

screams, its desire to be more inclusive and fair to all of its citizens. This is making an impact in officiating, as it should. My quote from 30 years ago rings truer today than ever before: “Sports is simply life with the volume turned up.” The volume has been turned up for our industry to pry itself from past practices that are generally thought of as the “good-old-boy” network of officiating. Thank goodness!

In many ways, the progress we have made is exemplary. We should be proud. There are more female officials than ever before, more racial and ethnic minority officials than ever before, and more representatives of these groups in leadership positions.

But let’s not fool ourselves. Just playing the “numbers game” will not result in anything more than a window-dressing result. That would be shameful. Those in leadership positions in our industry and we ourselves need to do four things: First, take care of the large majority of officials who continue to serve as the backbone of this industry. Yes, that means to not demean nor deny the majority in officiating.

Second, believe in and welcome the special efforts to recruit, train and retain underrepresented groups.

Third, accept that how we might have been judged in the “old days” is not fully operant nor even appropriate today. That getting 97 percent of the plays right alone isn’t a ticket to the state tournament or national finals.

Fourth, understand the populations now being recruited into officiating have different needs than the majority has had. From locker room setups, to mentoring and networking, to the choice of words that are used, to local association meeting interactions, to consideration for leadership roles — these differences must be addressed in advance for us to have a chance at becoming a modern and welcoming industry. We want to be viewed as a modern and welcoming industry.

Chief Operating Officer/Executive Editor Bill Topp Chief Marketing Officer Jim Arehart Chief Business Development Officer Ken Koester Managing Editor Brent Killackey Assistant Managing Editor Julie Sternberg Senior Editor Jeffrey Stern Associate Editors Brad Tittrington Scott Tittrington Assistant Editors Joe Jarosz Brad Star Copy Editor Jean Mano Director of Design, Digital Media and Branding Ross Bray Publication Design Manager Matt Bowen Graphic Designer Dustin Brown Video Coordinator Mike Dougherty Comptroller Marylou Clayton Data Analyst/Fulfillment Manager Judy Ball Marketing Manager Michelle Murray Marketing Coordinator Ben Wirth Director of Administration and Sales Support Cory Ludwin Office Administrator Garrett Randall Client Services Support Specialists Lisa Burchell Trina Cotton Noelle Vaillancourt Editorial Contributors Jon Bible, Mark Bradley, George Demetriou, Alan Goldberger, Judson Howard, Peter Jackel, Dan Ronan, Tim Sloan, Steven L. Tietz, Rick Woelfel These organizations offer ongoing assistance to Referee: Collegiate Commissioners Association, MLB, MLS, NBA, NCAA, NFHS, NISOA, NFL, NHL, Minor League Baseball Umpire Development and U.S. Soccer.

Their input is appreciated.

Contributing Photographers Ralph Echtinaw, Dale Garvey, Carin Goodall-Gosnell, Bill Greenblatt, Jann Hendry, Keith Johnston, Jack Kapenstein, Ken Kassens, Bob Messina, Bill Nichols, Ted Oppegard, Heston Quan, Dean Reid, VIP Editorial Board Mark Baltz, Jeff Cluff, Ben Glass, Reggie Greenwood, Tony Haire, John O’Neill, George Toliver, Ellen Townsend Advertising 2017 Lathrop Ave., Racine, WI 53405 Phone: 262-632-8855 advertising@referee.com

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Soccer official Jake Brochu, New Hudson, Mich., does a good job of continuing to watch deadball action even after the ball is kicked away.

“Being alive during dead balls” is a crucial skill for success in officiating.

GET IN THE (DEAD) ZONE Deadball Officiating is a Crucial Skill

W

hen the late Jerry Seeman was NFL director of officials, he developed his 10 Commandments for Officiating. Ninth on his list was: Thou shalt be great dead-ball officials.

Seeman’s directives weren’t ranked in order of importance. If they were, one could make a strong case that his ninth should’ve been closer to the first. Miss a highly technical violation or pass on incidental contact and you can survive. But fail to see the thrown elbow or flung forearm after the play is seemingly over and you are asking for trouble.

Granted, you can’t see absolutely everything. Stories abound about what goes on at the bottom of a pile when football players are trying to recover a fumble. We don’t have X-ray vision. And in no “contact” sport do the officials outnumber the players; not everyone is going to be observed all of the time.

But there is no excuse for missing something because we’re daydreaming or are more concerned with chasing down the ball than we are paying attention to participants.

Don’t officiate air. Watch the players.

Many games have been ruined by undetected cheap shots that foster ill will among opponents. Some may lead to much larger problems. So how to prevent them? Here are a few tips.

• Obtain information about the teams. If pregame media coverage of the game or chatter via the officiating

6 | REFEREE / MHSAA January 2024

grapevine indicates there was a brawl or other incident the last time the teams met, you’ll go into the game with your antenna up. If you can find out who worked the game, talk to those officials and find out what happened. When you take the court or field for the rematch, step in at the first sign of trouble.

• Get out in front. As Yogi Berra said, “You observe a lot just by watching.” Some dead-ball issues are the culmination of multiple minor disagreements. Are players jostling each other away from the ball? Is there an agitator who is constantly chirping at opponents? Those could be harbingers of bad things to come.

Preventive officiating in the form of a subtle but firm verbal warning can quell a potential disturbance.

Observing the teams during warmups can also provide clues that trouble may be on the horizon.

Are they staring at each other from opposite sides of the court or field?

• Be especially alert during stoppages. Keep an eye on players during lulls in play. Substitutions and end of half/quarter/inning situations are not routine. Players have to cross each other’s paths during the exchange. A player leaving the game or going to the bench may want to take a parting shot at an opponent.

A player who has been ejected or fouled out is already unhappy.

Keep an eye on him or her to ensure

the player leaves the game without incident.

Be alert whenever players are forced to congregate in a confined area. An already volatile situation could turn into a powder keg if no one is monitoring them. If the basketball lanes have to be cleared for a technical foul, players other than the shooter will be milling around midcourt. A corner kick in soccer means there will be a horde of players in the penalty area. They will bump and push to get into preferred position. Don’t let it get out of hand.

• Let players know you’re in the area. If a police cruiser is parked at the side of the road in plain sight and the police officer is pointing a radar gun at passing motorists, you can bet feet will be moving from the accelerator to the brake. Your presence in the vicinity of players is analogous to the cop on the beat. Use your voice to let players know you’re around. A simple, “OK, the play’s over,” lets the players know they’re being observed.

• Don’t stop officiating.

A common mistake among inexperienced football officials is to drop the flag for a foul, then let the rest of the play continue without covering it. An official making that mistake will miss all sorts of action (legal and illegal).

Similarly, when a runner makes a hard but legal slide into second base,

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he or she often becomes entangled with the fielder. That may or may not lead to a problem if either player takes umbrage. Depending on how many umpires are working the game, the umpire covering the base or a partner is responsible for observing that action when the relay throw is on its way to first base.

• Keep your head on a swivel.

Don’t stare at the spot where the ball went out of bounds or into the stands.

Never in the history of sports has the ground or empty space committed a foul. Make a visual scan of your coverage area after making that determination.

Another foible is to be more concerned with the ball than the players. Your job is observer, not retriever. Once action has settled down and players have dispersed, you can concern yourself with finding a ball to put into play.

• Get help from team personnel.

If you observe a player becoming agitated, you can head off trouble by asking for help from a teammate or the player’s coach. Most captains are elected to their positions by virtue of their leadership abilities. Get them involved. “Captain, will you please talk to number 33? You will help your team avoid a penalty.”

Officials should not offer opinions on who should play and who should sit. “Coach, if I were you, I’d get number 15 out of there before your team is penalized,” is not appropriate. But letting a coach know that one of his or her players is pushing the sportsmanship envelope gives the coach a chance to deal with the troublesome player.

The vast majority of fouls and other illegal acts will occur when the ball is live. But the great officials are those who penalize actions between plays. Don’t let deadball situations keep you from the “Promised Land.”

How to Save a Life

NASO and CDC Team Up for Concussion Training

W

hen the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta began the process of developing training protocols for participants of amateur sports in the U.S., they rang NASO headquarters in Wisconsin for assistance.

After more than a year of work and consultation, the CDC launched

quick tip It is important to keep your games moving. That doesn’t mean you should rush through things and skip important officiating processes. Let the game establish a rhythm and then make adjustments if necessary. Those who play, coach and watch the games we officiate want to see action.

8 | REFEREE / MHSAA January 2024

HEADS UP this past October, which is a free online concussion safety training program specifically for sports officials and available to all MHSAA officials.

While medical treatment is best left to onsite trainers and other medical professionals, sports officials can play an important role in determining when to get athletes out of the game by properly noticing symptoms explained by athletes and notifying medical personnel onsite.

“We are excited that this training is tailored for sports officials and aimed at our specific duties related to concussions,” NASO President Bill Topp said. Topp, along with NASO Chief Business Development Officer Ken Koester provided guidance and critical sports official perspectives to the CDC to make sure the training was created with sports officials’ needs in mind.

“This type of training is good for officials in all sports at all levels and the content will make for great discussion at officiating clinics and meetings,” Koester added.

The free training is available on

the CDC’s TRAIN platform at and consists of three lessons that are approximately one hour in length and can be accessed via the NASO website.

The first lesson covers concussion basics, including how concussions can occur, examples of concussion signs (things a sports official might be able to observe in an athlete) and symptoms (things an athlete experiencing a concussion might feel internally).

Lesson two explores best practices for player removal and guidance on documentation, and how to communicate with parents and coaches about concussion safety.

And the third lesson covers a sports official’s role in concussion prevention and safety.

“NASO is proud to have worked with CDC to create this first of its kind officiating-specific online training on concussion,” Topp said.

“We officials have a role to play in concussion safety and now we have a tool with practical advice to help us recognize the signs and symptoms of concussions and to take action when needed.”

FOR THE RECORD

Fall Sports Championship Officials The following officials worked Fall state tournaments for the MHSAA. We want to take a quick moment to recognize and thank the officials assigned to those contests. Your efforts are appreciated, and we understand that without your commitment and sacrifices, we could not host such tremendous events for our member schools and student-athletes.

Congratulations.

CROSS COUNTRY Dan Bentschneider, Michigan Center Myles Cleverley, New Baltimore Jim Cleverly, New Baltimore Marty Crane, Clio Eldon Dean, Midland Dar Devereaux, Jackson Ray Drysdale, Albion Jonathan Flott, Ann Arbor Jason Frasle, Sand Creek Robert Fulcher, Warren Rudy Godefroidt, Hemlock John Goebel, Jackson Kathy Hutfilz, Lake Geri Jackson, Detroit Rodney Johnson, Monroe Lorenda Jonas, Bath Keith Jones, Nashville Doug Kelly, Dexter Jim Loria, Swartz Creek Marty Lynn, Pleasant Lake Nick Marshall, Jackson Paul Matson, Holly David Putz, Lincoln Nate Pyle, Jackson Erika Raffin, Spring Arbor Mike Raffin, Spring Arbor Bertha Smiley, Detroit Kim Spalsbury, Grand Ledge Rich Vitale, Brooklyn Denny Whitehead, Jackson Don Yuvan, Lansing 11-PLAYER FOOTBALL Michael Aaron Jr., Redford Trent Anderson,

Kalamazoo Christopher Barron Jr., Rock Steve Beaulieu, West Bloomfield Paul Boehms, Troy Joseph Broussard, Middleville Onesiphorus Burrel II, Grand Rapids Scott Chase, Hillsdale Bryen Clark, Jackson Joseph Conway, St. Clair Shores Robert Conway, Grosse Pointe Mark Coscarella, Holt Michael Dunlap, Holt Jesse Franks, Portage Chad Fuller, Grand Ledge Gordon Gasche, Davison Willie Godfrey Jr., Jackson Benjamin Hall, Bath Brian Hall, Watervliet Stephen Hendrickson, Wyoming Mark Holland, Petoskey Sam Hunt, Jackson Philip Jensen, Port Huron Brian Jones, Sandusky Thomas King Jr., Fenton Adam Leyton, Ann Arbor Rozier Looney, Flint Greg Lott, DeWitt Christopher Magnuson, Ishpeming Gary McDonald, St. Ignace Dan Midena, Brooklyn Jason Nikkel, Hudsonville Brady Paganelli, Wyoming Roark Pargeon, Beulah Ted Patrick, Zeeland Fletcher Perry, Southfield Stephen Petlick, St Joseph Joseph Pietryga, Bay City David Prince, St Clair Shores Randy Reese, Stanton William Roberts, Portage Gregory Santilli, Canton Samuel Santilli, Westland Brent Shoemate, Frankenmuth Randy Small, Schoolcraft Brian Smith, Detroit Rob Stanaway, Dewitt Anthony Tocco, Washington Twp Steven Town, Jackson

Martin Trudgeon, Negaunee Josh Waalkes, Grandville Max Warriner, Saint Joseph Jeff Weingartz, Imlay City Ryan Wietchy, Warren Sean Williams, Livonia Steve Youngblood, Eastpointe **CHAIN CREW

Larry Anderson, Allen Park Michael Berdowski, Kalamazoo Benjamin Cushman, Battle Creek David Fisher, Fruitport Skylar Freeman, Galesburg Gary Gilliand, Trenton Bruce Heeder, East Lansing Chuck Hulce, Whitehall Martin Kolka, DeWitt Jay Marcotullio, Okemos Curtis Messing, Portage John Morales, Taylor Garett Morris, Belding Darric Roesler, North Muskegon Todd Sellon, Coopersville Scott Smith, Grand Rapids Leo St. Amour, Chelsea Cornelius Stevenson Sr., Detroit Eric Wlodkowski, Allen Park Austin Zapata, Ceresco 8-PLAYER FOOTBALL Kevin Ayotte, Escanaba Michael Brown, Battle Creek Harley Franks, Portage Jeff Hartel, Caro Jack Miles, Drummond Island Adam Miller, DeWitt Ben Rubick, Gladstone Greg Rubick, Gladstone Dustin Stempki, Gladstone Bryan Travis, Traverse City BOYS SOCCER Steven Arends, Livonia Bradley Barlog, Saginaw Jeff Cooling, Spring Lake

Christopher Dalida, Clinton Township Tyler Gregory, Livonia Justin Harnden, Cedar Springs Justin Janulewicz, Ray Township Jacob Munger, Mount Clemens Lawrence Olsen, Maple City Dennis Ott, Bridgman Jaime Pilbeam, Byron Center Jay Pollice, Grand Ledge Timothy Reed, Lakeview Jim Russo, Warren Robert Scudder, St. Joseph Richard Thoma, Grosse Pointe Farms GIRLS SWIM & DIVE Dennis Betts, Livonia James Chapman, Pinckney John Du Bois, Kalamazoo Timothy Eastman, Kalamazoo Brian Foust, Brighton Brad Hall, Marshall James Hartwell, Dexter Casey Kern, Haslett Charles Krochmal, Pinckney John Leidlein Jr., Detroit David Nykanen, Farmington Hills Donna Prieskorn, Gregory Thomas Richards, Ann Arbor Linda Schmidt, Zeeland Kenyon Shively, Troy Steve VandeWege, Holland Larry Wegener, Portage Glynis Wilkins, Dearborn VOLLEYBALL FINALS Julie Anderson, St Louis Kevin Cleveland, Detroit Augusto Dumlao, Detroit Jessica Miller-McKinnon, Traverse City Charlie Morrison, Marquette Bryan Sanasie, Berrien Springs Perry Sutherland, Yale Jeff Zalucha, Bay City

REFEREE / MHSAA January 2024 |

9

THE GAG RULE WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

LETTERS

SAY WHAT?

Babysitting Service Revisited

“Hey, they want players to be better. The refs gotta be better at the end of the day. Some players are literally walking out of the play and they are calling fouls. So, if they want us to be better, be better refs.”

I absolutely loved Barry Mano’s Memo (Babysitting Service Revisited, 9/23) in the magazine.

Maybe it’s my age (72 years old), maybe it’s the sports I officiate (hockey and lacrosse), but I’m not real big on warnings.

I think we need to set a positive but authoritative tone with the coaches in our pregame introductions/meeting to let them know we are committed to do the very best job we can as their officiating crew, and they need to do what they do best — coach from the sidelines and stay off the playing surface (usually not an issue in hockey).

Oh yeah, and thanks for growing my vocabulary — “obstreperous” 1. Uncontrollably noisy, 2. Stubbornly resistant to control. Yes, very descriptive of many coaches and parents we get to interface with. Proudly wearing the stripes!

— New York Liberty’s Jonquel Jones in an in-game interview with ESPN’s Holly Rowe during a Sept. 24 WNBA playoff loss to the Connecticut Sun

Harold “Bud” Boughton Greenwood, Ind.

SURVEY SAYS

Is sportsmanship getting better or worse? better

POWERED BY

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no change

21.25%

worse

68.61%

Jonquel Jones

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SNAP SHOT

FLAG PLACEMENT Any football official will appreciate this shot from the Sept. 17 NFL game between the visiting Green Bay Packers and host Atlanta Falcons. The first play from scrimmage involved a pass interference call that resulted in flags from back judge Todd Prukop, Rancho Santa #30 todd prukop Margarita, Calif., and side judge #58 Don Willard, Bloomington, Ill. (not don willard seen in the photo). The calling officials were significantly far apart — dictated by mechanics on the deep pass play — but managed to land their flags on the exact same that’s yardline for the resulting spot-foul enforcement. Magnificent work incredible by two guys at the top of their profession!

“Officials take more abuse than ever.

Now there are simply fewer people willing to do the job.”

— Sports Illustrated’s Pat Forde in a September 2023 article previewing the college football season. Forde quoted NASO President Bill Topp, CFO National Coordinator and NCAA Secretary Rules-Editor Steve Shaw, SEC Coordinator of Football Officials John McDaid and retired SEC referee and current ESPN rules analyst Matt Austin

Tell Us What You Think Send email to letters@referee.com Send letters to: Editor, Referee, 2017 Lathrop Ave. Racine, Wis. 53405 Opinions expressed in “The Gag Rule” are not necessarily those of Referee. Unless otherwise stated, letters sent to Referee are intended for publication and become the property of Referee.

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THE NEWS Brook Park Passes Law to Protect Sports Officials BROOK PARK, Ohio — While state legislators in Ohio have been working on getting legislation passed in recent years, it is currently not among the 22 states that have an officiating assault and/or harassment law. One community in Ohio, however, isn’t waiting for a law at the state level to keep officials safe at athletic events within the city.

The city of Brook Park passed a new law Oct. 17 to protect referees and umpires, becoming the first known municipality to do so. The measure passed with a 5-2 vote at the City Council meeting and was signed by the mayor.

Brook Park Ward 4 Councilman Richard Scott, whose two sons umpire at the youth and high school subvarsity levels, introduced the legislation.

“I wanted to try to do something city-specific to show the sports officials that Brook Park does care about them — that we won’t tolerate physical abuses against sports officials,” Scott said.

According to the new law, individuals who engage in a physical confrontation with a sports official, cause physical harm to an official, or create an atmosphere where an official is unable to continue service without a stoppage in play, have committed disorderly conduct at a

sports event in Brook Park and will be subject to a misdemeanor of the first, second or third degree. It is up to the prosecutor to determine the degree of misdemeanor.

Scott said the city plans to put up signage at its venues so fans understand physical confrontations will not be tolerated.

The legislation states it will “enhance the overall experience of sports officials, sports participants and other attendees by defining disorderly conduct at a sporting event to be a separate and distinct offense, subject to enhanced penalties as well.”

“I had great feedback from other sports officials,” Scott said, “not just my sons, but others saying, ‘You know, I’m glad you’ve got something going to protect us.’”

In hopes that Brook Park’s protection efforts extend to other areas, Scott has shared copies of the new law with state legislators and surrounding communities.

“I’ve passed out a copy of our legislation to the surrounding cities to have them look at it,” Scott said, “and maybe we can get a joint venture, not just city wide but area wide, to try to move forward on protecting sports officials.”

Browar Named D-II Baseball Coordinator INDIANAPOLIS — The NCAA announced in late September that Jon Browar has been selected as the new NCAA Division II national coordinator of umpires.

He replaces Scott Taylor, who resigned from the position following the conclusion of the 2023 season after seven years at the helm.

Browar, a resident of Stilwell, Kan., steps into his new role after serving as the supervisor of umpires for two D-II conferences, having overseen the umpiring staffs in the MidAmerica Intercollegiate Athletics Association since 2014 and the Great Lakes Valley Conference since 2017 — where he also replaced Taylor.

Browar has also annually assigned umpires for the National Baseball Congress World Series held each summer in Wichita, Kan., and the Men’s Senior World Series played each spring in Phoenix.

Prior to becoming a supervisor, Browar enjoyed a 25-year onfield umpiring career at the D-I, D-II and junior college levels, and worked both the 2013 and 2014 D-I JUCO World Series in Grand Junction, Colo.

SOURCE: NBC WKYC

THE WIRE

Basketball Victoria, an Australian governing body, announced Oct. 11 its “green whistle” campaign to support its young referees.

Referees under the age of 18 are now identifiable by their use of green whistles. As more than 50 percent of Basketball

Victoria’s referees are under 18, the organization aims to protect those children from negative behavior that could impact their development.

“It is inevitable that some of these children are being exposed and subject to negative behavior in an environment that is meant to be safe and supportive,” a Basketball Victoria news release stated. “Adults that lose perspective in a competitive

environment can have harmful effects on the participants, specifically those who are under the age of 18.”

The green whistle is intended to let coaches and players know they should take care in the way they interact with young referees.

Referee Attacked During Playoff Match

The Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA)

is investigating a playoff soccer game that ended with a player attacking a referee. Bangor played host to Bloomingdale, and near the end of regulation, a Bloomingdale player is seen jogging toward the center referee from across the field, NFHS Network video showed. The player then begins sprinting before appearing to tackle the referee from behind as the video cuts out. The game

COURTESY OF NBA (SANDERS), COURTESY OF NCAA (SOUDERS)

If the Whistle Is Green, They’re Under 18

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THE NEWS

CHICAGO — The consortium model that has become popular for the training and assigning of collegiate sports officials in several sports has Terry Wymer added a new player to the mix with the announcement of a new leadership structure for Midwest men’s basketball officials.

Terry Wymer, who retired following the 2021-22 season after a lengthy onfloor officiating career, has been named executive director of the men’s basketball branch of the Collegiate Officiating Consortium (COC), which will oversee officiating operations of the Big Ten and Mid-American conferences and the Horizon and Summit leagues.

Wymer will manage the day-to-day operations of the COC and will handle assigning duties for the Big Ten. Fellow longtime former officials Mike Sanzere (MAC and Summit) and Donnie Eppley (Horizon) will coordinate and assign the officials in those conferences.

The new leadership structure offers the 46 colleges and universities that fall under the COC umbrella a total of 95 years of NCAA D-I oncourt officiating experience, including 58 NCAA tournament appearances between the three coordinators.

“I am honored to have the

opportunity to serve as the Big Ten men’s basketball coordinator and the executive director of the COC MBB2,” Wymer said in a press release. “This is my opportunity to give back to the conferences that gave me my opportunity to officiate at the Division I level. In this role, I will have the ability to mold the next wave of championship officials.”

The MBB2 branch of the COC mirrors what has taken place in NCAA football officiating in the Midwest, where several conferences are overseen by COC executive director Bill Carollo. The consortium model allows for consistent education and training for hundreds of officials while also allowing those officials who are breaking into the D-I level at the mid-major level to serve as a sort of “feeder” program for the Big Ten. The COC is not the only men’s basketball officiating body that is experiencing change this offseason.

Bobby Dibler, who spent six decades in the game as an onfloor official before becoming coordinator of the Western Basketball Officiating Consortium that includes the Big Sky, Big West, Mountain West, Pac12, Western Athletic and West Coast conferences, retired in June. He has been replaced by nine-time Final Four official John Higgins, who came off the floor to take the position.

Youth Referee Accused of Onfield Assault JASPER COUNTY, Mo. — A referee accused of shoving a fourth-grader to the ground faces misdemeanor criminal charges.

Doug Rector, 61, of Joplin, Mo., was charged in Jasper County Circuit Court with fourthdegree assault for an incident that occurred during a Southwest Youth Football Conference game Sept. 23 in Carthage, Mo. According to court documents and video of the incident, the player was pursuing an opposing runner on a kickoff when he tripped. That caused him to stumble and run into Rector. The player recoiled from the contact.

There is a brief pause, then Rector raises his right hand, places it on the player’s facemask or helmet, extends his arm and pushes the player to the ground. Rector is then alleged to have called the player a “punk.”

After the play, the video shows Rector and the player in what appears to be a brief and cordial conversation that ends with the player touching the referee’s arm and the referee placing his arm around the player’s shoulder.

The conference suspended Rector for a week. No court date was set as of press time.

CONTRIBUTING SOURCES: KSNF-TV, KOAM-TV

SOURCE: BIGTEN.ORG

MICHAEL ALLIO/ICON SPORTSWIRE/NEWSCOM (WYMER), COURTESY OF MiLB (PIERCE)

Leadership Changes in Major Men’s Basketball Consortium

THE WIRE ended immediately following the contact. The official who was hit did not call authorities, according to MHSAA Communication Director Geoff Kimmerly.

MLB Umpire Development Exec Dies

MLB Umpire Development Supervisor Jay Pierce died Sept.

7 after a battle with colon cancer, MLB announced in September.

Pierce umpired for Minor League

Baseball from 2006-12 in the Gulf Coast, Appalachian, South Atlantic, Carolina, Eastern and Southern leagues. He was an instructor at the Harry Wendelstedt School for Umpires from 2010-17. In 2014, MiLB hired Pierce as a part-time supervisor before he was named to the full-time staff in 2018.

Pierce had served as an MLB

Umpire Development Supervisor since 2022.

KBO to Use Electronic Strike Zone in 2024

The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) will implement an automated ball-strike system (ABS) in 2024, the league announced Oct. 19. The KBO has used its Futures League — KBO’s minor league equivalent — to refine its ABS since 2020.

“The ABS system has accomplished a precision and consistency of ball-strike calls,” the KBO said in a statement.

“We have also reduced the time it takes for the calls to be relayed to the umpires. By introducing the ABS to the KBO, it will ensure fair play for pitchers and hitters alike.”

In addition, the KBO will follow MLB in introducing a pitch timer in 2024.

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West, Montague Up for HOF Election COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — Former MLB umpires Joe West and Ed Montague are up for election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame’s Class of 2024.

The Hall of Fame announced Oct. 19 the umpires are on the eight-person ballot that will be considered by the Contemporary Baseball Committee for Managers/ Executives/Umpires.

West, who made his debut in 1976, worked 5,460 MLB games — the most of any umpire in history.

Joe West

Ed Montague

He worked three All-Star games, six World Series and many other

postseason assignments before retiring in 2022.

Montague debuted in 1974 and would work six World Series — serving as crew chief in four of them — and four All-Star games.

He retired in 2010. Also on the 2024 Contemporary Era Baseball ballot are Cito Gaston, Davey Johnson, Jim Leyland, Hank Peters, Lou Piniella and Bill White.

Results of the voting were scheduled to be announced Dec. 3.

NBA Names Two Officials to Full-Time Staff

BILL NICHOLS (WEST, MONTAGUE)

NEW YORK — Two NBA G League referees have been named full-time NBA staff officials for the 2023-24 season, the league announced Oct. 10.

Intae Hwang and Sha’Rae Mitchell will join the NBA’s officiating ranks on a full-time basis for the first time in their careers, according to NBA Senior Vice President of Referee Development and Training Monty McCutchen.

“We are thrilled to welcome Intae and Sha’Rae to our full-time staff,” McCutchen said in a news release. “They have excelled in their performance areas and earned the right to officiate NBA games on a regular basis.”

Hwang is a native of South Korea who moved to New Jersey in 2020 in hopes of becoming an NBA referee.

Media Labels Handshake Incident as Sexism

Did Italian soccer referee Juan Luca Sacchi intend to snub a female assistant referee during a flurry of pregame handshakes in the tunnel before an Oct. 6 Serie A match? Sacchi and the Italian Referees Association both said no. But some media outlets were quick to label video footage as an act of sexism. Amid a flurry of pregame activity, Sacchi

He got his first taste of the league last season when he worked seven games as a non-staff official. Since arriving in the U.S., Hwang has also worked two seasons in the G League and one in the WNBA. He previously officiated for the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) for 15 years, including the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio and the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in China. In 2016, the NBA noticed Hwang and invited him to partake in its Referee Development Program. Hwang “didn’t hesitate for one second” before picking up and moving across the globe, he said in an interview with The Washington Post.

Mitchell, who has been a G League referee since 2018, got called up to work her first NBA game

shakes hands with one captain, then turns and offers his hand to assistant referee Francesca Di Monte. Di Monte hesitates for a moment before putting up her hand, but at that point Sacchi turned to the other team’s captain. Then everyone moves quickly toward the field. He did not shake hands with the other assistant referee.

Italian media reported that for the perceived snub Sacchi

during the 2021-22 season, making her the 15th woman in NBA history to referee a regular season game. She received a larger dose of NBA work last season, refereeing 11 games as a non-staff official. In addition to five seasons with the G League and two seasons with the WNBA, Mitchell has five years of officiating experience in college basketball, having worked in the Pac-12, West Coast, Big Sky and Western Athletic conferences.

Mitchell played college basketball at the University of California-Santa Barbara from 2004-09.

In addition to their NBA assignments this season, as officials with fewer than four years of experience, Hwang and Mitchell will continue to officiate G League games.

SOURCES: KEYT.COM, NBA COMMUNICATIONS, WASHINGTON POST

received a private reprimand and there was consideration of a onegame suspension. Di Monte came to Sacchi’s defense, calling the entire matter a misunderstanding and that Sacchi did not intend disrespect. In fact, the colleagues worked well together and shook hands after the match.

Tony Brothers Named MEAC Coordinator The Mid-Eastern Athletic

Conference hired veteran NBA referee Tony Brothers to serve as the league’s new coordinator of women’s basketball officials.

“Tony Brothers’ credentials with regard to basketball officiating are second to none,” MEAC Commissioner Sonja Stills said in a late September news release.

(See story on Brothers’ career on p. 32.)

SOURCES: BASKETBALL VICTORIA; KOREA TIMES; MLB; NATIONAL BASEBALL HALL OF FAME; THESUNN.CO.UK; WSJMSPORTS.COM; WWMT.COM; MEACSPORTS.COM

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SOFTBALL

EDITOR: BRAD TITTRINGTON

btittrington@referee.com

RULES, MECHANICS, PHILOSOPHY

NO REST FOR THE WEARY Use Offseason Time Wisely to Prep for Next Season

By Brad Tittrington

D

epending on where you live, this time of year is either the time you are preparing for the upcoming high school and college season or, if you live in one of the few states that plays its high school ball in the fall, you are still recuperating from the season. Either way, there are plenty of things you should be doing to get ready for the next season. Chances are, even if you live in one of those states that plays in the fall, you are only a few months away from the travel ball season, and it will be here before you know it. Here are some things you should be focusing on this offseason to get ready to make sure you are prepared when the season rolls around.

While some rest during the offseason is important, it is also a great time to take care of business to get ready for the next season. One of the important things to do is make sure your uniforms are ready to go so you look professional on the field like Jimmy Baskom, Palmdale, Calif.

HESTON QUAN

Study Up on Rules and Mechanics Changes Perhaps the most important thing to do in the offseason is read up on the new rule changes for the upcoming season as well as study any updates to the mechanics manual. Some seasons, there are very few rule changes and this can be done relatively quickly.

However, this season, both the NFHS and NCAA made significant changes to their rules. USA Softball and USSSA have not yet released their rule changes for 2024 as of press time, but chances are there will be at least a few tweaks to the rules. It is important to know the new rule changes and know the interpretations of those new rules as well.

It is also important to understand the changes to mechanics in each of

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the codes you work. As the game evolves, so does the way we umpire it. Every year, the codes make adjustments and add new signals or mechanics in order to give us the best opportunity to be in the right place at the right time to make the right call.

It is important to stay on top of those changes so you are ready to go when the season starts. Otherwise, you may look out of place and you may cause issues with your crew. Now is the time to open the book and study up so you are up to date when that first pitch comes.

Get Uniforms in Order You may be thinking you still have months until the season starts, so there is no reason to even think about your uniform. Wrong.

Remember, two weeks before the start of the season, and sometimes even less than that, every other umpire in the country is going to be scrambling to get hats, shirts, pants, etc., to be ready on opening day. Suppliers may run out of what you need if you wait.

If you order now, you beat the rush and often can get better deals as it is out of season. Now is the time to go through all your inventory and order what you need. Remember to replace old, stained hats and shirts. If you haven’t bought a new hat or shirt in a couple of years, now is the time to refresh your supply. And to really make sure you look professional and ready to go, take your pants to the dry cleaners and get them cleaned and pressed so they are ready for the first game of the season. Remember, you only get one chance to make a good first impression.

Focus on Diet and Nutrition It’s been said the best time to start a diet and exercise program was three months ago. The second best time is today. The high school and college seasons are just around the corner. Make a New Year’s resolution to eat healthy and drop any pounds you may have accrued during the holidays. Use the next couple of months to see your doctor for your annual physical, dial in your nutrition and start working on your diet to get where you want to be once the spring

season begins. Don’t procrastinate.

The hardest part is starting and it is a perfect time to get into a routine today and get a couple months’ head start before the season begins.

Get in the Gym One of the hardest parts about the offseason is we aren’t doing the same movements as we do during the season. The muscles we use for umpiring just aren’t used the same way in everyday life as they are on the field when we are in season. Use the offseason to work on your core and legs so you are ready to go for that first plate game. Start light and work your way up as the offseason progresses, but try to get to the gym at least two to three times a week for some light exercises now to start preparing your body for the grind of the season. There is nothing worse than not doing anything for four to six months and then trying to squat 250-plus times in that first game.

Muscles you didn’t even know you had will be barking when you try to get out of bed the next day. Help alleviate that situation by being proactive today. Yes, it is important to get some rest during the offseason and let your body recuperate from the previous season. However, now is the time to start ramping back up again for the spring season ahead.

And if you really want to get in the best shape, invest in a personal trainer who can keep you accountable and help you reach your goals. And they can potentially help you avoid injury by making sure you are doing exercises properly.

Work Scrimmages Remember, teams are working out all fall and winter and are in midseason form when the season begins. It isn’t fair to them if you haven’t seen a pitch in six months and expect to be at your best when the season rolls around. Reach out to colleges in your area and ask if you can come to practices to track pitches or work scrimmages those teams may be hosting. Teams often have intrasquad scrimmages and are happy to have an umpire. This will help build rapport with those coaches

SIDELINE Softball Selected for 2028 Olympics The 2028 Los Angeles Olympic program will feature softball once again. In October, the Los Angeles organizing committee formally picked softball for inclusion in the 2028 Games.

Softball was left off the program for the 2024 Olympics in Paris after being included in the 2020 Tokyo Games. Baseball and softball have paired up recently to help boost each other’s chances at being included in the Olympics. Doing so allowed both sports to appear in the 2020 Olympics, after being dropped from the 2012 and 2016 Games.

THEY SAID IT “If you want to make it to a Little League World Series or a Women’s College World Series, or whatever it is, you don’t umpire in hopes that one day you could get selected for it, you umpire every game as if you are a World Series umpire. That’s my biggest advice to every umpire I speak to — umpire today like you are there because you never know when that door of opportunity will open.”

– 2023 Women’s College World Series umpire Robbie Guest on what he would tell current umpires who hope to one day be invited to a World Series SOURCE: LITTLE LEAGUE “FULL COUNT CONVERSATION”

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Philosophy, terminology and the official NFHS signal chart help make this a one-stop shop for high school umpires. The 208-page book is $21.95 and available at store.referee.com/softball.

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SOFTBALL

TEST YOURSELF Each of the following includes a situation and possible answer(s).

Decide which are correct for USA, NFHS, NCAA or USSSA rules and which might vary. Solutions: p. 85.

1. With R1 on first, B2 hits a low line drive between first and second. F4 dives for the ball and initially has it in the glove, but loses the ball when hitting the ground. The ball rolls slowly toward first base. R1, thinking the ball would be caught, heads back to first base. After the ball is dropped, R1 heads toward second base. F3 picks up the ball while standing on first base before B2 arrives. Then F3 throws the ball to F6 at second base, who catches the ball while standing on second base, but does not tag R1, who slides into second base. a. Both B2 and R1 are out on force outs. b. B2 is out on a force out, but R1 is safe at second base.

2. With R3 on third base, R1 on first base and B3 up to bat with a 1-1 count, B3 hits a foul fly ball near the third-base line. As F5 settles comfortably under the ball, R3 inadvertently bumps into F5 and the ball drops and settles in foul territory. a. The ball is dead, R3 is ruled out for interference, B3 is also ruled out and R1 is returned to first. b. The ball is dead, R3 is ruled out for interference, a foul ball is charged to B1, who returns to bat with a 1-2 count, and R1 is returned to first base. c. No infraction occurs, all runners return to their locations at the time of the pitch and a foul ball is charged to B1, who returns to bat with a 1-2 count.

3. With R2 on second base and no outs, B2 hits a line drive back up the middle. The ball ricochets off F1’s leg and heads toward short.

F6 moves in to field the ball and is accidentally hit by R2 advancing to third base. R2 and B2 advance to third base and first base, respectively. a. Interference on R2. R2 is out and B2 is awarded first base. b. Interference on R2. Both R2 and B2 are ruled out. c. Legal play, ball remains live. d. Obstruction by F6, delayed dead ball.

and show you truly care about your profession. It will also allow you to see pitches and work on your base mechanics so when the real games start, you are ready to go.

If you live in a cold-weather climate, you can still partake in these scrimmages. Many schools either practice in a bubble or inside the gym. While these aren’t outside game conditions, it still gives you a chance to see pitches and you’ll be way ahead of those umpires who sit on their couch all winter. Many assigners have the expectation the first pitch of the first game of the season is not the first pitch you’ve seen in six months.

They expect you to go to practices and work scrimmages to knock the rust off and prepare for the regular season.

Get It Write N

o umpires got into the avocation because of a love of writing game reports. However, game reports are an important part of the job. It allows crucial information to be shared with assigners, conference offices and athletic directors who must make decisions on personnel matters or game results or even bat legality based off what is written in those reports.

While game reports aren’t pleasant, it is important to talk about them and how to properly fill them out. During your career, there will be a point in time when you will need to fill one out, either as the umpire who ejected someone or as the crew chief responsible for filling one out after a crew member ejected someone. Here are some guidelines and suggestions to help make the process more efficient and help you in the future if you find yourself needing to fill one out.

Take Time to Record Information After an incident, whether it is a protest (if allowed by your state association or rules code), forfeit, ejection or removal of a bat, take the time to have the plate umpire write

A week before the season starts is not the time to start preparing. Start today by opening your rulebooks and manuals and having conversations with fellow umpires. Start reaching out to coaches to get practice and scrimmage schedules or simply ask your assigner if there are places you can go. Everything you do now will make you that much better when the spring season rolls around. Start today and get ahead of everyone else who chooses to procrastinate. You will notice a difference and so will coaches, players and assigners.

Brad Tittrington is an associate editor for Referee. He umpires D-I softball and officiates women’s college and high school basketball, college and high school volleyball and high school football. *

all the pertinent information on the back of a lineup card or separate piece of paper if possible. More and more collegiate umpires are also carrying notepads while working the bases to track conferences and those can be handy in these situations to take notes as well. While it will feel like you are delaying the game to write down notes, take the necessary time to make sure you record all the information accurately. There is nothing worse than trying to remember exactly what happened when you sit down at the computer hours later to fill out the report and you don’t have precise notes. Take the extra minute or two to write down everything you will need to fill out the report later.

Confer With Partners After the Game During the postgame, confer with your partners and make sure you have all the details necessary to fill out the report when you get home. While a lot of times umpires are rushing away after a game, depending on the level, take a few minutes to make sure you have all the pertinent information before you

18 | REFEREE January 2024

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Sub Prevents Catch Play: With a 1-1 count, B1 hits a twisting foul fly ball above the offensive team’s dugout.

As F5 reaches into the dugout for a possible catch, substitute S1 prevents F5 from catching the ball. Ruling: In NFHS, USA Softball and USSSA, B1 is declared out for offensive interference (NFHS 7-4-12 Pen.; USA Softball 7-6K Eff.; USSSA FP 8.17I). In NCAA, B1 is not out as in NCAA, the dugout is considered to belong to the offensive team. An offensive team member would need to reach outside of the dugout or be outside of the dugout in order to be guilty of interference.

Therefore, a foul ball is ruled. B1 continues to bat with a 1-2 count (11.19).

Fielder Kicks Ball Play: With no runners on base, B1 hits a ground ball between first and second. F4 runs to the ball and then kicks the ball over to F3, who scoops up the ball, while touching first base before B1 arrives. Ruling: In all codes, the batter is out. There are no rules in any of the codes that prohibit a fielder from kicking the ball to another fielder in order to make a play. As long as the ball beats the runner to first, it is a force out.

Arguing Balls and Strikes Play: With the count 3-2, F1 throws a close pitch just off the outside corner. The plate umpire calls it a ball and awards B1 first base. The defensive head coach comes out of the dugout and tells the plate umpire that pitch is a strike and then returns to the dugout. Ruling: In all codes, that would result in a warning for arguing balls and strikes since it is a minor offense. In NFHS and USSSA, it is an individual warning. In NCAA and USA Softball, it is a team warning. Any repeat offenses would result in an ejection of the offender (NFHS 3-6-15; NCAA 13.3.4; USA Softball 4-8C; USSSA 11-2R).

leave the facility and you are all on the same page. Compare notes and make sure you have all the details to fill out a complete report.

Call Your Assigner If you have to fill out an incident report, contact your assigner immediately after the game is over.

Your assigner will want to hear from you before a coach or athletic director gets on the phone. Even if you have to leave a message, quickly tell your assigner what happened and your assigner will call you back to get the rest of the story. The last thing you want is for your assigner to get a call from a coach or athletic director and you chose not to call.

Then your assigner is blindsided and has no idea what actually happened.

Writing the Report When you get home, fill out the report. While some associations may have a 24- or 48-hour rule to submit incident reports, the sooner the better, especially if there is the potential for an ejected participant to have to miss additional time.

Get your notes out and fill out the report completely. Make sure you include everything in the report (inning, coach/player name and number, what led up to the incident, were there any previous warnings or issues). One area where umpires often struggle is writing down exactly what was said in the case of an ejection. Use correct language.

Instead of saying, “The coach swore at me,” or “The coach used foul language,” write down exactly what was said. Use exact words so nothing can be misconstrued. Use exact language, even if it is offensive.

It is important to also state what happened after the coach or player was ejected. State whether the ejected personnel continued to argue or simply left quietly.

There are also things to avoid when writing the report. Umpires should refrain from bringing in events that happened in previous contests. Those are not relevant to this particular situation. Umpires should not make recommendations on what punishments should be meted.

It’s important to have all the correct details when filling out postgame reports.

Carrying a small notepad or referee wallet is a great way to take appropriate notes.

Laurence Martinez, Buena Park, Calif.

It is up to the league, conference, association, athletic director, etc., to make those decisions. Umpires should use correct terminology and not use slang or softball vernacular.

Remember, those reading the reports may not understand umpire lingo or event sport-specific jargon. Use words that will not confuse the average person.

In the case of a protest, make sure you write down the exact game situation, count, out, runner locations, what batter was up, etc.

In the case of a removal of a bat, make sure to include why the bat

HESTON QUAN

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was removed and the exact model number (many bats look the same so it is important to have the exact model number).

Send to a Proofer A lot of local associations have someone who is very skilled at writing reports. Take advantage of them and send them the report to look at to make sure what you are sending is appropriate. Umpires have a tendency to quickly fill out the report, and it is important to make sure the report is factual, words are spelled properly and grammar is correct. This helps demonstrate professionalism and credibility. This step is encouraged any time you have an ejection. It isn’t necessary with a simple bat removal form. And it most likely won’t be necessary with a protest form.

Many times, umpires are either too brief and don’t provide enough information or they ramble on and provide details that are not necessary. Like Joe Friday famously said, “Just the facts.” Stick to what matters. A proofer, who isn’t involved in the incident, can look at it from the outside and make sure everything is relevant before you submit it.

Hit Send, Move On Once you have the report complete, send it to the proper individuals. Make sure you send a copy to your assigner as well if the report is going to someone else. Send it in a timely fashion, be professional in your response and then allow those adjudicating the issues to deal with them. They will reach out to you if they need more information.

Once you’ve submitted the report, it is out of your hands. Move on and only deal with the incident if the powers that be need more assistance from you. Don’t ask them what decisions they’ve made.

Being a good writer of reports takes time and practice. It isn’t the sexiest part of the job, but it can separate you from the average umpire and save you from a lot of future headaches. *

R1: Straight No Chaser T

he two-umpire system forces umpires to do a lot of reading and reacting.

This could not be more evident than with a runner on first base and a fly ball to the outfield the base umpire does not chase, as shown in the MechaniGram.

In this situation, the base umpire has the relatively easy job. The base umpire must hustle inside the diamond while glancing at the runner on first.

Get to a position to see the catch and potential tag by R1. If R1 advances, prepare to move parallel to the baseline and stay ahead of the runner and take all plays on R1 at first, second or third.

The plate umpire, however, has a lot more movement, at least initially, on this particular play. The first movement is to get out from behind the plate and get the best angle and distance possible to rule on the catch and potential fair/ foul call. After ruling on those two things, be prepared to move if R1 advances toward second base. As R1 approaches second, move to the holding position halfway between home plate and third base in foul ground and read the play.

Be prepared to move back to the plate if R1 advances to the plate as you are responsible for that play.

The most important thing on this play is for the plate umpire to initially read the base umpire did not chase. It is also important for the plate umpire to understand the base umpire has all calls on R1 at first, second and third base. Too often, plate umpires tend to cheat up toward third if there is a potential play there on R1. With a single runner only, the plate umpire has no responsibility on that runner at third base. Read the play, read your partner and move efficiently to stay ahead of the runner in order to get the call right. *

B

R1

B

B

B

P P

B P P P

P

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decision Plays at first base are dynamic and they can explode on umpires very quickly. In this particular play, there is a lot to take in and it may require more than one umpire to make a decision as to what actually happened.

Let’s break down some of the things the umpires must consider.

Does the first baseman have control of the ball? It appears the glove is closing around the ball and her foot is in contact with the bag. But did she do so legally without hindering the batter-runner?

Did the first baseman commit obstruction? It is hard to tell from a still photo. However, the first baseman’s entire body, except for the glove and arm, are in fair territory.

You would have to judge that the first baseman’s actions prior to possession of the ball caused the runner to deviate her path in order to have obstruction.

Is this contact incidental, malicious or flagrant? There is clearly contact at the shoulder and head area. But in this still frame, it appears both are bracing for the contact and neither is trying to initiate it. It appears incidental and as long as neither raises an arm, throws an elbow, etc., after the initial contact, it does not appear this is malicious or flagrant.

Is there potential running lane interference on this batterrunner? Because the first baseman appears to have the ball in her glove, it does not appear the batter-runner interfered with the ability to make a play. If we simply look at where the batter-runner is, though, she could be guilty of interference if she prevented the first baseman from making a play. While the batter-runner’s right foot is inside the runner’s lane, it appears the left foot most likely was not on last contact with the ground, which would qualify as runner’s lane interference.

DALE GARVEY

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OFFICIALS MUST DEMONSTRATE THEIR RULES KNOWLEDGE. IS THERE A ‘RIGHT’ WAY TO DO IT? 24 | REFEREE January 2024

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TESTING 1 2 3

Q

uestion 1: Annual, open-book rules exams serve to: (a) Encourage preseason study by all officials. (b) Emphasize issues critical to the organization setting the exam. (c) Provoke more study by making a 100 percent score virtually unachievable. (d) Document that officials’ rules knowledge has been verified before any assignments. (e) All of the above.

There are few governing bodies in sports that don’t require officials to pass a rules test to qualify to work. At the

BY TIM SLOAN

pro level, the norm is periodic rules tests throughout the season. These reinforce deep rules knowledge and address situations that come up during the season where consensus is necessary. College conferences and consortiums will do the same thing but also require passing an often-challenging preseason exam.

At both levels, rules study is an all-year occupation because of the onus placed on correct interpretation, right the first time.

Then we get to high school sports and the various amateur ranks. At

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these levels, there are many more officials with a greater range of talent and ambition to be evaluated: A pass-or-else philosophy to testing doesn’t resonate as well within this group. People are more apt to quit than put up with the too-intense scrutiny. As a result, preseason, open-book, multiple-try tests have become the norm. They don’t want just anyone officiating games, but pragmatism dictates using the tests more as a teaching tool than a clearinghouse. The questions are often designed to make people who know where to look in a rulebook to seek out the

Should testing parameters for a side judge be the same as those for a referee on a football crew?

Or should positional knowledge play a bigger role? Nicholas McPhaul, Wylie, Texas

exact wording that matches the choices of answers. If they’ve put enough work in, they’ll achieve the minimum score, somewhere between 70 and 90 percent. If not, they can often try again, and again.

Most of us realize a bright 10-year-old who has seen the sport played on TV could sit down with the bibles and make the grade … but have no idea how to work a game. Many state and national organizations have acknowledged this and added some form of live clinic attendance as adjoint conditions of qualifying to work. This is all nice, but the nagging question is,

how prepared are we really to make the right call when the chips are down and the lights are turned up?

Rules experts say you really know a rule when you can explain it to someone else. Most of us would agree but can’t recall anyone taking an oral exam before being assigned a state final. In some cases, crews have plied their trade for years, surviving grudge matches through thick and thin. They’ve earned the respect of umpteen coaches and peers — and still misapplied a foul or penalty, changing the outcome of a game. Is the way we’re tested to blame? Does the current system really encourage growth or does it help conceal deficiency? Is there a better way? Let’s take a look.

Many officials have argued that open-book exams don’t bring out the best in us. Not everyone has the latest NFHS rulebook atop the toilet tank; as much as we’d like to know the rules cold, there’s not much consequence to scoring 76 percent on the third and final try. They can still walk away “qualified,” with a superficial rules knowledge, so many don’t spend a lot of time studying. We tend to try harder when there’s a little more tension. In educational circles, there are other kinds of tests available that can address this situation, but are they practical?

Research shows that essay exams, properly composed, can do more to confirm deep knowledge of a topic. We could certainly imagine taking an essay-type exam of about 20 questions. It would challenge a candidate to respond in detail to cases combining rules knowledge with their application. Answers would have to be original. They would also be without the benefit of hints and cues now

KEITH JOHNSTON

TESTING 1 2 3

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HESTON QUAN

provided by the wording of Trueor-False (T/F) or multiple-choice questions. Putting a time limit on completing such an exam would seal the fate of rules butterflies; thumbing through the book or using the ever-popular phone-afriend would be impractical.

There are many downsides unfortunately: The literature indicates essay exams actually limit the content covered because each question takes longer to answer in a reasonable time.

Making each question cover multiple rules to compensate for this creates a situational bias; the grader must weigh the strength of each part of the answer and might not consistently evaluate responses. Essay questions also challenge irrelevant skills of the test-taker. In real life, the referee only has to face the camera, turn on the mic and announce the penalty. He or she doesn’t have to send an articulate email to both head coaches. Finally, who at the state or conference office gets to slog through hundreds of these things as an addition to their 70-hour weeks? The bottom line is an essay test might make it clearer who does and does not know the rules, but it probably wouldn’t be practical to implement.

This brings us back to multiple-choice and T/F tests, known as objective tests, and how they might be improved.

Some of what follows is condensed from Is This a Trick Question? That’s a survey pamphlet written by Ben Clay of the Kansas Curriculum Center some years ago. Grading objective tests is obviously simpler than with essays. These tests can also cover even more topics woven through the dozens of questions posed. But more isn’t necessarily better: Theory says the technical quality of these tests is based on seven elements: 1. Cognitive Complexity. 2. Content Quality.

3. Meaningfulness. 4. Language Appropriateness. 5. Transfer and Generalizability. 6. Fairness

and 7. Reliability. (Remember these numbers.) In practice, the lack of emphasis on some of these elements is what drives examinees crazy and makes them skeptical of their real purpose.

Cognitive complexity addresses six levels of intellectual understanding.

Knowledge is the most basic of these — recognizing and recalling information.

Comprehension is next, demonstrating an understanding of the knowledge. That leads to application, which is employing that comprehension to novel situations. Enough application permits an analysis of the underlying system to identify its purpose. Then comes synthesis to take all of this to a new level of understanding. That can then lead to evaluation, where opportunities for improvement could be offered. When we think of some of the best officials we’ve worked with, all six of these qualities in their work usually come to mind.

There’s little doubt each question on a quiz draws on some knowledge of facts. The open-book principle, according to most state officers, is then meant to stimulate comprehension and application, but that might be hard to synthesize from the diverse questions asked; it can be like completing a jigsaw puzzle without the box cover. Unless several groups of questions focus on identifiable points of emphasis, the average student might not connect the dots and be enlightened. Even if the areas of focus do succeed in leading the examinee to higher-level understanding, the exam might have the same problem with breadth that an

Knowing how to rule on a play in real time may look much different than being able to successfully answer a quiz question.

Travis Glasscock, Whittier, Calif.

essay quiz would. In essence, what does a high score really prove?

Either type of test, then, risks too much diversity of content — or the opposite: too much concentration, and both are enemies of learning from the test. If the test is perceived as no more than a random series of fact-checks, it might not be surprising why the response of many officials is to “make the grade” and move on. If testing authorities intend for officials to grow in rules application and understanding, they might not need a test at all because the real students of the rules will do this work on their own and don’t need a grade. So is the value of open-book testing dead on arrival? Can it ever be anything more than a box to

THERE ARE MANY DOWNSIDES UNFORTUNATELY: THE LITERATURE INDICATES ESSAY EXAMS ACTUALLY LIMIT THE CONTENT COVERED BECAUSE EACH QUESTION TAKES LONGER TO ANSWER IN A REASONABLE TIME.

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be checked? The answer is the format we all seek might evolve from it. This would happen once we’ve gone through the other six elements of quality beyond the cognitive complexity we’ve already covered. It could lead to a breakthrough.

The point has been made that open-book tests are self-defeating because they try to cover too much ground to too little depth.

What if tests were focused on positional knowledge instead of general rule knowledge?

There are four to eight officials on a football crew, for example.

It helps if they all know what holding is. Beyond these basics, a center judge isn’t going to be calling much pass interference and a back judge won’t be ruling

An effective testing program must be meaningful to an official and the position that official works.

Kelly Leger, Honolulu

on false starts. In baseball, safe and out are universal staples, but working the plate or bases each requires its own skillset and knowledge base. A soccer assistant referee (AR) must be automatic on offside rulings while the referee must navigate obstruction versus a charge through the back. If objective tests became position-specific, they’d solve several problems.

At the top of the list is meaningfulness (No. 3). A football umpire taking a positionspecific test could expect detailed grilling about chop blocks and the free-blocking zone, details his crewmates would ordinarily sleep through. A plate umpire dealing with rulings around the batter’s box would regard that as totally fair and relevant to game control (No. 6). As we take this concept and run with it, it becomes apparent focusing on areas of expertise like this can improve the quality of the content (No. 2) and, most importantly, the reliability of the tests (No. 7). A volleyball second referee making 96 on a test all about a second referee’s duties seems more reassuring than an open-book 96 on a test about everything. Most importantly, testing to a greater depth on a defined area of knowledge — and preparing to be tested — will undeniably improve on the higher cognitive elements we said were lacking on a general test. The test candidate is more likely to dig deeper and make the connections that will lead to more understanding, confidence and decisiveness.

So do we throw out the preseason quiz? No, we leave it in place for its real purposes; things like reinforcing POEs, reminding officials of regulatory responsibilities and perhaps covering some caseplays that cropped up in the previous year: Get officials thinking about their sports and get the formalities out of the way. The focused test would be taken during the

season as a prerequisite for loftier assignments later. So if your crew wishes to work high school football late into November and you want to be the line judge, take and pass the line judge test. If you might be a back judge, take that test, too — no extra charge. Hey, take ’em all! That says more about what you really know.

While it might be unfair and unwise to tie progression to the preseason test, tying it to a voluntary qualification test might be the key to the mint.

But be prepared: This applied test will be closedbook and time-limited, making it resistant to collusion and more like real life while requiring a better grade to pass. The tradeoff will be the test will be on limited content, specific to your position. You will know what rules to focus on, leading you to a better level of analysis, synthesis and evaluation. It goes something like, “If you show you’ve succeeded in digging deeper into the rules, we’ll feel better about risking you on bigger challenges.” And the governing body gets a better, more dependable official.

We’ve run this up the flagpole and found a couple of important people who are already saluting. One is Rick Warne, who manages testing of college football officials throughout the Midwest. A second is Jo Auch, with the South Dakota High School Activities Association. South Dakota is one of the few states left requiring a proctored, closed-book exam in its officials’ progression. Both of these experts associate moredemanding testing with what everyone wants: credibility.

By the way, the answer to Question 1 is (e).

Tim Sloan, Davenport, Iowa, is a high school football, basketball and volleyball official, and former college football and soccer official. *

HESTON QUAN

TESTING 1 2 3

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HOW TO BUILD A TEST WITH RICK WARNE Rick Warne has taken the bull by the horns when it comes to making rules quizzes more effective and diagnostic.

Warne is an NCAA football official and an accounting professor. That’s a good pedigree to understand the rules and then prepare a test that measures that understanding in others.

He has become the go-to person for testing in the College Officiating Consortium (COC), which is organized to assist all levels of football conferences in the Midwest in activities related to officiating.

Warne started officiating in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), where he says they really struggled with rules knowledge. Over time, he used his academic background to develop a weekly testing system to address the problem. Many now say it’s an archetype for the best way of building officials’ rules knowledge while increasing credibility on the field.

“What we found is if we did these weekly tests, we held people accountable and forced people to get in the rulebook,” Warne explains. The weekly tests are 10, time-limited questions that also form the 250-question pool for the summer clinic test.

That summer test is online, consisting of 25 questions with a 30-minute time limit to complete. Technically, it’s open-book, but the time limit predicates that most of the information already be between the ears of the participants.

The summer clinic in the MEAC is a qualifying event for assignment and people weren’t doing as well on the rules quiz before his intervention. He says the weekly quizzes, in addition to keeping officials current through the season, made the summer quiz less problematic for everyone. Year-over-year, the improvement in officials’ performance due to it has been recognized. Warne has now taken on the task of extending this regimen to the 700-odd officials in the COC, which covers conferences from the Big

Ten all the way down to Divisions II and III. From his own experience in examination design, he says there are a few keys to preparing a good test so it will be an effective learning and evaluation tool. He tries to make the questions challenging but fair, to serve their purpose. “We make the test questions as simple to read as possible,” Warren says. “It should not be an exercise in, ‘Can you read?’” That way, he says, people who have learning and reading difficulties are best evaluated for their knowledge rather than their vocabulary and test-taking experience.

Warren makes a point of having some people “pre-take” his tests to detect issues like ambiguity or inconsistency. He puts considerable effort in making sure questions can’t be taken two different ways based on context such as whether a penalty is accepted or declined: no tricks. He leaves out extraneous information that is irrelevant to a question.

As much as possible, if a question is specifically

about one rule, he avoids calling in knowledge of another rule, which can confuse the issue. On multiple-choice tests, he says the norm is to give four possible answers, two wrong and two possibly correct. In his experience, making the two plausible answers an effective evaluation of knowledge is the easier part. Making the two wrong answers compelling enough is more of a challenge; he doesn’t want two throwaway choices, but they should be enough of a “plausible distractor” to increase the challenge.

Warne’s system shows that a “closed-book,” time-limited, online format for testing is manageable and can also elevate rules understanding, especially when care is taken in sculpting questions. He says test scores have shown year-over-year improvement that has carried over to the field.

There don’t seem to be practical limits to setting the same system up at the high school level, especially if the technology can be shared within the community.

appropriate to assure the masses that officials working games have been credibly checked out for competence.

Other states have used preseason clinics and camps to assess competence, and South Dakota does, too, but the Part II exam is the gold standard.

Auch says South Dakota has considered the kind of dedicated, positional testing discussed in the main article.

“We talked about having (that kind of test) where you log on, take X questions in X amount of time,” she explains. “If you pass it, then you’re considered in the pool for the tournament.”

She says the concern with this approach is it becoming one more thing with which officials must

comply; the risk is driving away officials for whom it becomes the straw that breaks the camel’s back. She adds South Dakota has up to 20 evaluators to help cull the best of the best, so the need for focused tests may not be as obvious in her state.

By the time officials have attended jamborees, regional meetings, proctored tests and been evaluated, Auch believes they have raised their credibility and competence to the desired level. Complying with officiating standards is timeconsuming and thereby demanding of commitment.

South Dakota operates on the premise its certification regimen is worth the effort, much like Rick Warne has shown, too.

A MULTI-LAYERED APPROACH WITH jo auch A 2022 national survey showed only four states have seen an increase in officiating numbers in the COVID years. One of those is South Dakota, where Jo Auch is the assistant executive director for the South Dakota High School Activities Association responsible for officials and rules interpretations. South Dakota is also one of the outliers that still requires a closed-book, proctored exam as part of its officials qualifying to work playoff games.

Like other states, South Dakota sets an open-book,

online test at the beginning of each season. “Coaches and officials have to take the open-book test every year and make an 80 percent in two tries,” Auch says. “If they fail the first time, it makes them dig a little deeper and at least they’re keeping abreast of what the new rules are.

“Those are the things that we need to make sure that coaches are understanding.”

South Dakota uses the NFHS Part II exam to qualify officials to its Certified level, which is the highest of three in the state. Only Certified officials can officiate postseason games and then, after three years of experience at that level, state tournament games. In Auch’s view, the testing protocol is

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BASEBALL

EDITOR: SCOTT TITTRINGTON

stittrington@referee.com

RULES, MECHANICS, PHILOSOPHY

When ruling on a possible foul fly ball, there are only two acceptable positions for umpires working at U1 or U3 — either get to the wall or remain on the foul line in preparation for a fair/foul ruling, as Travis Reininger, Brighton, Colo., does here.

FIGHT OFF A FOUL OUTCOME

By Scott Tittrington

D

uring a recent umpiring camp devoted to the three-umpire system, two of the instructors who were teaching advanced mechanics to students at the U3 position reminisced about the fact they attended pro school the same year. In doing so, they started to get worked up about some of the mantras drilled into their heads by the instructional staff, little umpiring lessons that continue to populate their thoughts some 25 years later.

At the heart of the discussion is what one of the instructors termed his “Foul Ball Pet Peeves” — three specific actions taken by umpires working at either U1 or U3 that clearly indicate whether said arbiter is a veteran who has received some advanced training versus one who may still be in his or her umpiring infancy.

Fortunately, you don’t have to spend the thousands of dollars to go to pro school to learn these concepts, which you can immediately start putting into your game, and which are universal whether you are working along one of the foul lines in the two-, three-, four- or six-umpire system.

The proper position. When a pop-up or fly ball is struck over foul territory that requires a ruling by either U1 or U3 (or U5/6 in the sixumpire system), it’s important for said umpire to realize there are two and only two positions to take on the field.

Remember, your first area of responsibility is determining whether the ball is fair or foul. To accurately do so, you must set up shop on the foul line in a position where you can determine the status of the ball. You

may be only 20 feet behind the firstor third-base bag, or you may initially be on a dead sprint toward the foul pole to get a good look at a trouble ball in the corner. Either way, you are going to stay anchored to the line.

The only time you won’t stay on the line is when it’s clear the batted ball is going to challenge the fence/ wall/dugout that separates liveball and dead-ball territory. When this happens, we can put aside the first order of responsibility — fair or foul — because the ball is clearly foul. Now, the concern shifts to the fielder being able to make a play without leaving live-ball territory, and whether the ball might make contact with any type of barrier, such as netting, that would cause it to become dead.

As such, you should move all the way into foul territory along the

BOB MESSINA

Three Tips for Proper Foul Ball Rulings

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barrier that separates live-ball and dead-ball territory so that you have the barrier, the player and the ball all within your view. If the ball is between you and your home-plate partner, you will want to stay behind the fielder so both you and the plate umpire can have an unobstructed look at the play. If the ball passes your initial starting position, you will want to let the fielders clear you before moving over to the barrier and looking down the line.

What you don’t want to do is end up in no man’s land — standing anywhere in foul territory between the two positions described above.

There isn’t a baseball field anywhere that is so expansive in its live-ball foul territory that you can’t accurately see a catch/no catch either from the foul line or the fence line. So it does you no good to put yourself in a position somewhere in the middle where a sudden gust of wind now means you are completely out of position to make a fair/foul or a liveball/dead-ball ruling.

The proper signal. OK, so you’ve now committed to being in the proper position, and you are working as U3.

A batter sends a high pop-up down the left-field line, and it’s going to challenge the four-foot wall that extends from the third-base dugout.

You allow the third baseman to clear you and you move to the wall; you are in perfect position to rule on the play. The third baseman reaches up to catch the ball, collides with the wall, tumbles to the ground and you see the ball fall out of his mitt, in a spot on the turf where the players and coaches in the dugout and the fans in the bleachers cannot see it.

Now’s your chance to sell your call and show everyone how your positioning and hustle paid off. “Foul ball!” you exclaim, raising your hands shoulder-width above your head.

Well, duh. Or, as both of the two aforementioned instructors would more colorfully put it, “No s---.”

One of the telltale signs that distinguishes a newer umpire from one who is more advanced is the use of signals that make us look amateurish. Think about when you first started, how you would make an

out signal on every routine pop-up, or signal safe when a runner crossed home plate without a play.

It’s the same concept here.

Everyone knows it’s a foul ball. What everyone doesn’t know is whether or not it’s a catch. That’s what you need to sell. Come up big with a physical no-catch signal and the verbiage to match: “No catch! No catch! No catch!” And if the opposite is true and he hangs on to the ball while in a crumpled mess on the ground, sell that one, too.

The proper use of eyes. No umpire wants to become a part of the play. Sometimes, it cannot be avoided — you’re in the working area behind the mound, it’s an artificial turf field, the batter smokes a ball with an exit velocity in the triple digits and you quite simply can’t get out of the way.

Been there, done that. And while you’re worrying about whether you have a broken tibia, the players and coaches are muttering about how you prevented an extra-base hit or a double play.

It’s not a great feeling. But worse yet is when you cause a problem that should easily be avoided.

It’s human nature to follow the ball wherever it goes on the field.

And there are plenty of situations where umpires should never take their eyes off the ball. However, a ball hit in the air — that is not going to potentially be a home run — is not one of them.

When the ball goes up, we need to immediately identify the movement of fielders who are preparing to make a play on it. Players should always take us to the ball. And in the case of pop-ups and fly balls into foul territory (and fair territory, for that matter), we need to ensure we stay out of the way. Again, that sudden gust of wind may push the baseball in any direction, and the last thing we want to do is get a great look at the baseball twisting in the air as the shortstop crashes into our backside and can’t make a play.

Scott Tittrington is an associate editor at Referee. He umpires college and high school baseball, and officiates college and high school basketball and high school football. 

THEY SAID IT “The technology is there.

Our average error is about 3 millimeters, less than the width of an M&M.”

— Justin Goltz, commercial director for Hawk-Eye North America, about the company’s pitch-tracking system SOURCE: BUSINESSINSIDER.COM

BY THE NUMBERS

5 The number of umpires who made their World Series debuts during the 2023 Fall Classic between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers. The quintet of rookies included Vic Carapazza, Brian Knight, David Rackley, D.J. Reyburn and Quinn Wolcott.

Rounding out the crew were Alfonso Márquez and Bill Miller, who each made their fifth World Series appearance.

TOOLS Simplified & Illustrated Are you a visual learner? Do you achieve a better understanding of rules and mechanics through the use of artistic aids rather than the written word? If so, High School Baseball Rules Simplified and Illustrated should be a part of your ongoing education.

The 238page manual, produced in partnership with the NFHS, uses PlayPics and MechaniGrams to bring high school baseball rules to life and allow officials to “see” the game.

The manual costs $15.95 and is available at store.referee.com/ baseball.

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BASEBALL

TEST YOURSELF In each question, decide which answer is correct for NFHS, NCAA or pro rules. Solutions: p. 85.

1. F2 sets up prior to a pitch with his entire right foot out of the catcher’s box. a. Call time and request F2 to take a legal position. b. There is no requirement where F2 takes his initial position, except for pitches during an intentional walk. c. F2 must only have one foot in the catcher’s box until the pitcher begins his motion to pitch. d. F2 is required to have both feet in the catcher’s box until the ball is released. e. F2 is required to have both feet in the catcher’s box at the time of the pitch.

2. R1, who is in the starting lineup, turns his ankle while running the bases trying to go from first to third on a base hit. A pinch runner can enter the game for him, and R1 can re-enter the game later after getting medical attention. a. True. b. False.

3. With a runner on second, one out and a 2-2 count, B3 strikes out swinging on a pitch in the dirt. The ball bounces forward off F2 and into the path of B3, who, as he begins to run to first, inadvertently kicks the ball away from the catcher who is attempting to pick up the ball. a. Leave the ball in play as B3 did not intentionally kick the ball. b. The ball is dead if the umpire judges that action clearly hinders the catcher’s attempt to field the ball.

4. Umpires call an infield fly on a ball that is intentionally dropped. a. The ball is dead, the batter is out and all runners need to retouch their bases. b. Call time, the batter is out and all runners are awarded one base. c. The ball is dead and the batter is awarded first base. Any runners advance one base if forced. d. The ball remains live, the batter is out and any runners advance at their own risk.

The 1-2-3s of HBPs

By George Demetriou

W

hen a pitch enters the batter’s box and there are body parts scattered in all directions, the umpire has several decisions to make. In sequence, they are as follows: Did the pitch hit him? Does he get first? If not, was the pitch a ball, a strike or is he out?

Let’s go through each of these with a focus on the role of the batter’s hands. Except where noted, the material applies equally to NFHS, NCAA and pro rules.

Did the Pitch Hit the Batter?

Sometimes it’s easy and sometimes not so. This is a great opportunity to use circumstantial evidence — how the hitter reacts.

Keep in mind, it works both ways.

There are players, especially at the prep level, who would much rather stay at bat than go to first. If the contact is slight, they will act like they were not hit, but if the umpire is certain, he or she must grant the award. To do otherwise is risking credibility, especially if the batter’s coach had a better view. The lack of a reaction could mean the batter didn’t feel the contact or he felt it and wanted it ignored. The umpire has to decide.

A corollary to this issue is the role of the batter’s hands. Yes, they are on the bat, but they are not part of the bat in any way whatsoever. A big challenge is figuring out what got hit — the bat or the batter’s hands. The simple cases are when it is obvious the hands and only the hands were hit (dead ball, hit by pitch) or the bat and only the bat was hit (fair or foul ball).

There are two other realistic possibilities. In the first, the hands are hit first and then the bat. The likelihood of that occurring increases the more the bat is held parallel to the ground. If the bat is held in a nearly vertical position, that’s not apt to happen. If the hands are hit first, we have a hit batsman.

The remaining scenario is the

ball hits both the hands and the bat simultaneously; that also is a hit by pitch. Hearing the sound of the ball hitting the bat is not a foolproof clue because of the preceding possibilities. Having a batter take off his batting glove to check for welts is permissible. When in doubt, the ball hit the hand.

More than one coach has argued the ball hit the bat first and then the hands. That is not a plausible scenario. Also, keep in mind, if the pitch hits the batter’s hands, it is highly likely to be a hittable pitch and might very well be a strike. In the end, the umpire may consider three elements: the sound, how the batter reacts and the existence of a bruise on the body.

Does He Get First?

The award for a batter who is hit anywhere on his person or uniform by a pitch is one base (NFHS 7-2-1a, 8-1-1d1; NCAA 8-2d1; pro 5.05b2).

The umpire has to determine if the batter is entitled to the award. One reason for denying the award is if the batter swings at the pitch or the pitch is in the strike zone when it strikes him. In both those cases, the ball is dead, no runners can advance and a strike is called. If it’s the third strike, the batter is out.

Also, the batter has certain responsibilities when a pitch is thrown near him. NCAA and pro language require the batter to attempt to get out of the way in order to be awarded first base. However, in NCAA, if the pitch is within the batter’s box, the batter is not required to make any movement to avoid being hit (8-2d1b). NFHS states he is awarded first base, unless he permits the pitch to hit him. While those requirements are similar, there are subtle differences.

All three codes recognize it is unrealistic to expect batters to protect the plate and not subject themselves to being hit. That is the basis for making an award if there is any doubt regarding the batter’s actions.

Reality tells us there are pitches from

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HESTON QUAN

which the batter cannot attempt to get out of the way.

Umpires can consider the speed, type and location of the pitch in relation to both the plate and the batter’s position. Where on the batter’s body the ball makes contact is also a factor. Keep in mind, a batter who has committed to swinging has reduced the control of his body.

Fastballs are very difficult to avoid, especially when thrown directly at or behind the batter. It’s easy to say a batter can move toward the plate if the pitch is at his back, but that is not a natural movement.

Twisting the upper torso to avoid the pitch generally should be accepted as sufficient movement, but it’s possible to manipulate the upper body so as to be hit while creating the perception it was a defensive move. Balls thrown at the upper torso and the buttocks are more difficult to avoid than those in front of the batter. The arms are the easiest body part to control.

It takes more time to decide to move the feet. It is possible for a batter to “freeze” and get struck by the pitch. If he couldn’t reasonably move, he didn’t “permit” the pitch to hit him, and if you accept “must attempt to avoid” means “could have feasibly attempted,” all codes are satisfied.

A batter who gets hit on a foot can generate considerable debate.

One thought is a foot is relatively easy to move and there is an apparent motive of purposefully taking a relatively painless shot to get on base. On the other hand, the last thing a batter wants to move is his feet; doing so eliminates a credible swing. It’s also very difficult to track a pitch that low. Finally, philosophy wise, such a pitch is really poor, and not many have sympathy for a pitcher who has radically missed the strike zone. While exceptions are inevitable, as a rule of thumb, a plop in the foot gets the batter to first.

Pitchers have a wide variety of breaking balls at their disposal and the late movement of the ball is also a factor. If the umpire is surprised at the ball’s movement, it’s likely the batter was just as shocked. There are some easy ones for umpires. It can

When trying to determine whether a batter has been hit by a pitch, it’s OK to use visual evidence of a bruise or a welt, as plate umpire Frank Martinez, Corona, Calif., does here.

be pretty obvious when the batter is letting himself get hit — “the old chicken wing.” The classic is perhaps the slow curve ball that ticks the batter’s front sleeve.

If not awarding the batter first base, was the pitch a ball or a strike?

Any umpire who does not award first base to the batter will surely have to explain why. If it was a strike, either he swung (a belated appeal to a base umpire for an honest answer is appropriate) or the contact was in the strike zone. In either case, the ball is dead, a strike is called and the batter remains at bat unless it is the third strike, then any runners return.

The other explanation is the batter did not comply with the rule requirement. Obviously, the umpire is not going to say it that way, but this is a rare case where the exact wording of the rulebook should be quoted. In NFHS, “He permitted

the ball to hit him.” In NCAA, “He didn’t attempt to avoid being hit.”

In pro, “He made no attempt to avoid being touched by the ball.” It is also OK to say, “He intentionally moved into the pitch,” if that is what happened.

In closing, here are a couple of final thoughts. The fact a pitch hits the dirt before hitting the batter does not change anything we’ve covered, except the pitch can no longer be called a strike unless the batter swings at it. If the ball hits off the catcher or umpire, it is still a pitch. But if such a pitch then hits the batter, he has not been “hit by a pitch” and the batter is not entitled to any award. The ball remains live and in play and runners may advance at their own risk.

Someday, someone will get around to addressing that in a rulebook.

George Demetriou, Colorado Springs, Colo., is the state’s rules interpreter. *

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BASEBALL

CASEPLAYS So What?

Play: With one out and the bases loaded, B5 hits a pop up near the mound. The umpires call the infield fly and F4 intentionally drops the ball. Ruling: Play proceeds the same as if the ball was caught. The ball remains live, B5 is out and the runners advance at their own risk (NFHS 8-4-1c1, 8-4-1j; NCAA 7-11j; pro 5.09a5).

Costly Stop Play: B1 grounds to F6, who overthrows F3. F2 is backing up the play and successfully throws his mask to keep the ball from going into the dugout. B1 has already touched first base. Ruling: B1 is awarded third, two bases from the time of the infraction (NFHS 8-3-3c1; NCAA 8-3g2; pro 5.06b4D).

Take a Hike Play: After a pitch to B1, the catcher tells the plate umpire, “We want to put him on.” Ruling: In NFHS, the request is honored and the award is made. An intentional base on balls can be requested upon communication from the catcher, manager or any coach of the defensive team. In NCAA and pro, the plate umpire will check with the head coach or manager as only that person can make that decision (NFHS 2-4-3; NCAA 2-7; pro 5.05b1 Cmt. 1, Base on Balls Definition).

Hop Scotch Play: With R1 on first, F3 straddles the base with one foot in foul territory. Ruling: All fielders except the catcher are required to be in fair territory at the time of the pitch. In NFHS and NCAA, only one foot is required to be in fair territory to meet this requirement. In pro, there is no penalty, but the umpire should instruct the fielder to keep both feet in fair territory (NFHS 1-14; NCAA 5-4; pro 5.02c, MLBUM II-7).

Rebound Play: B1 hits a fair fly ball that strikes the top of the outfield wall and bounds back onto the playing field where it is caught by F8 before it hits the ground. Ruling: The ball is in play but may not be caught for an out. That is the same as a fair ball that strikes the outfield wall and rebounds back out to the ground on the playing field (NFHS 8-3-3a, interp.; NCAA 8-3h, interp.; pro MLBUM 9).

NFHS 2024 Points of Emphasis T

he NFHS Baseball Rules Committee has issued three points of emphasis (POEs) for the 2024 season. They are not listed in priority order and are considered of equal importance: Malicious Contact Intentional, violent collisions have frequently been the focus of the NFHS rules committee, as malicious contact was also a POE every year from 2006-08 and also in 2014. That it shows up again in 2024 illustrates it remains an area of concern.

The NFHS notes malicious contact is a difficult topic on which to provide a complete and understandable definition that captures every possible scenario. For instance, there are infrequent “train wreck” plays where a runner, a fielder and a thrown ball all meet at the same time, contributing to a violent convergence that is not intentional nor the result of anyone trying to hurt another player. In other words, it is just a “normal” baseball play.

Contact or a collision is considered to be malicious if it is the result of intentional excessive force,

and/or if there is intent to injure.

The absence of these two conditions does not preclude malicious contact, but these two elements of the play provide a reasonable starting point, as does various rules guidance found throughout the NFHS rulebook.

Umpires should have flexibility to judge whether contact they witness is malicious or not, with said judgment being enhanced by education, video review, association training, game experience and umpiring mechanics.

Profanity (Direct or Indirect) The elimination of foul language continues to remain a POE for the NFHS across all sports, with the ongoing emphasis that educationbased athletics are a direct extension of the classroom and behavior that would not be allowed in school should also not be allowed on the baseball field.

Just as a student who blurted out a profanity, whether toward someone else or in frustration, would be disciplined by a teacher or administrator, such behavior on the baseball field needs to be addressed by the umpires.

A

Umpires are encouraged to use their judgment, supported by rulebook definitions, when adjudicating possible malicious contact situations.

That is one of the three points of emphasis for the NFHS for the 2024 baseball season.

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Rule support is clear, starting with a verbal warning to the offender, a written warning to the offender and restriction to the bench/dugout for the remainder of the game, or ejection for a major offense. NFHS rule 3-3-1f1-4 also provides several subarticles in the rulebook addressing profanity and harmful behaviors.

Pace of Play At other levels of baseball, the length of games and certain elements within the game that contribute to that fact have attracted the attention of rules-writing committees. While the NFHS does not share some of the same challenges when it comes to pace of play, it does recognize there are areas in which the teams and umpires can be more efficient when it comes to time management.

• While a 20-second time limit between pitches rule has been in place for more than 40 years, the committee does not want such a rule to

B

While a 20-second clock is on the books in NFHS baseball, the rules committee stressed in a point of emphasis for the 2024 season that it wants umpires to use it as a preventive, not punitive, measure to help address pace of play.

negatively impact a game, but rather be used when preventive officiating fails to provide the desired outcome.

• The NFHS rule for time between innings is one minute from the last out to the next pitch. Umpires should

facilitate the defense getting into place and the pitcher warming up and being ready to start the inning.

Umpires should not be visiting with fans or having extended discussions with one another during these breaks in the action.

• The NFHS rulebook is clear about when a batter is allowed to step outside the batter’s box during an at-bat. Repeatedly stepping out to alter the rhythm of the pitcher or delay the game is not acceptable, and applicable penalties need to be applied by the umpires.

• Umpires need to be consistent in motivating both teams to get on and off the field, expedite conferences involving coaches and especially those between players, and prevent batters from excessively stepping out of the batter’s box. While umpires have no control over the skill level of players, they can positively impact the pace and speed of the game by utilizing these suggestions. 

make the right call every time Focus your thinking on crucial plays you’re seeing every game, and get the tools you need for successful rulings every time.

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VINTAGE ONY

BY PETER JACKEL

TONY BROTHERS: NBA REFEREE. RESTAURATEUR. FUTURE MAYOR?

W

elcome to Brothers, that fine dining establishment located at MacArthur Center in Norfolk, Va. Settle into your seat, sip a drink — perhaps the passion fruit sangria will catch your eye — and then peruse a menu of lunch and dinner delicacies. A crab cake sandwich for lunch? How about feasting on an herb roasted half chicken for dinner?

The live entertainment frequently on hand seems to provide a unifying dynamic to the place, especially the mellow jazz performances. And perhaps the owner of this restaurant will be in town during a break from his regular job and visit your table with his natural sense of warmth and sincerity.

His name is Tony Brothers and he happens to be one of the more respected referees in the NBA. He continues to pack his resume with achievement, as evidenced by last June’s NBA Finals, his 12th straight.

But he’s also winding down as an official.

This has nothing to do with Brothers having turned 59 in September because his skills and physical prowess have shown no signs of diminishing. Instead, Tony sees another sun rising in his life. His plan is to run for mayor of Norfolk, the third most populous city in Virginia, largely because he has been inspired by his beloved late mother, Dorothy, to stimulate positive change.

That’s what Dorothy did after she worked her way to the Bank of America’s senior vice president despite never having earned a college diploma. Until she died unexpectedly at the age of 57 in 2002, she played a major role in helping minority- and womenowned businesses succeed. Her rich legacy of helping others is on permanent display in Room 149 of the Dorothy B. Brothers Auditorium at the Norfolk State University Student Center. Tony made a charitable gift to Norfolk State in 2020 to create the ultimate memorial for the mother who continues to inspire him more than 20 years after her death. And now it’s Tony’s turn.

EYES ON THE FUTURE While Brothers still feels he can navigate the floors of NBA arenas indefinitely with his commanding presence, he also realizes time is passing. He already has been given two more years of life than Dorothy had and there’s so much more to accomplish.

That means maybe the best is yet to come for Dorothy’s only son once he hangs up his whistle for good in 2028, as he plans. One senses he won’t settle for anything less.

“The impact I want to have on the world, I haven’t even done anything relative to what I want to do,” Tony said assertively. “I look at my mom and I think of all the people she helped in her lifetime. It’s all memorialized REFEREE January 2024 | 37

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there with that auditorium. At the end of the day, when you read about the person who is responsible for you being in this world outside of God, I can go read that and be proud of her and her accomplishments.

“I just hope one day my kids or their kids or whoever will be able to look back on their grandfather or great grandfather and say, ‘Wow, he had a positive impact on the world, even beyond refereeing,’” Brothers said. “I think that everyone, from players to coaches to referees, everybody, should leverage their notoriety and assets and everything they’re given from being part of the NBA to do a greater good for the public. I just believe that should happen.”

PARENTAL INFLUENCE Dorothy became pregnant with Tony in November 1963 (Sharon, Tony’s only sibling, followed two years after he was born in September 1964).

Dorothy, in her first year of college at the time, dropped out to raise Tony with her husband, William, and concentrate on being the best mother she could be. And she was. Dorothy showered Tony with the love and encouragement he never felt he received from William.

“My father was very strict and his parents were very strict,” Brothers said. “My mother was sort of the protector. It was not a physical situation. It was more of a mental situation. And like most young men, we always want to please our fathers. We want to hear them say, ‘Son, I’m proud of you.’ That’s how I spent my childhood, trying to get my father to be proud of me. Even to this day, as I trace back, I never can think of times when that was said.”

Dorothy projected just the opposite demeanor, which was especially crucial in Tony’s

Above: In 2020, Tony Brothers made a donation to Norfolk State University in honor of his late mother.

Room 149 became the Dorothy B. Brothers Auditorium.

She died in 2002. Top right: Brothers and his wife, Kimberly Jenkins, were married in 2022. Bottom right: Brothers with his sons, Travis and Trent, in approximately 2003.

sometimes traumatic childhood years. With her encouragement, Tony ranked 44th in a class of 440 with a grade-point average of 3.875 at Booker T. Washington High School, which also produced NFL Hall of Fame defensive end Bruce Smith and the late boxing great Pernell “Sweet Pea” Whitaker.

He also produced on the baseball diamond, earning AllDistrict honors as a right fielder and first baseman. But his childhood years were far from idyllic.

“In elementary school, it was getting picked on by people in the neighborhood,” he said. “We went to the Catholic school. We didn’t go to the public school. That sort of put you in a little bit of an outsider status. There was a lack of a sense of belonging anywhere.

Once I got to officiating, that sort of put me in a place where I felt I belonged.”

There is one particular memory that Brothers recalls to this day.

“I remember walking in the hall and there was this young lady,” Brothers said. “I thought she was attractive and so did everybody else. I remember just looking at her and I think I stared at her too long. She made a comment to everybody and

everybody started laughing. It traumatized me so much that I would go outside to get to the hall where I needed to go to get to class. And I would get in trouble. And I never before got in trouble at school. My teachers started reaching out to my mom and said, ‘Hey, we don’t know what’s going on with him. We never had any problems and now he is coming to class late.’ That was 100 percent because of that particular lady saying something to me that day.”

It was Dorothy who counseled her son to walk like a man through that hallway once again.

“She protected me,” Tony said. “Once she found out about the situation at school, she encouraged me to just walk down the hall again and I did. And nobody said anything. My sister could do no wrong by my mother. But I think that was because I was always feeling I was doing wrong by everybody else.”

It was a situation that festered with Tony long after his parents divorced in the early 1970s. Even after he broke into officiating in the 1980s, Brothers was hindered by inner turmoil that festered partly from the

COURTESY OF TONY BROTHERS

VINTAGE TONY

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uneasy relationship he had with his father and partly from other emotions he struggled to manage.

“Growing up, he was just very hard on me disciplinewise. I felt he was much harder on me than on my sister,” Brothers said. “It created a lot of emotional issues for me in the sense that when I was in school, I had a note that stayed on file with the teachers that I had an emotional issue.

And anytime I felt that way, I could just get up and leave the classroom. I don’t think that was brought about by my father, but it was how I was made up. Anytime anyone said anything negative to me, it would just send me that way.

I remember telling my mom when I said I wanted to referee basketball and she said, ‘You can’t even look people in the eye and talk to them. How are you going to be able to do that? You don’t like anyone saying anything negative to

Brothers has been an NBA staff official for 28 seasons.

Bottom left: Brothers worked the 2020 NBA Finals in the pandemic bubble. From left, David Guthrie, Brothers, Eric Lewis and James Capers.

Top right: (from left) NBA referee Tom Washington, Aaron C. Wade (assistant to Darell Garretson, NBA supervisor of officials) and Brothers.

Brothers said Wade was one of the reasons he’s officiating in the NBA today.

you and that’s all that job is.’

I didn’t really have an answer for her other than I had started refereeing and I loved doing it. Later on, I figured out that outside noise doesn’t bother me, whether it’s the fans, the media, social media or whatever. But inside noise, people that matter to me, can crush me and that’s what I had to learn to manage.”

QUICK LEARNER Brothers certainly succeeded, based on what George Toliver recalls. It was in 1989 when Brothers, who was just 25 at the time, attended the George Toliver Basketball Officiating School at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Va. What Toliver saw was a poised young man with obvious skills — skills that would elevate him to the NBA by the time Brothers was 30 in 1994. Even after Brothers broke into the league, he still had his moments of turmoil, but he had learned how to block out the noise while wearing a striped

shirt and focus on the job at hand.

“One of the several things I liked about him in terms of his performance is, one, he had a high skill level and he comprehended and learned things very rapidly in the NBA system,” Toliver said. “Tony was excellent with communication and interaction and he was very personable. Not only was the communication very good, he was very comfortable and had a willingness to effectively communicate with players, coaches and partners during the course of a game.”

By the time Brothers made that jump to the NBA, he had been seasoned by several years of experience. Brothers worked seven years of high school basketball, during which he worked three state tournaments in Virginia.

He also put in four seasons with the CBA, earning three Finals assignments and one

ALLEN FREDRICKSON; COURTESY OF TONY BROTHERS

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VINTAGE TONY All-Star Game. Brothers was ready by 1994 and he has only gotten better through the years.

Going into his 30th season, he has worked 16 Finals and has weathered the inevitable criticism any official endures. And there’s plenty of that. Google Brothers’ name and you’ll see a story with the headline “Tony Brothers: The Most Incompetent Official in the NBA.” He is sometimes dismissed with contempt by players and fans for his no-nonsense style, but that’s almost a badge of honor for Brothers. Bring it on, Brothers still feels after all these years because, he says, “I’m not out there to make friends. I’m out there to do my job.” It all comes down to blocking out the noise, which has been noticed by his boss, Monty McCutchen, senior vice president and head of referee development and training for the NBA. “No moments are too big for Tony,” McCutchen said.

“Tony is capable of meeting the moments through training and discipline and he has done that for an extremely long period of time and has reaped the benefits and rewards in a profession that’s difficult through that sense of discipline and strength of character. Tony has strong character and he’s willing to make difficult decisions through the exclusion of outside noise so that standards are met.

“I think one of the most underrated attributes of being an NBA referee is the ability to uphold standards through the constant chatter that surrounds trying to influence those standards.”

Retired NBA referee Joey Crawford also picked up on those characteristics.

“I reffed with Tony and I supervised him for six years,” Crawford said. “Tony was a good partner and a guy who was very honest with himself. He never had a problem, and he still doesn’t, when you talk to him about plays. He never got defensive. He understands the big picture. He understands that he’s going to

Brothers Restaurant in Norfolk, Va., opened in 2021 and offers fine dining to its patrons.

make a mistake — we all make mistakes — but he’s trying to get better. That’s really a fabulous trait for a Finals ref. When I reffed with him, he always had your back. You always knew Tony was going to be there for you.”

Ed T. Rush, former NBA referee and director of officials, singles out Brothers’ personality as his outstanding attribute.

“He’s very deep and analytical and he knows the players,” he said. “It’s almost like a father or big brother relationship. He calls them out when they need to be called out and he just talks to them in the right way. There’s nobody like him when it comes to his personality on the floor and his relationship with the players.

“When I was with the league office, I was an advisor for them as far as communications is concerned,” Rush said. “The players would come back to me and tell me things the referees said to them with trying to improve that level of communication. With Tony, it was amazing with some of the things he said. He was so effective and there was a depth of understanding that he has.

He has the big brother, fatherly way about him and it’s highly effective.”

MAYORAL RUN? That largely explains why Brothers already is thinking about running for mayor of Norfolk. Whether he manages to achieve that goal remains to be seen, but he certainly has talking points for when he runs. Following the lead of his mother, Brothers has built figurative bridges all over Norfolk, such as being co-founder and a director for the Still Hope Foundation (since renamed Journey for Success), Men for Hope Inc., among many other foundations. In 2014, he was the recipient of a Distinguished Alumni Award from Old Dominion University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration/Management Information Systems in 1986.

His name is prominent in Norfolk and he has positioned himself for success in the realm of politics.

Sharon Parker, Tony’s sister, has personally witnessed him become a man who would make an enormous difference as Norfolk’s mayor.

“I think he has experienced a lot of things you need in order to qualify to be in that role for a city as big as

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Norfolk,” she said. “He has had exposure to other things on the national level — obviously the NBA — and I tell him all the time, ‘If you can handle these high-priced athletes with such control and such fortitude, I believe the City of Norfolk is a great place for you to expand your level of leadership.’ I think he is humble enough, yet smart enough to do what he needs to do. Tony is not perfect in any way, shape or form and that’s what I love. I think he has made enough mistakes, but he has overcome those mistakes. So he can lead a great city.”

What exactly is Tony all about as a human being?

Perhaps this story from 2008 captures his essence as well as any.

A HELPING HAND

COURTESY OF TONY BROTHERS

As the worldwide economic crisis tightened its grip that year, a young Virginia businessman placed a call to Brothers, a casual acquaintance who would one day become his best friend. His name was Tony McGee and his business, Cad Structural Detailing Inc., in Carrollton, Va., was struggling from the economic meltdown.

“They stopped commercial loans, which stopped commercial projects, which stopped me from having design work to do,” McGee recalled.

Even though the two had met only three or four years earlier while watching their kids play in a recreational soccer league, McGee sensed Brothers would offer a sturdy shoulder on which to lean, not to mention a light-hearted soul who would make him smile. He was correct with his perception because, as he would one day learn, Brothers had experience working out of dark places and he would be there for McGee. “I was down in the dumps and needed someone to talk to,” McGee said. “I knew he would give me a laugh, so I picked up the phone and called him.”

Above: Brothers speaks at a gala for his foundation, Men for Hope. Top right: He was the commencement speaker at Norfolk State University in 2022. Bottom right: Brothers graduated from Old Dominion in 2022 with a master’s in public administration.

No way would McGee ever ask for financial assistance. He’s never been wired that way. But as he gently vented to his friend about his intensifying struggles, Brothers surprised him by asking, “What do you need?”

“Here we were, only four years, maybe five, into our friendship,” McGee said. “For him to even offer any help, I thought, was just over-the-top awesome. I told him, ‘Look, I’m good for right now, but if things continue the way they are, I may call on you.’”

McGee ultimately went to Brothers for a loan and, 15 years or so later, this is where things stand: McGee’s business recovered after that financial shot in the arm and he wasted no time paying back his friend. As for Brothers, he continues to develop an officiating resume that stands with pretty much anyone who has ever worked in the NBA with his eye on one day becoming Norfolk’s mayor.

“He cares about people and he’s a leader,” Crawford said. “And I think we need that desperately in all facets of business, of politics. We need people like Tony. We need leaders. It would not surprise me to not only see Tony as the mayor, but as the governor of Virginia. The guy is a sharp guy.

He’s not only a great referee, he’s a great businessman. He’s not just defined by officiating NBA basketball.”

And that brings this story back to Brothers’ Restaurant,

where Tony’s vision about life and his qualifications as a mayor are regularly on display.

“I have a musical component to my restaurant,” Tony said. “Every month, I bring in international artists — jazz artists, R&B, pop, comedians — but mostly in the jazz genre. And what I found is music and food bring people together. You can see people from different demographics together for those two things and it doesn’t matter about the question of people’s skin or anything. They just all seem to be happy and it’s a common thing.

“We are so divided now and I believe that it’s because we don’t do enough things together. If we could learn to accept other people’s differences and realize that everybody doesn’t want the same thing. I just believe it is time to mitigate issues by bringing people together and everybody sitting down and not just a few people making decisions about everyone and how everyone should live and how everything should be. I believe that it’s OK that we do things differently, but I believe we should also treat people with respect. That’s what I want to do — create an environment for people where everybody can be heard and everybody feels that they have some skin in the game.”

Peter Jackel is an award-winning sportswriter from Racine, Wis. *

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BASKETBALL

EDITOR: SCOTT TITTRINGTON

stittrington@referee.com

RULES, MECHANICS, PHILOSOPHY

SCREEN GEMS

Who Caused the Contact Is the Key Component

By Tim Sloan

M

Officials must understand the requirements for legal screens so when there is contact between two opposing players, they know whether it is incidental or illegal.

BOB MESSINA

anaging freedom of movement in basketball is one of the most inconsistent areas of officiating today.

At the heart of this is properly judging screens to be legal or illegal. Doing it well is critical to players being able to use their athleticism and to officials in controlling the game.

The annual points of emphasis (POEs) regularly identify restricting freedom of movement as something to be cleaned up; meanwhile, many players, coaches and fans think a little body contact in creating “traffic” is a valid part of the game. Officials stand in the chasm between, charged with arbitrating this disconnect in a way that pleases everyone. They can’t. It’s another one of those cases where we’re asked to enforce the rules as written, regardless of our own opinion. Let’s review the basics of legal screening to see what has to be done.

Basketball was designed with the intention of avoiding physical contact in an indoor setting. Players could run, jump and throw, but not push, hold or tackle their opponents as the rugby players who first took up Dr. Naismith’s game were trained to do. As the game grew from infancy, a serious issue arose: Any group of players, moving quickly in a confined area, were inevitably going to contact an opponent: Was any contact a foul?

If it was, were players allowed to tactically stand in an opponent’s way, forcing the opponent to change direction? Then, if there was contact, whose fault was it — the person forcing the change of direction or the player who couldn’t change direction quickly enough? To sort it out, the

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definition of this tactic, a “screen,” evolved. This is how it reads today with my emphasis shown in italics: NFHS rule 4-40-1: “A screen is legal action by a(ny) player who, while touching the playing court, without causing contact, delays or prevents an opponent from reaching a desired position.”

“Any player” means while we usually think of team A screening (setting a “pick” on) team B, it works the other way, too. Team B can screen team A. Consider this situation: Play 1: After a basket, A1 is inbounding the ball against a fullcourt press. A2 cuts along the endline, where B3 is standing. They collide, knocking B3 to the floor. Ruling 1: This could be a legal screen by B3, resulting in a team-control foul to A2. Whether the foul is on B3 instead depends on knowing the elements of a legal screen.

For a screen to be legal, the screener, (1) may face in any direction, (2) must give the “target” a reasonable chance to avoid contact, (3) must be stationary (unless moving in the same path and direction), and (4) must maintain verticality with no body parts extending out of the plane of the torso (4-45).

The first point allows a screener to turn and brace for impact but also allows that player to sometimes be a screen without realizing it. In all contexts of the rules, when a player establishes a position on the floor, no opponent has the right to displace him or her. This puts the onus on moving players to watch where they’re going as they run around the court.

The second point balances the equation by requiring the screener to avoid blindsiding the opponent; a screen is supposed to be passive and not intended to create unavoidable contact.

Being stationary, in the third point, is consistent with not causing contact, as in 4-40-1.

The final point is the crux of many disputes: Extending a hand, elbow, arm, knee, foot or rump, out of verticality, is defined by this rule as causing contact. Understanding this, let’s revisit Play 1, with some more detail added.

Play 2: Same as Play 1, but B3 (a) is guarding A3 and doesn’t see A2 coming, (b) sees A2 coming and crouches slightly, turning a shoulder to protect against impact, (c) sees A2 coming and jumps in the way to draw contact, (d) is standing still when contacted by A2, or (e) extends a knee or elbow to interfere with A2. Ruling 2: In (a) and (b), B3’s screen is legal; (e) is illegal because B3 wasn’t legally vertical, and the offending body part was part of the screen. Meanwhile, the legality of (c) and (d) depends on the timing of the event and A2’s focus of attention and resulting “visual field” at the time of impact.

A player is expected to be alert to impending contact within the “visual field” around them (4-40-7). That being stated, the screen’s legality depends on who is moving. If the screener is in the field of view of the target, whether or not the target is moving, the onus is on the target to avoid the screen. If not in the target’s field of view, the onus is on the screener to give the target reasonable time and distance to change course. That means if both players are stationary, the screener must permit the target a full step back to avoid contact. If the target is moving, he or she still has the requirement to be looking around to avoid contact. The avoidance distance is deemed to be not more than two steps prior to contact, depending on how quickly the target is moving (4-40-5).

Essentially, the official must decide who was more responsible for the contact in such cases. Keep in mind the direction the target is moving isn’t necessarily within his or her visual field; a defender following a dribbler across the top of the lane could be traveling east/west while looking north. Even if the target never sees the screen coming, the target can still be charged with the foul for displacing the stationary player. With this in mind, let’s get back to Play 2.

Play 3: Same as Play 2, resolving situations (c) and (d). Ruling 3: In these cases, A2 is moving, and the official must decide whether B3 has become stationary before contact as in (d) but has allowed sufficient time and distance for A2 to react and evade the screen. Conventional wisdom

THEY SAID IT “Not everyone is willing to dream big.

Intae was willing to take a risk on officiating and on the collective happiness of his family. He had the courage to think he could accomplish big things.” − Monty McCutchen, NBA head of referee development and training, about Intae Hwang, who moved his family to the U.S. from South Korea in 2020 to pursue his dream of becoming an NBA official SOURCE: YAHOO.COM

SURVEY SAYS …

According to the 2023 NASO National N AT I O N A L O F F I C I AT I N G Officiating Survey powered by Referee.com, 73.45 percent of basketball officials who responded believe sportsmanship is getting worse. Only 8.42 percent of respondents indicated they believe sportsmanship is getting better.

TOOLS Major Changes to High School Throw-in Rules Are you having trouble wrapping your mind around the new NFHS rules regarding frontcourt throwins that have gone into effect for the 2023-24 season? Referee and NASO have produced a 24-page guide that covers every nuance of the new throw-in procedures, using text and MechaniGrams to explain and illustrate 17 different scenarios. The guide sells for $5.95 and is available at store.referee.com/ basketball.

REFEREE

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BASKETBALL

TEST YOURSELF

A

In each of the following, decide which answer or answers are correct for NFHS, NCAA men’s and NCAA women’s rules, which might vary.

Solutions: p. 85.

1. If a timing mistake occurred during the first extra period (NFHS/NCAAM) or overtime (NCAAW), which ends with the score tied, up until when can the mistake be corrected? a. Until the ball becomes live to begin the second extra period/ overtime. b. Until the intermission between extra periods/overtimes begins. c. Until the intermission between extra periods/overtimes ends. d. The timing mistake cannot be corrected.

2. Which of the following does not result in a warning for delay? a. Failure to have the court ready for play after the final horn to end any timeout. b. Interfering with the ball after a goal. c. Failing to provide sufficient space along the out-of-bounds line for a throw-in after being warned by an official. d. The opponents of the thrower-in having any part of their person beyond the inside plane of the boundary line prior to being allowed by rule.

B

3. A1 has the ball for a designatedspot throw-in. A1 bounces the ball several times on the floor on the out-of-bounds side of the boundary line before completing the throw-in by passing it to A2. What is the result? a. Double-dribble violation. b. Traveling violation. c. Throw-in violation. d. No violation; this is a legal play.

4. On a throw-in in the backcourt, which begins when an inbounds player legally touches the ball inbounds? a. The game clock only. b. The 10-second backcourt count only. c. The game clock and the 10-second backcourt count. d. The game clock, the shot clock and the 10-second backcourt count.

5. A1 is replaced by A6. Following the substitution, B2 is holding the ball for a throw-in. During the dead ball that follows, for which of the following is A1 allowed to reenter the game? a. Team B commits a throw-in violation. b. Team A fouls prior to the throwin ending. c. Team B fouls prior to the throwin ending. d. None of the above.

To set a screen on a moving opponent, the same principles on distance apply as when an initial guarding position is taken on a moving opponent without the ball.

The opponent must be able to stop or change direction.

In this PlayPic series, No. 15 is guilty of setting an illegal screen by moving into the path of a moving opponent.

is there should be a “breath” for A2 to recognize and avoid contact; teammates calling picks can be helpful here. This compares to a block/ charge call on a dribbler, where legal guarding position can be established instantaneously before contact. Keep in mind setting a legal guarding position on an approaching dribbler is a form of legal screen, where the target is within the dribbler’s visual field and requires

no time and distance prior to contact.

So in (c), it’s up to the official to see the play developing and decide whether contact is avoidable.

Within three-person mechanics, the weakside center position is intended to be on the lookout for the legality of screens, which often occur through the lane. Ball-watching center officials can’t do this because they won’t be observing the activity prior to

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HESTON QUAN

contact. Supervisors look for the tip of the center’s nose to be pointed at movement in the lane while the ball is in the background being followed by the lead and trail officials.

The final issue is what call to make if a player tries to avoid a screen but there’s still contact. This isn’t necessarily a foul. A player avoiding a screen is allowed some contact, which may be severe, if the player stops or attempts to stop on contact and moves around the screen (4-40-7).

Obviously, this is open to debate, of which a typical varsity contest provides its fair share. How the officials rule on these plays directly affects their game control, but there can be no “prescription” for this judgment. The officials should tighten or loosen this decision based on the skills, emotions and physicality of the players, without it becoming a free-forall. This gets back to the POEs, which rightfully claim we’ve become too forgiving of contact. When in doubt, get the offense and defense thinking they must control their movements and avoid unnecessary collisions. You can often accomplish this with your voice early on without needing to call a foul on a borderline incident. The players might not mind the rough and tumble, but they sure don’t like sitting on the bench.

The Olympic movement’s motto is Citius, Altius, Fortius, which translates to Faster, Higher, Stronger. Basketball was never intended to include stronger and should favor the players who move faster and jump higher; you’d never know it watching some games today. Clean screens make offensive plays work and reward the talents of the players. Illegal screens negate the talents of those players and, worse, lead to frustration, injuries and ill will.

From an official’s standpoint, that takes us someplace we don’t want the game to go.

Remember the requirements of a legal screen. Penalize the team that causes the contact and set the tone by addressing illegal screens that affect the flow and safety of the game.

Tim Sloan, Davenport, Iowa, is a high school football, basketball and volleyball official, and former college football and soccer official. 

Should the officials have a three-second count on this play? If this is an interrupted dribble by either of the two players shown, and that player’s team has team control in the offensive frontcourt, a three-second count should be in effect.

One … Two … Three?

Not That Easy

By Joshua Schroeder

M

ost officials would probably agree, when angry fans yell during a game about missed calls, they generally do not fully understand the rule they are complaining about. How many times have you heard, “Over the back!” or “That’s a reach!” from the stands? As officials who study the rules regularly, we understand these popular phrases are not rules at all, so why are many fans convinced they are?

Sometimes they learn these “rules” from TV, watching retired pro players commenting on rules while using this phrasing. Or from a coach or fellow teammate that used these expressions to regularly describe fouls that are occurring. But

regardless of where it originates, it is usually a simple misunderstanding of how the actual rule is written.

One of those commonly mistaken rules is three seconds. Now, you may ask, how could anyone ever misinterpret the three-second rule?

It is so simple. The name of the rule actually describes the definition: You cannot be in the lane for longer than three seconds. But this is exactly the point. Because three seconds seems intrinsically simple, most people do not even consider there being anything more to it. When you start to read what the rule says, however, and combine it with what a few other rules say, you find that this very simple rule is not so simple after all.

So, let’s go over three seconds and find out exactly what it means.

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BASKETBALL

CASEPLAYS Correctable Error Play: A1 is fouled by B2 while dribbling the ball on the perimeter.

The scoreboard indicates the foul is team B’s fifth (NCAAM: seventh) and the official scorer also indicates to the officials that A1 shall shoot bonus free throws. A1’s first free throw try is successful, but the second is not. Team B controls the rebound after the missed free throw and scores a successful field goal on its possession. Team A inbounds the ball and brings the ball into its frontcourt, where it gets knocked out of bounds along the sideline by B3. During this dead ball, the official scorer lets the nearest official know a mistake was made, the foul by B2 was only team B’s fourth (NCAAM: sixth), and A1 should not have shot free throws. Can this error be corrected? Ruling: Awarding unmerited free throws is a correctable error. In order to correct this error, it must be recognized and corrected by an official during the first dead ball after the game clock has been properly started.

The game clock properly started when team B grabbed the rebound after A1’s unsuccessful second free throw. The first dead ball after the game clock properly started was after team B’s successful field goal.

The error must be recognized and corrected at this time. Therefore, it’s too late to correct the error, A1’s free throw shall count and play shall resume at the point of interruption, which is team A’s throw-in along the sideline where it was knocked out of bounds by B3 (NFHS 2-10-1b, 2-10-2, 6-1-2b, 6-7-1; NCAA M/W 2-12.1.b, 2-12.2, 6-1.2.b, 6-5.1.a).

Try Stuck in Net Play: A1 attempts a try for goal.

The ball enters the basket from above, but the net was tangled such that the ball gets stuck in the net and remains in the net.

How shall the officials handle this scenario, and does the goal count?

Ruling: A goal shall be scored when a try enters the basket from above and remains in or passes through the basket. When A1’s try remains in the net, the officials shall stop play immediately, score the goal and ensure the net is no longer tangled as part of the process of retrieving the stuck basketball (NFHS 5-1-1; NCAAM/W 5-1.2.a).

First, the rule states, “A player shall not remain for three seconds (NFHS) or more than three seconds (NCAAM/W) in that part of the player’s free-throw lane between the endline and the farther edge of the free-throw line while the ball is in control of the player’s team in the team’s frontcourt” (NFHS 9-7-1; NCAAM/W 9-9.2), which we already know, but what does “in the lane” entail? Does it apply only to players entirely in the lane with two feet inside the lines or can it be one foot? What about simply standing on the line? The rulebook specifies this description with “the three-second restriction applies to a player who has only one foot touching the lane boundary” (NFHS 9-7-2) or “any part of their body remain in the threesecond lane” (NCAAM/W 9-9.2). So there is no difference to the application of the rule between a player standing right in the middle of the lane or if on the edge with only a foot touching the line of the lane.

But there is more, because there are specific times in which the three-second rule is in effect and when it is not.

Let’s go back to the original definition and look at a specific phrase that makes a huge difference in how we must officiate this rule: “… while the ball is in control of the player’s team in the frontcourt.” This segment of the rule is important because it tells us exactly when the rule is to be enforced.

First, the ball must be in team control and second, it must be in the frontcourt. While the ball is being passed and/or dribbled in the backcourt, a teammate may stand anywhere in the lane with no count.

Because even though there is team control, the ball is not in the frontcourt.

Likewise, if the offensive team is making a frontcourt throw-in, there are no restrictions on players being in the lane. Again, there is team control, but there is no frontcourt status, as the ball is out of bounds.

Also, when a player is standing in the lane while the ball is being passed among teammates in the frontcourt, a three-second count shall be executed by the official, but once a try for goal is attempted, the official should terminate the three-second count and allow the

player to continue to stand without penalty. But why? That gives the player a big advantage on positioning for a rebound, does it not? This may be true, however, according to the rule, once the ball is in flight during a try or tap for field goal, team control no longer exists, and with no team control, the three-second rule no longer applies. Any time a team shoots the ball, the three-second count stops and only restarts after control has been gained once again.

One more section of this rule is worth reviewing because it can have a big impact as to how officials evaluate a player’s status in the lane. Article three of the three-second rule states officials should suspend the count and provide extra allowance for a player who is in the lane “for less than three seconds, dribbles in or moves immediately to try for (a) field goal” (NFHS 9-7-3, NCAAM/W 9-9.3). This statement is important because the purpose of the three-second rule is to not allow an offensive player unlimited time in an advantageous position right in front of the basket, but does give a bit of wiggle room to allow play to continue if a player gets the ball and tries to score. This stipulation, however, is only when a player makes an attempt to score right away. If the player does anything other than make a prompt move toward the basket to score, such as pass to a teammate, it should be ruled a violation.

Remember, the three-second rule is an integral part of the game of basketball, and though we may not see it called very often, it should be in effect and evaluated at all times, within the parameters as they are written. By effectively managing time spent in the lane, we help keep all participants on a level playing field by not allowing an advantage of position to any player over another.

Knowing the rule as it is written, and applying an accurate count when necessary, will keep the game fair and balanced for everyone.

Joshua Schroeder, Schaumburg, Ill., is a certified state clinician and the founder of the Officials Institute, a nationwide online officials association and YouTube training channel for high school basketball officials. 

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N AT I O N A L AS S O C I AT I O N

OF SPORTS OFFICIALS

VISION ACTION IN

Ensuring Safety and Legal Rights for Sports Officials A ssaults on sports officials seem to happen almost every week in some amateur game somewhere in the country. Although such crimes have been occurring for years, more easily accessible videorecording devices like smartphones have made them more visible to the public. Here at the National Association of Sports Officials (NASO) headquarters, the staff is constantly collaborating with local officials and state legislatures to punish those who assault and physically attack officials.

NASO supports legislation that specifically identifies the men and women who referee, umpire and judge contests. NASO believes such assaults should be treated more severely by the law. Due to the high emotions that occur in heated contests, officials must protect themselves in such a legal climate.

NASO has worked with dozens of state legislatures through the years to help them realize the importance of passing those laws to protect sports officials.

NASO publishes a “Legislative Scorecard” every year as an interactive map that displays states that have passed laws dealing with liability issues, independent contractor status, and assault protection. There are currently 22 states that have officiating assault laws including 20 with criminal laws and two with civil statues. To see where your state stands, check out the scorecard. Go tonaso.org/ scorecard.

Along with legislative efforts,

NASO provides assault protection to every NASO member. NASO includes $30,500 in assault protection insurance with every membership.

That insurance provides officials for reimbursement of certain expenses and loss of game fees resulting from injuries suffered when an official is a victim of assault. No other governing body or organization provides such protection for officials.

NASO works hard to make sure state legislators enact tougher penalties for individuals who assault sports officials. Those efforts are intended to help stop assaults before they happen. However, real world assaults happen all the time. If you are an NASO member and are assaulted while officiating, NASO is here to help you. NASO can assist you in finding an attorney, and help with legal fees, medical expenses, and lost game fees.

Additionally, to help all sports officials whether they are members or not, NASO publishes guidelines for officials’ safety in which they can learn to protect themselves. The “Strong Safety” digital download guide is a free online resource created by NASO to promote safety for officials in all sports and levels.

Guidance is offered for individual officials, crews, and schools/leagues.

It is available to anyone to download on our website under the “Resources” tab.

To take advantage of these great benefits and resources, if you are not already an NASO member you can sign up at www.naso.org or by calling 1-800-733-6100.

WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER!

ATTENTION REFEREE MAGAZINE SUBSCRIBERS It’s time to join the rest of us in the National Association of Sports Officials. Not only will you continue to receive the world’s #1 officiating publication, you’ll enjoy all of the additional benefits NASO members enjoy.

Go to naso.org/upgrade2023 to join NASO for the special introductory price of $114 and receive these two FREE books!

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Jan_24.indb 43

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Barrow

Bound A group of football officials ventured north to Alaska to a high school field near the top of the globe.

H

ow far would you be willing to travel to officiate a regular-season high school football game?

For Tim Kiefer and crew, the answer: nearly to the top of the world.

This past August, they took a once-in-a-lifetime game assignment at Barrow High School in Utqiagvik (formerly Barrow), Alaska, the northernmost town in the United States with the northernmost football field in the world.

Kiefer, founder and president of MIBTonline.com, which offers online officiating

By Wade Turner

training, organized the event. He said he came up with the idea about eight months prior to the game after browsing through social media and finding stories about high school football in Utqiagvik.

He saw an opportunity to contribute to officiating in a unique place.

“Everybody asks me, ‘Why would you do this?’” Kiefer said. “I think it was a bond of sports officiating in a place like no other. Belonging to an officiating family, this trip brought fulfillment, enjoyment, friendship and a sense of togetherness.”

Kiefer contacted Brian Hosken, director of student services for the Alaska School Activities Association in Anchorage. Hosken was a subscriber to MIBT and helped arrange the assignment. He even agreed to be on the officiating crew.

“This is what the avocation of officiating is all about: camaraderie, shared experiences, giving back to the game, having fun and being part of a community,” said Kiefer, who lives just outside of Las Vegas.

Kiefer found four other colleagues from across the country to round out the crew.

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He added Bill LeMonnier of Illinois, who is an ESPN college football rules analyst and former Big Ten football referee.

After getting LeMonnier on board, he reached out to Mike Bilica of Connecticut.

The remaining crew was filled out by Steve Landro of Washington state and Rob Walkotte of North Pole, Alaska.

To accommodate the six officials, the crew added a center judge position, which is aligned in the offensive backfield.

Although assembling the crew and handling all of the logistics of this unique assignment was a challenging

Jan_24.indb 45

task for Kiefer, life in remote Alaska can prove to be the ultimate challenge for its residents.

For example, located north of the Arctic Circle and not connected to the Alaskan main road network, Utqiagvik is only accessible to visiting teams and officials by plane. The team that Barrow High School played was located in Kenai, more than 1,000 miles away in southern Alaska.

Also, the community’s 4,900 residents were just coming off nearly three months of continuous daylight. Conversely, a month after the season ends in mid-October, Barrow will

Barrow High School

ARC

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BARROW BOUND

Top: From left, Mike Bilica, Brian Hosken and Bill LeMonnier take the flight to Utqiagvik.

Officials got to taste some local cuisine, which included a sampling of seal meat and whale heart. From left, Kiefer, Robert Walkotte, Hosken, Steve Landro, Mike Bilica and LeMonnier.

At right, the view from the dorm, which housed both the officials and the visiting team. A little digging out was required after a truck got stuck in black sand during an attempted side trip to the northernmost point in the U.S.

said. “I told my wife if this was California, it would be a milliondollar property.”

From Alaska’s stunning scenery to its local delicacies, the odyssey was a whirlwind of experiences in a surreal environment, Kiefer said.

The crew got to sample whale and seal hearts, caribou, moose and Eskimo ice cream.

“For the most part, everyone tried the native food, but no one really liked it,” Kiefer said. “It reminded me if you’ve ever been to SeaWorld. It’s that smell.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF TIM KIEFER, SHUTTERSTOCK

experience the opposite phenomenon — darkness for a little more than two straight months.

Given travel expenses to reach opponents, football is a costly item for the high school, but an important one for the community.

“I think football is an important sport for Barrow because it teaches teamwork and social skills that are inherent to the local Eskimo culture,” Hosken said.

Barrow High School normally hosts three to four games per year, and teams either fly from Fairbanks or Anchorage to reach Utqiagvik, Hosken said. Barrow similarly flies to play opponents in other parts of the state.

The high school began its football program just 17 years ago. It won a state title in 2017 and nearly repeated this year, losing 20-8 to Kenai Central (the same team that Kiefer and crew

would see in August) in an Oct. 14 title game.

After the officiating crew was established, Kiefer set up his game plan. The crew members met two days prior to the game in Anchorage, highlighted by a breakfast with local high school football officials, before boarding a two-hour commercial flight to Utqiagvik.

The crew also flew with the visiting team from Kenai, which had to first be bused several hours to make its flight from Anchorage.

“This is not at all unique to teams in Alaska,” Kiefer said.

Barrow is one of 24 teams in the state that competes in 11-on-11 high school football, with an additional four teams playing nine-person football.

Upon arrival at Utqiagvik, the crew stayed in a new dormitory on the shores of the Arctic Ocean along with the Kenai team. The dorm was specifically built as housing for visiting teams throughout the year.

“I laughed when I looked out of the dorm and saw the Arctic Ocean right there,” Kiefer

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Alaska resident Hosken even had his own humorous take on some of the native food. “The skin of the muktuk (whale skin/ blubber) can sometimes have the consistency of a Michelin tire,” he said.

In preparation for the game, the crew headed to the field at 9 p.m. the night before the contest.

Even at that hour, it was still light outside. In August at this latitude, the sun sets at about midnight and rises at about 6 a.m.

The blue artificial turf field is located just northeast of town on a peninsula between a lagoon and the Arctic Ocean. The field is highlighted by yellow markings at midfield and yellow-colored end zones. A small section of bleachers are located on one side of the field, holding no more than 100 spectators, with the remaining fans lining up behind the fenced-in perimeter.

“I think the location and the community itself made it unique for us,” Kiefer said. “It’s like going to another country but in a roundabout way.”

While in Utqiagvik, the crew decided to drive just a few miles northeast of the field to the northernmost point in the U.S. Unfortunately, their vehicle got stuck in black sand. They needed the assistance of a local resident and took this as a sign to return to their dormitory, Kiefer said.

On game day, they were greeted by a brisk northwest wind blowing from the Arctic Ocean, a light drizzle and 39 degrees, about 70 degrees cooler than in Kiefer’s hometown of Las Vegas.

The teams arrived from Barrow High School in separate buses, which also served as their halftime locker rooms. Each squad fielded teams of about 20 players.

As part of game security, a few local residents were assigned to an informal polar bear patrol in their vehicles behind both end zones, Hosken said. Sightings, however, have been rare. “And with all the noise at the game, a polar bear probably wouldn’t be too interested,” Hosken said.

It was a noon Saturday kickoff to make sure the visiting team and officiating crew made the one and only 5 p.m. flight back to Anchorage.

“The community truly supports their team and will come out to cheer while wearing their parkas and kuspuks (cloth

Above, the home team cheerleading squad takes a photo with Brian Hosken.

At left, the field is sandwiched between the Arctic Ocean and a lagoon.

With the ocean pushing the beach back each year, the field may soon need to be relocated to another spot in the community.

Gametime temperature for this midSeptember gridiron clash: 39 degrees.

Bill LeMonnier conducts the coin toss. Barrow prevailed against Kenai, 8-6.

garment worn over a parka),” Hosken said.

Fans also take you back in time, Hosken said, as some cheers are old-time classics such as “Two-four-six-eight, who do we appreciate?” Or, “We got spirit, yes we do, we got spirit, how about you?”

The game ended in a tight 8-6 victory by the hometown Whalers over the Kenai Kardinals.

“The officials savored every moment of the game,” Kiefer said.

Afterward, there is a tradition of a polar plunge — the visiting team and officials can jump into the chilly Arctic Ocean. The officiating crew took a pass on this tradition. “I know LeMonnier wouldn’t get even close to that water,” Hosken said with a chuckle.

Even without the plunge, it was a memorable experience — for LeMonnier, it was just as memorable as working the 2011 college football national championship game.

“They both were unique experiences, and I wouldn’t trade either for the world,” LeMonnier said. “Both have great memories.

It was never on my bucket list to go to Barrow, but it was an unbelievable experience. There’s nothing like it in the lower 48.”

Wade Turner is a high school football and basketball official from New London, Wis. *

Tim Kiefer created a seven-minute film of his officiating adventure. Scan the QR code to watch “Officiating Across Borders: Journey to Barrow, Alaska” on YouTube.

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FOOTBALL

EDITOR: JEFFREY STERN

jstern@referee.com

RULES, MECHANICS, PHILOSOPHY

IT’S A MATTER OF TIME Rules Regarding the Game and Play Clocks

By George Demetriou

T

Jason Graham, Rockingham, N.C., indicates a penalty for delay of game. The five-yard penalty isn’t always accepted.

Depending on the field position and game situation, the offended team may decline the penalty in order to prevent the punter from having more field to work with.

KEN KASSENS

here was a television game show called “Beat the Clock” featuring contestants faced with a time limit trying to complete challenges to win prizes. The show had its first run from 1950-58 and was later brought back for a second run.

In football, the prize is a victory and the time limit is either a game clock of 48 minutes (NFHS) or 60 minutes (NCAA) and a play clock, which can be either 25 or 40 seconds. Victorious teams must be able to “beat” or manage both clocks. Officials must understand the nuances of rules concerning both clocks. It is important to understand players and coaches usually do not pay attention to the game clock unless the game is close and only near the end of either half. The generally accepted “time awareness” intervals are the last two minutes of the first half and the last five minutes of the game. Infrequently, the close of the first or third quarters may require increased attentiveness to the clock, especially if it is windy.

Game clock. There are several tools available to coaches to conserve or consume time. An obvious one is the charged team timeout. The origin of that rule is to allow for strategy discussions or a respite when the game is not going as desired. However, timeouts implicitly provide a legal means of conserving time. After such a timeout the clock will start on the snap without exception. The NCAA gives coaches the flexibility to call a 30-second timeout in lieu of the

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traditional 60 seconds when coaches call a timeout simply to stop the clock.

The shorter timeouts can help soften the disruption of the game when multiple timeouts are requested in the waning minutes of a game.

A long-standing rule commonly known as the “referee’s discretion” prevents a team from gaining an unfair clock advantage. The two codes have slightly different wording, but their goal is the same. In NFHS, the referee can order the game clock (or play clock) started or stopped when a team attempts to conserve or consume time illegally (3-4-6). The rule is not widely applied because the use of “attempts” implies the team must have purposely intended to impact the clock. Consequently, some referees feel they cannot invoke the rule even though a foul is clearly an illegal act. In NCAA play, the referee is given “broad authority” and can invoke the rule if the clock is impacted by “tactics obviously unfair.” A foul is contrary to rule and thus not fair (3-4-3).

A variety of events stop the game clock after a play ends when it would not otherwise be stopped. Allowing the helmet to come completely off stops the clock and, in NFHS, any equipment discrepancy will do the same. The player has to sit out for a down, but the time saved can be much more valuable than the briefly lost player. Unfortunately, faking an injury, although unethical, has also been used.

Committing a dead-ball foul such as a false start or encroachment has also been utilized to attempt to consume time. The penalty distance is minor and the seconds gained might be much more valuable. The rules address situations within the last two minutes (1:59 or less remaining) of either half. In NFHS, the offended team has the option to start the game clock on the snap regardless of whether the penalty is accepted or declined (3-4-7). Under NCAA rules, if the game clock is stopped to complete a penalty for a foul by the team ahead in the score, the game clock will start on the snap at the option of the offended team (3-4-3).

The penalty need not be the only

reason for stopping the clock and the penalty need not be accepted for the clock to start on the snap. The rule also applies to either team if the score is tied, but does not apply if there are offsetting fouls because there is no penalty to complete.

Play 1: Team A is ahead with 1:30 remaining in the second period and the game clock running. A1 false starts. Ruling 1: In NFHS, team B may opt to have the clock start on the snap regardless of the score. In NCAA, because team B is behind in the score, it may choose to have the clock start on the snap.

Play 2: Team A trails, 14-7, with 1:30 remaining in the game. Team A has the ball, third and 10 on its own 10 yardline. A1’s pass to A2 gains 35 yards and the play ends inbounds.

B3 is flagged for pass interference.

Ruling 2: In NFHS, team A will decline the penalty, yielding first and 10 from its own 45 yardline. Team A will choose to have the game clock start on the snap. In NCAA, same as NFHS because team B is ahead.

Play clock. While there are a variety of ways to legitimately conserve time, the options to legally consume time are few. Calling running plays and coaching runners to stay inbounds are popular tactics. There is also “milking the clock,” which involves not snapping the ball until the play clock is about to expire.

That works as long as the game clock is running. Note both preceding techniques are under the control of the offense; the defense has no legitimate way of consuming time. It can take its time getting off the pile when a play ends, but if it takes too long, it is subject to a delay foul (NFHS 3-6-2f; NCAA 3-4-2b-8).

There are specific rules in place to prevent the defense from gaining a time advantage by manipulating the play clock. The techniques mentioned above for getting the play clock stopped can further result in a time advantage if the game clock will start on the ready. Consequently, the rules provide for a 40-second play clock if the stoppage is for a defensive injury or the helmet comes completely off a defensive player (NFHS 3-6-1a1e Exc.; NCAA 3-2-4c-4, 13) and in

THEY SAID IT “You know the bear can get you in every given game — you go out and kick a couple calls here or there as a crew. But if you come off the field and they’re not talking about you, you’re in the background — that’s a drug. You beat the bear.”

— John McDaid, Southeastern Conference (SEC) coordinator of football officials and a former SEC referee, describing how officiating can become addictive SOURCE: SPORTS ILLUSTRATED

DID YOU KNOW? There is a subtle but important difference in the codes when it comes to shifts. Under NFHS rules, a shift is movement of one or more offensive players to a different position before the football is snapped, while in NCAA play, it must be a simultaneous change of position by two or more players.

The primary effect of that difference is that in high school games, when the quarterback moves to the line and all players are set, that movement is considered to be a shift while in college play that move is disregarded and is not part of a shift.

SURVEY SAYS …

According to the 2023 NASO National Officiating Survey powered by Referee.com, here are the employment statuses of football officials responding:

64.41%

work fulltime 25.93%

are retired

6.32%

work parttime Of those working, 10.43% work in education (K-12). Find the survey at naso.org/survey.

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FOOTBALL

TEST YOURSELF In each of the following you are given a situation and at least two possible answers. You are to decide which answer or answers are correct for NFHS and NCAA rules, which might vary. Note: In kicking situations, K is the kicking team, R the receiving team. Solutions: p. 85.

1. First and 20 at team A’s 15 yardline. A1’s legal forward pass is incomplete. Before the pass is thrown, nose guard B3 slaps the side of guard A4’s helmet. The next play will be: a. Second and 20 at team A’s 15 yardline. b. First and five at team A’s 30 yardline. c. First and 10 at team A’s 30 yardline.

2. Fourth and 10 at team K’s 15 yardline. R1 is at team K’s 45 yardline in position to catch a punt. R2 is three yards in front of R1. Just as the ball reaches R1, K3 blocks R2 above the waist in the front, causing R2 to bump into R1. That results in R1 muffing the kick, which is recovered by team K at the 50 yardline. a. No foul; team K’s ball at the 50 yardline. b. Kick-catching interference.

Team R may choose a 15-yard penalty from the previous spot or an awarded fair catch after enforcement of a 15-yard penalty from the spot of the foul.

3. Fourth and 10 from team K’s 20 yardline. While K1’s punt is in flight, R2 blocks K3 below the waist at team K’s 35 yardline. K4 touches the rolling punt at team K’s 45 yardline.

R5 picks up the ball there and runs to team K’s 26 yardline. a. If team K accepts the penalty, post-scrimmage kick enforcement applies. b. If team K accepts the penalty, it is enforced from the previous spot. c. If team K accepts the penalty, it is enforced from the spot of the foul. d. Team R may take the ball at the spot of first touching.

4. First and goal at team B’s eight yardline. A1, wearing number 79, is on the end of the line. At the snap he retreats into the backfield. A2 takes the snap and throws a pass to A1, who catches it and advances beyond team B’s goalline. a. A player wearing number 79 can never catch a pass. b. Legal if number 79 reported to the referee before the play. c. Legal if team A was using the numbering exception. d. Legal if the pass was backward.

NFHS only, for any defensive player equipment issue. In NFHS, it is also a 40-second play clock if the defense is the only team to foul (3-6-1a-1e-4).

When the game clock is running and would otherwise start on the ready, the defense could gain an additional time advantage by committing a foul. The rule in effect allows for 15 additional seconds to run off.

Play 3: Team A leads, 14-7, with 1:30 remaining in the game and the

game clock running. Team A has the ball, third and 10 on its own 10 yardline. Team B is flagged for encroachment. Ruling 3: Team A will accept the penalty, yielding third and five from its own 15 yardline. The game clock will start on the ready signal and the play clock will be set to (NFHS) 40, or (NCAA) 25 seconds.

George Demetriou has been a football official since 1968. He lives in Colorado Springs, Colo. 

Dead-Ball Officiating in the Side Zone P

lays ending in the side zone present opportunities for teamwork and great dead-ball officiating. Unlike pro and college runners, who wait for the pile to disassemble, high school players sometimes act impatiently, as if they’ll suffocate under the weight of the humanity. But officials who arrive at the dead-ball site quickly and use

their voice to further confirm their presence can head off trouble. Verbal cues such as, “I’ll take the ball. Use the ground, not a player. One at a time,” let the players know they are being policed.

If the umpire chooses not to cross the hashmark and the wing officials decline to move onto the field of play, any runner downed in a side zone will

A1 B2

The wing official in the MechaniGram squares off, marks the progress spot and retrieves the ball. The referee follows the play, observes players behind the pile and moves to receive the relay from the linesman. The umpire crosses the hashmark into the side zone and observes play around the pile. The referee tosses the ball to the umpire for placement at the hash.

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be unattended for some time. Some referees will move to the side zone and retrieve the ball with the wing official planted at the progress spot, perhaps never leaving the sideline.

After squaring off on a play, the wing official should move onto the field quickly and secure the ball while at the same time obtaining a progress spot. The referee (or back judge if the play ends eight or more yards beyond the previous spot) follows the action, cleaning up behind the play and receiving the ball, which is tossed to the umpire for placement at the hash. The umpire also moves toward the dead ball; if it is within several yards of the sideline, crossing the hash and providing coverage of follow-up action at the dead-ball spot. The back judge can also accordion in on the play, observing action around the pile.

That form of coverage has several purposes, one of which is immediate coverage of dead-ball action combined with an accurate progress spot. A second is that four officials are actively closing in on the play, although three of them will stop before getting there. All four officials will be in a useful proximity to spot post-play action. It also decreases the distance between officials for passes that return the ball to the hash.

Most high school crews don’t have the luxury of one or two crewmates to help coverage. That’s why a back judge in a crew of five has to be hustling toward the side zone on plays that end near or across the sideline. The back judge should be responsible for coverage out of bounds off the field whenever possible.

A variation in the side zone coverage may be required when a sweep moves away from the referee’s established spot on the quarterback’s throwing arm. In such cases — say a three- or four-yard gain — the umpire can move farther into the side zone.

The referee can get the second relay pass and place the ball at the hash.

The combined coverage is an effective way to show hustle and coordination for an officiating crew, but more important it is a solid way to cover all action around the runner and to get the ball back in play promptly. *

Snap to It I

n order to legally execute a snap, the snapper must abide by NFHS rules 2-40-2 and 2-40-3 and NCAA rules 2-23-1a, b and e.

Both codes require a quick and continuous backward motion. The snap begins when the snapper first moves the ball legally. The initial forward movement of the ball shown in the PlayPic is illegal and results in a dead-ball foul. Many snappers will slide the ball slightly forward while it is still on the ground. In most cases,

that is considered a legal adjustment.

One example of when it would be illegal would be if the ball were inside team B’s one yardline. If the ball were moved in such a way that it broke the plane of the goalline, it would be an illegal snap.

The ball must immediately leave the snapper’s hand(s). In NFHS, the snap ends when the ball touches the ground or any player. College rules state the snap ends when the ball leaves the snapper’s hands. *

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FOOTBALL

CASEPLAYS Turnover and Two Fouls Play: Second and four at team B’s 13 yardline. A1’s forward pass is intended for A2 in team B’s end zone. A2 shoves B3 aside, but B4 intercepts the pass. B4 advances to team B’s six yardline, where he is downed. After the ball is dead, B5 piles on. Ruling: Team B will decline the penalty for interference to keep the ball. The penalty for piling on will be enforced half the distance from the end of B4’s run.

It will be team B’s ball, first and 10 on its own three yardline (NFHS 10-2-2b; NCAA 10-1-4 Exc. 1).

Last Timed Down Play: Third and 10 at team B’s 32 yardline. Team A trails, 28-26, with 0:04 to play in the game when the ball is snapped. A1 completes a forward pass to A2 at team B’s 12 yardline. As A2 is about to be tackled at team B’s 10 yardline, A2 throws a forward pass to A3, who catches the ball in the end zone.

The game clock reads 0:00. Ruling: A2’s pass is illegal because it is the second forward pass during the down and because it was thrown from beyond the line of scrimmage.

Team B must accept the penalty to negate the touchdown. The period is not extended for an accepted penalty that includes loss of down.

Thus the game is over with team B the winner, 28-26 (NFHS 3-3-4b Note; NCAA 3-2-3a-1, 7-3-2a).

Muffed Punt Play: Fourth and 10 at team K’s five yardline. K1 is standing in his end zone when he punts. The ball crosses the neutral zone and is muffed by R2. The ball rebounds back into team K’s end zone, where K1 recovers it and carries it to team K’s 18 yardline. Ruling: In NFHS, that is a legal advance. The ball remains live and any team K player may catch or recover a punt while it is in or behind the neutral zone and advance. Since K3’s run ended beyond the line-to-gain, team K will start a new series at its own 18 yardline. The game clock starts on the snap when either team is awarded a new series following a legal kick (3-4-3c, 6-23). In NCAA, the ball has crossed the neutral zone, so it is dead when team K recovers. Team K is responsible for the dead ball being in its own end zone. Thus, the play results in a safety (5-1-4b, 6-3-2a, 6-3-6a, 8-5-1a).

Lots of Fouls (and Chaos)

By Jon Bible

I

n a recent high school game, the officials incorrectly enforced a penalty. There was an interception, with two team A fouls before the pass and two team B fouls during the return. The crew properly allowed team B to keep the ball by declining the penalties for team A’s fouls and having the penalty for one of its fouls enforced, but it erroneously failed to let team A choose which one. The correct option would have left team B in possession 60-plus yards behind where it ended up. Team B scored a touchdown and went on to win by five points. The state authorities ruled the game had to be replayed from the point of the error.

We’ve all been in squirrely situations with several fouls, maybe with possession changes or an odd foul we rarely see. I’ve also had brain cramps so a simple enforcement wouldn’t register in my mind. In such cases the crew must block out the noise and carefully and calmly work through what happened and the proper consequences. If people get excited, don’t speak precisely or yell over each other, confusion will reign and disasters like the one above may happen. To exacerbate things, when we’re huddled up seconds can feel like minutes, so there’s a tendency to rush to get to a bottom line.

As a referee I stressed the need to consistently use meaningful terminology in reporting fouls. No team names or colors, because in the heat of the moment it’s difficult to keep them straight. Use offense/ defense, kickers/receivers, passing team/intercepting team and fumbling team/recovering team. If necessary, add clarifiers such as “before the pass,” “during the kick,” “during the return” or “after the play ended.”

Thus, in the high school scenario I’d want the officials with team A fouls to say, for example, “Holding by the passing team, number 68, before the pass,” and the ones with team B fouls to say, “Illegal block in the back by the intercepting team, number 25,

during the return.” If we use the same precise terminology all the time, lots of confusion can be avoided.

If spot fouls are involved, the calling official(s) must get their flag in the proper place before coming to me.

You can wreck my thought process by letting me think the foul is at spot 1 and begin processing accordingly and then changing it to spot 2.

I also emphasized the need to be calm and concise. One crewmate, Tom, almost hyperventilated when reporting a foul, Dick was so eager to tell me what he had that he’d talk over Bill if he had a foul and Harry wanted to describe what happened. More than once I told Tom to slow down, Dick to let Bill finish and Harry not to be a play-byplay announcer and just tell me who fouled and what it was.

People who’ve never worn the white hat often don’t realize that because we’re focusing in our area we may not know the result of the play. So include that when reporting a foul. One of my best crewmates always reported fouls in the same calm, monotone voice devoid of frills. “Holding, 67 offense, at the line of scrimmage. The pass was incomplete.” No excitement or wasted words, just what I needed to know.

If you don’t have a flag down, stay out of the discussion. Having four of us huddle creates a greater likelihood of confusion than if three or two do. If I need to know something, I’ll ask you.

Crews can’t wait until these situations happen and ad lib their response. Every year I harped on these guidelines in our pregames because I wanted to be sure we’d be ready if we got in a complicated situation. For that matter, it’s good to follow them in any penalty enforcement situation.

I also stressed the need for those not involved in reporting or enforcing fouls to stay tuned to what’s going on, because they may be able to save us from screwing up. In a recent college game, team A committed a

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dead-ball foul after making the line to gain. The crew erroneously set the stakes and then marked off the penalty, making it first and 25. It’s bad enough the officials who called and enforced the foul messed up, but no one among the other five people realized a mistake had been made and intervened. I always preached not to be afraid to be the Lone Ranger who’s willing to speak up and pose what may be the crucial question if something seems amiss. If you’re wrong, so what? We lose a few seconds and go on.

If the high school crew had been paying attention, someone not involved in the discussion and enforcement had to know it was more advantageous to team A to decline one team B foul and accept the other and that the crew was going down the wrong path. If someone thought that and kept quiet, shame on him; if no one did, shame on everyone.

In fact, with that much difference in yardage I wouldn’t have even asked what team A wanted to do; I would have enforced the proper penalty and moved on.

If you report a foul correctly but I just can’t grasp what’s going on, slow me down, get me back to square one and walk me through things. Don’t just report and leave, as officials too often do. Not long before the end of my onfield career, we had a clean hands situation like the one in the high school game, albeit simpler, but I couldn’t make sense of it. I can still hear my umpire saying, “Let’s slow down and start over,” and walking me through the sequence of events. About halfway through the discussion the light bulb came on.

Finally, although prolonged discussions can make it look like the crew doesn’t know what it’s doing, they’re sometimes necessary. We’re never out there as long as we think.

Keep the discussion concise, calm and focused, but take the time you need to get things right. Being expeditious doesn’t help if we end up in the wrong place.

Jon Bible is a replay official in the Southeastern Conference. A resident of Austin, Texas, he formerly officiated collegiate and pro football. 

Don’t Stop Officiating After the Whistle Blows

By Jeffrey Stern

W

hat attributes do great officials have? Rules knowledge? Check.

Judgment? Of course. People skills?

Most certainly.

But no list would be complete without that of good dead-ball official.

Many games have been ruined by undetected cheap shots that foster ill will among opponents and may lead to much larger problems.

How many times have you focused your attention on the deadball spot and moved to indicate forward progress, only to have opponents suddenly fly past the edge of your field of view?

Ever watched video of one of your games, seen a player in your coverage area hit the ground late and had to rewind because you didn’t know (then or while watching the film) how he got there? It can happen after any play, but when it happens, it usually indicates you are not doing a good job of dead-ball officiating.

Remain aware of your surroundings and watch the players in the area as you establish progress, signal an incomplete pass, stop the clock for a first down or accomplish any of your many other duties.

Don’t “officiate air.” Keep your eyes on players, not dead space.

Keep your head up and on a swivel, scanning the field for any activity.

The spot won’t move if you’ve got it marked with your foot. Besides, which mistake would you rather make: missing the spot by a halfyard, or failing to see the late hit that touches off a shoving match or brawl?

When you drop a flag and blow your whistle to prevent the snap, don’t assume there won’t be trouble. If linemen have crossed the neutral zone and made contact with opponents, hustle toward them and use your voice to nip further contact in the bud.

Scores of football officials, particularly newcomers, drop a flag and stop officiating, concentrating on where the foul occurred and which player was guilty. All of that is important, but they have no idea what else might happen later on during the play, some of which could be even more important.

When you drop a flag and blow your whistle to prevent the snap, don’t assume there won’t be trouble.

Too many officials hustle after the ball following an incomplete pass or rush to get a replacement from the ball assistants. Unless the clock is running late in a half and time is of the essence, watching players is far more important than getting a fresh game ball onto the field. And if the game clock is stopped, nothing is hurt by slowing things down.

If players wind up in the opposing team’s bench, enter the area and accompany them back to the field. Your presence will discourage trash talk and possible cheap shots.

Jeffrey Stern is Referee’s senior editor. He formerly officiated high school and college football and high school baseball. 

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GETTING IT RIGHT

INSPIRATION, MOTIVATION, ELEVATION

Green Light for Green Cards

A Beary Special Milestone

By Brad Tittrington

W

hen MLB announced it would be hosting the 2023 All-Star Game in Seattle, UMPS CARE Charities, the official charity of MLB umpires, knew it wanted to do something special in the city. That “something” was the delivery of the 20,000th Build-A-Bear to Seattle Children’s Hospital in June.

“As a mom of four children — one of whom spent nearly a month in the hospital — I know first-hand that this program brings joy to patients that are going through challenging times,” said UMPS CARE Charities Executive Director Jennifer Skolochenko-Platt.

“It makes them feel like a kid again and brings an experience that is typically outside of the hospital into the hospital and for some of these kids and parents, that little sense of normalcy is incredibly impactful.”

During the visit in June to Seattle, MLB full-time umpires Mark Carlson and Brennan Miller, along with call-up umpire Derek Thomas, were on hand to deliver the milestone bear.

“The kid’s face just lit up,” Miller said. “He started crying, he was so excited. … He thanked us more times than I can count. In the end, it was us kind of thanking him. It put this all in perspective a little bit. It meant the world for him to receive that 20,000th bear. … I was on home plate that night (for the Mariners game) and I told him I was going to give him a special

sign that when you see it on camera, you know it is me saying hi to you. I heard he saw it and he was overjoyed.

That 20,000th bear was a very special moment.”

Miller knows the impact of the visits first hand as he and fellow MLB umpire Chris Segal host an annual golf tournament each October to fully fund a Build-A-Bear trip to a Washington, D.C., children’s hospital.

“The best word, honestly, is humbling,” Miller said. “It is extremely humbling to be in that position. I know that I have a great job and I have a wonderful life. These kids are coming in and I can’t imagine what they are going through.”

While the Blues for Kids program is just one of the charity’s endeavors, it may have the most dramatic impact on the umpires and the communities in which they work.

“This program is really impactful for the umpires too,” SkolochenkoPlatt said. “They have a rigorous schedule during the season and often are away from their own families for weeks at a time. This program really helps to keep them grounded and allows them to give back in the cities that are their ‘home away from home’ during the season.”

To date, the Blues for Kids program has now delivered 20,965 bears and had 206 hospital visits since the inception of the program in 2006.

Brad Tittrington is an associate editor for Referee. 

SOURCE: TIMESCOLONIST.COM

Trailblazing Across Los Angeles Estella Tham, Los Angeles, made history on Oct. 6, 2023, when she worked as the back judge in a football game between Arleta and Grant high schools.

She is the first Asian-American female football official to officiate a California high school varsity football game and broke trail for many of her background that might enjoy a similar sports officiating opportunity that Tham has come to enjoy.

Tham was joined by referee Rob Ho, umpire Ruben Vega, linesman Ronald Scott and line judge Muideen Afolabi for the homecoming game in Southern California that ended with Arleta defeating Grant, 48-21.

“I am glad to see more diversity, and I had the pleasure of working with Estella Tham when she back judged the contest,” Ho said.

Have you heard an inspirational or motivational officiating story?

PHOTO COURTESY UMPSCARE AND BEN VANHOUTEN/PHOTO COURTESY OF ROB HO

MLB umpires (from left) Mark Carlson, Brennan Miller and Derek Thomas spend time with a patient at Seattle Children’s Hospital in June. It was the 197th visit to a children’s hospital for UMPS CARE Charities and included the 20,000th Build-A-Bear delivery by the charity.

Sportsmanship issues are largely universal across the sports landscape, especially in recent years. Vancouver Island High School (Nanaimo, British Columbia) volleyball is attacking the issue with a revolutionary practice — handing out cards for positive behavior.

The Green Card for Fair Play Initiative was pioneered in 2023.

“It’s a positive change all sports can really benefit from,” said Mark Lindal, Vancouver Island volleyball referee chair.

Once the pilot season has been fully evaluated, there is potential for a trophy to be awarded to Island high schools and junior high schools in the league. The positive spin on the card issue process has hopes of changing behavior by reward.

Send your ideas to GettingItRight@referee.com

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NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

OF SPORTS OFFICIALS

SAVE UP TO 35 OFF YOUR 2023 OFFICIATING TAXES $

Join or Renew with NASO before December 31 to use the tax deduction on your 2023 officiating taxes.

NASO members receive a FREE digital Tax Guide!

NASO.ORG/JOINRENEW OR CALL 800-733-6100 Jan_24.indb 55

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VOLLEYBALL

EDITOR: BRAD TITTRINGTON

btittrington@referee.com

RULES, MECHANICS, PHILOSOPHY

USAV TWEAKS RULES

Uniforms, Coaching Location and Service Among Changes

By Brad Tittrington

T

Player Equipment 4.3.3.1a To give more leeway and flexibility to clubs in building their uniforms, the commission added more specific direction on where those numbers should be located.

In the past, numbers just had to be clearly visible and centered on the player’s chest and upper back. The new rule states the numbers must be clearly visible and centered “side to side on the front and back of the jersey. Numbers are recommended to be placed on the upper half of the jersey. Numbers may not extend below the player’s waist and may not be tucked into the uniform bottom.” This new rule allows more flexibility in number placement and allows the uniforms to still be legal. It also allows referees to be less strict on determining uniform legality.

USAV recently released its rule changes for the 2024-25 seasons. One of the changes allows teams that use two liberos to have those players in jerseys different from each other, provided those jerseys still contrast with those of the other players.

Captain 5.1.2.1 The commission added wording to the rule regarding protests that clarifies judgment decisions by the referees are not subject to protest.

A protest related to a judgment decision may result in a penalty (red

PHOTO COURTESY OF SOUTH DAKOTA PUBLIC BROADCASTING. ©2021 SDPB

he USAV Rules Commission recently announced its rule changes for the 2024 and 2025 seasons. The commission added or amended nine rules for the upcoming two-year cycle. Among the rule changes are new language for where coaches and assistant coaches can be during play, placement of uniform numbers, timing for servers in 14-and-under age groups and libero uniforms.

Below are the rule additions and modifications in order of rulebook appearance. Referee would like to thank Bill Stanley, USAV’s indoor rules interpreter, for verifying the information within this article.

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card) being assessed to the coach.

While teams may protest a referee’s misapplication or misinterpretation of the rules, judgment decisions of the referees may not be protested.

Play 1: In the first set, the first referee whistles and signals a catch against A1. Team A’s captain approaches the first referee and wishes to protest the call. Ruling 1: Since it is a judgment call, the first referee should deny the protest. If a team is still insistent on protesting, the first referee should tell the team if the protest committee says it is judgment, the team could be subject to a red card issued by the protest committee. It is then up to the team if it wishes to continue the protest.

Play 2: In the second set, A1 is whistled for a net violation. A1 touched the net outside of the antenna but did not interfere with play. Team A’s captain asks the first referee to explain the call and the first referee states it is a net violation to touch the net at any point during play. Team A’s captain protests the decision. Ruling 2: Because the protest deals with a referee’s misinterpretation of the rule, the protest is allowed. In USAV, a player may touch the net outside the antenna, provided the player does not interfere with play. The referee mistakenly cited the NFHS rule for a net fault, which is not applicable to USAV play. Since it is not a judgment call but a misinterpretation of the rule, no card is issued.

Coach 5.2.3.4 In detailing where the coach may stand during live-ball action, the commission omitted the prohibition of the coach from being no closer than 1.75 meters from the sideline. The rule still states the coach may not disturb or delay the match. The rule change also added language to state a coach must not obstruct the view of the line judge. The updated rule means referees and coaches don’t have to figure out where 1.75 meters is located on the sideline and allows the coach a little more leeway and freedom on the sidelines, provided the coach does not interfere with play or obstruct a line judge from viewing playing action.

Assistant Coach 5.3.1 The rules commission updated the location of the assistant coach to mirror language changed to 5.2.3.4.

This rule change also removes the prohibition of being closer to the court than 1.75 meters, but still enforces the rule that an assistant may not disturb or delay play and may not obstruct the view of the line judges.

Execution of the Service 12.4.4a, b In the past, the serving rules for 14-and-under age groups and all other age groups were different, in terms of both how much time a server had to execute the service and the allowance for a service tossing error. While the servicetossing-error allowance is still in play for 14-and-under age groups and not for all other age groups, the

DID YOU KNOW? The University of Illinois Chicago and the University of Evansville set an NCAA record for the longest volleyball match on Oct. 13. The five-set match inside Meeks Family Fieldhouse in Evansville, Ind., lasted three hours and 44 minutes, breaking the previous record of three hours and 38 minutes set by Hawaii and BYU in 1998. The referees for the match were Chad Sievers and Anthony Marshall, and the line judges were Jessica Howe and David Erickson.

A

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VOLLEYBALL

TEST YOURSELF In each of the following you are given a situation and possible answer(s).

You are to decide which answer(s) are correct for NFHS, NCAA or USAV rules, which might vary. Solutions: p. 85.

1. A request for a substitution can be made by the: a. Head coach. b. Playing captain. c. Either a or b. d. Neither a nor b.

2. During the interval between sets, players can do which of the following? a. Change uniform tops in their own playing area (retaining their original number). b. Participate in a hitting line while using the entire court and hitting balls over the net for practice serves. c. Warm up using balls in their playing area of the court. d. None of the above.

3. A1 gets accidentally hit in the face by a teammate during a rally. The first referee allows the play to continue. As the rally continues, the second referee notices some blood on the court.

What should happen next? a. Play continues until the next fault is whistled, then the blood issue is addressed. b. Either the first or second referee should immediately stop play with a whistle. c. Either a or b, depending on the severity of the issue.

time allotted to execute the service is now uniform for all age groups. Now, all age groups have eight seconds — it was previously five seconds in the younger age groups — to contact the ball for service after the first referee whistles for service (as shown in PlayPic A on the previous page). In the 14-and-under age groups, after a service tossing error, the first referee must authorize the service again (re-serve) and the server must execute it within the next eight seconds.

Previously the server only had five seconds.

Play 3: In a (a) 14-and-under, or (b) 16-and-under match, S1 tosses the ball for service, but lets the ball drop to the floor without contacting it. Ruling 3: In (a), the first referee should whistle and signal a re-serve.

S1 would then have eight seconds to contact the ball after the first referee authorizes service. S1 is allotted one service tossing error for each service.

In (b), it would be a service fault against S1 and the receiving team would be awarded the point and the next service. In all age divisions above 14-and-under, servers are not granted a re-serve for a service tossing error.

Play 4: After the first referee authorizes service, S1 takes (a) five seconds, (b) seven seconds, or (c) nine

seconds to make contact with the ball.

Ruling 4: Legal in both (a) and (b).

In (c), the first referee should whistle and signal for a delay in service. A server must make contact with the ball within eight seconds after the first referee authorizes service.

Screening 12.5.2 The rules commission amended the rule on screening (12.5.2) to state the “service hit” and the flight path must be visible to the receiving team as opposed to just having the server visible, as was the rule previously. It is only a fault for screening if the service team hides both the service hit and the flight path of the ball until the ball reaches the vertical plane of the net.

Play 5: Three team S players are standing side by side, with their arms in the air, at the center of the net. S1, the server, is located (a) to the far left of the serving area, (b) to the far right of the serving area, or (c) in the middle of the serving area. S1 then serves a float serve, high above the hands of the three players at the net. Ruling 5: Legal in all three. The location of the three team S players does not affect team R’s ability to see the service hit or the flight path. However, if S1 had served a low-trajectory serve over the top of the teammates’ hands, it B

4. Team B’s libero is the wrong server. As the libero serves, it is not recognized by the first referee until after the ball has been contacted for serve and the receiving team has contacted the ball twice. The first referee then blows the whistle and: a. Rules wrong server/ improper server/rotational fault and awards a point to team A. b. Directs a replay. c. Signals illegal contact and awards a point to team A. d. Issues a delay warning to team B. e. None of the above.

5. Game volleyballs can be a maximum of three colors. a. True. b. False.

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would be a screen in (b) and could potentially be in (a) and (c) if the referees determined it was difficult to see the contact of service. The flight path would definitely be an issue on a low-trajectory serve, but if the server is to the far left or far right of the service area, it may not be an issue to see the path or the contact service.

Being directly behind the players (as shown in PlayPic B on the previous page) would be an issue and should be addressed.

Libero Equipment 19.2d An additional article was added to the libero equipment rule. When a team chooses to use two liberos, both liberos may be in uniforms different from each other and from the rest of the team.

Play 6: Team A is wearing black shorts and black jerseys. One libero is wearing white shorts with a white top and the other libero is wearing (a) white shorts and a dark grey jersey,

substitutions have been used. The second referee informs the coach team A has used 11 substitutions. Team A’s coach immediately asks for a substitution and sends A1 in for A2.

After the substitution is completed and right before authorization of service, the table crew informs the second referee the substitution makes (a) 10 substitutions, or (b) 13 substitutions for team A, not 12.

Ruling 7: Because team A’s coach acted directly upon misinformation from the second referee, the coach may keep or withdraw the substitution in (a) without penalty or sanction. In (b), since the substitution is in excess of the 12 allotted substitutions per set, the referee’s error is corrected, A2 must return to the set for A1 and there is no penalty or sanction.

Brad Tittrington is an associate editor for Referee. He referees college and high school volleyball, umpires D-I softball and officiates women’s college and high school basketball and high school football. *

(b) black shorts and a white jersey, or (c) yellow shorts and a yellow jersey.

Ruling 6: Illegal in (a) and legal in (b) and (c). The libero is allowed to wear different colored bottoms than the rest of the team. However, the dark grey jersey in (a) is not contrasting to the rest of the team. In (b) and (c), white and yellow jerseys are contrasting to the black jerseys of the rest of the team and would be legal.

Second Referee Authority 24.2.7d Additional language was added to the rule in regard to a coach or captain receiving misinformation from the referee crew that leads to an illegal substitution or excessive timeout.

The additional language states, “If an illegal (excessive) substitution does not result, the substitution may still be withdrawn prior to the next serve without sanction or penalty.”

Play 7: In the fourth set, with the score 26-25, team A’s coach asks the second referee to verify how many

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VOLLEYBALL

CASEPLAYS Libero Replacement Play: Team A requests a timeout and it is granted. Team A’s libero is on the court at the time of the timeout. At the end of the timeout, team A’s libero does not return to the court and has been replaced

by A1. The first referee whistles for service. Ruling: Incorrect in all codes. Replacements may only take place once all players have returned to the court after a timeout (NFHS 10-4-2d; NCAA 12.2.2.2; USAV 19.3.2.9, Case Book 19.15).

The penalty is an unnecessary delay/delay sanction assessed to team A in NFHS/NCAA and in USAV, the second referee should have the libero return to the court and then allow the replacement.

Prolonged Interruption Play: Team A wins the first two sets. During the third set, with team A leading, 24-15, the power goes out in the gym for 15 minutes. The second referee declares the match completed and awards team A the victory. Ruling: Incorrect in all codes. The second referee does not have the authority to make this decision (NFHS 5-4-3a-2; NCAA 11.4.3; USAV 17.3).

Legal Contact Play: A1 is attempting to retrieve a shanked pass from a teammate near the referee stand. A1 saves the ball by holding onto the referee stand and playing the ball with an open hand back toward teammate A2, who then spikes the ball for a kill. The referee awards a point to team A. Ruling: Incorrect in all codes. Because A1 gained an unfair advantage in playing the ball by holding onto the referee stand, the point should have been awarded to team B (NFHS 9-6-7b; NCAA 14.4.2.2; USAV 9.1.3).

Substitution Play: After a timeout, the second referee whistles and returns the court to the first referee, who beckons for serve. Team B wants to make a substitution. B1 walks into the substitution zone.

The second referee denies the substitution because B1 did not report before the timeout ended.

Ruling: Correct. B1, the head coach or game captain must make the substitution request prior to the first referee beckoning for serve (NFHS 10-1-2, 10-2-5; NCAA 11.3.3.2; USAV 15.11.1.1).

Mission Possible

By Rick Brown

“Y

our mission, should you decide to accept it, is to help develop a new referee who doesn’t know what he or she doesn’t know.

You need to do this while ensuring the referee team provides a decent level of officiating to the teams that session. Good luck, Jim.” Mentoring is a pay-forward opportunity, contributing to developing competence and advancing the sport by giving back. Early contact to assess a new referee’s interest in skill growth and to build trust is a first step.

Without buy-in, you may be limited to damage control. After assessing interest, openness to feedback and commitment to a learning process, verify the mentee’s experience level and agree upon some shortterm goals. Providing a credible resource for a mentee to ask about rule applications and assess match events is priceless. A discussion before match day removes the pressure of an impending match and helps create building blocks such as teaching the value of partnering, the role of centering, scanning and providing informal help along with mundane essentials like dividing prematch duties, setting ground rules and demonstrating signaling player numbers.

Coordinate early arrival to allow for a prematch discussion and mention how helpful debriefs were to you growing your skills when you were new. Walk the gym to identify court and equipment issues, focusing on safety and ground rules. Discuss antenna placement and net adjustment techniques, and monitor how the mentee checks ball pressure. Ensure short, equal time “meet and greets” with coaches, and demonstrate the process for creating rapport through approachability, which benefits match communications.

The prematch conversation has the mentor leading a discussion about what help to expect from the

mentee, who is serving as the second referee, and assessing response.

As first referee, the mentor covers centering and eye communication, the second referee’s movement to be visible with informal help while committing to scanning for partner help on plays where player-ball contact is obscured, four hits (when it happens), and how the second referee will indicate play-on (such as a head nod) when there are attacks with a block up and the ball stays on the attacking team’s side. Keep it basic and try not to overload the new official.

First, let’s look at a JV/varsity match assignment, with the mentor being the first referee on the JV match. This allows the first referee to demonstrate demeanor on the stand, scanning, centering, pacing and whistle techniques for the newer official. As the first referee, the mentor provides a good example of creating comfort with a brief coaches and captains meeting, how to handle introductions, and court and ground rules. This time allows you to address jersey legality and cover new jewelry rules, all with a smile.

It allows you to offer this reminder as well: “Captains, you have me for questions. Coaches, you have the second referee.”

After introductions, answer any questions, take care of the coin toss and get the clock started. Depending on the timing of the line judges’ arrival, you could show your mentee how to evaluate and instruct the line judges. You can then observe your partner’s interactions with the scorer, libero tracker and timer.

Monitor the warmup while ensuring timely warning whistles before court switches and monitor your mentee at the same time. Emphasize you have your mentee’s back and the mentee should control the things within a referee’s control: a positive attitude, recovering from discomfort, short memory and enjoying the experience.

During the match, the mentor demonstrates scanning, pacing,

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BOB MESSINA

whistle techniques, centering and signaling while observing the second referee’s awareness, movement, positioning, signaling, and how the second referee works with table staff and coaches. Remember to smile and be supportive. Use lots of eye communication to help your mentee feel at ease and help reassure him or her. Demonstrate tracking both teams’ rotations — you can take some time talking about alignments later. Realize you can’t overwhelm, scare or shut down your partner.

After the JV match, switch your focus to the varsity match.

As second referee for the varsity match, you protect your partner and observe whistle timing, signaling, eye communication and how ballhandling is called to offer help after the match. You manage court and bench behavior and defuse as necessary to create as comfortable an experience as possible for your mentee. As first referee, the mentee will hopefully have better setters to minimize the number of ballhandling calls, which are a typical source of aggravation as new referees struggle to set a clear line or what is legal and what is illegal.

Once the match is over, the debrief is an opportunity for emphasizing the positives and discussing what the two of you could have done better to benefit the match. Smile and encourage your mentee to help calm nerves and emphasize this is a learning experience. Review both matches, one at a time, perhaps the last one first since it is fresher in your mind.

Ask the mentee for an assessment of what went well and areas for improvement. Ensure you address how working with the support crew went and what to do differently next time.

In summary, focus on these things to ensure as smooth as possible an experience for both you and your mentee: • Realize limitations: This could be your first matches together, so set priorities.

• Avoid overwhelming with too many details. Stay global, focus on awareness.

To be a good mentor, one must allow time to have a quality pregame in order to discuss difficult situations, including coverage on plays at the net. That way, when there is a tough play at the net, each referee is focused on the right thing, such as on this play as Logan, Utah, referees Connor Peterson (first referee) and Becky King (second referee) focus on their primary responsibilities.

• Teach awareness but not “majoring in the minors.”

• Share “one chance to make a good first impression,” professional appearance and demeanor.

• Teach and demonstrate the importance of making sure your partner is always ready before service authorization.

• Focus on communications.

Remind your mentee to listen first when it comes to dealing with coaches.

• Identify a few things the

mentee should work on as both first and second referee.

• Ensure a private, kind and candid debrief to cement learning without overwhelming. Use praise without overdoing.

Rick Brown, Westerville, Ohio, is a longtime girls’ and boys’ high school volleyball referee, working 22 state tournaments. He is a state and local rules interpreter, USAV Regional Referee and formerly a PAVO National Line Judge, working multiple D-I postseason matches. *

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SOCCER

COORDINATOR: JOHN VAN DE VAARST

jvandevaarst@referee.com

RULES, MECHANICS, PHILOSOPHY

Not all games use the same timing laws. Discuss the governing body’s timing rules to be used in your game with the crew before walking onto the pitch. There are numerous tools available to keep the game on time. Michael Yousef, Irvine, Calif.

TIME IS ON YOUR SIDE

By Ross Meloan

T

ime is of the essence. A stitch in time saves nine. No time like the present. Time heals all wounds. Do those sound familiar? Well, you can add to the list of clichés that describe time and its importance in everyday life, but those sayings fall short when it comes to the precise demands of coaches, players and spectators attending today’s soccer matches.

Even youth soccer matches demand more attention than simply setting the watch to the prescribed halftime allotment, especially in those major tournaments throughout the country.

Have you noticed the number of parents, spectators and coaches that are prepared to mark the time once the whistle blows? Haven’t you heard those same watches announce the end of the half or game with the ubiquitous cacophony of ringtones,

all within moments of the referee’s whistle?

Is the time of a soccer match important? You bet it is! Let’s face it, many parents who have shelled out hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars getting their child the training necessary to compete at various levels, will tell you that every moment their child plays counts.

Consider those same players — you know, the little ones who face every

HESTON QUAN

Wind Your Watch for the Right Set of Match Rules

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game as if it is their World Cup contest. While time may not be at the top of their list of priorities, it sure is to the parents and coaches alike.

All the agencies have specific rules describing the duration of the game, including the length of the periods and a variety of conditions that would require the official to stop/start/restart the clock. To ensure the game is played to its rightful conclusion, NFHS and NCAA stop and restart the clock while IFAB records the amount of time lost to any number of situations and adds that time to the end of each period.

IFAB Law 7, NCAA rule 7 and the NFHS rules regarding duration of the game and length of periods describe in detail parameters officials must follow during a game.

An extensive list of situations and rulings (NFHS) and approved rulings (NCAA) further explain when the clock is to be stopped and started. Both governing bodies have also provided additional instruction regarding the clock when it comes to injuries, issuing cards, goals scored and the cover-all-situations statement, “When a referee orders the clock to be stopped” (NFHS 7-41). IFAB also has a list of situations that require time to be added at the end of each half. But the reality is officials find themselves in the middle of a soccer game that has no timekeeper or visible scoreboard clock. Simply put, the officiating team must keep track of time on their watches. So now you know the rationale behind having two timekeeping devices per official.

But wait a minute (pardon the obtuse reference)! See if this sounds familiar. Your crew arrives at the field at the prescribed time. There are only three of you. You quickly determine there is not going to be a timekeeper or visible timing device.

You also know this game is going to be a hotly contested match. Your focus must be on play and players.

So how does the officiating crew maintain a constant vigil on the clock?

Let’s run down some possible answers to that question. To begin,

the Saturday U-10 match usually requires the officiating crew to regulate the game and allow the contestants to play the required amount of time. Those halves are usually determined by the local association or if played during a tournament, by tournament rules.

The rules are based on the current IFAB Laws of the Game with a heavy emphasis on the section pertaining to Notes and Modifications. But the key to successfully officiating this game example is simply keeping the game on schedule with the emphasis of completing it on time. Additional time will more than likely not be added at the end of each half simply because of the tournament’s tight schedule.

The local high school team is playing its crosstown rival in a game that same day. The officiating crew already knows it will be an intense game that will challenge their collective officiating experience.

Chief among those officiating responsibilities is maintaining the clock. There is a visible clock, but the operator is the home team’s coach, who will simply switch it on when the initial whistle blows. More than likely the clock will stop with two minutes left of the 45-half. However, in this game the time that is lost will be saved because the officiating crew switches off their watches and turns them on again once play resumes.

The unused time is saved in the NCAA game as well. But in the case of the collegiate game where both a visible clock and timer are available, the officiating crew is responsible for starting and stopping the clock through approved signals.

However, there may be additional strategies for maintaining the clock, especially if there is not a visible clock on site. For example, during the officials’ pregame conference, a discussion about the importance of maintaining accurate time may incentivize each crew member to become more vigilant whenever situations arise on the field, such as an injury, penalty kick or after a goal is scored and during the last five minutes of the NFHS or NCAA games for certain substitute situations. The

QUICKTIP Take pride in your presence and physical appearance. It matters. Keep uniforms and tools in top shape. Standing tall while addressing captains at the start of the game, shoulders upright with head held high and never folding the arms in front of the body provides an air of confidence and approachability. Look players and coaches in the eye while communicating and keep your cool when emotions around you boil over.

SIDELINE WSL Cracks Down on Time-Wasting The Football Association and Professional Game Match Officials Limited made it a point of emphasis to clamp down on time-wasting tactics and dissent. This applies to both players and coaches, and the effect has been immediate — a surge in bookings in the WSL after two weekends of action.

Almost double the yellow cards were issued after 12 games compared to the previous season.

There had already been 43 yellow cards compared to only 23 at the same point the last season.

SOURCE: THE TELEGRAPH

THEY SAID IT “One of the things this brought into sharp focus is the need to reiterate some of those communication protocols which are really valuable in VAR to prevent this type of thing happening. We got all of the officials together, and we spoke about the need to go through that process very diligently. We’re really disappointed for the game, we’re disappointed for our reputation. We worked hard over the subsequent days to have a look at what we needed to do to put in place those safeguards around the communication to avoid that sort of thing happening again.”

— Howard Webb, Chief Refereeing Officer of England’s Professional Game Match Officials Limited, while discussing VAR communication during a wrongly disallowed goal during Tottenham vs. Liverpool in October.

SOURCE: GOAL.COM

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SOCCER

TEST YOURSELF In each of the following, decide which answer or answers are correct for NFHS, NCAA or IFAB rules/Laws. Solutions: p. 85.

1. Which of the following is compulsory equipment for a player? a. Shoes and socks. b. Shorts and shirt. c. Shin guards. d. Captains band. e. a, b and c.

2. A1 is on the attack in the penalty area and fouled by B2, who stops a promising attack. a. Penalty kick and eject B2. b. Eject B2 and direct free kick. c. Penalty kick and caution B2.

3. A1 scores a goal, removes their shirt and runs past the stands waving at the opponent’s fans. a. Caution A1 and restart with a kickoff. b. Eject A1 and restart with a kickoff. c. Caution A1 and restart with an indirect free kick.

4. A whistle is needed to restart play: a. For a kickoff. b. After a substitution. c. For a direct free kick. d. Both a and b. e. None of the above.

5. A1 is wearing a necklace with a cross for religious reasons. a. Caution the player for illegal equipment and have it removed. b. Allow play to continue since it is for religious reasons. c. Caution the head coach for illegal equipment and have it removed. d. Player leaves the field and removes the item.

6. A1, in the attacking area and facing away from the goal, has the ball. A1 passes the ball back to A2 who dribbles past A1 toward the goal. a. Offside since A1 was ahead of the ball at the time of the pass. b. A2 is offside when receiving the pass. c. There is no offside and play continues.

simple suggestion of comparing time with the assistant referee during the half goes a long way to improving the accuracy of ending a half or game on time. If you are lucky enough to have a fourth official, conferring with that member of the team when the ball is not in play can also prevent timing discrepancies. And what about the luxury of having wireless communications with each member of the officiating team? During a throw-in or goal kick or when the ball is retrieved for the restart, a simple question can allow all members of the team to refer to their watches.

Simply put, as the sophistication of each level of play increases, so does the importance of the clock. As an official you are responsible for knowing the nuances of each level of play and how accurately game time is to be accounted for.

Let’s review some time management do’s and don’ts.

Upon arrival at the game site confirm with the home field game manager whether a visible clock and competent clock operator are available. If so, plan your meeting with the clock operator and the officiating crew with enough time to review signals and clock management situations. This includes counting down the last 10 seconds of any period (NCAA) and (NFHS), and signaling the last two minutes of each period (NFHS).

During the pregame meeting

with the officiating crew, review the rules governing the contest. Many of you may have just worked a college game in the morning only to find yourselves in a high school game later that day.

During your pregame meeting with the coaching staff of each team, explain how the clock is going to be managed. If a visible clock is available, let the visiting team’s coach know you have met with the clock operator and are confident the clock will be accurately kept. If a scoreboard clock or competent clock operator are not available, make sure both teams know that the officiating team will keep the game time on watches.

If you are the referee of a threeperson crew, do not become tied to the watch. Constantly referring to your watch in the waning moments of an intense match means you are looking in the wrong place when it comes to potential game-changing play. Rather, check your watch or the scoreboard clock and make a mental note to continue that countdown mentally as you watch a team mount an attack with only seconds to go.

Once the scoring threat is over, check the clock or watch at that time.

But always remember that the time for a soccer game, no matter what level, is the best time of all.

Ross Meloan, Ph.D., Murray, Ky., is a NISOA National Clinician and NISOA’s liaison to NFHS. *

Corner Poise

By Marc Block

A

ccording to Law 17, a corner kick is awarded when the whole of the ball passes over the goalline, on the ground or in the air, having last touched a player of the defending team, and a goal is not scored. The ball is placed in the corner area nearest to where it went out (the corner arc belongs to the corner area). When stationary it is kicked by a player of the attacking team, and the ball is in play once

it is kicked and clearly moves. The kicker may not play the ball a second time until it is touched or played by another player.

So simple, right? Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung said, “Perhaps this sounds very simple, but simple things are always the most difficult.”

Like any attacking restart, the closer to the goal, the more activity there is to observe. Not only is the corner kick taken from very close to the goalline, but also to the touchline.

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COURTESY OF PRO

Before the kick is taken Is the ball placed correctly?

Remember only part of the ball must overlap part of the lines surrounding the corner area. On his or her side, the assistant referee can easily see to this, but what about on the far corner? Maybe the assistant referee can judge distance from the goalline, and maybe the other assistant referee can see distance from the touchline (each from over 50 yards away), but how can they relay that information to the referee? Does the referee need to be close enough to the corner arc so the determination can be made? Almost without exception, it is the referee’s responsibility to make sure the ball is properly placed when the kick is on this side of the field. Once the ball is properly placed, the referee should move to another position to make sure the restart will be clearly visible and any potential fouls or problems can be easily observed.

Are the opposing players respecting a 10-yard distance from the corner arc? This is one of the few instances where opponents are not mandated to be 10 yards from the ball. The assistant referee can help on his or her side, but the referee must watch from the other side. On many fields there is a mark drawn 11 yards from the intersection of the touchline and goallines and one yard off the field to assist the referee team in determining the minimum distance for the defender.

Are there any attacking players that, if not for the ball, are in an offside position? While by Law there is no offside offense when receiving the ball directly from a corner kick, any touch of the ball after it is in play may lead to an offside decision. The assistant referee must be ready to move to the second-to-last opponent. Also, the other assistant referee must be ready for a quick reversal. The referee will be trapped well down field and the assistant referee must provide additional support.

Players will likely be jostling for position, perhaps holding each other, perhaps even committing

5 MINUTES WITH STEVE MONTANINO PRO Manager of Talent Identification discusses current role, what PRO looks for in referees.

Resides: Rochester, N.Y. Experience: Started officiating in 1998 while in middle school. Began to focus intensely on refereeing after playing career plateaued following high school. A USSF national referee from 2009-14 officiating in Second and Third Division professional leagues, as well as fourth official in women’s First Division. Began instructing referees in 2009 and became a state assessor in 2010.

In 2019 became a national referee coach and in 2020 an assessor with PRO.

REFEREE: What are the specific duties of your new position with PRO? MONTANINO: As PRO’s manager of talent identification, my duties include finding new prospects to be invited to receive education in the hopes of developing them for selection to officiate in Third Division professional matches. I also provide coaching to officials in our prospect pool, oversee the talent ID database, manage our team of 26 PRO talent identifiers, provide reports to Alan Black, PRO director of technical programs, and assist him in the administration of refereeing operations for USL League One. REFEREE: What are some of the specific talents you look for in a referee who could advance to the top level?

MONTANINO: For any official to be considered by PRO they must possess the foundational skills that any soccer official is expected to master at the youth and adult amateur levels, including knowledge of the Laws of the Game, foul discrimination, misconduct identification, offside recognition, proper mechanics, effective teamwork and the ability to read the game so they are well positioned while not getting in the way. It is also given they must be physically fit enough to handle running alongside professional soccer players for 90 or 120 minutes.

Once an official has mastery of these basics, we start looking at them to see who may be ready to step onto the professional stage. To do that, we consider these questions: Does the official exhibit the ability to control a difficult match?

Are the official’s interactions with players and coaches effective in modifying their behavior?

Does the referee have key intangible traits, such as football understanding, coachability and strong personal character in the face of adversity?

REFEREE: Are people management skills important when you are observing a referee? If so, why?

MONTANINO: People management skills are crucial for referees. Beyond recognizing fouls and misconduct, a professional referee must have the human touch, meaning an ability to recognize what motivates players and drives their emotional responses. Officials who can use their personality to modify player behavior to the benefit of match control set themselves above those who do not, in my opinion.

REFEREE: Where do you go to look for potential top-level referees?

MONTANINO: PRO Talent ID has several “official” events that we support, including the four main MLS Next events (Generation Adidas Cup, MLS Next Cup Finals, FEST, and FLEX), USASA (Adult) Regional Championships, and we sometimes appear at unannounced events. We also evaluate video footage of officials in semi-pro leagues or MLS Next games to see who might deserve an invitation to one of our selected events.

REFEREE: Who are some of the other people or organizations you work with to assist in identifying referees for the top level?

MONTANINO: We partner with the U.S. Soccer Referee Department and seek input from Rick Eddy’s referee leadership team including the USSF pool of national referee coaches, as well as state administrators and national assigners from around the country.

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SOCCER

CASEPLAYS Fair Contact Play: A1 passes the ball into space in the penalty area. A2 runs for the ball as B3 goalkeeper comes out to save the ball. B3 dives and parries the ball away.

Just as this occurs, A2 falls over B3. Ruling: This is a legal play.

The contact was not deliberate and there was no foul for tripping (NFHS 12-1-2g; NCAA 12.1.4; IFAB 12.1).

Line Dance Play: During a penalty kick the goalkeeper has both feet on the line and is moving side to side.

The goalkeeper is not raising the arms or making any gestures.

Ruling: Legal. The goalkeeper is allowed to make lateral side-toside movements (NFHS 14-1-3; NCAA 14.1.3; IFAB 14.1).

Wreck Less Play: A1 makes a long pass into the penalty area. The goalkeeper comes forward to save the ball. B2 is ahead of A3 and they are both trying to get to the ball. Just before the goalkeeper makes a save, A3 slide tackles B2 from behind in a reckless manner. Ruling: A3 is cautioned for reckless tackle and the game is restarted with a direct free kick for team B at the point of the infraction (NFHS 12-9-1-f10; NCAA 12.4.3.5a; IFAB 12.3).

Shove Off Play: A1 and B2 go up for a head ball. While in the air, A1 turns the body and uses the arm to push B2 away from the ball.

A1 heads the ball and team A maintains the advantage. Ruling: The referee is to stop play and award a direct free kick for team B. This was a deliberate push/ charge to gain an advantage (NFHS 12-4-1; NCAA 12.1.10; IFAB 12.1).

Preparation and anticipation are key when officiating a corner kick. Dan Ludlow, Smithfield, Utah, goes through the mental checklist before the kick takes place.

misconduct. While there can be no foul with the ball not yet in play, there can be misconduct. Preventive refereeing may help avoid the need to call a penalty kick or negate an apparent goal.

If necessary, the referee should advise the kicker not to take the kick and talk to the players to establish proper decorum. If this is done and the kick is on the assistant referee’s side, it is a good mechanic to step in front of the ball to prevent the kick from being taken. Once all matters are resolved, the referee should sound the whistle to restart play.

After the ball is kicked Ball out of play and then back in — outswingers (typically rightfooted kicks from the right side, leftfooted kicks from the left) may put

Siz

the ball across the goalline (in flight) with the ball curving back into the field of play before coming down.

The assistant referee must be on the goalline to see (and possibly sell) the call. The referee must be watching the players and also be ready for any signal from the assistant referee.

Short corner — where a player puts the ball in play for a nearby teammate to receive. Was the ball ever put into play? Was it kicked and clearly moved? Short corners often lead to defenders coming in quickly — be alert for foul challenges (Careless? Reckless?

Excessive force?). Also, once the second attacker touches the ball, offside is back into consideration.

The assistant referee must be very vigilant and ready to make the call.

See “Corner Poise” p.69

BOB MESSINA

Get the Drop Play: The referee stops play for an apparent injury. After the player is attended to, the referee restarts the match with a drop ball to the attacking team. A1 takes the drop ball and shoots and puts the ball directly into the goal. Ruling: No goal and award a goal kick because the ball was not touched or played by another player (NFHS 10-3g; NCAA 9.3.3; IFAB 8.2).

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When it Gets Physical

Action to Take Before:

Prepare a plan ahead of time for this type of incident during the pregame meeting.

Action to Take During:

The referee should stand back so the incident can be viewed clearly and players properly identified.

The referee should take brief notes so the eyes are on the incident as much as possible.

The assistant referee 1 should control the benches to prevent further problems.

The assistant referee 2 should observe the altercation and help identify who does what to whom — take useful notes.

Once the incident is resolved, the referee should confer with the assistant referees to identify correct uniform numbers and which players are to be cautioned or ejected.

Action to Take After:

Postgame debriefing should include a discussion about what happened. Was this an isolated incident or did it build up over the course of the match? If it built up, what techniques could have been used to prevent the incident? Physical conflicts are not easy to officiate but use this as a teaching moment for the referee and crew.

Game reporting must be done in a timely fashion. The report must be detailed but also only state the facts. Do not include any personal opinions.

Media/social media — this is very simple: no comment.

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Corner Poise

continued from p.70

Also, the referee should be moving to a position to see the ball as it is now moving.

Several players are jockeying for position and there are defenders near the goalkeeper. The kick is taken and rebounds off the goalpost.

Two attackers, one of whom is the kicker, are very close together and run toward the ball. There is contact and the ball is crossed back toward the goal.

Did the kicker play the ball a second time? If so, play must be stopped and the defense awarded an indirect free kick. If the other player made contact, the play continues. The referee and assistant referee must be paying close attention to this while still observing the other players that are all near to each other.

Fouls It will be important for the referee team to note if the “foul” occurred before or after the ball was in play. If before, punishment for misconduct (yellow/red) may be needed, but a free kick/penalty kick cannot be awarded, though the corner kick may be “retaken.” If after, the corner kick is not repeated.

Instead a free kick/penalty kick would be awarded. The referee should be very cognizant of what is happening around the goalkeeper.

While goalkeepers have no more rights than a field player, they need to be allowed to move in order to attempt to save a ball. The referee must also make sure the goalkeeper does not push an opponent to gain an advantage. This could lead to a penalty kick being awarded.

If the corner kick is taken and the goalkeeper saves and releases the ball downfield quickly, the referee must now be able to make a long

sprint to catch up with play. This is done while moving in between several players who are also moving upfield. The assistant referee on the side where the ball is heading must be watching for offside and be alert to assist with any fouls since the referee may be too far from play to make a decision. The trail assistant referee must be moving up quickly to remain even with the second-tothe-last defender and watching for any fouls that might occur behind the referee’s back. All of this must be done very quickly as the play is dynamic.

The corner kick rule does not use many words. However, many things can go wrong if the referee team is not prepared. So simple, right?

Marc Block, Marlton, N.J., is a USSF National Referee Emeritus, Instructor and Assessor. He was the state high school rules interpreter in New Jersey. Block is also a video referee communicator. *

CARIN GOODALL-GOSNELL

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PROFILES

PERSONALITIES PLUS

By Jeffrey Stern

A

n unfortunate aspect of social media involves postings about officials. Unhappy fans often use online sites to point out what they perceive to be erroneous rulings or other negative perceptions of officials on X (formerly known as Twitter), Snapchat, Facebook and other online sites.

Alan Hollosy has umpired an average of 40 baseball games per year for the last 50 years.

So it was a breath of fresh air when the Eastvale (Calif.) Roosevelt High School baseball team tweeted two photos and the message, “Congratulations to umpire Alan Hollosy on his 2,000th game! Fifty years on the field!”

Hollosy, 75, a resident of Beaumont, Calif., had already achieved the noteworthy mark of a halfcentury on the field. And then he hit a milestone April 22 when he worked his 2,000th high school game at San Manuel Stadium in San Bernardino, home of the Inland Empire ’66ers minor league team. In an event known as the County Clash, Fontana Summit defeated Riverside North, 6-4.

“It was a thrill,” Hollosy told the Redlands (Calif.) Community News. “I

like being out there with the kids and helping them by making great calls.

It also gets me away from assigning games.”

Hollosy refereed football for 42 years and officiated basketball for 35 years. Now that he hit the milestone number of games, Hollosy plans to only umpire games when there is an emergency. He says his wife, Carol, is somewhat dubious about that decision. “She asked me what I’m going to do (with my free time),” he said.

As you might expect of someone who has officiated a half a century, Hollosy has seen just about everything there is to see on a baseball field. He recalls a game between Riverside Poly and Riverside Arlington that wound up in a brawl. Arlington’s catcher got drilled by a pitch, igniting a brouhaha that included the coaches wrestling on the infield.

Hollosy also fondly recalled a 16-inning game between Canyon Springs and Arlington that finished 1-0 in only three hours and 15 minutes.

“It was a battle back and forth,” Hollosy said. “A team would get a few guys on and then there’d be a strike out or a double play and no runs were scored. If you have to play a 16-inning game, then that’s the way you want it.”

As the assigner for the Inland Empire, Hollosy is taxed with finding umpires for 90-plus schools in his service area. He tries to put some of the better umpires on high-profile games and to pair veterans with newer partners who can learn from the more experienced umpires.

As in other areas of the country, his efforts are made more difficult by poor sportsmanship and verbal abuse heaped on umpires. Such was the case last season in a game that resulted in several players being suspended.

Jeffrey Stern is Referee’s senior editor. He formerly officiated high school and college football and high school baseball.  SOURCE: REDLANDS (CALIF.) COMMUNITY NEWS

Youthful Exuberance Emily Sidgwick Skelton, England

A knee injury ended 18-year-old Emily Sidgwick’s playing days on the soccer field, but she’s found satisfaction as a referee. “I remember how distressed I was when I was told I shouldn’t play anymore, and refereeing filled the gap,” she told The (Darlington, UK) Northern Echo. She admits there have been some bumps in the road. “The majority of people are lovely. (But) I’ve been called all sorts (of names), and there are times when you wonder why you bother.” She was ready to give up, but a pep talk from her parents rekindled her enthusiasm. Her confidence has grown, and she has a considerably thicker skin, though dealing with abuse and harassment remains part of the refereeing experience. “I quickly realized that if I kept cowering to people who thought they were better than me, I’d never progress, so I’ve learned to stand up to the bullies,” she said.

Putting Ink on Paper Mike Deiters Marinette, Wis.

From his experience as an official and conference commissioner, Mike Deiters has stories to tell and information to share. He shares his experience and knowledge in a new book, Call Something, Ref: The Human Side of Officiating.

Deiters uses stories and anecdotes to dispel common misconceptions about officials. Deiters, who officiated high school and collegiate basketball for 18 years, hopes to generate respect, empathy and sportsmanship for the men and women who give up their spare time to ensure games get played. The paperback book sells for $12.99 and can be purchased on amazon. com.

Do you know a person or group who should be profiled?

PHOTO COURTESY ALAN HOLLOSY/WBAY-TV/THE NORTHERN ECHO

Two Grand Is Notable, and a Nifty 50 to Boot

Send info to us at profiles@referee.com

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YOU ARE THERE

bombs away A Grinnell’s Jack Taylor sets NCAAM single-game scoring record with 138 points.

s he walked off the floor Those fans recognized they at Grinnell College, Steve were witnessing something

By Bob McDowell turned to his historic, an offensive explosion Fulton colleagues and uttered exceptional even by Grinnell’s words few Division III basketball high-scoring standards. Coach officials have ever spoken: David Arseneault favored a “Guys, we’re gonna be frenetic, run-and-gun style that on SportsCenter tonight.” kept scoreboard operators on McDowell, Clay their toes and produced prolific Romer and the late Gene point totals — the Pioneers led Stock, who died in 2020, the nation in scoring 20 times in had just worked a game a 22-year span. that featured a 138-point Arseneault encouraged Grinnell performance — by a single his players to shoot within College player. the first six seconds of every Jack Taylor, a 5-footpossession, to freely launch 10 sophomore transfer three-pointers and to press appearing in only his third frantically in hopes of forcing game for Grinnell, sank turnovers. If an opponent 52 of 108 shots — he went did manage to advance 27-for-71 from three-point the ball across the timeline, range — on Nov. 20, 2012, the reward was often an as the small Iowa school uncontested layup. Faith st ti ap B Faith walloped Faith Baptist Baptist Bible forward David Bible College Bible College, 179-104.

Larson took full advantage Darby Gymnasiun Taylor shattered the NCAA that night at Darby a Iow , ell Grinn all-divisions record of 113 Gymnasium, scoring 70 points, almost exclusively points set by Bevo Francis of , 20 R NOVEMBE Rio Grande (Ohio) against on close-range shots.

Hillsdale in 1954.

But Arseneault was During one dizzying more than willing to trade general admission stretch of the second half, twos for threes. His players he drilled seven consecutive kept the pedal to the metal three-pointers in under two from opening tip to final buzzer, minutes, whipping Pioneer fans leaving many opponents — and into an absolute frenzy. even some officials — gasping for “I felt like anything I tossed breath. up was going in,” Taylor said.

“When you went to do a “I’ve been in a zone before, but Grinnell game, you knew it never like that. I looked out at the was going to be unlike a typical crowd and everyone had their basketball game,” said Romer, phones up, recording.” who resides in Maquoketa, Iowa.

vs

2012

“When I started going there, it was just two-person officiating.

That was really tough.”

Even with a three-person crew, officials could expect a grueling ordeal. Some outright refused to work Grinnell games as a result.

“Not only was it physically demanding because they would run it up and down so fast,” McDowell of North Liberty, Iowa, said, “but it was almost more mentally demanding. In what I would call a normal basketball game, there’s times when you can kind of not pay attention — you know, somebody’s walking the ball up the court or whatever. That didn’t happen in Grinnell games. You refereed literally from endline to endline for the entirety of the game. It was nonstop.”

The night Taylor went off was no exception, apart from this: an individual became the focus. Because Taylor had missed 30 of his 41 field goal attempts in the Pioneers’ first two games, Arseneault decided to give the struggling newcomer every opportunity to shoot his way out of his slump. He instructed the other Grinnell players to feed the ball to Taylor.

“I remember at halftime walking off the floor with Dave next to me and just going, ‘Wow!’” Romer said. “He had

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CORY HALL-USA TODAY SPORTS

this twinkle in his eye. He said, ‘Yeah, he’s got 58.’ You could just tell by the way he was smiling he was probably going to give this kid the green light in the second half.”

Taylor wound up taking 58 shots over those final 20 minutes; the rest of the Pioneers attempted eight.

“The fact that his teammates were willing to not shoot, like not even look at the basket, was just beyond strange,” McDowell said. “Even if he missed and a teammate got the rebound underneath, unguarded, they would pass up a layup and throw it back out. It was just bizarre.”

The buzz in the gym grew in concert with Taylor’s point total.

He sank a 25-footer from the left wing with 11:14 remaining to eclipse the school and Division III scoring record of 89, set only the year before by one of his new teammates, Griffin Lentsch.

A little more than two minutes later, Taylor dropped in a layup to reach 100. A three-pointer with 4:42 to go enabled him to surpass Francis’ NCAA record.

Then Taylor really caught fire.

“There became a point, I want to say with like eight minutes left

in the game, where he was just exhausted,” McDowell recalled.

“He was coming up short on shots, he was missing everything.

You’re thinking, all right, this is probably over. He looked like he was done. And then he hit a shot. You could see the energy just come back in his eyes. And then he hit another one, and then another one and then another. He scored a bunch of points in the blink of an eye.”

Twenty-one in a minute and 57 seconds, to be exact.

Taylor would pour in a hardly believable total of 80 points in the second half. Only six other NCAA players, regardless of division, have scored that many in a game.

Taylor’s surreal barrage brought him national attention on a scale most small-college players can only dream of. He appeared as a guest on Good Morning America, The Today Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live! and The Dan Patrick Show, and received shoutouts from NBA stars LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony.

Heady stuff for a small-town kid from Black River Falls, Wis. After a broken wrist cut short Taylor’s sophomore season, he

Grinnell College guard Jack Taylor (3) hoists a three-point shot during the Nov. 20, 2012, game against Faith Baptist Bible College.

Taylor set an NCAA basketball record by scoring 138 points in the game. Steve McDowell, frontcourt, begins signaling the three-point attempt while the late Gene Stock of North Liberty, Iowa, trails the play.

bounced back as a junior to bury Crossroads College under a 109-point avalanche and lead the nation in scoring (28.8).

He repeated as the Division III scoring champion (28.4) a year later.

But nothing Taylor accomplished at Grinnell can match his 138-point blitz against Faith Baptist Bible, a performance for the ages no one present that night at Darby Gymnasium will soon forget.

Including the men in stripes who worked the game.

“It was one of those nights where you just kind of shook your head afterward and went, ‘Wow, what did we just witness?’” Romer said. “I did a lot of games over the years, quite a few of them at Grinnell, but that game was probably the — how do I say it? — craziest would probably be a good word to describe it.”

So crazy that a trio of D-III officials, just as McDowell had predicted, later found themselves on SportsCenter.

Bob Fulton is a freelance writer and author of the book The Summer Olympics: A Treasury of Legend and Lore. He resides in Indiana, Pa. 

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ALL SPORTS

EDITOR: JEFFREY STERN

jstern@referee.com

FOR ALL SPORTS, ALL LEVELS

Jonathan McKenzie, Auburn, Wash., uses powers of persuasion to calm an upset player. Not every situation demands a technical foul, penalty flag or card. Good officials can discern when they are necessary.

SWING AND A MYTH By the Referee editors

T

ie goes to the runner. You can’t have roughing the kicker if the snap is bad. Over the back is a foul.

You’ve likely heard those aphorisms shouted at you from sidelines or the stands at some point in your career. They are absolutely false but those who spout them cannot be convinced of their inaccuracy.

There are other fallacies, those we promulgate and won’t let die. See if these sound familiar.

Good officials don’t need to hand out cards/ejections/technical/ penalties to control a game.

Many officials say with pride they can count the coaches and players they’ve ejected on one hand.

Never mind their failure to do so

makes it tougher for future officials who have to deal with participants who figure they can get away with unsporting behavior since they did with you.

All rules must be enforced — even unpleasant ones. Officials sometimes just don’t want to deal with the aftermath. They don’t want to write up reports. To avoid the correct consequence merely to avoid

DALE GARVEY

Long-Held Philosophies Don’t Hold Water

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15 minutes of paperwork is simply neglect.

Or they fear future assignments will be affected if they pull the trigger. One college baseball umpire tells the story of working a game with a partner new at that level. The coach was on the newcomer’s back virtually from the first pitch but wasn’t ejected despite actions that merited that punishment. Afterward, the coach approached the veteran and said, “I don’t want that guy assigned to my games anymore. If he doesn’t have guts to throw me out, he won’t have the guts to make tough calls.”

The best officials give loads of technical fouls/cards/penalties.

And now, the rest of the story.

Officials who are more eager to dole out punishment have great stories to tell. But that doesn’t mean they’ve kept their games under control. Think about the last game you saw, or perhaps officiated, which had ejections, lots of technical, unsportsmanlike conduct fouls or a lot of cards. Was that game the perfect picture of referee control?

Perhaps — but perhaps not.

The problem with hair-trigger reprimands for relatively minor violations comes when you’re faced with a legitimate penalty situation later on in the game. If your earlier attempts didn’t bring about peace and quiet, those who are misbehaving won’t be any more attentive to later attempts.

A call at the end of the game must “be there.”

Fans and coaches think officials decide games, particularly close games that come down to the final seconds or plays. It behooves us to ramp up our concentration and make sure we are in the best possible position to rule on those plays.

But our goal in the closing seconds or in the last inning is the same as it is early in the game. If a “bad” foul call or penalty early on results in the benching of a key player or takes a score off the board, it can have a huge impact later.

In other words, if it’s a “good one” with five minutes to go in the first half, it’s a “good one” with five seconds to go in a tie game.

Be aware of game situations: the score, the time on the clock and possible next moves by both teams. But a good one is a good one from the first play to the last. Make them all good, and make them all consistent.

Call it the same both ways.

That philosophy, while subscribed to by more officials than we’d like to admit, was probably invented by coaches. In their eyes, a fairly called game often means each team has nearly identical foul or penalty totals.

In the real world, that doesn’t usually happen.

Good officials pay no attention to the foul totals during games. Doing it can lead to inventing fouls or ignoring fouls to even out the totals.

It stands to reason an aggressive team will commit more fouls than a team that plays more passively. The strategy teams employ is out of our hands; our job is to call what we see.

When coaches say they want consistency, they mean, “Make every call favor my team.” When we talk about consistency, we mean, “If you call something one way for one team, call it the same when you see the other team do it.”

Cut the losing team some slack in a blowout.

Bleeding-heart officials suggest once the outcome is beyond doubt, any close calls should favor the losing team to ease the pain.

What’s wrong with being nice?

Officials who get calls wrong on purpose are selling out their integrity.

Additionally, officiating out of pity isn’t doing the players on the losing team any favors. They’re not going to learn.

It’s worth pointing out junior varsity players for both sides may be getting their first taste of varsity action late in blowout games. They want to feel a genuine experience of varsity competition. That includes varsityquality officiating. Changing the strike zone or the definition of a foul late in the game denies them a key part of that learning experience.

Don’t let misguided empathy or the desire to get to the locker room sooner impact the quality of your officiating. *

DID YOU KNOW? While sports have been around for thousands of years, referees as we know them today weren’t an original part of the picture.

Richard Mulcaster, a 16th-century educator, first wrote about the need for referees in 1581, expressing the need for a “judge over the parties” in football (what we know as soccer).

SOURCE: THEGIST.COM

SURVEY SAYS …

Do you feel you are fairly compensated for your officiating services?

Yes: 36.1% No: 63.9% SOURCE: SURVEY OF 252 REFEREE READERS

QUICKTIP Are you sending the right signals? Signals are an important communication device. Using the proper signal to fit each situation can make a big difference.

Displaying the signal properly goes a long way toward improving your credibility. After a game, ask your partner if your signals were satisfactory. If not, practice them until they are crisp and professional looking. In addition, if you are watching a game on television, take notes on how the top officials position themselves and their mechanics. Using strong signals will help improve how you are perceived.

TOOLS The Maxwell Daily Reader Grow your leadership skills with timeless wisdom, comprised from 14 of bestselling author John C. Maxwell’s greatest leadership books. Each day’s message in the 365day reader will equip you to unlock your full leadership potential.

The book is available from amazon.com in formats ranging in price from $5.95 to $22.10.

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ALL SPORTS

You Know These Are Wrong, Right?

I

5. Don’t listen to coaches.

Tuning out worthless rants is a good thing, but for the most part, officials should listen to what coaches say. They might offer a legitimate comment that deserves consideration, whether it’s a measured criticism of a call or a suggestion to watch for a certain action. Many coaches understand the game, and if you tune them out completely, you might miss out on a chance to elevate your performance.

1. Don’t care about your performance.

If you don’t care, it shows. It can be apparent in your arrival time, appearance and attitude.

Plan ahead so that you arrive at the game site early. And when you get there, be courteous to administrators and participants.

Show them you want to be there.

Sometimes locker room facilities (or lack of a changing area) dictate you come dressed, but otherwise bring your uniform along.

And don’t just pull it out from the laundry and stuff it in your bag; make sure it is clean and wrinkle-free.

It may seem like a small thing, but judgments are made from something as simple as how your uniform looks.

2. Don’t have a strong pregame.

Why would you want to get on the same page with your crewmates?

So you don’t crash and burn, for one thing. The time you spend with your partner(s) confirming positions, rules questions, team tendencies and tactics will help you manage the game. It will help you on your individual responsibilities and your work as a cohesive unit. You’ll work better together when you know what to expect from one another.

3. Don’t control your emotions.

Imagine if you let your emotions have free rein: After a coach berates you for a call, you step up and fight fire with fire. Guess who will get burned? It won’t be the coach, even

Hustling and being in proper position shows Paulina Bui, Rolesville, N.C., wants to give her best effort. Officials who have a lackadaisical attitude reflect negatively on the avocation and hurt their own reputations.

if he or she started it. “The coach was defending his player,” the school or league will say. “Everyone knows the official should know better.” And you should.

No matter how good it may feel to yell at a coach or fan, it is not an option. You need to be the calming presence. Whether it’s in response to remarks by a coach or if opponents get into it, officials must be there and be ready to provide a level head (and penalties, if necessary).

4. Don’t admit your errors.

Mistakes happen. If you never admit a mistake, you lose credibility.

Often the best response to a coach who tells you, “You missed one,” is to admit it, if you know the error occurred. The coach likely won’t have much to say after that. It’s hard to argue when you agree, after all.

Be careful with using the mea culpa method too often. It won’t solve all your problems. In fact, it may create a bigger one. If you’re always admitting mistakes, it means you’re always making them.

6. Don’t consider whether to respond.

Just because you’re listening doesn’t mean you have to respond.

Not every challenging statement from a coach requires a response. If fact, if it’s a statement, it often doesn’t.

After consideration, if you decide to respond to coaches’ comments, sometimes the right response is nonverbal. You might nod your head, glance in the direction of the coach, shake your head or hold up a stop sign. Those actions can often get your response across better than words and don’t disrupt the game as much.

T O C M M

7. Don’t talk to players.

It’s tough to work a game well and not communicate with players.

Whether it’s an acknowledgment of sporting behavior by the player or a stern discussion with opponents to prevent a flare-up, talking to players can be a good thing. Just don’t have too much of a good thing. You’re not the coach and neither coach will be too pleased if you’re acting like one.

Keep your teaching comments to a minimum.

8. Don’t anticipate the play.

Former players turned officials often have an advantage in anticipating a play. As long as you don’t “anticipate the call” to follow, having a feel for what play is coming and adjusting your positioning accordingly will help you see the play better. As a result, you’ll get it right more often. *

CARIN GOODALL-GOSNELL

n its long history, Referee has offered plenty of advice on how to improve performance, how to advance and how you can get better games. We try to present information in a positive slant, giving you the do’s as opposed to the don’ts.

But you can learn from the mistakes of others as well. In that vein, here are some ways not to operate. Some are potential careerkillers, some will just make your games uncomfortable. You’re doing it wrong if you …

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T s y m c t

Forget Perfection! Nothing Wrong With Great

By Lucia Perfetti Clark

P

erfect games are for pitchers. But beyond that, athletes, like officials, aren’t flawless. If you can be successful in the following areas, you will be closer to the unattainable.

Be prepared.

Control what you can control, such as your fitness, uniform and rules and mechanics knowledge. Forget about that which is out of your hands, such as the weather, traffic and other people’s moods. That will reduce the chances of errors.

Be a student.

Every game is an opportunity for learning and improving. Don’t dwell on mistakes but use them as a means of motivating yourself to be better the next time out. You will find you’ve built

a sort of database that you can mentally sift through when presented with game situations.

Be contrite.

In the moment, do not defend, justify or analyze your mistake. No coach has a comeback for, “I was wrong and I’m sorry.” Of course, that only works once with each coach. And if you find yourself having to apologize on a regular or semiregular basis, it’s time to review the rules or mechanics.

Be resilient.

Just like good goalkeepers, relief pitchers and placekickers, you have to forget the most recent mistake so the rest of the game won’t suffer. The rest of the game needs the best that you have to offer. You can analyze your mistake with a microscope on the ride home.

Be productive.

If your game is telecast and you’re able to watch it later, turn the sound off.

Listening to the analysis of someone without actual rules knowledge who has the benefit of replay and frameby-frame slow motion will likely only anger you. Similarly, going into online or other social media forums where anonymous internet trolls opine about bad officiating will not help you.

Talk to those you trust about your game and discuss any concerns you may have.

The pleasure in pursuing a perfect game has to come in the journey and the stories we share with each other about almost having the perfect game until …

Lucia Perfetti Clark lives in Baltimore.

She is a nationally rated women’s collegiate and high school lacrosse official and trainer. *

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FOR THE RECORD AWARDS, ROSTERS, NOTABLES

POSTSEASON ASSIGNMENTS

PROFESSIONAL • The Las Vegas Aces defeated the New York Liberty, three games to one, to win the 2023 WNBA championship.

Officials for the championship round were Roy Gulbeyan, Tim Greene, Fatou CissokoStephens, Michael Price, Tiara Cruse, Eric Brewton, Maj Forsberg, Isaac Barnett and Randy Richardson.

Officials for preliminary rounds: First round (Las Vegas defeated Chicago, 2-0; Dallas defeated Atlanta, 2-0; New York defeated Washington, 2-0; Connecticut defeated Minnesota, 2-1) — Gulbeyan, Forsberg, Cissoko-Stephens, Price, Angelica Suffren, Cruse, Kevin Fahy, Greene, Richardson, Blanca Burns, Brewton, Barnett, Tyler Ricks, Toni Patillo, Sha’Rae Mitchell, Jeff Wooten, Angel Kent, Marcy Williams, Jenna Reneau

and Biniam Maru.

Semifinals (Las Vegas defeated Dallas, 3-0; New York defeated Connecticut, 3-1) — Gulbeyan, Price, Kent, Forsberg, Wooten, CissokoStephens, Brewton, Barnett, Patillo, Greene, Burns, Mitchell and Reneau.

• The Texas Rangers defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks, four games to one, to win the 2023 World Series. Umpires working the series were Bill Miller, Alfonso Márquez, Vic Carapazza, D.J. Reyburn, David Rackley, Brian Knight and Quinn Wolcott.

Replay — Lance Barrett and Todd Tichenor.

Working preliminary rounds were: AL Wild Card (Minnesota 2, Toronto 0) — Andy Fletcher, Adam Hamari, Mike Muchlinski, Dan Iassogna, Mark Wegner and Jeremie Rehak. (Texas 2, Tampa Bay 0) — Carlos Torres, Tripp Gibson, Lance Barksdale,

Adrian Johnson, Adam Beck, and Alex Tosi. NL Wild Card (Arizona 2, Milwaukee 0) — Mark Ripperger, Dan Bellino, Alan Porter, Mike Estabrook, Chris Segal and Sean Barber.

(Philadelphia 2, Miami 0) — Stu Scheurwater, Doug Eddings, James Hoye, Marvin Hudson, Jordan Baker and Edwin Moscoso. Replay — Ryan Blakney, Rob Drake, Nick Mahrley and Brennan Miller.

NL Division Series (Philadelphia 3, Atlanta 1) — Mark Carlson, Brian O’Nora, Ben May, Rackley, Chris Guccione and Ramon De Jesus. (Arizona 3, Los Angeles 0) — Carapazza, Gabe Morales, Tichenor, Will Little, Jim Wolf and Ryan Additon. AL Division Series (Texas 3, Baltimore 0) — Barrett, John Libka, Marquez, Cory Blaser, Wolcott and Nic Lentz. (Houston 3, Minnesota 1) — Knight, Reyburn, Bill Miller, Jansen Visconti, John Tumpane and Roberto Ortiz.

NL Championship Series

(Arizona 4, Philadelphia 3) — Iassogna, Barksdale, Fletcher, Gibson, Hamari, Muchlinski and Torres. AL Championship Series (Texas 4, Houston 3) — Hoye, Bellino, Hudson, Baker, Eddings, Ripperger and Scheurwater. Replay — Estabrook, Rehak and Segal.

OBITUARIES • Pamela (Pam) Steiger, Hortonville, Wis., died Aug. 12. She was 66. She and her husband, Dave, officiated baseball, softball and basketball.

She was the first woman to umpire the Wisconsin state boys’ baseball tournament. She and her husband were inducted into the Fox Cities Officials Hall of Fame.

• Frank D’Angelo, Center Valley, Pa., died Oct. 24. He was 61. He officiated football, basketball and baseball for 43 years before battling pancreatic cancer. He was a member of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA),

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National Football Foundation Lehigh Valley Chapter and District 11 halls of fame.

D’Angelo worked seven PIAA championship games, three in baseball and two each in basketball and football. He also officiated the 2016 NCAA Football Bowl Championship Subdivision title game.

AWARDS & HONORS • The North Dakota Officials Association (NDOA) inducted four new members into its Hall of Fame. The new members: Dean Klier, Harvey, S.D., officiated nine state Class B boys’ and girls’ basketball state tournaments and two state championship games, 18 regional boys’ and girls’ basketball tournaments and

numerous boys’ and girls’ district tournaments. Klier has also officiated four Dakota Bowl football championship games, along with 11 semifinal football games and numerous playoff games. He was also named the NDOA’s girls’ basketball official of the year in 2013.

The late Mike Elgie, Minot, officiated football from 19742020. He worked 100-plus high school playoff games and six state football championship games, including four Dakota Bowl football title games, the highest football classification level. He was once selected the NDOA football official of the year.

Randy Piatz, Bismarck, started officiating wrestling during the 1988-89 school year. Over the next 35 years,

Piatz worked 500-plus events in his career, including 24 state tournaments and 37 individual and regional dual tournaments in the Class A West and Class B regions.

William Archer Galloway VI, Park River, is a third-generation official. Galloway officiated basketball for 33 years and volleyball for 22 years. He worked numerous district and regional tournaments, including state Class B boys’ basketball state tournaments in 2002, 2005, 2009 and 2010 and Class B girls’ basketball state tournaments in 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2012, 2015, 2016 and 2017. Five of those assignments were state finals. Galloway’s father, William V, and grandfather, William IV, are also enshrined in the NDOA Hall of Fame.

• The Colorado High School Umpires Association named the late Tom Robinson recipient of its 2023 Honorary Umpire Award. Robinson was the assistant director in charge of officials for the Colorado High School Activities Association for 20 years, until his death in 2022. He was an onfield football official in the Western Athletic and Mountain West conferences and was later a replay official. A former chair of the NASO Board, Robinson was named the 2008 Outstanding College Official by the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame and received the John Adams Officiating Award.

Do you have any rosters, assignments or awards that warrant mention?

Send info to us at ForTheRecord@referee.com

ROSTERS NBA The following are the NBA officials for the 2023-24 season. They are listed by uniform number, name and years in the league.

© KIRBY LEE-USA TODAY SPORTS

3 Nick Buchert, 14th 4 Sean Wright, 19th 7 Lauren Holtkamp-Sterling, 10th 8 Marc Davis, 26th 9 Natalie Sago, 6th 10 John Goble, 17th 11 Derrick Collins, 23rd 12 CJ Washington, 8th 13 Ashley Moyer-Gleich, 6th 14 Ed Malloy, 22nd 15 Zach Zarba, 21st 16 David Guthrie, 19th 17 Jonathan Sterling, 7th 18 Matt Boland, 21st 19 James Capers, 29th 20 Jenna Schroeder, 5th 21 Dedric Taylor, 10th 22 JB DeRosa, 7th 23 Tre Maddox, 13th 24 Kevin Scott, 13th 25 Tony Brothers, 30th 26 Pat Fraher, 23rd 27 Mitchell Ervin, 9th 28 Mousa Dagher, 6th 29 Mark Lindsay, 17th 30 John Butler, 5th 31 Scott Wall, 29th 32 Marat Kogut, 15th 33 Sean Corbin, 29th

34 Kevin Cutler, 14th 35 Jason Goldenberg, 7th 36 Brent Barnaky, 14th 37 Eric Dalen, 16th 38 Michael Smith, 31st 39 Tyler Ford, 9th 40 Leon Wood, 28th 41 Nate Green, 5th 43 Matt Myers, 6th 44 Brett Nansel, 8th 45 Brian Forte, 17th 46 Ben Taylor, 11th 47 Bennie Adams, 29th 48 Scott Foster, 30th 49 Tom Washington, 33rd 50 Gediminas Petraitis, 9th 51 Aaron Smith, 8th 52 Scott Twardoski, 13th 53 Matt Kallio, 2nd 54 Ray Acosta, 7th 55 Bill Kennedy, 26th 56 John Conley, 3rd 58 Josh Tiven, 14th 60 James Williams, 14th 61 Courtney Kirkland, 24th 63 Derek Richardson, 27th 64 Justin Van Duyne, 10th 67 Brandon Adair, 6th 68 Jacyn Goble, 8th

70 Phenizee Ransom, 6th 71 Rodney Mott, 26th 72 J.T. Orr, 13th 74 Curtis Blair, 16th 77 Karl Lane, 13th 78 Evan Scott, 5th 81 Simone Jelks, 4th 82 Suyash Mehta, 4th 83 Andy Nagy, 4th 85 Robert Hussey, 2nd 86 Brandon Schwab, 3rd 87 Danielle Scott, 3rd 89 Dannica Mosher, 2nd 91 Che Flores, 2nd 96 Intae Hwang, 1st 98 Sha’Rae Mitchell, 1st Non-Staff Officials 76 Clare Aubry 80 Biniam Maru 90 Pat O’Connell 92 Brent Haskill 93 Jenna Reneau 94 J.D. Ralls 95 Tyler Ricks 97 Tyler Mirkovich SOURCE: NBA OFFICIATING MEDIA GUIDE

Ashley Moyer-Gleich REFEREE January 2024

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LAW

ISSUES AFFECTING OFFICIALS

Yup, It’s Tax Time

By Joe Aguilar It’s that time of year again to reflect on the year of officiating. For my sport, volleyball, it’s national championships and PAVO convention time. We watch the best volleyball teams and get training on health, game management and other topics from our leaders and selected speakers at the convention to prepare for next year.

Taxes also take preparation; capture some savings before it is too late. Here are some professional tips from a guy who is not only in your shoes but has prepared taxes for over 20 years and now specializes in fixing tax problems, mainly for those who do not file properly.

Proactive tax planning can help you keep more of your hard-earned money!

The Basics: Organize your records.

1. Track your income. Know your numbers so when that 1099-NEC arrives, you can match it to what you received (did you get paid for that match in July?). Having separate personal and business accounts are highly recommended.

2. Track your deductible expenses.

A benefit of being self-employed is deducting certain expenses directly related to your officiating work.

Typical deductible Schedule C expenses for sports officials may include: • Travel — Keep a record of where you went and your business purpose.

• Mileage — The IRS wants dates, times, start and stop points, and business purposes. They also want to know your commuting miles and personal miles. Use mileage-tracking software on your phone.

• Training and certification costs — NASO Sports Officiating Summit, sport-specific training, testing, etc.

• Insurance premiums and dues — NASO dues and supplemental insurance.

• Home-office expenses — If you have a dedicated workspace for your administrative duties at home, you can deduct your miles from home to the airport or field.

• Local meals — If you are outside your local area (50 miles), you can deduct meals.

• Uniforms and equipment — Must be only used for officiating.

(Suits and polos you can wear daily are not deductible.) After looking at your income and expenses, are you in the black? If so, get that watch or headsets you’ve been eyeing to deduct them and reduce net income before Dec. 31, 2023.

If you are diligent in tracking these expenses throughout the year, it will significantly reduce your taxable income.

3. Retirement planning with taxadvantaged retirement accounts such as Simplified Employee Pension IRA or Solo 401(k) can save money.

4. If married, you can start a Health Reimbursement Arrangement Section 105 Plan to deduct medical expenses before the end of the year to take the deduction on your 2024 taxes.

5. Know your rules! Just because you have always done it this way is not a good excuse on the field of play nor a good excuse for taxes. Tax laws change; stay informed about updates affecting your tax situation. For example, in 2021 and 2022, you could deduct 100 percent of meals purchased at a restaurant but only 50 percent in 2023. The IRS is vague about what qualifies as a restaurant. If you use the per diem method, you cannot use the 100 percent rule.

6. Seek professional help. Many self-employed individuals attempt taxes on their own, while others benefit from the expertise of a tax professional. A tax professional can provide guidance, ensure compliance and help you take advantage of all available deductions.

Proactive tax planning helps you keep more of your hard-earned money!

Joe Aguilar, Tustin, Calif., is a volleyball official and founder of Eagle Tax Res, a firm that helps clients nationwide with tax problems. *

Officials Associations Should Be Ready for New Year The transition into the new year is a good time for officiating associations to review practices and make things easier for the months ahead. Here are some tips: 1. Make sure your records are up to date. Current records are a good sign to the IRS that your association is on top of record keeping.

2. Get the paperwork done. If your officials are employees, make sure each one has an updated W-4 form. If they are independent contractors, see to it they have a current W-9 on file.

3. Send out your end-of-year invoices to the schools. No one likes waiting to get paid, especially if it’s a matter of failing to submit an invoice.

4. Pay your officials promptly. Some associations have developed a reserve over several years that enables them to pay their officials in a timely way, even if the schools are slow to pay.

5. Get up to date on your accounting. The IRS requires you to provide the appropriate tax forms (W-2 or 1099-MISC) to your members no later than Jan. 31. Getting these forms together and mailed will go smoother if you have your accounting up to date at the end of the year and are not scrambling to do it in January.

6. Review your bylaws and policies.

Make sure everything is consistent with any laws that might be changed in the coming year.

7. Purge old documents. The end of the year is a good time to go through all of your old records and clean out those that aren’t needed any longer.

If you are not sure if your association is subject to IRS rules or if you have any questions about tax issues for nonprofit organizations, contact a local CPA. SOURCE: NASO ASSOCIATION ADVANTAGE

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LEADERSHIP RESOURCES  Association Advantage Membership to Association Advantage provides officials, associations and their leaders the tools to conduct wellrun meetings, education resources for officiating training and access to years of association management articles.

Member associations

also receive 12 issues of Referee magazine, monthly Advisor newsletters, Click e-newsletters, massive discounts on training materials and optional insurance coverage exclusive to membership.

For additional membership information, contact Ken Koester at 262-632-5448 or visit the Association Advantage website at nasoadvantage.com.

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QUIZ ANSWERS BASKETBALL 1 — All – b (NFHS 2-3, 5-10; NCAA M/W 5-12.1) 2 — NFHS – c (4-47, 9-210); NCAAM – d (4-10.1.b, 4-10.1.c); NCAAW – c (4-9.1) 3 — All – d (NFHS 7-6, 9-2, 9.2.2D; NCAA M/W 7-6, 9-4.1) 4 — NFHS – a (5-9-4, 9-8); NCAA M/W – d (5-10.2.a, 5-10.3.a, 9-10) 5 — NFHS – d (3-3-4); NCAAM – a,c (3-6.1.j Exc. 1); NCAAW – a,c (3-6.1.j.1) BASEBALL 1 — NFHS – e (1-1-4); NCAA – c (6-5f); pro – b (5.02a) 2 — NFHS – a (3-1-3); NCAA, pro – b (NCAA 5-5k; pro 5.10d) 3 — NFHS – a (8-4-1a); NCAA, pro – b (NCAA 7-11h; pro 6.01a1) 4 — All – d (NFHS 5-1-1j Exc.; NCAA 2-48 Note, 7-11q Note; pro Infield Fly Definition)

FOOTBALL 1 — NFHS – b (10-4-2b); NCAA – c (10-2-2d-3) 2 — Both – a (NFHS 6-5-6 Pen.; NCAA 6-4-1d, AR 6-4-1 XI) 3 — Both – a (NFHS 2-162h, 6-2-5; NCAA 6-3-2b, 10-2-3b) 4 — Both – d (NFHS 7-4-2; NCAA 7-3-3c-1, 7-3-11) SOFTBALL 1 — All – b (NFHS 2-24-2; NCAA 12.9.2; USA Softball 1 – Force Out; USSSA 3 – Force Play) 2 — NFHS, NCAA, USSSA – b (NFHS 8-6-10b Pen.; NCAA 12.17.2.1.6 Eff.; USSSA 8-18G, Feb. 2018 Interp.); USA Softball – a (8-7J-1 Eff.) 3 — NFHS, USSSA – a (NFHS 2-47-3a, 8-6-10a, 2.47.3B; USSSA 3 – Initial Play, 8-18G); NCAA, USA Softball – c (NCAA 12.17.2.1.5.5; USA Softball 8-7J-4)

SOCCER 1 — All – e (NFHS 4-1-1 through 4-1-5; NCAA 4.1; IFAB 4.2) 2 — All – c (NFHS 12-9-1f15; NCAA 12.4.3.5; IFAB 12.3) 3 — All – a (NFHS 12-9-1f12; NCAA 12.4.3.5; IFAB 12.3) 4 — NFHS – d (9-1-3); NCAA – a (8.1.2); IFAB – e (8.1) 5 — NFHS – c (4-4-2); NCAA – d (4.3); IFAB – d (4.1) 6 — All – c (NFHS 11-1-1; NCAA 11.1; IFAB 11.1) VOLLEYBALL 1 — All – c (NFHS 11-2-1; NCAA 11.2.6.1; USAV 15.3.1) 2 — All – c (NFHS 11-5-3; NCAA Procedures Between Sets; USAV 4.2.4) 3 — All – b (NFHS 11-4-1; NCAA 11.3.7.1; USAV 17.1.1) 4 — All – a (NFHS 6-4-3b Pen. 2; NCAA 13.2.2.1.4; USAV 7.7.1) 5 — NFHS – a (3-2-1); NCAA, USAV – b (NCAA 3.1.2; USAV 3.1)

MISSION Referee is a magazine written from an officiating perspective, blending editorial credibility and business viability. It educates, challenges and inspires officials at the youth, recreational, high school, collegiate and professional levels in all sports, with an emphasis on baseball, basketball, football, soccer, softball and volleyball. Referee is the journal of record for officiating and takes informed positions on selected issues.

The magazine provides a forum for its readers, facilitates the flow of information, raises public consciousness about officials’ roles and serves as a catalyst for improved officiating worldwide.

JANUARY FLASHBACK 40 YEARS AGO …

1984

• Veteran tennis official Dick Wertheim, 61, dies from injuries suffered after a freak accident while officiating at the U.S. Open in Flushing Meadows, N.Y. Wertheim was struck with a ball and fell backward, hitting his head on the hard-court surface.

30 YEARS AGO …

1994

• NL umpire Joe West sues former associate James Wingo for $10 million, alleging Wingo stole the idea for the chest protector that both of them worked on when Wingo became president of Riddell Inc.

20 YEARS AGO …

2004

• Roy Kimberlin, president of the Dallas Football Officials Association, is quoted by the Dallas Morning News as saying, “You sure don’t do this for the money or respect.

There’s a saying: ‘If you need money, hold up a 7-Eleven.’ The public will have a higher opinion of you, and you’ll get paid more.”

10 YEARS AGO …

2014

• FIFA World Cup soccer referee Kari Seitz retires after a 28-year professional officiating career. Seitz, 42, is the only soccer referee, man or woman, to officiate in four FIFA World Cups (1999, 2003, ’07, ’11). Additionally, she officiated at three Olympic Games (2004, ’08, ’12). Seitz later assumed the role of senior manager in FIFA’s Referee Department.

REFEREE January 2024 |

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LAST CALL

A PERSONAL STORY BY ANDREW MAROTTA

Meant to B There I was trying out for the Colonial Athletic Association (now the Coastal Athletic Association) men’s basketball officiating roster years ago. The new supervisor of officials was John Cloughtery, who had recently retired after an illustrious hall-of-fame-worthy oncourt career. I show up at the registration table ready to go — dressed sharply, confident and eager. The young lady at the table greets me warmly and says, “Name please?” I tell her who I am, and she is shuffling some papers around looking a bit flustered, then

“I don’t know who you are or where you are from, but I like you, your game and I am going to hire you. I might even put you in the ACC.”

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appreciated that small gesture on his part and it brought my nerves down a few notches.

The game was a fantastic competition with both teams fighting very hard. We ran our butts off and called a great game. With under a minute left, there was a tight play where we couldn’t tell which team had touched the ball last as it headed out of bounds. I was on the play and Roger directed us to go to the monitor (as you are allowed to review plays on video replay with under two minutes remaining). Once at the monitor, it still was hard to determine who touched the ball last.

Roger focused on the screen, and I was kind of frozen. He looked at me and said, “It’s your call, kid.” I was stunned he was allowing me to make the call. He asked, “What does your gut say?” I told him who I thought should get the ball and he said, “Then let’s go with it. I agree with you.” We informed the coaches, teams and the TV crew of the call, which of course received a split decision from the crowd. There were loud boos and the arena atmosphere was tight. The game went down to the last shot and we finished the game without incident.

In the locker room after the game, we received confirmation that indeed we were correct in our decision. Roger gave me a wink and a nod like he knew it was right the whole time. This was very comforting to me as we always want to get the call right. I exhaled deeply and was relieved to have gotten it right when it was such a tight decision.

Andrew Marotta is a former NCAAM Division I college basketball referee in the Atlantic Coast, Atlantic 10, Colonial, Metro Atlantic Athletic, Patriot and Northeast conferences, as well as the Ivy League. He is a motivational speaker, author and school leader. Check out more stories like this in Marotta’s book Tales from the Hardwood: Surviving & Thriving. * Do you have a personal officiating story to tell?

SHUTTERSTOCK

states, “Oh, here you are.” She hands me some papers, a bag and some other items for the camp. I glance down at the 50 names on the paper and do not see my name. She stated they have me, I just am not on that list. She then took a Sharpie, crossed out someone’s name and wrote mine. “You are No. 48 now,” she says.

“Hmmm,” I thought. “What’s up with this?” I thanked her and moved away from the registration table. I

quickly processed what happened and realized that I was a “B” invite — I was not on the original invite list and I was just filling in for whomever was originally No. 48. “Damn,” I thought. They didn’t even have me on this list.

I was steaming as I walked to my room. Just a fill-in and I thought I’d have no chance to be hired. What a waste of time and money. I went to bed feeling defeated and with no confidence.

I rose early the next morning, looked in the mirror and told myself, “Self, let’s make the best of this. You can do this!” I decided at that moment, despite what happened, to put my best self out there — run harder than anyone, be super focused and do a killer job. I didn’t know a single person there, so I just put my gear on and went out there.

After a couple of days, I felt pretty good, had received good feedback and felt things going in the right direction. Near the end of one of my games, I felt someone standing behind me who was not a player. It was Cloughtery. He put his hands on my shoulders and whispered in my ear, “I don’t know who you are or where you are from, but I like you, your game and I am going to hire you. I might even put you in the ACC.” Fast forward a few years to a point later in my career and I have a CAA tournament game. I have the noon game, the first of four games that day. I am fired up, happy and proud to be there. I’m also excited to be working with the legendary Roger Ayers, a multiple Final Four and veteran official. Some say he’s got the best hair in Division I. Roger keeps a calm demeanor throughout the pregame with some light laughs and conversations about the game ahead. I am dialed in, focused and listening — just trying to soak it all in. As we’re walking on the court, Roger grabs my shoulder and says to me, “You were meant to be here. Have a good game.” I

Send your story or queries to lastcall@referee.com

11/15/2023 9:39:12 AM

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N AT I O N A L AS S O C I AT I O N

OF SPORTS OFFICIALS

IT’S OFFICIAL january 2024

NASO Board Meets in Chicago A ll members were present Oct. 10-11 when the NASO Board of Directors met at the Renaissance Chicago O’Hare Suites Hotel.

Robert Smith Jr. presided over his first meeting as board chair.

“I am incredibly proud and excited to be sharing membership on this board with individuals who hold sterling reputations as officials and as professionals,” Smith said.

“They are both passionate and compassionate people, and that makes it easy to engage in meaningful discussion — and debate — with them. Our first meeting was a perfect example of that kind of exchange. It was productive, insightful, informative and enjoyable.”

Other board members present were Dean Blandino, Lisa Jones, Paul LaRosa, Dana Pappas, Pati Rolf, Sandra Serafini, Ron Torbert, Mark Uyl and Rob Wigod. Pappas was elected secretary to replace Bill Topp, who is the new NASO president. Treasurer Bill Carollo and special advisers Ron Foxcroft and Barry Mano were also present.

Uyl was named treasurerelect. He will work with Carollo as the latter transitions out of the role.

“I am excited about this new role with the NASO board,” Uyl said. “This is an organization

The full NASO Board of Directors met Oct. 10-11 at the Renaissance Chicago O’Hare Suites Hotel.

that I believe in, and this opportunity allows me to give back to this great association in a different role. The challenge is the time commitment, but people find time in life for things that are important which is why I’m committed to being an effective treasurer for the board moving forward. There are many great people on the board and I’m grateful I can contribute to the team.”

Uyl, executive director of the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA), said working in that position will serve as an aid to the NASO

post. “My experience as a state association director has given me a great deal of experience with budgets, finance and audit processes for associations,” he said. “The experiences I’ve had over the past six years in leading the MHSAA have given me experience and skills in these financial, fiduciary and oversight areas.”

The board reviewed the 2023 NASO Sports Officiating Summit. Reports on the program and financials were heard.

A report from the governance task force was reviewed. The task force,

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11/14/2023 2:12:51 PM

IT’S OFFICIAL - january 2024 appointed by Mano, consists of Dave Dodge, Tom Herre and Terry Gregson. A document created by the task force suggested changes to and improvements to NASO operations.

“The board thanks the task force for its efforts,” Topp said.

“We are eager to implement changes for the betterment of the board and the NASO membership.”

Recruitment and retention of officials with an emphasis on inclusion efforts for more representation was also discussed.

“I was so pleased and I’m looking forward to our opportunities for moving forward as a board that represents some amazing people,” Smith said. 

Editor: Julie Sternberg Sports Editor: Brent Killackey Graphic Designer: Dustin Brown Contributors: Don Collins, George Demetriou, Alan Goldberger, Joe Jarosz, Patrick Rosenow, Tim Sloan, Jeffrey Stern, Brad Tittrington, Scott Tittrington, Bill Topp

NASO BOARD OF DIRECTORS Robert Smith, Waterloo, Iowa, Chair Lisa Jones, Chandler, Ariz., Vice Chair Bill Topp, Racine, Wis., President Dana Pappas, Lebanon, Ind., Secretary *Bill Carollo, Shorewood, Wis., Treasurer *Ron Foxcroft, Hamilton, Ontario, Special Adviser *Barry Mano, Racine, Wis., Special Adviser Dean Blandino, Santa Monica, Calif.

Paul LaRosa, Hendersonville, N.C. Pati Rolf, Pewaukee, Wis. Sandra Serafini, Yachats, Ore. Ron Torbert, Hanover, Md. Mark Uyl, DeWitt, Mich.

Rob Wigod, Los Alamitos, Calif. *Non-voting members

NASO MISSION STATEMENT The mission of NASO is to: • Serve members by providing benefits and services.

• Improve officiating performance through educational programs.

• Advocate opportunities for officials and engage in programs to recruit and retain officials.

• Create alliances with organizations that benefit from healthy officiating programs.

• Enhance the image of officials. © 2024 NASO/Referee Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved. It’s Official is published by the National Association of Sports Officials and Referee Enterprises, Inc.

Find NASO @ facebook.com/NASOofficiating

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NASO Participates In Trio of Officiating-Related Events

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s the leading source of sports officiating information, programs and services in the officiating industry, it’s important for NASO to participate in officiating-related events.

From August to October, NASO President Bill Topp represented NASO and its members at three important events, meeting with some of the top minds in the sports industry to discuss key officiating trends and initiatives.

Topp’s first stop took place Aug. 14-16 in Indianapolis at the NFHS Behavior in Sports Summit, where many leaders from across the sports landscape came together to discuss how various entities, organizations and individuals can work together to address issues of bad behavior in sports. The summit came on the heels of the NFHS Officials Consortium 1.0 and 2.0 held in April 2022 and January 2023, respectively.

“It was a great opportunity to interact with leaders at various levels and to continue to demonstrate the strong relationship between the NFHS and NASO,” Topp said.

“We discussed several trends and were able to offer a sneak peek at some of the data from the 2023 National Officiating Survey.”

A month later, Topp traveled to Des Moines, Iowa, for the latest incarnation of the Midwest Officials Summit, hosted jointly by the Iowa High School Athletic Association and the Iowa Girls

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High School Athletic Union.

Representatives from 12 upper Midwest state associations gathered Sept. 17-19 for this year’s summit, which has been held annually since 1995.

“We greatly appreciate the opportunity to be part of the conversation and help find solutions with the stakeholders at the high school level,” Topp said of the event.

“It was a great opportunity to interact with leaders at various levels and to continue to demonstrate the strong relationship between the NFHS and NASO,” — Bill Topp, NASO President

Finally, on Oct. 9, Topp participated in a one-hour webinar, “Helping Protect the Future of Youth Sports,” presented by NBC Sports Engine and the National Center for Safety Initiatives, as part of National Youth Sports Week. The panel of experts represented several facets of the youth sports ecosystem, including the Positive Coaching Alliance, the U.S. Soccer Federation and the U.S. Center for SafeSport.

“We appreciate the outreach and that NASO had the chance to share the officiating perspective on youth sports and how to make things better,” Topp said. 

A S S O C I A T I O N 11/14/2023 2:12:56 PM

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courtesy mlb umpire camps

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One-Day MLB Camps a Huge Hit

LB sent shockwaves through the industry when it announced a shift in strategy in regard to hiring new umpires at the 2022 NASO Summit in Denver. It was announced that MLB would use its one-day camps to identify prospects for its all-expense paid MLB Umpire Prospect Development Camp at the Jackie Robinson Training Camp in Vero Beach, Fla. After a full year of camps — which saw over 1,000 potential candidates in five domestic locations, as well as a mini camp in the Dominican Republic and a camp for sailors at Naval Station Norfolk — it is safe to say the new plan has been a success.

“We started the one-day camps back in 2006 and just completed our 18th year,” said Rich Rieker, director of umpire development for Major League Baseball. “We are very happy with the camps.”

One of the largest camps this year took place in San Bernardino, Calif., in conjunction with Officiate California Day, which was held July 29. That camp had over 200 candidates, and at the time was the largest camp of the year. From that California camp, 15 candidates were offered scholarships to attend the Prospect Camp in Florida.

Overall in 2023, MLB offered scholarships to 56 candidates to attend the Prospect Camp in Florida.

Last year, there were 30 new hires in minor league baseball. Those who are given scholarships go through a video interview, rules testings and have medical information

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More than 200 candidates attended the MLB Umpire Prospect Develop Camp that took place July 29 in connection with Officiate California Day, which was held before the NASO Sports Officiating Summit.

collected so they can hit the ground running when they arrive in Florida, which is unique compared to those who attend an umpire school.

And while getting an opportunity to potentially earn a full-time job in professional baseball is a huge draw for the camps, that is not the only goal for the camp or those who attend. Instead, it is an opportunity to learn from some of the best umpires to ever don the gear and to help the game in general.

“We are happy to not only teach umpires at these camps, but find prospects for MLB,” Rieker said. “We are just trying to find prospects and find candidates that represent the communities in which we work.

That’s the main goal here and to try to train umpires at all levels of baseball so we continue to grow the game all the way from Little League to the major leagues. Not everyone there is there for a job in pro ball.

We understand that and we welcome that. We want to be able to train and grow the game at all levels.”

MLB looks to capitalize on the success of 2023’s camps heading into 2024. The goal, according to Rieker, is to have five domestic locations once again as well as a mini camp in the Dominican.

“People are traveling to these things,” he said. “We are trying to be more centrally located to major airports to make it more convenient for people. We try to have one in every area so that just about everyone can drive or take a short flight to have that opportunity.”

MLB had success pairing up with NASO to host a camp during State Day at the NASO Summit in San Bernardino and is looking to do so again in Atlanta in 2024. Go to mlb.com/ official-information/umpires/ camps for more information about dates and locations. 

O F F I C I A L S

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IT’S OFFICIAL - january 2024

Meet the NASO Board

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he individuals who serve on the NASO Board of Directors come from a variety of officiating and business backgrounds. They hail from cities that span the country. They volunteer their time to represent NASO members and shape the association’s policies and direction. Here are biographies of the current board members.

Robert Smith – Chair Smith of Waterloo, Iowa, is the executive director of the Educational Opportunity Programs & Special Community Services with the University of Northern Iowa and in his 22nd year as an NCAA Big Ten football official. He was elected chair of the NASO board in 2023 and has served on the board since 2020.

He has officiated 14 Bowl games including the 2011 and 2014 BCS National Championship games.

He has 32 years of experience as an official for college football and high school girls’ and boys’ basketball. Smith was inducted into the Iowa High School Athletic Association Officials and the Iowa Girls Coaches Association Basketball Officials halls of fame.

Lisa Jones – Vice Chair Jones of Chandler, Ariz., has officiated NCAAW Division I college basketball for more than 20 years. She serves as the vice chair of the NASO board. Jones was first elected to the board in 2021. She has worked 11 Final Fours during her career and is a former WNBA official. She is a retired deputy chief of the Phoenix Fire Department and a retired Director of Homeland Security and Emergency Management at the Phoenix office.

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Bill Topp – President Topp of Racine, Wis., was elected president of NASO in 2023 after Barry Mano, NASO founder, stepped down. Topp previously served as the NASO secretary.

He is chief operating officer and executive editor for Referee magazine; he has worked for Referee and NASO since 1990.

Topp is a high school football official; former small college football and basketball official; and former major college baseball umpire. He has worked multiple state tournament and postseason collegiate assignments. He is also a former high school conference commissioner and assigner, and a current ODA member.

Dana Pappas – Secretary Pappas, who resides in Lebanon, Ind., is the NFHS director of officiating services. She has served on the NASO board since 2019 and is a former chair. Pappas is also the former New Mexico Activities Association deputy director and commissioner of officials. The New Mexico Officials Association (NMOA), under her direction, served as host of the 2014 NASO Summit.

She received the NFHS Citation for Service to Officiating in 2019 and was inducted into the NMOA Hall of Fame in 2022. Dana is also on the board for the Battlefields to Ballfields and Sports Officials Care.

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Dean Blandino Blandino, who lives in Santa Monica, Calif., is the NCAA national coordinator of instant replay and a Fox Sports officiating analyst for NFL and college football broadcasts. He is also vice president of officiating for the XFL. Previously he served as the NFL’s vice president of officiating (2013-17). Blandino started serving on the NASO board in 2021.

Paul LaRosa LaRosa, who resides in Hendersonville, N.C., is past president of the Louisiana High School Officials Association. He has been a member of the NASO board since 2020. He officiated Louisiana high school football for more than 45 years and was a member of the Greater New Orleans Football Officials Association. He is also a former game officials’ sideline liaison for Tulane University football.

Pati Rolf Rolf of Pewaukee, Wis., serves as USA Volleyball’s director of officials. She was a referee for the 2016 Rio Olympic gold-medal match and the 2020 Tokyo Olympic bronze-medal match.

She also officiated the 2016 and 2022 NCAA D-I Women’s National Championship finals and

A S S O C I A T I O N 11/14/2023 2:13:09 PM

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the 2019 D-I Men’s Championship final, as well as the 2022 NCAA D-III National Championship final. A FIVB international official since 2003, she retired in 2021.

She is currently a Referee Coach for FIVB and NORCECA as well as USAV and PAVO officials. Rolf started serving on the NASO board in 2020.

Sandra Serafini Serafini of Yachats, Ore., is a retired FIFA, men’s/women’s professional, and collegiate soccer referee who officiated multiple NCAA Championships and international events. She recently served as a National Staff Instructor, National Ref-Coach, and member of the Head Injury Task Force for U.S. Soccer, an Elite Assessor for CONCACAF, and Talent ID coach for PRO. She previously served as the director of strategic initiatives & innovation at PRO, and as an assistant professor at Duke University Medical Center’s Department of Neurosurgery. A past NASO board member and chair, she started serving on the board again in 2019.

Ron Torbert Torbert, an NFL referee who first joined the NFL officiating staff in 2010 after working in the Big Ten Conference, lives in Hanover, Md. He worked Super Bowl LVI (Los Angeles Rams vs. Cincinnati Bengals) in Los Angeles in 2022.

Away from the field, he serves as a public speaker after a lengthy career as vice president and general counsel for the Barton Malow Company, a large construction and contracting firm. He is in his second year on the NASO board.

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Mark Uyl Uyl of DeWitt, Mich., is the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) executive director.

He formerly was the MHSAA assistant director responsible for officiating programs. He is a former NCAA Division I baseball umpire who worked the 2014 and 2017 College World Series.

Uyl previously served on the NASO board (2011-2015) and was chair in 2015; he is a current ODA member.

Rob Wigod Wigod of Los Alamitos, Calif., is the former commissioner of athletics for the California Interscholastic Federation–Southern Section.

Wigod is a former high school football and baseball coach and athletic director. He worked closely with the California Basketball Officials Association, an NASO partner. Wigod is in his second year on the NASO board.

Non-Director Officers and Special Advisers Bill Carollo Carollo of Shorewood, Wis., is the treasurer and a board member emeritus (non-voting) for the NASO board. He is the coordinator of football officials for the Collegiate Officiating Consortium-Football (COC) (includes the Big Ten, Mid-American and Missouri Valley Football conferences) and is an ODA member. Prior to joining the COC he served in management roles at IBM and Manpower. He is a former NFL official for 20 seasons before

retiring in 2009; officiated eight NFL Championship games, two Super Bowls (XXX and XXXVII) and the 2008 Pro Bowl. He is a former NFL Referees Association board member and executive director; former Big Ten football and basketball official (1980-88); former semi-pro baseball umpire.

Ron Foxcroft The Fox 40 International founder is a special adviser for the NASO board.

He resides in Hamilton, Ontario, and is also the CEO and owner of one of North America’s largest trucking/logistics companies.

Foxcroft was invested into the Order of Canada by the Governor General in 2019. He was also named Entrepreneur of the Decade by Profit magazine.

He is a former NCAAM D-I and international basketball official and officiated the 1976 Olympic Gold Medal basketball game. He is also a former NBA officials observer. He is an NASO Education Partner, the 2004 Mel Narol Medallion recipient, a proud charter member of NASO and three-decade sponsor. He was the 2016 NASO Gold Whistle Award recipient.

Barry Mano Mano, of Racine, Wis., is the founder and past president of NASO. He now serves as a special adviser for the board. He is also Referee’s chief strategy officer and Referee magazine’s founder and publisher.

Mano is a former 23-year basketball official, who worked nine seasons at the NCAAM D-I level; a renowned public speaker and media guest on issues important to the officiating industry; and an ODA member. 

O F F I C I A L S

5 11/14/2023 2:13:17 PM

IT’S OFFICIAL - january 2024

NASO Offers Game Fee Insurance to College Football Officials

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n its continuing efforts to provide great benefits to its members, NASO has introduced an exclusive insurance program. The NASO Collegiate Football Game Fee Coverage Insurance Program is for active college football member officials, including officials enrolled by associations contracted with NASO. The program provides a benefit to replace loss of fees for assigned duties should a member official be injured while officiating a college football game, on the premises of the assigned game in order to officiate or traveling directly to or from the premises of the assigned game and the official’s home or place of lodging.

“NASO has been tirelessly supporting, protecting and advocating for officials for over 45 years,” said Ken Koester, NASO Group Member Specialist. “This initiative supports that mission.

We’ve been asked previously by college football groups across the country if we could ever pool together resources specifically related to game fee protection.

We made it happen.”

The game fee coverage works in tandem with the catastrophic medical and disability policy to provide excess coverage for medical expenses resulting from a catastrophic injury as well as monthly disability payments to assist injured officials during their total or partial disability.

The policy is limited to coverage for game fees that would have been earned as a result of officiating scheduled college football games in the absence of the injury. A seven-

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day waiting period applies. The maximum benefit is up to $4,600 per game, not to exceed $46,000 per season. The benefit period is 52 weeks from the accident date or at which time the maximum benefit has been paid, whichever occurs first.

All college football group member officials as members of NASO are eligible for coverage.

A college football NASO group member is defined as assigned and/or officiating BCS, mid-major, FCS, NCAA Division II or Division III or NAIA college football games, including scrimmages

and practices. Individual college football NASO members are not eligible for the enhanced benefits.

The program is administered through American Specialty Insurance. “American Specialty was able to offer an enhanced benefit package that far surpasses what was in the marketplace, while also significantly limiting the exposure and risk of increase an individual staff may face,” Koester said. “A win-win for all involved.”

For more information, contact Koester at 414-745-6702 or kkoester@referee.com. 

Nominate a Board Candidate Do you know an official or administrator who would be a good candidate for the NASO board of directors? NASO is seeking input from members on board candidates. Criteria for evaluating board candidates includes: • Current NASO member status in good standing.

• Attendance at one NASO Summit.

• 10-plus years of officiating experience.

• Current board has some firsthand knowledge of candidate.

• Background includes some “organizational” experience.

• Background includes some “management” experience.

• Officiating philosophy is “in tune” with NASO’s philosophy.

Those points are considered by the Nominating Committee as ideals during the search process. However, all of the criteria may not apply. The idea is to find individuals meeting as many of those criteria as possible while keeping in mind the demographic, geographic and sport experience of the current board. Contact NASO at editor@naso.org to submit a candidate for consideration.

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A S S O C I A T I O N 11/14/2023 2:13:25 PM

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Lead Meetings With Confidence

By Lawrence Tomei

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ost officials associations can attest they are experiencing a shrinking pool of officials. Given the shortage, training officials is taking on an even more essential role. With proper training, our crews can grow professionally and our associations can replace members as they leave our ranks. In a nutshell, what makes for a great trainer is simple: Confidence is the key.

Confidence is a consequence of action, preparation, practice and reflection. To facilitate a meeting with confidence, here are seven steps you can take.

1. Establish your credibility.

For this to happen, you need to be prepared — and nothing says “prepared” like an agenda.

It communicates you mean business and will not waste anyone’s time. Trainers should create a comprehensive training plan that begins months before the season and identifies events and topics for each meeting.

Prepare a syllabus (outline) for each session that includes: analyzing membership (age and time as an official often dictates possible topics and they change); designing content (a prep period of several weeks to several months before the season should give you time); identifying and developing your training materials (use video to augment it); pilot-teaching (use officers to test delivery); and evaluating your effectiveness as a trainer (consider feedback from members).

2. Project confidence. Lead the meeting as if you have done it 100 times (even if it’s your first

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season). Keep in mind: It’s not necessarily what you say, but how you say it. A little practice goes a long way in making sure you keep people’s attention.

3. Study the fundamentals.

You will be viewed as an expert on rules and mechanics.

Anticipate questions by drafting a few of your own. Try to predict the questions that will be raised before discussing a particularly tough rule application. Solicit questions from the members before the meeting so you can prepare your responses.

4. Have fallback help if you need it. No one expects you to have all the answers, but identify which of your more seasoned members of the group can step in and help if the situation warrants.

5. Encourage discussion.

Keep participants focused on the outcome. It’s always a good idea to end a training session by assessing the learning. Perhaps a short quiz covering the topic or a breakout session (limited to five minutes max) where groups can discuss a situation then present their opinions to all participants.

ASSOCIATION ADVANTAGE Running a local officials association is demanding. You volunteer your time and effort to make it the best you can. But there’s no reason you have to do it alone. NASO Association Advantage exists to help you face any challenge and elevate your association in the process. Whatever challenges you have — training, insurance, legal issues, meeting help, bylaws and organization, membership issues and more — WE HAVE A SOLUTION TO MEET YOUR NEEDS.

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6. Admit when you’re wrong. One of the primary reasons associations find it so difficult to find eager and enthusiastic trainers is because none of us feels like we know everything about our sport. It’s OK if you’re not perfect. Let the members know you will be counting on them to contribute.

7. Stay calm if conflicts arise. You will face intimidation or interruptions. Strong personalities can dominate a discussion. You need to know how to defuse heated situations.

Finish with something positive.

The best training meetings are delivered by a confident leader, one who understands the basic principles of training and has matured into a skilled facilitator. The steps shared can help set the tone of a meeting, ensure things move ahead in an orderly way and each person’s contributions are valued.

Lawrence Tomei is the vice provost for academic affairs at Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh. He is a past president of the West Penn Football Officials Association. 

assigning, legal issues and best practices specific to local officials association management.

TITANIUM & TITANIUM SHIELD The Titanium solution is ideal for officials associations that want to maximize their organization’s performance while fully protecting both their organization and individual members.

DIAMOND The most comprehensive solution for officials associations that want to fully protect both their organization and individual members, as well as provide full training and testing solutions with an emphasis on video. Association Advantage Diamond is the ultimate answer to every challenge your association faces.

To learn more, go to NASO.org/Advantage or call us at 262-632-5448

O F F I C I A L S

7 11/14/2023 2:13:29 PM

IT’S OFFICIAL - january 2024 Officially Speaking

TASO Executive Director Michael Fitch on Legislative Team

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he Texas Association of Sports Officials (TASO) has a unique relationship in its state.

TASO is an independent organization of sports officials governed by sport officials. This allows TASO to work closely with state legislators, through its legislative team, to promote legislation that is official friendly.

That team has helped pass several laws in the last decade to help protect officials within the state. NASO spoke with TASO Executive Director Michael Fitch about the legislative team and the work it does.

Q: How did the TASO legislative team get started?

A: We first got with our team back in 2012. That was when we had a disagreement with the University Interscholastic League. The history is not important. The bottom line is this team we put together crafted legislation acceptable to the UIL and TASO. That was the first piece of legislation they drafted and we were able to get it passed. Not only did it take care of the disagreement, but it laid the foundation for the fantastic relationship we have with the UIL today. The UIL can’t lobby for bills, so most of the time we are on the same page and we work with them, too.

Q: Who comprises the legislative team?

A: It’s primarily lobbyists, but

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we also have a PR firm we can bring in when we need to. For instance, when we instigated what the media calls “the strikes policy” (to combat the abuse of officials), we knew the first time it was implemented, we would be viewed as the bad guys.

Especially if it got bad enough that we would withhold sending officials. To get ahead of it, we had our PR team put together some positive news stories. Our approach to PR is the best PR is a positive news story. Our team works to plant positive news stories about what we are doing.

We occasionally bring the PR team in.

Our legislative team and our lobbyists, we keep them yearround because most legislation that passed, all the work is done before the legislative session starts. Now that we just finished the 88th legislative session, we haven’t really started planning the 89th yet because we are expecting our legislature to go back into special session. We don’t expect anything in that special session to deal with (officials). After that, we will start mapping out what we want to do in 2025.

The other thing, I am sure it happens in other states, some (sports) teams think a call that went against them cost their team the playoffs or whatever.

They run to their state senator or legislature thinking they can do something about it. We can alert our team anytime and they can go to a state senator or legislator’s office and be a go-between and let them know we are very proactive and on top of this stuff.

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Q: You just passed HB2484 in June. Can you talk about that?

A: That was passed this last session. Basically, if a spectator assaults an official — they don’t have to be charged or convicted, but if their actions meet the definition of assault — then the school district is required by law to ban that spectator from attending any UIL athletic activity for a minimum of one year, not to exceed five years.

Q: What do you see in the future for legislation?

A: We are always looking for legislation to protect officials and, of course … to make sure we are on the lookout and block legislation that can be anti-official.

A good example of that, in 2021 the state of Texas passed a law, and I think a lot of states did, that basically said if a private organization was doing business with a state, they had to sign a pledge they were not boycotting Israel or anything doing with Israel. Some school districts were trying to loop officials into that and trying to make them sign all kinds of legal documentation.

We worked behind the scenes to ensure it didn’t apply to sports officials. Saved our officials from having to go through that headache. We don’t really care about political reason; we just want to protect our officials from having to go through that. We also have a couple laws on the books we are looking to revise that will make it more beneficial to our officials. That is our next go-around. Texas legislature meets every other year. It will be 2025 before we go to work with that. 

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sports section Difficult Partners Made Easy

By Wade Turner

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hen you deal with a difficult partner, how can you make the most out of a challenging and often toxic situation? We’ve all had partners who have forced us to ask ourselves, “What will he/she do this time?”

Just as schoolteachers spend a disproportionate amount of time dealing with problematic students, officials, at times, face a similar plight dealing with their own troublesome colleagues.

Is it worth the headache keeping a difficult official around on your established crew? Or, what about if you’re paired with a known malcontent partner? Do you “grin and bear it” during the contest with your less-thanideal colleague?

With that said, the following scenarios and subsequent tips will hopefully make your officiating work a little more tolerable with a difficult partner. Remember, always be professional, review clear-cut expectations with a difficult official and do the best job you can do. The players, above all, deserve this.

A coach pulls you aside and asks, “What’s up with your partner?” How do you respond to that coach?

The easiest comeback is, “We’ve been having problems

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with this person all season.

We’ll make sure we cover for him/her.” When you “throw that official under the bus,” that never ends well and is a no-win situation. Just say, “Our crew is looking forward to having a good game with him/her.” You’re not giving out false praise or denigrating your partner.

If at all possible before a game, try to wipe the slate clean from your previous interactions with this official. Again, do not take things personally.

Any negativity would put your crew behind the eight ball and sabotage any chance for your crew’s success, and it could backfire on you. For example, if your partner makes a mistake during the game, the coach might ask, “I thought you said you were covering for this person. Can’t you override his/her call?” Conversely, if your partner doesn’t make a mistake and does a quality job, you’ve just tarnished his/her reputation unnecessarily, as

well as demeaning your own crew in the process. Thus, never apologize for this difficult person before the start of any contest.

If at all possible before a game, try to wipe the slate clean from your previous interactions with this official. Again, do not take things personally. Only focus on the call at hand.

If there is a break in the action when your crew needs to discuss a controversial call, be aware of your body language.

Don’t become animated with this difficult official. Above all, you should not argue with this person during the contest. You need to be the voice of reason.

Coaches, players and spectators can see and sometimes hear what is going on. You don’t want to be the focal point.

The troublesome official frequently monopolizes conversation in pregame meetings. How can this situation be improved so the crew doesn’t get fractured beyond repair?

In short, the crew chief needs to rein this person in. But, that’s easier said than done. Here are some tips: Always have a written pregame agenda, which should be shared before the meeting.

Be adamant about sticking to the agenda, saying non-agenda items will be discussed only if time permits. Delegate each person their own assignment

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IT’S OFFICIAL - january 2024 for pregame discussion. In essence, distributive leadership, emphasizing to the difficult official that he/she is simply one cog in the wheel of this crew.

If he/she is on your regular crew, you can attempt to dig up a little history on this person.

What sports has the individual officiated? Was he/she actually on a crew or working independently? Tap into former crewmates, especially those in leadership roles. They can give you some insight into how to effectively deal with this person to help keep your own sanity.

Is the problematic behavior just happening in one sport or with certain people? Is it an age difference or simply a personality conflict among crew members? Sharing interests beyond officiating — with all crew members — may help you bond better with this difficult person as well as the rest of your crew.

The difficult official berates a youngster working on a team’s sideline — so much so that the head coach gets involved and is furious that this youngster was treated that way by the official. How do you handle the situation?

First, the officiating crew is in a no-win situation. Berating a youngster, regardless of the situation, never will end well for the officiating crew. Thus, being proactive is a must.

Dealing with all sideline personnel — regardless of age — needs to be mentioned in your pregame discussion.

Relationships with all team personnel should never escalate to yelling. How many teachers are effective when they are yelling at students? None. This is all about setting expectations for sideline personnel, just like students learn in school from

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their teachers. These are my expectations, and this is what I expect.

Children, like adults, especially need direction and guidance. The official can outline expectations to the youngster, but corrective actions need to be referred to the youngster’s adult team supervisor. If the official had a problem with the youngster, he/she should talk to the youngster’s adult supervisor, not the youngster. The team’s adult supervisor would then talk to the youngster. If the youngster does not satisfactorily improve, the team’s adult supervisor could make a change.

The official dealing with the youngster would have no say in any consequences.

Following established protocol set by an officiating crew in pregame meetings would have prevented the official from reprimanding the youngster and ultimately getting the head coach involved.

Ruling with an iron fist might be the old-school method, but it doesn’t cut it today.

Officials need to realize they can get more flies with honey than with vinegar, especially when dealing with coaches and other sideline personnel.

Wade Turner is a high school football and basketball official from New London, Wis.  BASKETBALL

Under Pressure By the editors of Referee After several years of watching video to help create educational content for Referee and NASO, one of the common threads that emerges in the three-person officiating system is center officials need to do a better job

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with positioning when there is backcourt pressure.

Too often, center officials are concerning themselves with what would be their proper positioning once the ball moves into the frontcourt — on the sideline at the free-throw line extended — and neglecting to be strong partners who help out the trail official when there is an abundance of traffic in the backcourt.

The general rule of thumb is if there are four or fewer players in the backcourt, the trail works alone there. When more than four players are in the backcourt, the center official must recognize the additional pressure, slide up the floor and be prepared to help officiate the action.

When this happens, the center’s starting point is now the free-throw line extended in the backcourt. Basically, if the center official does not move from his or her previous position while officiating the offense on that half of the court, then he or she will be in perfect position.

From this starting point, the center official can make position adjustments to create the best angles to officiate and to help the trail official on plays involving screeners and moving to the center’s side of the court.

Having three officials on the floor does no good in transition situations if the center official automatically moves into the frontcourt and takes a position where there is nothing to officiate but air. Officials working three-person mechanics need to work on identifying defensive styles employed by the two teams early in a game and make the necessary adjustments, and also must be aware of specific game situations — most notably at the end of games when one team is trying to rally from a deficit — where a team is more

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likely to turn up the pressure.

The last thing a crew wants or needs is a trail official having to guess on a play in the backcourt where a strong center official should be assisting. This is a simple mechanical adjustment that will put a crew in the best position to have optimal backcourt coverage when the situation calls for it.  BASEBALL

Pep Up Your Prep By the editors of Referee At the start of a new season, it often takes a few games to feel “back in the saddle.” But there are a few things umpires can do to hit midseason form earlier.

Rules Study Good umpires know the rules and can call upon that knowledge to navigate any situation on the field. But you don’t attain that level of rules competence by cracking open the rulebook just for a once-ayear test. The rulebook can’t be absorbed all in one sitting.

Even if you’re visiting chunks of the rulebook over a period of weeks, it’s not enough to read the book line by line. If you really want to understand the rules and be able to apply the rules to situations you encounter on the field, you have to dive into situations — visualize hypotheticals — and see how the rulebook and casebook address those. This is especially the case for any rule changes for the upcoming season, where you may encounter rulings and situations that differ subtly or significantly from the previous year.

Visit the rulebook and casebook regularly throughout

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the season — and continue to look in the offseason — to attain and maintain rules mastery. Be aware of rule interpretations that may be issued at the state or national level during the season as well.

Conditioning Just as you can’t crack open the rulebook for only one day and expect rules mastery, you can’t go to the gym once and expect to be in top form.

Staying in shape is a year-round commitment. It’s never too late to start, but it will obviously take time to shed offseason pounds.

But regardless of your current form, you can benefit from some preseason exercise to prepare your body for umpiring movements to come. Some preseason squats, replicating the behind-the-plate movements, will make those first games less painful and improve your endurance — which can help your focus late in the game when judgment often counts the most. To prepare for the quick movements required on the bases, some sprints can ready muscles for following the playing action ahead.

Other forms of conditioning are also important. Get in the mechanics manual and prepare yourself mentally for whichever umpiring system you will be working. Get in front of a mirror and work on your signals. Watch video that will illustrate the best practices for different types of plays.

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Scrimmages Finally, take advantage of opportunities to work preseason scrimmages. Seeing pitches in a scrimmage will help you get back into the proverbial groove before the pitches and games count. Same thing on the bases.

There are often a few kinks

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IT’S OFFICIAL - january 2024 as you get reacclimated with working a game. It is far better to re-hone your instincts during a scrimmage than the first few innings of the regular season.

If you can’t find a scrimmage, check with a local school or program about coming out and seeing pitches during bullpen sessions or in the batting cage.

This will allow you to work on your timing, your head height, your slot positioning and other elements of your game so that you’re sharp from the first pitch of the season.  SOCCER

Have a BALL

By John Van de Vaarst Law 2 of the IFAB Laws of the Game and Rule 2 in the NCAA and NFHS rulebooks provide all the requirements for a ball.

The Law/rule is very simple and yet often goes unnoticed. How many officials check the game balls before every game? At the higher levels this is done in the locker room with pressure gauges and, if necessary, air is added or removed from the balls prior to the match. What about at the lower levels and especially youth matches? Does the new referee assigned to the match have a pressure gauge or pump?

Often this is not the case. This article will provide some tips on how to make sure the ball is proper and playable.

The first aspect of the Law/ rule indicates that the ball must be spherical. A sphere is more than round. A round object can be flat. A sphere must be multisided. Webster defines a sphere as follows: “a solid that is bounded by a surface consisting of all points at a given distance from a point constituting its

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center.” In other words, if a referee was able to go inside a ball and be in the center of it, all edges from that point would be equal. Since a referee cannot get inside the ball, how is the ball checked to determine it is a sphere? Tossing it in the air is one easy way. Observing the ball as it moves up and down will allow the referee to visibly see if it is a sphere. If the ball looks wobbly, it is not. Another easy test is rolling it on the ground.

Does the ball roll true? If so, it is a sphere.

The second requirement is that the ball is to be 27-28 inches in circumference. This is the distance around the ball. One way to determine if the ball is proper is to have a measuring tape and measure the circumference. Another way is to have a piece of string cut to 28 inches and merely wrap it around the ball to see if the ball is proper. Most balls are labeled with their size. If the ball is a size 5, 99 times out of 100 it is the proper circumference. There should not be a problem in this area. It should be noted that at younger ages, the ball is smaller for the players.

The next requirement for a ball is that it is to be 14-16 ounces at the start of play. The reason the rule indicates “at the start of play” relates to the next section which states “the ball shall be leather or other similar material that is weather resistant” (NFHS 2-2-2). The IFAB Laws indicate that the ball must be made of a suitable material.

About the only known material that is not suitable is rubber.

Many years ago, all balls had a leather outer casing. On a rainy day, the leather would absorb the water and become heavier throughout the match. During a real heavy rain, players did not want to head the ball because it

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became so heavy. How does the referee determine the weight being proper? One way is to have a small scale and a net. The ball is placed in the net and the scale is held up and read by the referee. A more realistic way is to hold the ball and see how heavy it feels. It does not take a lot of experience to get a sense if the ball is too heavy.

There are specific requirements for the pressure of the ball. The IFAB requirement is: “of a pressure equal to 0.6–1.1 atmosphere (600 –1,100 g/cm2) at sea level (8.5lbs/sq in–15.6 lbs/sq in).” The NCAA indicates 8.5 – 15.6 psi. The NFHS merely indicates that the pressure should be “inflated to the manufacturer’s recommended pressure.” Again, there are different ways to check the pressure. One is to have a pressure gauge and check the game balls prior to the start of the match. Another way is to hold the ball with both hands and use the thumbs to squeeze the ball. If the thumbs go into the ball a little way, the pressure is more than likely proper. If the thumbs cannot go into the ball at all, there is too much air in it and some must be removed. If the thumbs touch each other, the referee has a problem for sure.

IFAB also requires that “all balls used in matches played in an official competition organized under the auspices of FIFA or confederations must meet the requirements and bear one of the marks of the FIFA Quality Program for Footballs.”

The NFHS requires that all game balls have the NFHS Authenticating Mark displayed on the ball. If this is not the case, the game is to be played and the referee should submit a report to the appropriate officials.

The last item in Law/rule 2 provides the referee with

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information on what to do if the ball becomes defective or uninflated. If the ball was in play, the match is restarted with a drop ball at the point of the occurrence. If the problem was discovered during a dead ball situation, the match is restarted accordingly (goal kick, corner kick, etc.). If this occurs during a penalty kick, the kick is retaken.

Law/rule 2 is very short.

However, like all Laws/rules, the referee team must know it thoroughly and how to enforce it.

John Van de Vaarst, Ellicott City, Md., is a NISOA National Clinician, National Assessor and former State Level USSF Referee and Assessor. He is Referee’s soccer coordinator.  VOLLEYBALL

Ensure Success During Club Season By the editors of Referee As the calendar turns to a new year and the high school and college seasons end, many referees begin to prepare for the USAV club season. To prepare for the season, referees read the rulebook, take rules exams, study the casebook and get their schedules finalized in order to be successful on the court. But what about the teams they’ll be working with? How can they help ensure the success of their work teams?

During the high school and collegiate season, referees often work with students who are assigned as line judges or scorers.

When referees arrive at the gym, they need to spend some time training these students in preparation for the match. But the USAV club season is a little different. During the course of

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a tournament, every team is going to have to provide support officials (second referees, scorers, line judges) for a match when they aren’t playing. Knowing this in advance, it behooves referees to help prepare those work teams so they perform well when they’re filling those important roles.

As you prepare for the upcoming club season, it’s a good idea to help a local juniors team or club to do the same. It’s a winwin situation for both you and the team. Contact a club or team in your area and ask if they’re hosting an inter-club scrimmage or if they’d consider holding a training session for line judges, scorers and second referees. Ask them to set aside a couple of hours before the season gets into full swing so that you (and a few of your fellow referees) can do a presentation about work-team responsibilities.

Cover the basics. Answer rules questions, especially since this is a rule-change year and some clubs may not be aware of the changes. Emphasize the importance of their roles. If a scrimmage is taking place, use that for training purposes. It will be an excellent opportunity for them to fine-tune their skills without the pressure of being at a live tournament where results matter, and it will be a great warmup and refresher for you.

While two teams scrimmage, a group of players (instead of one individual) can sit at a table and be trained as scorers while you or a fellow referee instruct them along the way. Ask another official to work with second referees, teaching them about transitioning, repeating the first referee’s signals, and focusing on the net and centerline. Show them how to properly handle substitutions and timeouts. And show them how to blow the

whistle loud and strong.

Line judges should be trained, too, and are an integral part of the work team. Don’t take for granted that players know how to properly work this important position. Demonstrate proper signals and positioning, and stress the importance of eye contact with the first referee.

By working with a local team or club, you can get in a little preseason practice for yourself, and at the same time help those kids find success on the court as officials. More importantly, teaching and mentoring is one of the best ways for a referee to improve communication and officiating skills. This nonpressure scrimmage time also allows you to knock off some USAV rust, polish up on the new rules (or rule differences from NFHS and NCAA) and work on your management skills.

Remember to keep it fun; after all, they are kids. Show that you enjoy your work as an official. Offer praise when a player excels as the scorer, second referee or line judge.

And by all means, when you encounter an exceptional student, encourage them to consider getting into officiating.

After all, there is an officiating shortage across the country and we can always use new talent among our ranks — especially younger talent that already has a love for the game and can potentially be around to assist for years to come.

Too often we see players moving into the coaching ranks after their student-athlete experience winds down, but not enough of them move into the officiating ranks. Identify those kids and foster their interest.

You never know when you might be training and mentoring one of our next junior national or national referees. 

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AS K US BASKETBALL Fouls During Dead Ball Play: A1 is dribbling the ball in team A’s frontcourt in front of team A’s bench. Defender B2 knocks the ball out of bounds on the sideline. Following the whistle for the out-of-bounds violation, B2 shoves A1, and then a team A assistant coach yells a derogatory comment at B2. The officials blow the whistle, separate the players and teams, then get together and determine to penalize both acts. What is the result? Ruling: In NFHS, the illegal dead-ball contact and unsporting conduct both result in technical fouls.

Since B2’s technical foul and the technical foul assessed to the team A assistant coach did not occur at approximately the same time, the fouls are not simultaneous technical fouls, and thus, each shall result in its own penalty. Any team A player shall be awarded two free throws, followed by two free throws to any team B player, followed by a throw-in to team B at the division line (4-19-10, 10-4-6c, 10-4-7). In NCAAM, the illegal dead-ball contact and unsportsmanlike contact both result in Class A technical fouls. If technical fouls occur during the same dead-ball period, one against each team, no free throws are awarded.

Play shall resume at the point of interruption, which is a throw-in to team A at the spot of the out-of-bounds violation (10-3.1.e, 10-3.2.c, AR 133). In NCAAW, B2’s illegal dead-ball contact results in an intentional foul, and misconduct committed by the team A assistant coach

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results in a bench technical foul. Since the intentional foul and bench technical foul are fouls of equal gravity, and the fouls occurred during the same stopped-clock period, the penalties shall cancel and play shall resume at the point of interruption, which is a throwin to team A at the spot of the out-of-bounds violation (7-4.10, 7-4.13, 10-12.5.a.10, 10-13.1.e).

BASEBALL Concentration Altered Play: B1 hits a foul popup. As F2 positions himself to make the catch, B1 screams very loudly in F2’s ear. F2 drops the ball. Ruling: B1 is out for interference. Interference does not have to include physical contact and can be any act which alters play (NFHS 2-21-1a; NCAA 2-51, 7-11f Note 1, 8-5d; pro Interference Definition (a)).

Sloppy Housekeeping Play: B1 hits a high popup near the opposing team’s dugout. F5 gets his glove on the ball, but trips over a bat left lying in front of the dugout. Ruling: In NFHS, B1 is called out. If loose equipment interferes with play, the umpire may, based on his judgment and the circumstances of the play, call an out, award bases or return runners. In NCAA and pro, the play stands (NFHS 1-3-7 Pen.; NCAA 1-16d; pro 3.10a).

Take a Hike Play: After two pitches to B1, the head coach yells from the dugout, “Put him on.” Ruling: An intentional base on balls can be awarded at any time during an at bat. In NFHS, the ball is declared dead to make the award, while in NCAA and pro, it remains live (NFHS 2-4-3, 5-1-

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3, 8-1-1c; NCAA 2-7; pro Base on Balls Definition).

FOOTBALL Tee Time Play: NFHS only. Fourth and goal at team B’s seven yardline.

A1 brings a tee onto the field and his teammates rush to the line. All players are set for one second. A1 takes the snap, rises and throws a pass to eligible A2 in team B’s end zone. Is that illegal deception? Ruling: Just because A1 brought a tee onto the field, it doesn’t compel him to use it. To not allow that play would prevent a team from ever faking a scoring kick. As long as team A met requirements regarding shifts, numbering, etc., the play is legal. In NCAA play, tees are not allowed on scoring kicks (NFHS 2-24-7, 7-26; NCAA 2-16-4b).

Fake Field Goal Play: Fourth and five from team R’s 10 yardline. Kicker K1 takes the snap on the fake field goal attempt and advances. He is downed when he reaches team R’s four yardline. During the run, K2 is flagged for holding at team R’s 12 yardline. After the play, R3 is flagged for a deadball personal foul. Ruling: Team R will accept the penalty for team K’s hold, which is enforced from the previous spot, moving the ball to team R’s 20 yardline.

The penalty for team R’s late hit is enforced half the distance from there, yielding fourth and five from team R’s 10 yardline.

In NCAA, the penalty walkoff is the same, but the penalty for the personal foul carries an automatic first down. It will be first and goal from team R’s 10 yardline (NFHS 10-1-3, 10-1-5, 10-6; NCAA 10-2-2b, 10-2-6).

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SOFTBALL Pitch Between Legs Play: F1, while throwing a changeup, throws the ball between her legs. Ruling: Illegal pitch in NFHS, USA Softball and USSSA. A legal delivery must be delivered on the arm side of the body and must not be between the legs or behind the back (NFHS 6-1-3c; USA Softball 6A-3F; USSSA 6-1F-3). A delayed dead ball shall be signaled and at the end of playing action, a ball shall be added to the batter’s count, except for situations listed as an exception in the illegal pitch penalty. In NCAA, this pitch is legal (10.6).

On-Deck Circle Play: B1 comes to the plate and is a left-handed batter.

B2, who is on deck, moves to the opposing team’s dugout in order to not be on the open side of B1. Ruling: Illegal in NFHS, NCAA and USSSA. The on-deck batter must be in the on-deck circle closest to her team’s dugout (NFHS 7-5-1; NCAA 11.1.1; USSSA 7-1a). Legal in USA Softball. The on-deck batter may use either circle, provided she is behind the batter and not to the batter’s open side (7-1a Exc.).

Fair or Foul Ball Play: With no outs and no one on base, B1 hits a long fly ball down the right-field line.

The ball leaves the field to the left of the foul pole. After the ball clears the fence, the wind pushes it to the right and the first thing the ball touches is the grass beyond the fence, well to the right of the foul pole. Ruling: In all codes, this is a home run. The ball cleared the fence in fair territory and therefore is considered a fair ball when it left the field

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(NFHS 2-20-1e; NCAA 11.4.6; USA Softball 1 – Fair Ball, 8-5H; USSSA 3 – Fair Ball, 8-14A-1).

SOCCER Start on the Line Play: The match is temporarily stopped by the referee due to an injury. At the time of the stoppage, the defensive team has the ball right on the penalty area line.

When play resumes, the referee drops the ball to the goalkeeper.

Ruling: This is a correct decision. The lines are part of what they mark so the ball was within the penalty area at the time the game was suspended (NFHS 1-2-6; NCAA 1.3.1; IFAB 1.2).

Up in Arms Play: B1 commits a dangerous play and the referee awards an indirect free kick to team A. The referee fails to raise the arm to indicate an indirect free kick. A2 takes the kick and the ball goes to A3 who scores a goal. Ruling: Although the referee did not raise the arm, a goal is awarded since the indirect free kick ended when A3 touched the ball (NFHS 13-3-4; NCAA AR 13.1.3c; IFAB 13.1).

Either Side Play: A1 shoots on goal and the ball goes over the goalline to the right of the goal.

Goalkeeper B2 retrieves the ball and walks over to the left side of the goal area and places the ball for the goal kick. Ruling: The goal kick can be taken from anywhere within the goal area.

This is a legal play provided that the goalkeeper was not attempting to waste time when placing the ball (NFHS 16-1-3; NCAA 16.1; IFAB 16.1).

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IT’S OFFICIAL - january 2024 VOLLEYBALL Player Contacts Net Play: At the end of a long rally, A1 is noticeably frustrated after attacking the ball out of bounds for the second time in a row. A1 grabs the bottom of the net and yanks on it in disgust.

Ruling: It is critical for referees to maintain match control, using informal and formal methods. That control includes the conduct of the participants.

Referees must learn to distinguish between conscious acts of unsporting conduct and emotional reactions. Dealing with a player’s misbehavior is situational, but as described, this scenario may not require the assessment of a formal conduct sanction (yellow cardwarning). It may be appropriate to remind the team’s captain that teammates must be under

control. The first referee might also use a quick tweet of the whistle to notify A1 that such actions are not appropriate. The assessment and level of conduct sanctions are at the referees’ discretion (NFHS 5-4-3c-19, 12-1, 12-2-9; NCAA 6.1; USAV 21.1 thru 21.3).

Lineups Play: With three minutes remaining before the start of the match, team A’s head coach turns in the lineup to the second referee, who then gives it to the scorekeeper. Moments later, an assistant coach for team A notices the head coach has listed player A1 twice on the lineup sheet. The assistant coach notifies the head coach of the error. The head coach quickly returns to the table and places player A2 in one of the positions. The head coach also

lists player A2 as the captain on the lineup sheet. The head coach completes the change with 2:35 remaining in warmup time. The second referee is watching the entire thing and does not penalize team A. Ruling: Correct procedure in NFHS and NCAA. The head coach of team A completed the changes within the allotted time frame, which is two minutes before the end of timed warmups in NFHS (7-2). In NCAA, for the first set, changes may be made to the lineup sheet after it is submitted without penalty or substitution until the one-minute mark on the clock timing the prematch warmups (10.1.1.7). Incorrect in USAV. Once a lineup sheet has been delivered to the second referee or scorer, no change in lineup will be authorized without a regular substitution (7.3.4). 

The National Association of Sports Officials (NASO) is a nonprofit, educational association providing services and benefits for sports officials. It is run by officials, for officials. If you know a good candidate for membership, please send us his or her name and address. We will forward an invitation to join. For more information contact 262-632-5448 or naso.org/membership.

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