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November 2015 // www.referee.com
HS OFFICIALS
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WHAT LANGUAGE DOES YOUR BODY SPEAK? . 70 P
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YOU DON’T
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AT TIMES NO WORDS ARE NECESSARY TO SEND YOUR MESSAGE.
By Karen Swanner
Y
our arsenal is more than your voice. In fact, some of the most successful officials are the ones who can control the game without even speaking a word. “Sometimes it’s as simple as ‘the look,’” said Paul Stewart, who refereed in the NHL from 1986 to 2003. “I’m a firm believer that we use energy and feeling to interact with each other. Some of the most successful officials are those who can think and feel the game. “I learned about ‘the look’ from my father (William Stewart Jr., who officiated collegiate hockey, football and baseball, and was one of the winningest hockey coaches in Massachusetts high school history). All he had to do was look at me. No words had to be spoken,” Stewart said with a laugh. “The same was true in my officiating career. With players like Mark Messier, Ray Bourque, Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux, all we had to do was look at each other and we knew.” Some of the best officials can defuse any situation without conflict, without words. That unspoken aspect of the game is non-verbal communication. It is the message you send without using your voice. It is what you convey with your presence, eye contact, posture, body movements, facial expressions, gestures and personal appearance. It is the part of your game that can be used as an advantage, but if not used correctly, players, coaches, fellow officials and even fans may lose respect and confidence in you. And it starts even before the game begins.
STRENGTH FROM THE START Physical presence, body language, appearance, eye contact and even facial expressions all factor in from the start. For example, do you arrive at the venue professionally dressed, prepared, well-groomed and in plenty of time to have a pregame
meeting with the team of officials, coaches and scorekeepers? Or are you late, show up dressed in the wrong uniform, with mud on your shoes from a previous contest and hair not combed? Does that say to the players, coaches and fans that you care about the game? “Good posture, a strong handshake and making eye contact are all basic forms of body language a referee uses simply for introduction,” said George Gansner, who spent 13 years as an assistant referee on the FIFA panel and is currently working in MLS. “Players and coaches will inherently trust officials who they perceive as strong.” Officials have only one chance to make a first impression. If it’s not a good one, you have to work harder to earn trust. Your body language should show confidence and composure, not arrogance or insecurity. An official who shows confidence with posture — shoulders back, head held high and making eye contact — will gain credibility; versus the official who looks at the ground or in another direction to avoid eye contact, who is bent over and exhibits nervous gestures or movements, like playing with his or her hair, adjusting clothing and moving around erratically.
PERCEPTION AND REALITY But is perception reality? Sometimes it is, and sometimes players and coaches just have to figure it out. I’ve been blessed to have had an incredible amount of success in my 36 years of officiating soccer and the non-verbal aspect of my game has played a tremendous role. At 5 feet, 2 inches, blonde and 115 pounds soaking wet, there are many factors I need to overcome, especially officiating men’s games. At the onset, I try to present myself as professional and approachable with a smile on my face, shaking hands. But when the game begins, the look
changes to intensity … my shoulders go back, my body shows confidence and my hard work and physical presence command respect. One of the best examples in my career of effectively using non-verbal dynamics happened this past season when I was officiating a Major Arena Soccer League indoor soccer match with longtime referee Ron Cory. A Tulsa player was testing me from the start, flailing his arms when he didn’t get a whistle and staring me down in an attempt to intimidate me. I stood toe to toe with him and my veteran partner watched my confident body language and let me do my thing. As the second quarter began, I decided in order to manage this player, I needed to make a “bold statement” since he viewed me as a rookie. I worked even harder. I was only a step away from the plays he was involved in. I let my whistle be my “voice,” blowing it stronger with each foul that was committed. I consistently made direct eye contact with the player and gave him “the look,” head shake and hand gestures that meant I was done with his “showmanship.” Minutes later, that player thought he got fouled in his attacking zone, right in front of me. I shook my head “no” and continued to run with the play. He looked at my partner, who also shook his head. Play went on. Less than a minute later, the player actually got fouled. I blew my whistle very loud and I was still only steps away. And this time, I raised my eyebrows and smiled at him. He smiled back, nodded his head to thank me for making the call and proceeded to take the free kick. I had won respect. Sometimes earning that respect is what managing a game is about. Ask yourself: Does my body language command respect? Or do I show nervousness or fear? Often composure comes from knowledge, preparation, experience and even repetition.
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YOU DON’T SAY
SYNCHRONIZE COMMUNICATION
Showing confidence in your body language is important when interacting with coaches and managers. (Top) Mark Wegner, Plant City, Fla.; (Middle) Todd Hoke, Byron Center, Mich.; (Bottom, from left) Farhad Dahdko, Vancouver; Connor Hazelwood, Marysville, Wash.
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To be credible and effective, your non-verbal communication must be synchronized with what you verbalize. People will always believe the non-verbal first, because it comes from your subconscious. Your nonverbal message should help clarify what you say, not contradict it. For example, officials who want to effectively manage misconduct must make sure they are sending their message clearly. Signals must be crisp and concise so everyone understands; if you are blowing your whistle, it should be with conviction, with a tone unlike anything heard previously. Have a look of displeasure on your face, not a smile, when penalizing misconduct; make eye contact and do not look away. Your physical presence should say, “This behavior is not going to be tolerated!” When that space between an official and player decreases, that is usually a sign that the misconduct is of a more serious nature. Players will continually test the type of official that exhibits a more lackadaisical non-verbal game. And then there are officials who desperately try to get their message across, claiming they are excited to be officiating the contest, but internally believe they are either “too good” for the game, or it’s “over their head.” Their body language says, “I’m completely disinterested,” or “I’m scared to death.” Those officials may have hands on their hips or may look around aimlessly, not paying attention — waving to people in the stands, talking to the benches with their eyes not on the field, checking their cell phones, refusing to make eye contact. Those actions say they don’t care.
The final piece of the “matching game” involves communication between officiating crews. In some sports and at certain levels, crews stay together, so they are like a “welloiled machine.” But more often, you go to a stadium, field or arena and meet your officiating teammates for the first time. That is when your pregame becomes critical to your success. Crewmates need to discuss what non-verbals they will be using in the contest. There are physical signals which are sport-specific and are universally recognized by players, coaches, officials and even fans. There are also private signals that are meant to be observed only by the officials working the game. For example, if officials want crewmembers to keep an eye on a particular player, they may point to their eyes and mouth a number; if they are sure that they are awarding the ball or puck in a specific direction, they may point that way in front of their body so the crew is on the same page. Some crews will give a thumbs up or head nod to acknowledge that they are in support of each other’s decisions. In all cases, crewmembers need to be on the same page and be careful what signals or looks they are exhibiting. A good example is when I was officiating a men’s indoor game and my partner made a call in front of me. While inwardly I was very upset with what he did, I didn’t want to address it until we had a break. At halftime, he said to me, “What did you think was wrong with that call I made in front of you?” I looked at him puzzled and he said, “I knew you were not happy with me because you rolled your eyes!” My subconscious thoughts had unfortunately been exposed.
STRIVE FOR APPROACHABILITY Another important aspect in the communication process is approachability. Often players and coaches can judge whether an official is approachable. An official whose posture is confident and relaxed and an official who has a
BILL NICHOLS; RALPH ECHTINAW; DALE GARVEY
Physical presence is also a huge part of earning respect as an official. Some officials work games to stay fit. Conversely, officials who stay fit in order to officiate have better physical presence and can more easily “sell calls.” If you are perceived to be working hard, a wrong call will be more likely to be forgiven.
smile on his or her face is deemed approachable, versus an official who is rigid, frowning or scowling. An approachable official will be able to more effectively manage. One of the most challenging aspects of officiating, however, is to keep that posture, composure and poise as the game evolves. Officials who are physically fit enough to manage a game will also likely maintain mental fitness. Officials who are not fit will experience fatigue, which will cause loss of concentration. Those non-verbal physical issues will often be recognized by coaches and players, and officials may lose control of the game. What you do in the first five minutes of a game will often dictate how the rest of it will go. However, good officials must be able to recognize key changes in the game. That is when non-verbal communication needs to be stronger. When do I need a strong whistle? When is my presence needed near the bench? When should I smile or look stern? Recognize those moments. Not all players, coaches and officials can be approached in the same manner. According to Dr. George Carlo, who is the performance coach for the Detroit Tigers and founder of the Secrets of Champions, sometimes a person’s approachability is based on their adaptive capacity. “It is important to know how a person is wired when you are talking about non-verbal communication,” Carlo said. “Some people are wired ‘intense,’ which means they need to be spoken to face to face in order to keep a connection. They respond to one demand and one request. Others are wired ‘relaxed’ and respond better when talked to in sequences and contingencies. That type of person must be approached from the side in order to connect.” He explained that for the most part, determining how an official or coach is wired can be established simply by observation. Is the official making eye contact? Is his or her posture relaxed or rigid? What do his or her facial expressions look like? Does the official demand a lot of personal space?
“If an official (or coach) is making direct eye contact, then he is wired intense and you can approach him face to face,” Carlo said. “The best officials will have very acute situational awareness,” he further explained. “They will understand which teams are winning, who has injuries and which players have contracts on line. The more information that officials have, the more adaptive and perceptive they can be and the better they can do their job.” Positive communication is based on pre-determining that wiring, in order to make a successful connection. Approaching in an unfavorable manner may break that connection … and adrenaline takes over. Non-verbal communication is key in heated situations when a player or coach just wants to be heard. A simple thumbs up, or shake of the head in recognition goes a long way. That empathetic approach usually helps to defuse a situation. Sometimes, however, the coach’s sole purpose is “gamesmanship,” and he or she is intentionally trying to take advantage of officials to motivate their teams. “I remember one game, I was skating by the Boston Bruins bench and coach Pat Burns winked at me,” Stewart said. “All of a sudden, he started berating me in front of his players. I knew it was just his schtick to get his players motivated.” There are also coaches and players that can’t be managed by the empathic approach; adrenaline has taken over and there is no reasoning with them. “Sometimes when adrenaline takes over, a person’s peripheral blood flow stops, their blood vessels constrict and they completely lose their adaptive capacity,” Carlo said. “It’s a matter of biochemistry. It’s a physical reaction and no matter what an official does including words, gestures or any type of non-verbal approach, you simply will not be able to calm that player or coach down.” It is in that instance that officials have no choice but to penalize or eject. Carlo said that adrenaline effect takes about eight to 11 minutes to dissipate.
Usually those enraged individuals will calm down and apologize later.
IMPROVE YOUR SKILLS While non-verbal communication is one of the key components in an official’s success, not all officials are good at it. Sometimes it takes practice and good visuals to help see the things that need improvement. I remember early in my career when an assessor said to me, “You run very well, but when you get to the 18 yardline it’s like you hit a brick wall.” I thought to myself, “No way. This fool has no idea what he is talking about.” But the next game I realized, when I got to the 18, I was standing there just enjoying the game, as if I had just reached quicksand and would sink if I took another step. Assessors, evaluators and mentors can be a great learning resource. They may not always be 100 percent correct, but usually they advise you on one or two things that can help greatly. However, listening to feedback is not the only way to improve nonverbal communication. Sometimes the best teacher is seeing it yourself. Video is an effective way officials can see what they are doing. Not all games are the same either. Some of the non-verbal communication that is used in a men’s professional game cannot be used in a U-10 game, or a woman’s game. Age, gender and skill level are all things to consider. While it is important to know the rules, managing the game will undoubtedly be the determining factor on the success or failure of the contest. Knowing how to properly use all tools, including non-verbal communication, will be an integral part of that success. Karen Swanner, Glen Carbon, Ill., is a professor of communications at Lindenwood University and has officiated soccer for 26 years, including as a NCAA and USSF national referee. She has officiated eight D-I Woman’s Final Fours, as well as numerous D-II, NAIA and NJCAA championships. She is currently on the roster for the MASL Men’s Professional Indoor Soccer League. She is also an assessor, assigner and instructor. £
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VOLLEYBALL
COORDINATOR: BRIAN HEMELGARN
bhemelgarn@referee.com
RULES, MECHANICS, PHILOSOPHY
DIFFERENCE-MAKERS
Veteran Referees Combine Different Facets of Game By Brian Hemelgarn
Robert Orantes, Long Beach, Calif., signals a timeout during a set. Communication, strong signals and mechanics are among the little things that referees can always work on to be better.
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s we prepare for each season, we study rules and interpretations, casebooks and officiating manuals, and attend preseason clinics and meetings. And once the season starts, we usually have a list of goals that we try to accomplish. For many referees, especially those who are gaining experience, the goal list probably includes something like ballhandling consistency, overlaps/alignments or back-row awareness. But what about the veteran referees who have mastered those skills? What are they working on? Professionalism. It should go without saying that our veterans place professionalism at the top of their priority list. They have hundreds of matches under their belts. They’ve worked with dozens and dozens of different partners and encountered hundreds or even thousands of different coaches over the years. They’ve seen great examples of professionalism and some not so great. They know what it means to be professional, and they make that a goal each time they step onto the court. Ethics, integrity, reliability and responsibility are characteristics they possess. Communication skills. Interpersonal communication skills are a key focal point for veteran referees. It’s a constant work in progress, evaluating body language, eye contact, facial expressions and hand gestures, not to mention verbal skills. Each coach and each partner has different ways of communicating. It’s situational. The words we used with one coach on a given night won’t work in the same way with a different coach, or even the same coach, on a different night. We work with a variety of partners and line judges who have myriad personalities and communication styles. The best communicators can work with
BOB MESSINA
A
anyone and can get the officiating crew to perform at its best. Veteran referees will help create a cohesive officiating team by using their communication skills. Teamwork. Teamwork goes handin-hand with communication skills. The better we work with our partner, the line judges and the scoring crew, the more successful we will be, individually and as a team. Veterans — the leaders on the officiating crew — know that by helping everyone on the crew, the value of the crew’s work increases as a whole. They help others to succeed on the officiating team by encouraging them, engaging them and supporting them. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and our top referees help to strengthen each link in the chain. Signals and mechanics. Veteran referees strive to be sharp and accurate with their signals and mechanics. When a mechanic changes, they’re quick to adapt and implement the new procedure. Those who officiate under multiple rules codes transition between rules codes as seamlessly as possible, following the prescribed techniques for each. They understand the importance of consistency among the officiating cadre when it comes to mechanics, signals and techniques. Tempo. Maintaining a consistent match tempo is a trait of veteran referees. The cadence and timing of their signal sequence is smooth regardless of the call they’re making. They have a scanning pattern before and after each rally, and the time between rallies seldom varies. As the intensity of the match increases, an experienced referee will stay calm and focused by relying on his or her established tempo. The teams will rely on that tempo as well. Veterans understand momentum and match flow, and they will contribute to the match by maintaining a smooth flow. Court awareness. A mantra for many veteran referees is “be aware of everything that happens on your court, from warmups until the match is over.” That means they are keenly aware of the playing area and everything that happens on and around the court. Having that
awareness allows the referees to react and respond to situations with increased knowledge. Their goal is to always be able to answer the question, “Hey, did you see (insert situation) happen on your court?” Whether it’s a spectator, media personnel, an errant practice ball, a player injury, or a random distraction, a veteran’s goal is to identify the situation quickly and then handle it appropriately. They never want their response to be, “No, I didn’t notice that,” or “I didn’t see that.” Visual focus. Veteran referees know when, where and how to momentarily take their eyes off the ball to look ahead to the next playing action. They know that certain playing actions may have a particular result, and that allows them to be focused in the right area at the right time to view the play. It requires anticipation and alertness, and they constantly fine-tune their visual focus skills in order to be in the best position to make decisions. And yes, in addition to all of those things, veteran referees are still working on their ballhandling, overlaps/alignments, back-row awareness, and every other aspect of their game. They aren’t resting on their laurels when it comes to the rules, and they stay abreast of changes in the sport. Players’ skill levels are ever-increasing. Our seasoned referees don’t want to become stagnant or maintain the status quo. They want to excel on the court, and they want to contribute positively to the participants’ experience. They’ve learned how to juggle all of those different facets of the game so that they’re better, even if it’s only just a little bit better, every time they head to the court. If you’re not already one of our veterans, you will be some day. Until then, learn from the veterans you work with. Watch what they do. Mimic the good things that they do and be ready to step into your role as one of our seasoned veterans. Brian Hemelgarn of LaSalle, Mich., is Referee’s volleyball coordinator, a longtime NCAA men’s and women’s referee and also serves at the international level. *
QUICKTIP When administering a substitution, the second referee should make a mental note of players’ numbers, then immediately release the substitute(s) and confirm that the scorer has noted the correct players’ numbers.
BY THE NUMBERS Informal hand signals may be used by the second referee to the first referee in an effort to enhance communication in the match. The informal signals should be addressed in the referees’ prematch conference.
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Discreetly give the four-hit signal in front of the chest.
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The same player contacts the ball twice in succession when the first referee is screened from seeing it.
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Index finger placed on the shoulder closest to the team that has set point. Another informal signal includes identifying a possible back-row player violation by discreetly showing the back-row attacker signal or back-row blocker signal in the middle of the chest.
SIDELINE Mailhot Re-elected to USAV Board Sue Mailhot of Bellevue, Neb., was re-elected in June by the Officials Assembly of USAV to serve on the USAV Board of Directors. Mailhot began a fouryear term on July 1. Mailhot started as a USAV official in 1986 and currently has a National Referee rating and an International Scorer certification. She also maintains an active role in her local high school officiating organization and serves as the volleyball representative on the Nebraska state officials board. SOURCE: VOLLEYBALLREFTRAINING.COM
LAST CALL
A PERSONAL STORY BY DAVE SONTAG
Sorry to Hear It “I am sorry. I apologize,” the bearded, stocky man said as he cupped his hands around his lips. “Why did he apologize?” my partner asked. “I have no idea,” I said. “I don’t even know who he is.” This brief dialogue took place after our district final game at Adrian (Mich.) High School. As the game concluded, I was the first of three officials to leave the floor following a thrilling finish to a frenzied game. The man apologized to me — and I had no idea why.
He should have apologized to the hundreds of referees who dedicate their lives to interscholastic basketball.
Lack of sportsmanship is as poor as it has ever been since I began refereeing. Unruly fans, quarrelsome and confrontational coaches and disrespectful players have made donning the striped shirt more difficult each season. That trend is one of the main reasons why not many young officials enter the fraternity. Why would they want to subject themselves to the constant verbal jabs for 90 minutes? Many schools begin their games with an announcement for the fans, the coaches and the players. That announcement is about sportsmanship. It directs spectators to enjoy the game while not taking the focus away from the game. People are asked to accept and respect officials, and not to detract from the studentathletes’ experiences through negative conduct or comments. The announcement outlines that failure to comply will result in removal from the facility with no refund. Following a play at a Huron League school, a dad became irate with a call on the floor. “You are horrible!” he screamed. The gym was silent. His outburst took center stage. The athletic director had to approach him during the game. At that time, the announcer for the game read the sportsmanship statement — again. Some of the fans must have missed the message the first time. Last week, I heard a fan scream, “Give me your shirt and whistle. I can do a better job than you.” I bet he could. To make less than $10 an hour, to miss another meal with his family, to attract a gym full of aggravation and to follow that with a 45-mile ride home, I bet he could. “I am sorry. I apologize.” No problem, buddy. It happens every game. Dave Sontag from Monroe, Mich., is a high school basketball referee and former college basketball referee. *
Do you have a personal officiating story to tell? Send your story or queries to lastcall@referee.com
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As the night neared its conclusion, I began to wonder. Maybe he was the same man with a flannel shirt with whom the athletic director had to sit in the third quarter of a game that I had at mid-season. The man had made boisterous comments to the officials during the game on what seemed like every call that went against his daughter’s team. Maybe he was the dad who raced down the bleachers to cuss out a fellow official following his team’s
disappointing loss to a rival school. Perhaps he was the husband of the woman who once slapped my partner in the face following a game in which her son’s team did not win. He could have been the coach who went on a rampage because he didn’t like the block call near the end of the district final game. His belligerent conduct led to a disqualification. His last comment as he stood 10 feet on the floor at halfcourt? “You are ruining the game!” Nice example for his players, I thought. “I am sorry. I apologize.” No problem. I get it. Parents, players and coaches can go on tirades while officials are expected to act professionally. It happens all of the time in the NBA, in college — and now, in high school. Thinking more about the man’s apology, I continued to wonder. He should have apologized to my partner, who had to burn a sick day at work so that he could travel more than an hour to a girls’ district semifinal game. By the way, my partner made $11.81 cents an hour for that game, not including what he spent on gas. He should have apologized to the hundreds of referees who dedicate their lives to interscholastic basketball. They miss their children’s sporting events and choir concerts. They miss family dinners. They miss a lot of things. He should apologize to my family, who for the past 35 years has never seen me home in the winter on Tuesday and Friday nights. I refereed at Morenci in a girls’ regional. Hillsdale Academy lost by nearly 40 points to Pittsford. Never once did the Hillsdale coach have a tirade. He was cooperative and complimentary throughout the game. His girls, on all dead balls, walked to the closest referee to hand him the ball. They said “thank you” when the referees handed them the ball on inbounds plays. Their conduct personified the true meaning of high school basketball. It is a venue to teach sportsmanship.