Referee Magazine - May 2018

BASKETBALL

BUZZ WORDS

VOLLEYBALL

BASEBALL

R2 B1

HBP

ALL SPORTS

THE SCRAPES OF WRATH

SOCCER

FIT BIT

MAY 2018 // REFEREE.COM

POWER LIFT pg.20

THEY PAID THEIR DUES pg.32

SOFTB ALL

TRY-A FOOTBALL

NFHS RULE CHANGES

PLAYING BY WHOSE RULES? pg.58 member edition

$6.95

NGLE

CONTENTS

MAY 2018 Volume 43, No. 5 Issue 499 58

FEATURES 20

HEAVY LIFTING

32

LABOR DAYS

58

MONEY BALL

Mike Defee’s imposing muscles make him physically impressive, but it’s his leadership and mastery of details that make him exceptional on the field and off.

Over the years, strikes and lockouts have impacted the officials of every major sport.

Corporate sponsorships, wellfunded travel teams, significant entry fees — big dollars drive the world in which sports officials are asked to work.

ON THE COVER

SPORTS

COLUMNS

12

4

PUBLISHER’S MEMO

6

THE GAG RULE

8

26

JOSH FRANCIS

Snohomish, Wash.

Occupation: Domestic engineer, formerly in HVAC sales Officiating experience: High school softball official since 2013; worked slowpitch softball 10 years prior. Selected to work the 2A Washington State Championship in softball in 2015.

38

46

BASEBALL

Hit Man: Pitch Hitting the Batter Doesn’t Always Mean a Base Award; Pivot Perfection; Rotation Resolution

78

FOR THE RECORD

80

LAW

THE NEWS

81

CLASSIFIEDS

44

GETTING IT RIGHT

82

64

PROFILES

SOFTBALL

What’s Your Angle?

Great Position, Great Look, Great Call; The No-Huddle: It’s Not Just for Football

SOCCER

Leave the Field: Understanding What to Do When Players Come Off the Field; Preseason Fitness Rules; A Short History of the Goal

BASKETBALL

Basketball Buzzwords: Let Rules — Not Catchphrases — Determine Play-calling; Choose the Camp That’s Right for You

COURTESY OF VISIT KC (WRESTLING), DALE GARVEY (FRANCIS) REFEREE (BASEBALL)

52

VOLLEYBALL

66

FOOTBALL

74

ALL SPORTS

Officiating and Who You Are

Letter: Praise for Volleyball; Snap Shot: Do It for Boomer; Referee.com Poll Hochuli, Triplette Retire as NFL Officials; Little Comes From NBA Players, Referees Meeting Community Tribute to Young Umpire; MLB Umpire Conducts Clinic in Canada Best Seat in the House; Off to an Early Start

MLB roster

Association Intervention; Proving Harassment in Court; The Prejudice of Age-Based Evaluation Camps/Clinics/Schools; Equipment/Apparel; Leadership Resources; Training Resources

LAST CALL

We Can’t Save Them All: Those of us who have survived past our fifth year usually had a friend or group of friends we could turn to for the needed support.

BASEBALL HIGHLIGHT THIS MONTH

Second to None; R U a Great R2? U Can B, U Know; NFHS Approves Warmup Restriction, New Signal Shifting Gear: NFHS Nixes Penalties for Some EquipmentRelated Fouls; Are You Working the Game, or Are You Letting the Coach Work You? What Your Wrath Has Wrought: Get Rid of the Anger and Improve Your Game

Just because a batter gets hit by a pitch doesn’t mean an award of first base. There are several factors in an umpire’s determination of whether it warrants a trip to first.

FOR MORE, GO TO PAGE 12

Find Referee Magazine on Facebook and follow RefereeMag on Twitter

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

Officiating and Who You Are It is a convenient truth that officiating has the power to partially define who you are. Those of us who engage in the practice of officiating understand the deep meaning of those words. I have often been quoted as saying that officiating “isn’t for the faint of heart.” It isn’t, and that fact came to mind a week ago when I picked up the Sunday New York Times and found an article titled: The Tyranny of Convenience.

At first blush it is reasonable to assume there would be little in such an article that applies to officiating. As I read and reread this piece, officiating kept coming to mind. After I give you the thumbnail version of the article, the connection will unfold for you also.

Please join me on a short journey.

The article was written by Tim Wu, a law professor at Columbia University and an NYT contributing opinion writer. His thesis is this: Convenience — more efficient and easier ways of doing personal tasks — has emerged as perhaps the most powerful force shaping our lives. Wu quotes Evan Williams, co-founder of Twitter, as saying, “Convenience decides everything.” Given the growth of convenience it is worth asking what such a fixation might be doing to us.

Wu opines that the dream of convenience is premised on the “nightmare” of physical work. But then he wonders if perhaps our very humanity is often expressed in inconvenient and time-consuming pursuits. We can call those pursuits such things as: hobbies, callings, passions and avocations. These reward us with character for the very reason that they present to us meaningful resistance. This resistance is met when we carve a piece of wood, take a hike to high elevations, write difficult code, fix a car or an appliance, or officiate a game. Wu did not mention that final point. I did.

Officiating can help define who you are for the very reason that it is not easy to do. It is not done at our convenience.

It presents us with strong, insistent and incessant resistance. As Wu points out, you need to consciously embrace the inconvenient — not all of the time but

4 | REFEREE May 2018

more than you might do today. Struggle is not always a problem. Sometimes struggle is a solution. It can be the solution to the question of who you are.

It is this last observation by Wu that most grabbed my attention and that took me to the intersection of officiating and the convenient life. It is the tension, and at times, the trauma, that enables officiating to serve you as a character builder. For the years you have officiated, that I officiated, we have known officiating builds character. It is now, just after reading this article, that I better understand officiating is a tool to fight back against conformity, against defaulting to the easiest and most convenient path, whether in life or in officiating.

Wu states his belief that an unwelcome consequence of living in a world where everything is “easy” is that the only skill that matters is the ability to multitask. At the extreme, we don’t do anything — we only arrange what will be done. As task after task gets easier, the growing expectation of convenience exerts pressure on everything else to be easy or get left behind. I wonder if this pressure plays some role today in the challenge we face in recruiting young people into officiating.

I believe, along with Wu, that our humanity, the “who we are,” is often laid bare and expressed in the inconvenient actions and timeconsuming pursuits we undertake.

Officiating certainly is time-consuming and, at plenty of times, inconvenient.

The weather to and from the game, the noise, the physical demands, the arguments and all the rest. I do believe these are matters of “inconvenience” to us. Thus, officiating has the core ingredients to lead an “inconvenient life,” one filled with the satisfaction of not doing what is easiest, most convenient.

As an official, you have chosen to take a path that pays homage to the proposition that difficulty is an essential component of human experience. This is why really good officials want, on any given night, the toughest game in the toughest conference with all the marbles at stake.

Peace,

Chief Strategy Officer/Publisher Barry Mano 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 Dave Simon Scott Tittrington Assistant Editor Tom Conroy 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 Interactive Media Developer Michael Kielas Director of Audience Development Dan Olson Event Planner/Marketing Coordinator Nancy Short Comptroller Marylou Clayton Data Analyst/Fulfillment Manager Judy Ball Director of Administration and Sales Support Cory Ludwin Office Administrator Garrett Randall Customer Service Support Specialists Michelle Murray Lisa Burchell Transportation Services Assistant Bob Wemmert Editorial Contributors Jon Bible, George Demetriou, Alan Goldberger, Jerry Grunska, Judson Howard, Peter Jackel, Jay Miner, Steven L. Tietz, Tim Sloan 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, Ken Kassens, Jack Kapenstein, Bob Messina, Bill Nichols, Ted Oppegard, Jim White Editorial Board Marcia Alterman, Mark Baltz, Gloria Cox, Ron Huffman, Wade Labecki, Cheryl McCarthy Chiari, John O’Neill, Brent Rice, George Toliver, Larry Warrenfeltz Advertising 2017 Lathrop Ave., Racine, WI 53405 Phone: 262-632-8855 advertising@referee.com REFEREE (ISSN 0733+1436) is published monthly, $46.95 per year in U.S., $81.95 in Canada, Mexico and foreign countries, by Referee Enterprises, Inc., 2017 Lathrop Ave., Racine, WI 53405. Periodical postage paid at Racine, WI and at additional mailing offices.

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SOME OF OUR SPEAKERS MIKE PEREIRA FOX SPORTS RULES ANALYST

ANITA ORTEGA NCAAW D-1 BASKETBALL OFFICIAL

BOB GARDNER

At this year’s Summit we’re concentrating on all aspects of recruiting, retaining, supporting and celebrating officials and officiating. With the officiating shortages around the nation many are facing, this year’s theme is timely and necessary.

TACKLE THE PROBLEM HEAD-ON! WHAT EXACTLY IS THE PROBLEM? There are dozens of reasons why there aren’t enough officials – poor sportsmanship, low pay, the dreaded “Good Ol’ Boy” blockade, officials as their own worst enemies. Time to clear the air and get down to cases.

THE ASSIGNER’S IMPACT Officiating assigners have an outsized and often inordinate impact on officials and the organizations that use their services. They can have a negative impact, or they can be a big part of the solution.

GETTING TO A YES Featuring a dozen interactive workshop sessions -- each one focused on collaborating and uncovering solutions to a unique challenge. Topics include: Mentoring, Local Association Culture, Managing Expectations, and Funding.

NOW WE SAY YES TO OFFICIATING A full accounting of the earlier workshop solutions, providing so much information and insight to take back to your office. Guaranteed to be one of the most revealing and riveting sessions in Summit history.

WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY… WHY NOT? We have hard data about why officials start and why they end, and we can show with certainty the most critical element needed in any recruitment effort. Numbers, the analytics, the charts, the correlations – on display for the first time.

ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS Fast-paced and innovative, these out-of-the-box programs and initiatives to recruit, retain, support and celebrate officials have proven results. This session alone will give you the “takeaways” you come to the Summit to find. It works for them. It can work for you.

NFHS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

MONTY MCCUTCHEN NBA VP, HEAD OF REFEREE DEVELOPMENT & TRAINING

DALE SCOTT RETIRED MLB UMPIRE

JUNE CORTEAU NCAA NATIONAL COORDINATOR OF WOMEN”S BASKETBALL OFFICIALS

L E A R N M O R E A N D R E G I S T E R AT S P O R T S O F F I C I AT I N G S U M M I T. C O M

THE GAG RULE WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

LETTERS Praise for Volleyball

I know you’ve already heard this, but your article in Referee magazine (Beware the Setter Save, 1/18) was exceptional. In reading it, I thought the challenges you shared were much of the story of challenging decision-making on net plays at the Women’s D-I National Championships. Your concluding comment about pre-matching the help the R2 may/will offer the R1 was reflected in the help (the referee on the match) provided his partners, how he was visible with the help once an immediate fault call wasn’t made on a number of plays and modeling what the R2 could help with, how and when. At times, the commentators didn’t seem to have a full handle on the rules that applied to a given play’s fact pattern.

I’m looking to pull significant pieces out of your article for training sessions with our boys’ high school volleyball officials, including the rules you cited and the factors in decision-making — with attribution, of course. Posing challenges to get officials to step up their awareness, decision-making and partnering.

SNAP SHOT Do It for Boomer NCAA Division I men’s basketball referee Gerry Pollard runs the court wearing the name “Boomer” on his chest during the Missouri Valley tournament between Missouri State and Valparaiso at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis on March 1. Referees and players wore patches to pay their respects to longtime referee and referee coordinator Jim “Boomer” Bain, who died Nov. 1, 2017, at his home in Bonita Springs, Fla., at the age of 85.

Rick Brown Columbus, Ohio

SAY WHAT? “They can get a new crop (of referees), a whole new crop. Too many personal things going on. Too much me against you. It just don’t work that way.”

— Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, after picking up his 11th technical foul in a game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Jan. 6.

THEY GET IT “Next time you take in a high school game, don’t be afraid to enjoy the contest with a sympathetic view for the guys in stripes. Unlike just about every other sport, the game of basketball has a lot of judgment calls — calls that could go either way.

“We all know the game has gotten way too physical. But that most likely is never going to change. And all that physicality has made officiating a high school game a difficult task.”

— Longtime Waukesha County (Wis.) sportswriter Chuck Delsman, on the difficulty of officiating high school basketball.

REFEREE.COM POLL Baseball umpires: Do you regularly use an indicator when working the bases?

54%

46%

SNAP SHOT Stars and Stripes Referee Clark Sanders, Wilsonville, Ore., is flanked by two Marines for the coin toss before a high school football game last fall. The soldiers attended as part of a recruitment drive.

YES

NO

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.

6 | REFEREE May 2018

© BRETT DAVIS-USA TODAY SPORTS;

SOURCE: 2018 SURVEY OF 797 OFFICIALS

THE NEWS NEW YORK — For newly retired NFL referee Ed Hochuli, it’s always been about respecting the past and looking to the future.

As well as making the story about someone else.

That’s why Hochuli, who announced his retirement from a storied career of football officiating on March 6, has no regrets about stepping down at the age of 67.

He will join the newly retired Jeff Triplette, who announced his leavetaking in January.

“I’ve thought for some time that this would be my last season,” said Hochuli in a phone interview, “and as the season wore on, I became more and more happy with that decision. It’s been a good career, but it’s time to move on.”

Hochuli, he of the ultra-muscular physique and the clear, crisp and detailed lawyer’s diction (he is a partner with a law firm based out of Phoenix), made NFL officiating famous and cool from 1990-2017 as his build and strong bearing helped him manage vigorous and vociferous players and coaches.

He spent 28 years in the league, including 26 as a referee. He worked many playoff games, including two Super Bowls, and served as head of the NFL Referees Association for a time.

Hochuli became such a celebrity in officiating that following the settlement of the 2012 referee lockout by the NFL, his was the

Hochuli

Triplette

face that graced the cover of Sports Illustrated with the headline “Oh, Now You Love Us.” His likeness has appeared on the Madden NFL video game.

His will to succeed came from a strong drive to please his family.

“I was already, at a much earlier age, a competitive person,” he said in a prior Referee interview. “I was somebody who wanted to be good and I wanted my brother to be proud of me, and I wanted my parents to be proud of me.”

But Hochuli, who cites the legendary Jerry Markbreit as the greatest influence on his career, has always been a little uncomfortable with the spotlight and he’s happy to be able to step down and pass the torch to a new generation.

“My official response all these

years,” he said, “is that we (officials) are not the game. The players are the game. And the really great thing about all this right now, is that the fans will now finally be able to see the good Hochuli in action.”

He was referencing his son Shawn, an NFL official since 2014, who will be one of those promoted to replace his father and Triplette as referees.

The other will be Alex Kemp, who has worked on Ed Hochuli’s crew for the last two seasons as a side judge.

That turn of events is something that puts a smile on Ed Hochuli’s face and not just for the obvious reasons, because as noted, he has a sense of history and remembers those who helped him when he was just starting.

When he was an aspiring NFL See “Hochuli, Triplette” p.11

THE WIRE Pawol Umpires Tigers’ Exhibition Game Jen Pawol, one of only two women currently umpiring in Minor League Baseball, made her big league debut behind the plate in a Feb. 23 Detroit Tigers’ exhibition game victory over Florida Southern University in Lakeland, Fla. It marked the first time that Pawol, 41, has

8 | REFEREE May 2018

worked a contest involving an MLB team. She described the experience as “unbelievable” and earned praise from Detroit manager Ron Gardenhire for her work. She worked last season in the Class A New YorkPenn League.

Huggins Reprimanded for Officiating Comments West Virginia men’s basketball coach Bob Huggins was issued a public reprimand — but was not fined — by the Big 12 Conference for comments

critical of officials following a 77-69 loss to Kansas on Feb. 17. Late in the game, and after his team had blown a double-digit lead, Huggins’ antics earned him two technical fouls and an ejection. In a postgame press conference, Huggins criticized the officiating.

“Coach Huggins’ public comments are contrary to the conference’s sportsmanship standards,” said Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby in a statement.

Coach and Son Arrested on Battery Charges A New Mexico coach and athlete are facing battery charges following an incident at the recent state high school wrestling tournament, according to the Rio Rancho Police Department. Former Valley wrestling coach Bart Lujan, who was fired by the school as a result of the incident, is charged with battery on a sports official after allegedly pushing an official. Lujan’s son, Abran Lujan, is charged with aggravated battery

BILL NICHOLS (HOCHULI), JOHN DEFREITAS (TRIPLETTE), KIRTHMON F. DOZIER/TNS/NEWSCOM (PAWOL)

Hochuli, Triplette Retire as NFL Officials

When you’re a part of the fastest growing sport in America, you need to have the best gear.

The Right Call.

800.468.3284

www.Honigs.com

@honigsofficial

THE NEWS

Little Comes From NBA Players, Referees Meeting NEW YORK — What was supposed to be an ice-breaking event during the recent NBA All-Star break, a summit between players and referees, was attended by only two players, neither of whom were all-stars. Three referees attended.

Also in attendance were Executive Director of the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) Michelle Roberts and General Counsel for the National Basketball Referees Association (NBRA) Lee Seham.

The NBPA declined comment on the details of the 90-minute meeting, citing confidentiality issues, and both sides were said to have been disappointed at the turnout, especially considering the event was designed to help thaw relations between players and officials.

Seham also declined to comment for this story.

The summit was called to improve communication between the players and referees after some heated incidents during the season, including some highprofile ejections and technical fouls involving LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Stephen Curry and Kevin

Durant. Referee Courtney Kirkland was suspended for a week for his part in a head-butting incident with Golden State’s Shaun Livingston.

The NBPA and the NBRA issued a joint statement afterward with “action items” from both sides to be addressed. They included some broad steps, including clarifying “respect for the game rules,” which were first addressed about eight years ago, and coming up with an informal “channel of communication” by which individual players or referees might air grievances or seek explanations.

Also included will be regular meetings for officiating staff and teams to discuss rules interpretations and on-court conduct, expanded rules education for coaches, players and team personnel and conflict resolution training for referees. Other player concerns include a team of officials that has become younger and less experienced in recent years.

Trying to calm the situation, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver noted that the number of personal fouls and technical fouls called in 2017-18 is roughly in line with past seasons.

Silver was cautiously optimistic.

“The fact that we have players

New York Judge Overturns Referee’s Call RED CREEK, N.Y. — A New York judge reinstated a girls’ prep basketball player who was disqualified from a Feb. 24 state playoff game and should have served a one-game suspension under New York State Public High School Athletic Association rules.

The situation arose when Red Creek’s Isabella Wilbur was ejected midway through the fourth quarter of a 69-65 Section V playoff victory over ByronBergen in late February after being assessed the second of two intentional fouls in the game, which results in ejection.

New York Public School rules state that if a player is ejected from one game, he or she is automatically suspended for the next game. Kathy Hoyt, executive director of Section V Athletics, said the decision was not subject to appeal because it was a judgment call. However, Wilbur’s parents appealed the suspension, a choice that was backed up by Red Creek’s superintendent, who said the referee unfairly disqualified the player.

A judge overturned the official’s decision and reinstated Wilbur in time for the next playoff game, which Red Creek lost.

CONTRIBUTING SOURCES: WHAM-TV, THE DAILY NEWS

See “Meeting” p.11

THE WIRE after he allegedly punched his Rio Grande High opponent in the face twice following a consolation match the morning of Feb. 17 at the Santa Ana Star Center. Both charges resulted from the same match.

Trustee Charged in Official’s Assault Michigan State University Trustee Mitch Lyons was charged with misdemeanor assault after he got into a dispute with a referee during a Dec. 28, 2017, girls’ basketball

10 | REFEREE May 2018

tournament game. The referee told police that Lyons, who was coaching one of the teams, pushed him twice after a game. Lyons denies the allegations and his attorney characterizes the situation as a misunderstanding.

Sun Belt Suspends Umpire Crew The Sun Belt Conference suspended a four-umpire baseball crew for one game following a Feb. 25 Wright State-University of

Lousiana game in which a two-run home run was incorrectly overturned in the seventh inning. In announcing the suspension, the conference said the crew made “multiple officiating errors” during the game. Louisiana coach Tony Robichaux was ejected after arguing the overturned call, which would have put his team ahead. He received a two-game suspension for his post-ejection behavior.

Coach Accused of Assaulting Referees A coach of a CharlotteMecklenburg, N.C, fourth grade youth basketball team allegedly assaulted a pair of referees after getting upset about calls during a February 2018 tournament game.

According to police, the coach took off after the female official (it was a brother-sister pair) following the game and struck her in the back of the head. When her brother intervened, the coach punched him

Hochuli, Triplette

continued from p.8

back judge in the early 1990s, Alex Kemp’s late father, Stan, was an NFL referee. Stan Kemp stepped down after being diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease and Ed Hochuli was promoted to fill his spot as referee.

“Now Alex is on my crew,” said Ed Hochuli with no small dose of pride. “I think it’s great that both Stan’s son and Shawn (Hochuli) will take over as referees.”

Ed Hochuli will remain busy with his law firm and will also take on a part-time role with the NFL as an independent consultant. He has already met with the NFL’s competition committee and other football operations officials.

With six children and 10 grandchildren, Ed Hochuli is looking forward to the idea of retirement and watching football on TV. However, one overriding question remains: Will the weights he used to build that famous physique of his remain in use or will they now sit idle?

“That remains to be seen,” he said with a laugh.

For Triplette, 67, retirement will be about keeping long-held promises to his wife that they can now finally relax and have fun.

“She’s here with me in Mexico,” he laughed after a recent round of golf on a well-earned vacation trip.

And Triplette will have more time to do these things after stepping

in the face. Police have identified the suspect, but he has not been charged. The referees were treated and released for minor injuries.

No Charges for Ex-NBA Referee Donaghy Disgraced former NBA referee Tim Donaghy was not charged by Manatee County (Fla.) prosecutors for a Dec. 19, 2017, incident in which he was arrested for allegedly threatening a man with a hammer.

Donaghy claimed he was trying

back from 20-plus years of serving as an NFL official. He kept word of his retirement quiet all fall until the news leaked out around the time of his final game, an AFC playoff contest between Tennessee and Kansas City in January.

“I’ve been (in the NFL) about 22 years and I felt it was time to give someone else a shot,” he said. “I’ve had a great time and a great career.”

Triplette, who will remain as CEO of ArbiterSports, the officiating management company, got his start in officiating working junior high basketball and football, and worked basketball, baseball and football games in college. He stuck with football because he said he could plan his work schedule around it better.

A successful businessman and a retired Army Reserve colonel with a bronze star for his service during the Persian Gulf War, Triplette joined the NFL in 1996 as a field judge and then switched to back judge in 1998 before becoming a referee in 1999.

He was an alternate for the 2007 Super Bowl.

“I was exhilarated when I got the call from the NFL,” he said. “One of the best moments of my life.” His first game was “a dream,” he said, working two teams he had grown up following, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Washington Redskins, at RFK Stadium.

He went on to serve as one of the NFL Referees Association’s top negotiators during the 2012 lockout. At the time, NFLRA

Executive Director Scott Green praised Triplette’s contributions, saying “every member of the union is in a better position because of the acumen he showed in the economic and workplace negotiations.”

Triplette then served as NFLRA president from 2013-17.

He feels he leaves NFL officiating in a very good place.

“It’s actually better at all levels,” Triplette said. “One thing I would like to see, though, is to stress more work on the mechanics of calls rather than on the types of calls. Make sure people are in the right place at the right time to make the right calls.”

Meeting

continued from p.10

and referees sitting down and talking about these issues can only improve things,” he said. The commissioner admits, however, that all sides may have “slid a little back to old practices” and some compromise is needed to make things work.

There are players who recognize a need for some give and take.

“We’re all human,” said Portland all-star Damian Lilliard, “and I think when we get caught up in our competitive nature, we forget that they’re (officials) not just robots in stripes. They’re people too.”

CONTRIBUTING SOURCES: ESPN, BLEACHER REPORT, NBA.COM

to protect his daughter, who he believed was doing drugs and was in a dangerous environment.

Donaghy spent time in prison a decade ago on federal charges for a betting scandal involving NBA games.

nicknamed “Smokey,” devoted 43 years of his life to officiating, first as a high school football, basketball and baseball official in Iowa for 30 years, followed by 13 years as a director of officials for the Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA).

Roger Barr Inducted into High School Hall of Fame

English Soccer Coach Fined for Comment

Iowa officiating legend Roger Barr was named one of 12 inductees into the latest class of the National High School Hall of Fame. Barr,

Darren Ferguson, manager for the Doncaster (England) Rovers soccer club, was fined £1,000 (approx. $1,400) but was not suspended

by the Football Association, for his comments stating that he would “shoot appalling” League One officials after a Jan. 13 draw with Plymouth. He later issued an apology via the club’s website saying he regrets the wording, though he still felt the referee got some decisions wrong in the Plymouth match.

CONTRIBUTING SOURCES: SPORTINGNEWS.COM, THE ADVERTISER, SI.COM, LANSING STATE JOURNAL, CBS SPORTS, TMZ.COM, BLEACHERREPORT.COM, WCNC-TV, ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL

REFEREE May 2018 |

11

BASEBALL

EDITOR: BRENT KILLACKEY

bkillackey@referee.com

RULES, MECHANICS, PHILOSOPHY

Pat Smith, Saugus, Calif., (plate) and Kent Jacobsen, Canyon Country, Calif., observe play after the pitch hits the batter.

HIT MAN

By George Demetriou

T

he earliest umpires didn’t have much of a decision to make when a batter was hit by a pitch. A pitch hitting the batter’s hands, as well as his forearm, was simply a dead ball with no award of first base. Modern umpires have a greater challenge, especially since each of the major codes has its own wording on when a struck batter goes to first or stays home. Except where noted, the material applies equally to NFHS, NCAA and pro rules.

The scenarios that are least

12 | REFEREE May 2018

problematic are when the pitch is a strike. That occurs when either the batter swings at the ball as he is hit or the pitch is in the strike zone when it hits the batter. In either case, the ball is dead, no runners can advance and a strike is called. If it’s the third strike, the batter is out (NFHS 5-1-1a, 7-2-1b, 8-1-1d1; NCAA 6-4c, 8-2d1; pro 5.05b2).

If the pitch is not a strike, there is one additional condition that must be met before the umpire should allow the batter to trot off to first base. Although the wording differs among the codes, an umpire would not be wrong if he

were to judge hit batsmen the same regardless of the rules under which the game was being played.

NFHS rules state a plunked hitter is awarded first base unless he permits the pitch to hit him. That implies the batter must attempt to get out of the path of the ball, which happens to be the NCAA and pro wording. If we turn those words around, a batter does not make an attempt to avoid getting hit (NCAA/pro wording) if he permits the pitch to hit him (NFHS wording).

Rather than focusing on the exact wording, seeking a loophole

BOB MESSINA

Pitch Hitting the Batter Doesn’t Always Mean a Base Award

BILL GREENBLATT

as an attorney would, an umpire should concentrate on developing the guidelines he will use to make the stay or go decision. It is the umpire’s responsibility to determine whether or not the batter could have feasibly avoided the pitch. In this matter, “movement” is not synonymous with “avoid.” It is unrealistic to expect batters to protect the plate and not subject themselves to being hit. The indicators umpires can use in making that determination include the speed, the type and the 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.

It is not feasible to cover all the possibilities, and putting this subject into “rules” is highly likely to spur disagreement, but what follows should get any umpire started on

determining what he or she should look for. 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. 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 have moved, he didn’t “permit” the pitch to hit him, and if you accept “must attempt to avoid” means “could have feasibly attempted,” then all codes are satisfied.

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.

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. 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 purposely 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 on the foot gets the batter to first.

There are some easy ones for umpires. It can 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. The hands, though, are a totally different issue.

First, we can dispel the myth the hands are part of the bat. That has never been the rule, but just about every umpire hears it at least once a year. Defensive coaches will argue that a pitch that hits a batter’s hands is a foul ball. The only

TOOLS Umpires Quiz The annual baseball umpires quiz, prepared by the editors of Referee, is 2018 available free on the internet. To download the 20-question quiz — or to take an online version — visit Referee.com. Test your knowledge of pro, NCAA and NFHS baseball rules.

QUIZ Sponsored by the National Association of Sports Officials and prepared by the editors of Referee magazine.

With two outs, when a runner misses a base on a home run, a successful appeal may result in an adjustment to the scoreboard – and not just for the runner called out.

See questions 4 and 13 to test your rules knowledge.

In each of the following, you are given a situation. Decide which answer is correct for NFHS, NCAA and pro rules, which may vary.

(Answers on last page.)

1

B1 hits the ball down the rightfield line and F9 throws his glove at the ball, but does not touch it. B1 trips over first and does not advance any farther. a. B1 is awarded third. b. B1 is awarded second. c. The play stands. d. F9 is ejected.

2

With no runners on base, B1 grounds into the hole at short. F6 fields the ball, but holds it when he sees he has no play at first. B1 makes a wide turn at first and is on his way back to the bag, when F6 decides to make a play. The throw goes into the stands. B1 is awarded:

a. First, the base he was approaching. b. Second. c. Third.

3

With no runners on base, B1 hits a high fly to short center.

The wind-blown ball eludes F8 as B1 pulls into second. B1 rounds

second, feints to third and is on his way back to second, when F8 fires the ball over F5’s head into the dugout. B1 is awarded: a. Second (the base he was approaching). b. Third. c. Home.

Copyright © 2018 by Referee Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved. Copy these quizzes for handout but not for resale or publication without the expressed written permission of Referee Enterprises, Inc.

QUICKTIP How close you want to be to a developing play depends on several variables, including the type of play, your mobility and peripheral vision. When possible, move to a position 8-10 feet from a tag play and 15-18 feet from a force play. Adjust those distances to fit your ability.

DID YOU KNOW? MLB umpire Mike Everitt wears number 57 as a tribute to his father. In 2000, as he lay dying of colon cancer, Everitt’s father bequeathed to Mike the 1957 Chevrolet pickup the father had owned since he was 18. Upon his dad’s death, Everitt requested uniform number 57 and has worn it ever since.

SOURCE: FOX SPORTS

REFEREE May 2018 |

13

In each of the following, decide which answer is correct for NFHS, NCAA or pro rules, which might vary. Solutions: p. 81.

1. B1 homers over the left-field fence, but doesn’t touch second.

The third-base coach sends him back to touch the missed base before he touches third. B1 complies and continues around the bases touching third and home. a. Legal play. b. B1 is out.

C. B1 is out on appeal.

2. B1 hits a long fly ball to right field. Before F9 can get to it, the ball hits the top of the fence and goes over. a. Home run. b. Three-base award for B1. c. Two-base award for B1. d. Depends on local ground rules.

3. With a runner on first, B1 hits a high fly ball to right center. R1, anticipating a catch, holds halfway between first and second and is soon joined there by B1. The ball drops and F9 throws wildly with the ball going out of play. a. B1 is returned to first, R1 is awarded second. b. B1 is awarded second, R1 is awarded third. c. B1 is awarded third, R1 is awarded home.

4. B1 bunts down the first-base line and drops his bat in fair territory. The backspin on the ball causes it to roll back into the bat.

F2 fields the ball, but B1 is safe at first. a. Dead ball, B1 was out when the ball contacted the bat. b. Delayed dead ball; call B1 out after the play is over. c. Delayed dead ball; B1 is safe if you judge the contact had no material effect. d. Play stands.

5. Right-handed B1 lifts his left foot as the pitch is delivered and steps into an outside pitch. B1’s left foot comes down with the toe on the plate and his heel on the chalk of the batter’s box before the pitch is fouled. a. Foul ball. b. B1 is out. c. B1 would have been out even if he missed the pitch.

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correlation is the ball is indeed dead.

Many players who don’t swing and are struck on the hands by a ball outside the zone don’t realize their entitlement and remain in the box for the next pitch. A dispute is almost inevitable and there will not always be clear evidence.

If the pitch hits the batter’s hands, it is highly likely to be a hittable pitch.

The batter cannot be faulted when his fingers are cropped or the hand/ wrist area is pelted; those are all fairly painful. The bigger challenge is figuring out if the hands or the bat were hit. Hearing the sound of the ball hitting the bat is not a foolproof clue because both could be hit simultaneously or the ball could hit the hand and deflect to the bat. Having a batter take off his batting glove to check for welts is permissible. When in doubt, the ball hit the hand. The umpire also has to determine if a swing occurred and that may require an appeal to a base umpire.

Only NFHS rules address a batter’s loose garment, such as a shirt that is not worn properly or batting gloves hanging out of a rear pocket (8-11d2). No base award is made in those cases. The tick of the ball on a loose jersey is a challenge to any umpire’s eyesight. Both batter and ball may be moving when that occurs. Those are usually cases where the view from the offensive dugout is much better than from behind the plate. It’s a good idea here to apply “circumstantial evidence.” In other words, let the actions of the batter guide the decision, especially if he shows no reaction to

being touched by the ball.

A pitch that hits in the dirt before touching the batter does not change anything. Coaches have been known to argue that the ball hitting the ground erases the batter’s entitlement. What does erase the claim to first, though, is a pitch that deflects off the catcher or umpire before it touches the batter.

In such a case, the ball remains live and in play, runners may advance and the batter is not entitled to any base. Interestingly, you won’t find that spelled out in any rulebook.

In closing, by default a batter is awarded first base when he is struck by a pitch and he gets the benefit of any doubt. Here are some plays with common scenarios.

Play 1: F1 throws a fastball down the middle of the batter’s box. B1 is caught flat-footed and the ball strikes him in the middle of the back. Ruling 1: B1 is a hit batsman since he did not swing at the pitch. He is awarded first.

Play 2: B1 takes a stance leaning over the plate. The pitch is high near the inside edge of the plate. B1 freezes and allows the pitch to hit the top of his shoulder that is out of the batter’s box. Ruling 2: The ball is dead and is a ball. B1 is not awarded first.

Play 3: With a runner on first, B1 anticipates a curve on a 1-0 count and holds his ground. The ball breaks, but hits B1 on the wrist in the strike zone. Ruling 3: The ball is dead and B1 remains at bat with a 1-1 count. R1 remains at first.

George Demetriou, Colorado Springs, Colo., is the NFHS rule interpreter for the state of Colorado. *

There’s No Offseason on a Mindset of Success

By Jon Bible

C

onsider the top umpires at any level. What mindset do they have? How do they get it? For me, the key ingredients for the kind of mindset that allows us to work our best games are confidence — for

which solid preparation is vital — tempered by humility.

When we first set foot on the field to work a game, we must know that we’ve done our homework. We know we’re going to miss a pitch or play here or there; indeed, I was still kicking them two years ago when I

DALE GARVEY

TEST YOURSELF

PIVOT PERFECTION

I

n the two-umpire system, the pivot comes into play with no runners on base and a hit that leaves the infield.

• Starting in the A-position, the umpire will move toward the pivot point, which provides a path to the inside of the diamond where the base umpire can observe plays on the batter-runner at other bases. Note: NFHS mechanics with no runners on base and a base hit to the outfield call for the plate umpire taking a play at third base and the base umpire covering home; Referee prefers the base umpire take the batter-runner into third base, allowing the plate umpire to take the call at the plate.

• The pivot point is approximately 12 feet from the foul line and about 10 feet inside the first-to-second base line, at a spot where the corner of first base that’s facing inside the diamond should point at the umpire.

• It’s not uncommon to see new umpires turn the wrong way as they pivot — leaving their back to the runner at the critical moment the runner passes the base. An umpire who keeps his or her chest facing runners as they pivot will avoid turning in a manner that deprives them of the critical view of the touch/no touch.

• After viewing whether the batter-

runner touched first base, the base umpire should pick up the ball. Fielders don’t always throw cleanly or don’t always throw where they’re supposed to — there’s a reason “watch the ball and glance at the runners” often gets noted in umpire training.

• Consider pivoting ahead of the runner’s arrival at first. Some instructors say to time the pivot at the moment the batter-runner touches first base. In a two-umpire system that creates a risk from a speedy runner that the base umpire will fall behind the batter-runner if he chooses to advance to second, making any call there more difficult.

Brandon Bluhm, Chehalis, Wash.

REFEREE May 2018 |

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BASEBALL

Rosin Pick Play: With runners on first and third, R1 runs on the pitch.

F2 throws a rosin bag toward second. He then picks off R3 with the ball. Ruling: Nullify the out and eject the catcher for making a travesty of the game (NFHS 10-2-2; NCAA 3-6b; pro 8.01c).

Hard-headed Coach Play: While taking the sign in the set position, F1 fails to have one hand at his side. The umpire warns F1 and asks him to comply with the rule. On the next pitch, F1 violates the rule again.

The umpire gives F1 another warning and when F1 refuses to comply, he is ejected. The coach comes out and argues the rule is meaningless and he is not going to make his pitchers comply.

When the new pitcher comes in and completes his warmups, he is informed of the requirement and told that that rule is being enforced. Upon direction from his coach, the new pitcher defies the umpire’s warning and refuses to comply. Ruling: The game may be forfeited because the team is willfully and persistently violating a rule after it has been warned (NFHS 4-4-1e; NCAA 5-12e; pro 7.03a5).

Legalized Batter Play: B1 draws a walk and is standing on first. After the first pitch to B2, the offensive coach realizes that B1 was not the proper batter, calls it to the umpire’s attention before the other manager can and sends in the proper player to replace the runner. Ruling: The umpire should not allow the substitution.

The pitch to B2 made B1’s at-bat proper and B2 is the correct batter (NFHS 7-1 Pen. 3; NCAA 7-11a3; pro 6.03b7).

retired after 50 years of umpiring. If we’re new to umpiring, we may also know that we’ve not yet mastered the rules, mechanics and people/ communication skills that will enable us to deal with the myriad things than can occur. We also don’t yet have the credibility that will enable our decisions to be accepted as readily as they would be if we had more seasoning.

But we can only turn in the best performance that our skill set allows if we’ve prepared as fully as we can. Only then can we have the confidence to sit back and let the pitches and plays come to us. It’s no different with us than it is with teams and players; careful and thorough preparation by everyone, from the coaching staff on down, is the key to top-level individual and team performances.

In 1993 I learned that I was a finalist for the NFL officiating staff.

Overjoyed, I entered that baseball season without having seen a pitch in scrimmages. Having never been one of those umpires who can strap it on with no scrimmage work and be nearly flawless, I always worked three or four scrimmages before the season started.

Not this time. I thought I could bank on the fact that I had been umpiring at the professional and

collegiate levels for more than 20 years, so it would be like riding a bike. My first game was a plate job for the University of Texas vs.

Stanford. To be generous, I stunk.

I probably missed 15-20 pitches. I survived because I had a good track record with the coaches, but I vowed I would never again start the season without scrimmage preparation. I simply wasn’t ready to make the fine distinctions between pitches in and just out of the zone that are the hallmark of a top umpire and to do so consistently for nine innings.

While confidence is essential, we can’t get to the point where our chests are puffed out and we think we’ve achieved perfection. That’s a recipe for disaster. Not only is it off-putting to coaches, players and our partners, but it can cause us to at least subconsciously think we don’t need to put forth 100 percent effort.

After four years of pro umpiring, I quit in 1973 and started a college career. I had done well in the pros and, frankly, thought college ball would be a lark. But I had a couple of games in which it seemed I couldn’t get anything right. I asked a respected veteran what he thought was going on and he said, “Son, have a little humility. None of us are as good as we think we are.”

I thought about that many times

Flat Bat Play: With a runner on first, B2 takes the first pitch as R1 steals second. It is then discovered B2 was using a flattened bat. Ruling: B2 is out, but R1 remains at second. The illegal bat was not a factor in the stolen base (NFHS 7-4-1a; NCAA 1-12b Pen.; pro 6.03a5, 6.03b4).

To become a top umpire, whether MLB or within the local high school association, requires the right mindset. Do you have what it takes? MLB umpire Ron Kulpa, Maryland Heights, Mo.

16 | REFEREE May 2018

BILL GREENBLATT

CASEPLAYS

afterward. What he meant was I was coming across like I thought I was above this level of ball. I was just going through the motions, with a cocky attitude, and now I was (deservedly) getting kicked in the backside. From then on, I recognized that no matter who you are or what you’ve done, you must stay off your high horse and always give 100 percent effort.

Part of good preparation is constant rules study — not just in the month before the season starts, but year round. I don’t mean merely reading the book; instead, I mean reading a rule, stopping, mulling over its intent and visualizing play situations that would require its application. There’s a difference between reading and studying, and only the latter gets us where we need to be.

It’s the same with the mechanics book. You may know the basics, but if you don’t consistently spend time studying, you’ll forget the nuances.

Somewhere down the line you’ll suffer by being in the wrong position to evaluate a play or you’ll hurt your crew by not being where you’re supposed to be after the ball is hit.

Top-notch umpires stay in shape all year. They don’t put on 20 pounds from June through January and then starve three weeks before the season starts. And they don’t try to do hard

running after being a couch potato for months, for that’s a sure-fire way to come up lame, especially as we age.

How about video work? It’s a staple for football officials, many of whom are “film junkies,” but baseball umpires tend not to think about it.

A lot can be gained from dissecting films. How did the crew rotate?

Were the calling umpires positioned correctly? What about the plate umpire’s stance, height, movement, timing, etc.? If something came up that required communication skills, did they seem present? If you can’t get video of your games, there are a ton of college and professional games on TV and the internet.

What’s the mindset of a successful umpire? If I’ve stayed on top of everything previously covered — and do so 12 months of the year — I’ll go into and through the season confident that I’m as equipped as I possibly can be to do well. But if I’ve fallen short or waited until the last second to try to get up to speed, I’ll know in the back of my mind that I’m not ready to work, and that will increase the chances of failure. A bad game or two and I’ll start losing my confidence, and then things may snowball. Get in a bad rut and it can be hell getting out.

Jon Bible, Austin, Texas, worked six NCAA Division I College World Series. *

Rotation Resolution I

n the two-umpire system with runners on first and second and less than two outs, the plate umpire (P) and base umpire (U1) will have communicated pre-pitch not only about the possibility of an infield fly but also the chance of a double-tag rotation.

The signal for a double-tag rotation generally involves bumping both fists on top of each other with the index of the right hand extended, indicating that the plate umpire will rotate to third on a double-tag situation (PlayPic on next page).

If the ball is hit down the right-field

line (MechaniGram A on next page), there will be no rotation as P will move down the first-base line to rule on fair/ foul and catch/no catch. P should communicate that he or she is “on the line,” so U1 will know that the plate umpire will not be covering third base if the runners tag up and attempt to advance. P will then return to the plate for any plays there.

Since U1 does not have responsibility for the catch/no catch, U1 can retreat to the back of the mound to open a view of both R1 and R2 tagging up. Then, U1 moves into a position to cover all plays on the bases.

BASEBALL

On a fly ball in center field, when the runners may advance after tagging up on the catch, P will move halfway up the line toward third base. If the ball is not caught, P returns to the plate for any calls there. If the ball is caught and R2 tags up and attempts to advance to third (MechaniGram B), P will move into the third-base cutout to observe the play at third.

If a play develops at third base and R2 then attempts to advance to the plate — likely on an overthrow — P must retreat toward the plate in fair territory.

U1 moves into the best position to observe the catch/no catch while still preserving a view on the tagups. If the ball is not caught, U1 is responsible for ruling on any plays on the bases.

For a fly ball on the right-field line, P will have responsibility for fair/foul and catch/no catch, and on a catch, will be responsible for a play at third base if R2 tags up and attempts to advance. *

A

F9

CATCH

BR

R1

R1

R2

U1

R2

U1

THROW

BR

CATCH

B

F8

R1

R2

BR

U1

THROW

R1

U1

R2 BR

18 | REFEREE May 2018

HEAVY LIFTING

By Peter Jackel

Mike Defee’s imposing muscles make him physically impressive, but it’s his leadership and mastery of details that make him exceptional on the field and off.

W

e’ll waste no time addressing Mike Defee’s Popeye-the-Sailor-style arms in an effort to satisfy one of the rages on social media these days.

Yes, perhaps the finest college football official working today is built with the physique that would put a bouncer to shame, so we’ll deal with his ultra-masculine side as a start and then move on to reinforce the identity that should truly define Michael Vincent Defee.

The bottom line is this: Defee is to college football officials what Ed Hochuli is to the NFL in terms of being buff. But the man, and not his muscles, is what should really dominate any conversation about him.

So, first things first. This dude indeed has a macho side that his pipes suggest. Taught to box during his youth in Nederland, Texas, by his father, a former Golden Gloves champion, Defee fearlessly took on kids who sometimes outweighed him

20 | REFEREE May 2018

by 50 pounds. And yet he held his own in a ring so well that he regrets putting down his gloves to this day.

There was that time he saw a bully knock the books out of some poor kid’s hands in a corridor of Nederland High School in the late 1970s.

Bad move, bully.

Defee followed him for a spell before taking a flying leap at the punk and slamming his head into his locker door.

“I wanted to make sure he knew what it was like to be taken advantage of,” Defee said.

This is a man who bow hunts in his leisure time and was downright John-Wayne macho without a script that August day in 2016 when Defee, a licensed pilot, found himself enveloped by ominous thickening clouds in Texas skies while flying home from a scrimmage at Iowa State.

With the possibility of spatial disorientation causing him to helplessly turn his Cessna TTX 240

into a graveyard spiral, a fate that doomed John F. Kennedy Jr. some years ago, Defee instead forced himself to rely on instruments — something he was not yet qualified to do — to safely descend out of the murk.

He ended up landing in Nacogdoches, Texas, 100 miles north of his intended destination of Beaumont, before finally catching his breath and realizing how he had miraculously evaded a premature demise.

“That’s when the nerves took over and I vowed never to get myself in that situation again,” he said.

As for those pipes that stretch the fabric of his official’s uniform on television screens during autumn Saturdays as he works another Big 12 Conference assignment, they come with the price of a substantial commitment.

Even with Defee beyond his 56th birthday, this man dedicates himself to a conditioning regimen that elevates him into a social media sensation. It started when he was a half-hearted participant as a young man who reluctantly joined his father, also named Mike, at a local gym for weightlifting, but it would evolve into a lifelong passion.

“I get to the gym from a weightlifting standpoint ideally

G

HEAVY LIFTING

At left (clockwise from top left), Mike Defee, his wife Mary, and granddaughters Julie, Olivia and Allison. At right, Defee (right) and his father, also named Mike.

four days a week,” Defee said.

“I started lifting when I was about 23 and I’ve been a gym rat ever since — and that was before I started officiating. My dad was big into the gym. I got that from him. I’ve been in the gym for 30-plus years now and, particularly as I get older, it’s insurance health-wise. I want to stay in as good of condition as I can.”

He’s done that to such an extent that the man has become a celebrity not so much because of how masterfully he handles himself on a football field — a reputation that should truly define him — but for how physically impressive he looks within those venues.

“I’ve been around Mike for a long time and he’s always had the big guns,” said Joe Blubaugh, who completed his third season as Defee’s field judge during the 2017 season. “We go to games and it’s just amazing how much can happen on social media when you’re in the right place at the right time or the wrong place at the wrong time and things can just kind of escalate. What’s crazy is whenever we go down on the field, especially for teams we haven’t done before, you can hear the players kind of give him the business for how big his arms are. They’re really that big.

His arms are bigger than most of the players out there.”

Call him a chip off the old block. Defee’s father still lifts weights to this day. And even in his early 70s, the elder Mike Defee is not afraid to mix it up when he feels his family name has been disrespected. That was apparent the day he witnessed some fan verbally abusing his son while the younger Mike Defee was working a Thanksgiving night game in 2012 between Texas and Texas

me the business in the stands about four rows above him. My dad jumped up and told him, ‘Let me tell you something!

That’s my son you’re talking to!

If anybody’s going to say that to him, it’s going to be me! It’s not going to be you!’ That guy pops off and my dad gets out of his chair and goes up. That guy says, ‘How old are you?’ And my dad said, ‘Old enough to whip your ass!’

“After the game, security brings my dad back to my locker room and they tell me the story. And I thought, ‘Oh my God, I can only imagine this on ESPN — ‘Referee’s father in fight in stands!’”

Quite simply, the elder Defee is not going to stand for anyone slighting the son he raised to be exceptional.

Divorced in late 1969, he used plenty of tough love to raise his son with the ultimate goal of making him the man he is today. The younger Defee was christened with the middle name Vincent because Big Mike thought it was reminiscent of “Invincible.”

And that’s what he is.

Despite a late start in football officiating — the younger Defee was 33 when he worked his first high school game in 1995 — Defee was in

22 | REFEREE May 2018

Christian University at Texas Memorial Stadium.

“I had a tough call against Texas around the 30 yardline and his ticket was in that general vicinity,” the younger Defee said of his father. “There was a guy who was really cussing me. I would tell my wife and daughters, ‘You’re going to hear some ugly things — just ignore it.’ I had failed to give my dad that speech and my dad is a man. He was a Golden Gloves champion boxer.

“This guy was really giving

COURTESY OF MIKE DEFEE

“THAT’S MY SON YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT. IF ANYBODY’S GOING TO SAY THAT TO HIM, IT’S GOING TO BE ME!”

the Big 12 Conference as a back judge by 2006 and promoted to referee in 2010. He has been assigned to three national championship games, two as an alternate, and has worked every major bowl game except the Orange Bowl.

Yet as established as Defee is, football officiating represents just three percent of his income.

Once a journeyman electrician by trade, Defee climbed a corporate ladder and is now president and general manager of Newtron Holdings, and oversees the operations of four companies in Nederland. There are about 800 employees under his watch.

He met his wife, Mary, in the fall of 1978 while both were working at an area Dairy Queen. They would become the proud parents of son Michael, a football official in the Southland Conference, and daughters Jennifer and Kate.

But that’s not all. “We have five granddaughters that we try to spoil as much as we can,” Defee said.

Yes, Defee appears invincible, and to this day, the elder Mike still addresses his highly regarded son as Vincent, not Mike.

“I think that’s him,” said the elder Mike Defee, who is still a technical director and coach in the Brookeland School District in Texas. “I don’t know if he ever realized what the name meant.

‘Invincible’ is what that means. I picked that because that is what I wanted him to be and he’s lived up to it. Every inch of it.

He exceeded all my expectations — beyond anything I ever imagined.”

That’s what brings us to the most substantial aspect of Defee: the man, not his muscles.

It was hardly a Brady Bunch upbringing for little Mike. His parents had a rocky relationship and he and his little sister, Renee, endured their mother and father separating on two occasions before they ultimately divorced (his mom Marlene died of cancer in 2001).

Little Mike would go on to live with his paternal grandparents, Luke and Willie Mae, when he was 15 in 1975, an experience he remembers as deeply enriching.

“My grandparents had a huge impact on my life as both of my parents were working,” Defee said.

But the elder Mike remained an enormous presence during

Mike Defee has been officiating college football since 2001. He worked as a back judge prior to moving to the referee position.

TIM HEITMAN-US PRESSWIRE

his son’s upbringing and they spent a great deal of their time together fortifying that invincible middle name within the boy’s consciousness.

Whether it was boxing or playing an impromptu two-man football game in which little Mike would struggle, usually in vain, to get past Mike and score a touchdown, the kid was frequently getting pushed to his limits.

“I wanted to instill in him the competiveness that I didn’t discover in myself until I was probably a junior in high school,” the elder Defee said.

“That’s what I wanted him to have. I let him win a little, but oh, he’d get mad!

“We had a place in my mother’s house and it was a small room that had a hardwood floor and there was a seam we used as a goalline. He had a little plastic helmet I bought him and he’d have the football and try to score. He’d push and push and push and he’d get so frustrated that he’d just go in the back room. Steam would be coming out of his ears. I would look at him, he would look at me and we’d go right back out there. I would let him score, but I would make him work for it.”

That will defines Defee as an elite college football referee.

But there’s something else in that dynamic. The man is a perfectionist. He demands that of himself and he demands that of his crew. It can get loud and emotional in that crew, but Defee’s sole purpose is to deliver the best game his crew can possibly officiate. His attention to detail was apparent even when Defee was not making a name for himself in a striped shirt.

“We did a lot of things like scuba diving together,” said Mitch Myers, one of Defee’s closest high school friends. “He was pretty methodical with his preparation to go diving. He had all the equipment there in proper working order and there

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23

were no surprises when we actually got out to the dive site.”

A burning desire to succeed.

A commitment to excellence.

An attention to detail. It’s no wonder Defee rapidly ascended the ranks of football officiating despite his late start. There was a time when he was considered a hot commodity to advance to the NFL, a promotion Defee would have welcomed, but that’s probably no longer realistic given his advancing years.

Still, NFL referee Walt Anderson, who doubles as coordinator of officials for the Big 12 Conference, can’t help but wonder what kind of career Defee might have had among the best of the best.

“Mike Defee is the best allaround official that I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing,” Anderson flatly declared.

“First and foremost, he has that natural sense of leadership and, to me, that’s so important in a referee role. I think he would have been better than me, just because I believe he has the right attitude, the right approach and he understands what the commitment of time is to be really good as an official at that level and is willing to do that.

“There really aren’t that many people willing to put in that kind of time and dedication.

And he has the ability to break down video and recognize and see things that other people not only scan over, it’s invisible to them.”

It was with that mentality that Defee ascended from a high school official from 1994-2005, to the Southland Conference (200105) and finally to the vaunted Big 12 Conference in 2006.

Family pride runs deep here.

“I have so many memories over the years, but there is one that stands out in my mind,” wrote his 96-year old grandmother Willie Mae Defee in a recent email. “It was how excited he was when he called to let me know he was selected as a referee for the Big 12. As far as grandsons go, he is one of the most thoughtful. He calls and checks on me almost every single day.”

That’s the attention Defee devotes to officiating. Anyone who works on his crew is probably going to get hollered at eventually in the heat of the battle, but nothing is ever personal. Crewmates including umpire Robert Richeson and Blubaugh understand that and

MIKE DEFEE BIO Age: 56 Manager of industrial contractor Newtron Beaumont L.L.C. in Nederland, Texas.

Has officiated NCAA football for 17 seasons.

Referee in the Big 12 conference since 2006.

Referee for the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship.

Also officiated the Sugar Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Rose Bowl and several Big 12 conference championships.

Mike Defee has a conversation with thenGeorgia coach Mark Richt.

24 | REFEREE May 2018

hold their leader in the highest regard because they know how focused and driven he is. Defee makes it clear what he expects and the results are usually a superlatively officiated game.

Defee said, “(It’s like this) ‘Look, I’m going to make a deal with you. I’m not going to allow you to hurt my feelings out there. I want you to be honest with me. If you have something to say, say it.’

“Someone who continues to be a mentor to me is a guy named Randy Christal, who was a legend as a football referee.

He said, ‘Don’t say anything on concrete that you wouldn’t say on grass.’ Basically, what he’s saying is, ‘If you have anything to bring to the table, if you think we’re screwing anything up, get your ass in there and say something.’

“I want you to say something right now or forever hold your peace because the worst thing you can do is walk into my locker room at halftime or after the game and make the statement, ‘I think we screwed that up.’ That happened about eight or nine years ago in a Southland game. I had a kid with me who wasn’t part of my crew.

“He walked into my locker room at halftime and said, ‘I think we screwed that up.’ And I lit him up! You’re never going to get your butt chewed for bringing information. You may be wrong, but I’d rather you be wrong than not be willing to come in there because there will be times when you save us as a crew because you have information we’re missing.”

Defee has learned from experience like any other official and what happened on Nov. 18, 2006, drives an already intensively motivated man to an even greater degree. Texas Tech was hosting Oklahoma State at Lubbock and Defee was serving as back judge after what he considered to be a personally successful first year in the Big

PIERRE DUCHARME/REUTERS/NEWSCOM

HEAVY LIFTING

12. There were less than two minutes to play and Oklahoma State, trailing, 30-24, was preparing to receive a punt.

“When the kid punts the ball, it’s real wobbly and it’s into the wind, so the punt receiver has to sprint to the ball and he gives the fair catch signal,” Defee said. “He gets ahead of me and he’s already given the fair catch signal, so I’m obligated to protect him and he can’t advance the ball.

“He’s sprinting up to the football and he, what I thought, catches the ball, and I hammer the whistle trying to shut the play down. And the ball was actually between his legs and hitting the ground. There’s a scramble, but I’ve already hit the whistle, so I had an inadvertent whistle.

“Oklahoma State ended up recovering the ball around midfield, but the rules required that the ball be re-kicked. It was a very, very embarrassing situation and I had to report it to my referee and he had to go over to explain to Mike Gundy, the coach at Oklahoma State, what had happened. I went over there, too, because whatever the coach had to say, I wanted him to say it to me because I was the one who did it.”

All Gundy wanted was for time to be put back on the clock, a request that couldn’t be granted per the rules. Texas Tech followed with a deep punt, which Defee said ended up

costing Oklahoma State 15 yards of field position. A late rally fell short and, as Defee reflects, “Had I not had the inadvertent whistle and they got the ball at midfield, would the outcome have been different?”

He had the entire offseason to reflect on that.

“That happened in November and that’s like having a terrible taste in your mouth and you have to live with it until September the following year,” he said. “That was a long nine months to prepare for the next season and I worked extremely hard. I re-doubled my efforts and I’ve had a remarkable career. Knock on wood, I haven’t had another one of those.”

And no, Defee will likely never make it to the NFL, but he’s at peace with that.

“They won’t tell you this, but they really don’t want to hire people over 50,” he said.

But what matters is that Defee has emerged as a star in college football and it wasn’t because of his muscular arms.

“I just can’t tell you how much I appreciate working with him,” Richeson said. “He’s just one of those guys who is very driven, takes what he does very seriously and is absolutely a great leader. I’ve had a great run and I owe him a ton for that success because he’s taught me how to really work hard at a craft that’s not an easy thing to do.

Defee shown on the big screen at the 2014 Rose Bowl.

COURTESY OF MIKE DEFEE

“He’s given me a lot of advice and tools to make me improve as an official.”

Tom Quick, an umpire in the Southeastern Conference, reacted with humor when told this story was in the works.

“I’m so sorry,” he said with a laugh when informed that the subject was Defee.

But levity quickly made way for enormous respect. “He is one of the very few officials in the country who expects and demands the highest level of performance from each and every member of his crew,” Quick said. “Beyond all the muscles and stuff, he is one of the best crewmates, period.”

Christal, who worked for 23 years as an official in the Southland and Big 12 conferences, perhaps paid Defee the greatest compliment.

“I’m probably not supposed to say this, but I’ll say it anyway,” he said. “I have been a scout in the NFL for the last three years and I have told them that he is the No. 1 referee in the country — bar none. He’s a tremendous referee, he’s built like Adonis and he’s just so professional.”

As impressive as those muscles are, the man is so much more impressive.

“In respect to football officiating, he expects more out of himself than he does from anyone else — just as any great leader does. And as a man, if I called him today and said, ‘I need your help,’ there’s nothing he wouldn’t do to help as a man,” Quick said. ”I’ve got a son at Texas A&M and if I told Mike he wrecked his car and asked if he could help, he would leave Beaumont, Texas, and drive to College Station. (Defee) is a better person than a football official. And I think the country recognizes how good a football official he is.”

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

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SOFTBALL

RULES, MECHANICS, PHILOSOPHY

Pauline Lawson, Bellevue, Wash., is in good position to see all of the important elements of the play: the base, fielder, glove, ball, and runner’s foot and lower leg. From that starting point, even if she has to adjust her angle, she is ready to make the call.

WHAT’S YOUR ANGLE? A

lthough most umpires would prefer working in crews of three or four, the two-umpire system, if used properly, actually provides for good coverage in most situations.

No umpire positioning system can possibly cover every contingency. But the two-umpire system does provide a lot of bang for the buck. In the three- or four-umpire system, angle and distance are rarely sacrificed.

By contrast, the two-umpire system imposes compromises. It is when

26 | REFEREE May 2018

plays break down that its weaknesses are exposed and become more difficult for umpires to handle.

In the two-umpire system, the ability to obtain good angles on plays is paramount. Angle beats distance every time when covering a play.

You’ll work to get an angle where all the elements of the play will be in front of you. The elements of plays usually include the ball and the fielder, often the runner and the base, and sometimes the location where all

the elements come together.

When covering a play, work toward getting your best possible angle first and then continue hustling to reduce your distance to the play.

The old adage, “There is a close correlation between closeness to the play and correctness of the call,” is an effective method of covering a play.

Avoid “straight-line” officiating whenever possible. Unfavorable straight-lining occurs when the ball, the runner, the fielder, the base and

DALE GARVEY

Great Position, Great Look, Great Call

the umpire are all in a straight line.

The umpire must work an angle to avoid straight-lining.

Officiating manuals indicate where umpires should go in basic situations: runners on base, ground ball vs. fly ball, etc. But because not every play is exactly the same, umpires must often adjust coverages and angles in order to see plays properly.

For example, with R1 on first base and a ball batted in the infield, the plate umpire will usually trail the batter to first. He or she will watch for three-foot-lane interference, a pulled foot and a swipe tag, and will be ready to cover third, if necessary.

However, when the plate umpire reads a possible trouble play on the action at second base (e.g. an illegal slide, a dropped throw on the front end of a potential double play, etc.), he or she might consider moving farther into the infield to an angle that improves the look at second. On such a play at second, the plate umpire will be more valuable to the umpiring team concept by changing the usual angle and positioning slightly and observing the activity around second without seriously compromising responsibilities should a subsequent play need to be covered.

With no runners aboard, a wild throw to first will cause a base umpire to change angle quickly. By doing so, the umpire can get a better look at a potential ball trapped on the ground beneath F3’s glove, a pulled foot or a tag if the fielder must come off the bag to field the throw.

For tag plays at second or third, try to obtain an angle approximately 90 degrees from the runner’s path to the base. It’s acceptable to be as close as six feet from the play in a tagging situation. For a force play, set up about 18 feet from the base with an angle so you can best compare the arrival of the ball and the runner. It cannot be overstated: Angle is more important than distance.

When the base umpire must hustle to the outfield to cover a sinking line drive, angle is crucial.

Running directly at the fielder will result in straight-lining. Moving at an angle that provides a look at the

ground in front of the glove as well as the glove will help the umpire determine if the ball hit leather or earth first.

On double steal attempts with runners on first and second, the base umpire must anticipate the play and hustle into the best possible calling position for calls at third or second.

When R2 from second breaks for third, the base umpire must move directly toward the left-field foul line since, unlike baseball, few softball catchers will play on the trailing runner. If the throw is to third, the umpire must continue toward the foul line, stop, set and make the call.

In most cases, R1 will have taken off at the same time as R2 and will be standing on second. In the event R1 has missed a sign and stayed put, or it was a delayed double steal all along, the base umpire must now hustle to get into position for the call at second. That would entail obtaining a far different angle again.

On a fly ball down the third-base line, the plate umpire tries to line up the play by straddling the foul line between home plate and third base to see the ball in relation to the foul line.

What most often occurs is the third baseman will inevitably move to a position on the foul line to see if the ball is fair or foul, blocking the view.

That situation can be compounded when the third-base coach steps to the foul line and leans over to see fair or foul.

To prevent your line of sight from being broken, it is important to move to the infield or move quickly to foul territory to obtain an angle that will ensure line of sight is unobstructed.

The same is true for situations with a left-handed batter and the first-base line.

A good angle and a proper distance determine your proper calling position. Yet your work is far from over. Once you have arrived at your calling position be sure to focus on the vital elements of the play before announcing your decision. A good calling position from a stopped set position goes for naught if you are not focused on the proper elements of the play. You must see the essentials. *

DID YOU KNOW? George Hancock, a reporter for the Chicago Board of Trade who is credited with inventing softball in 1887, appended 19 special rules for his indoor version of baseball. The rules were officially adopted by the Mid Winter Indoor Baseball League of Chicago in 1889. Hancock’s game spread gradually throughout the Midwest, and Minneapolis was the next area to develop and promote the game.

QUICKTIP There are a few times to be in a set position with eyes on the pitcher for plate and base umpires. The plate umpire should be set by the time the pitcher releases the ball to the catcher.

A base umpire responsible for a runner(s) should remain set until the pitcher receives the throw from the catcher and it is apparent that no play will be made on a runner.

TOOLS Umpires Quiz The annual softball umpires quiz, prepared by the editors of Referee, is available free on the internet. To download the 20-question quiz — or to take an online version — visit Referee.com. Test your knowledge of USA Softball, NCAA, NFHS and USSSA softball rules.

2018

QUIZ Sponsored by the National Association of Sports Officials and prepared by the editors of Referee magazine.

An overenthusiastic spectator touches a live ball. Where should the umpires place the runners?

See question 17.

Each of the following includes a situation and possible answers. Decide NCAA or USSSA rules, which one answer is which might vary. Unless correct for USA Softball, noted, all questions refer (Answers on last page.)

NFHS, to fast pitch. Answers on last page.

1

R1 occupies first base with no outs.

R1 breaks with the pitch as B2 lines a ball that strikes F1 in flight and pops in the air. F1 catches the deflected ball and fires to F3 at first base. a. The out on R1 is a force out. b. The out on R1 is an appeal play.

2

Three-foot lane interference can occur: a. On a throw to the plate. b. On a throw to first base. c. When the fielder does not make a throw because she withhold s her attempt.

3

Fast pitch. A media person wishes to be on the field during play. a. Authorized media may be on the playing field but must be mobile and carry equipment. b. Media are prohibite d from live-ball area, but media may use a designated media area. c. No rules provisions.

4

R2 is on second. B3’s ground ball deflects off F5’s glove and is fielded by F6. With F6 in the baseline, R2 intentionally runs into F6 as she advances toward third base. a. That’s obstruction by F6. b. That’s interference; R2 is out.

Copyright © 2018 by Referee Enterprises, Inc. All rights resale or publication without reserved. Copy these quizzes for handout but the expressed written not for permission of Referee Enterprises, Inc.

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SOFTBALL

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

Decide which are correct for ASA, NFHS, NCAA or USSSA rules and which might vary. Solutions: p. 81.

1. R3 is on third base and R2 is on second with one out. B4 hits a ground ball to F6. While running in the baseline, R2 bumps F6 just as she was about to field the ball in the baseline. The contact was not intentional but R2 was unable to avoid F6. The ball rolls into left field with R3 and R2 scoring. a. The play stands. b. R2 is declared out. R3 scores and B4 is awarded first. c. R2 is declared out and the ball is dead. R3 is returned to third and B4 is awarded first. d. Because R2 was running in the baseline, F6 is charged with obstruction. e. That is considered a “scramble-unscramble play” and no one is at fault.

2. B1 is batting with an 0-1 count.

She hits a line drive that strikes the pitcher’s plate and caroms into foul ground. F2 recovers the ball and throws out B1 after she took a wide turn at first. The plate umpire did not make a call and the base umpire called B1 out. The offensive coach enters the field to question the call. a. That’s a foul ball; B1 returns to bat with an 0-2 count. b. That’s a fair ball since it struck an object in fair territory; the out on B1 stands.

3. R1 is on first base when B2 hits a hard one-hopper to F3. R1 returns to first, after which F3 steps on first before B2 arrives. F3 then tags R1 while R1 is contacting first base. a. R1 and B1 are both out. b. Only R1 is out. c. Only B2 is out. d. The defensive team may select the out it feels is most advantageous.

4. R3 is on third base and R2 is on second with one out. B4 doubles, scoring R3 and R2, but R2 misses third base and B4 misses first base. After all playing action is over, the defensive team properly appeals that B4 missed first base, then appeals that R2 missed third base. a. No runs score. b. One run scores. c. Two runs score.

28 | REFEREE May 2018

The No-Huddle: It’s Not Just for Football

By Paul Jacoby

W

ith their eyes on TV games, those who administrate and oversee baseball and softball leagues at various levels are continually trying to speed up their games. The major advantage softball has is it doesn’t have to deal with runners leading off and pitchers in turn trying to hold them on. Both sports have initiated rules and placed emphasis on enforcing old ones to keep the games moving.

The rules make sense. Softball is meant to be a fast-paced game. To see that it stays that way, the NCAA has made rule adjustments over the past few years to help with the flow of the game.

Delays by coaches. After some games were delayed by coaches coming out to question calls, the rule on questioning the strike zone was expanded to any calls based purely on judgment (13.8.4). One team warning is issued, with an ejection on any subsequent violation. The rule is aimed, obviously, at limiting the number of times coaches could delay the game by coming from the bench or dugout to question close calls.

There is a strict time limit between pitches. The pitcher must be on the pitcher’s plate, the catcher in the catcher’s box and the batter in the batter’s box within 10 seconds after the pitcher receives the ball in preparation to pitch or after the umpire calls, “Play ball.”

A problem arose when batters (and then pitchers) started playing cat and mouse by batters backing out of the box and pitchers stepping off the pitcher’s plate. The NCAA solved that by sending out a detailed instruction for the plate umpire on how to deal with such gamesmanship along with possible penalties to either the pitcher or batter: If the batter is in violation of the timing, a strike is assessed. If the pitcher or catcher is in violation

of any part of the timing sequence, a ball shall be awarded to the batter (10.18).

Delayed substitution. This year the NCAA made a slight adjustment on the substitution rule.

It allows a little more flexibility on the procedure and will speed up the game. Now “substitutes are not required to enter the game at the time the substitute is reported to the plate umpire” (8.5.1.3).

Televised games. The NCAA also added in its rules a section on media format (6.7), which is to be used in televised games or by mutual agreement to help the games flow smoothly.

Between plays. Yet another attempt to speed up the game is what has become known as the “No-Huddle Defense” (9.1). One of the long-held traditions in girls’ and women’s softball is for the infielders to gather at the circle after an out to congratulate each other. Many times that involves them going through a glove-and-hand-slapping ritual before continuing play. Sometimes a few inspirational words are exchanged, but most of the time the players break in a timely fashion and get on with the game. Well, that ritual is no more!

The rule states “After an out, the defense is allowed to throw the ball around the infield, but then must throw the ball directly to the pitcher. A team cannot huddle at the pitcher’s circle or elsewhere.”

For the first violation, the umpire issues a warning to the player and her coach. For any subsequent offense by any member of the warned team in the same game, a ball shall be awarded to the batter.

When I read this new rule, many scenarios and questions came to mind. The NCAA did a good job of using common sense and addressing my concerns during the national clinic.

DALE GARVEY

• If a defensive player makes an outstanding play, a quick congratulatory “high five” with other players is allowed.

• The intent of the no-huddle defense is not to take away the emotional response that comes from an outstanding play. It’s rather like the rule in prep basketball that allows bench personnel to rise if a teammate does something spectacular.

• Just as a pitcher cannot throw four illegal pitches to walk a batter, a team cannot utilize the no-huddle defense to avoid throwing four balls to walk a batter.

• A team may huddle after an out if time is stopped for an injury or a coach-umpire discussion.

• A team can call a timeout after an out for the catcher to discuss strategy for the upcoming batter unless the umpire deems it is an obvious tactic to delay the game.

• Actions that are quick, don’t delay the next at-bat and don’t constitute a meeting at the pitcher’s circle or elsewhere on the field are allowed.

I’d like to see the NCAA place those items as notes in the rulebook or alert the schools somehow so coaches don’t start yelling for a penalty if any of those exceptions occur.

I do understand part of the reason for the new rule. There were games when I would have to yell, “Play ball” because an after-out meeting got to be too lengthy.

But I also like the tradition that starts with the beginner teams all the way through college. I refer to the individualized routines — seeing all the smiling girls gather, slapping hands and gloves and sprinting back to their positions for the next play. Many a good seveninning fast-pitch game would be finished in just over an hour, so I’m not sure the rule will need to be added at lower levels. But if it does filter all the way down to all levels, the game will go on. Maybe just with not as much fun for the girls?

Paul Jacoby is an ASA and NCAA softball umpire and former softball coach from Wildwood, Mo. *

toeing the

lines:

The Batter’s Feet in the Batter’s Box The batter’s boxes were created and are drawn for a reason. Umpires should use them as tools to help determine the legality of a player’s footwork while in the box.

BEFORE THE PITCH. The batter must take a legal position in the batter’s box prior to the pitch. The batter’s feet must be completely within the batter’s box. The lines of the box are considered within the batter’s box. The plate umpire will hold up the pitcher until the batter takes a legal position.

WHEN BATTING THE BALL FAIR OR FOUL. The batter’s foot must be in the batter’s box at the time of contact with the ball to be legal. The batter is out and the ball is dead when batting a fair or foul ball while at least one foot is on the ground, completely outside the lines of the batter’s box or a foot is on home plate at the time of contact. Check out the left foot of the batter in the photo. Is it clearly outside the box?

IMPORTANT TIPS. Don’t become so engrossed in watching the batter’s feet that you compromise your judgment of pitches. Few batters actually step completely on the ground outside the lines of the batter’s box when hitting the ball. Slap hitters, who run up in the box, are also rarely out of the box when they hit the ball unless the pitcher throws a change-of-pace pitch. Some batters, when attempting to sacrifice bunt, occasionally step out of the box or on home plate when bunting the ball. Ignore fans who chant for an outof-the-box call. That happens mostly at the lower levels of play, when some spectators are praying for outs of any kind.

Terry Dodd, Issaquah, Wash.

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SOFTBALL

CASEPLAYS Batter-Runner Interferes Play: Fast pitch. R3 is on third base and R2 is on second base with no outs when B3 pops a fair, looping fly ball toward F3. As F3 is about to catch the ball, B3 unintentionally bumps F3, causing her to drop the ball. Ruling: In USA, NFHS, NCAA and USSSA SP, the ball is dead and B3 is out. Play resumes with one out, R3 on third and R2 on second. In USSSA, both B3 and R3 are out. Play resumes with two outs and R2 on second (USA 8-2F1, Note; NFHS 8-2-6 Pen.; NCAA 12.2.13; USSSA FP 8.18H, Note 3; USSSA SP 8-5J Effect).

Coach Stands Far Beyond Box Play: A base coach starts the game standing at least 85 feet from home plate on the outfield side of the third-base coaching box. Later the coach moves near the fence that runs parallel to the foul line, nowhere near the coaching box. When the umpire asks the coach to return to the coaching box, the coach insists she can stand anywhere she wants to stand. Ruling: The coach cannot stand anywhere she pleases, but in NCAA and USSSA, she must be at least eight feet back from the foul line and may not be closer to home plate than a three-foot line drawn perpendicular from the 15-foot line that begins at the back of third base and runs parallel to the foul line eight feet from the first- and third-base foul lines. The NCAA box has only two restraining lines; one to keep the coach back from the foul line and the other to keep the coach back from home plate. That means the coach can legally venture as far down the line as the outfield fence as she wishes and as close to the sideline fence as she wishes.

In USA and NFHS, the coaching boxes are enclosed by three sides with the open side being toward the dead-ball line of sideline fence.

In USSSA SP, the coaching boxes are fully enclosed and measure 10 feet by three feet. 8 feet from the foul lines. In USSSA FP, the boxes are 15 feet long from the back edge of first and third base extending toward home plate and three feet wide (USA 1-Coach’s Box, 2-Field Diagram; NFHS Figure 1-1, 2-13; NCAA 2.8, 2.15, 2-Dimension Table, 2-Field Diagrams; USSSA FP 1-Playing Field, Field Diagram 1-I; USSSA SP Official USSSA Playing Field Dimensions, 1-8).

30 | REFEREE May 2018

Relaxing or Taxing? Your Stance Will Let You Know

By Anthony “Corky” Carter

W

hen working the plate in slow-pitch softball, we have an advantage over our counterparts in fast-pitch softball and baseball.

That advantage is the luxury of not having to watch each pitch intensely as it hurtles toward the batter, catcher and umpire at speeds of 60 mph or more.

If you’ve ever umpired those sports, you can relate to the challenges. Have you given any thought to why it is so physically taxing to umpire the plate? Many umpires think it is the physical part of wearing the equipment, bending, holding the position, moving out from behind the plate, etc. While obviously that plays a part in the fatigue factor, the physiological factor of intensely focusing your eyes on every pitch plays a major role in feeling drained after working the plate.

Even umpires who are “runners” and who are in top aerobic physical condition can become exhausted after working the plate. Often, that is the result of focusing so intensely on every pitch.

So what can slow-pitch umpires do to alleviate the fatigue that might occur if they aren’t using their vision correctly? They can do two things when working the plate (and bases) that will enable them to see the pitch or play just as clearly, but with minimal effort.

First, relax. That may sound simple, but you have to make it a habit. Think about situational umpiring as a reference. The bases are loaded in a tie game in the bottom of the last inning. The count is 3-2 on the batter. There is no doubt that you are going to use every muscle to focus on that next pitch like you’ve never focused before in that game. Can you feel the muscles in your neck tighten? Can you feel your back muscles tighten as you

stand more erect to get that good look over the catcher’s shoulder?

That’s the feeling you have when you are focusing too intensely on the pitch.

You get that tense feeling because when you focus intensely, your peripheral vision is diminished. In fact, your field of vision changes from about 180 degrees all the way down to (amazingly) about three degrees! You can experience that effect right now while you are reading this article.

First, just stop reading and move your eyes to different sections within this article. Look up the page a couple of paragraphs and then move back down the page.

You probably hadn’t realized it, but while you were reading, your vision had become concentrated to about three degrees. When you looked up the page and then back down, your peripheral vision was activated.

You then could sense other things around you. Your full field of vision returned because you relaxed and moved your eyes over a considerable distance compared to moving them across the page one word at a time.

Another way you can experience how your peripheral vision vanishes when you are focusing on one object is to hold your right thumb about eight inches in front of your face.

Look at it. Really examine it.

Look at the lines on your thumbnail.

Look to see if your nail is properly trimmed. Once you have intensely stared at your fingernail, keep your eyes locked on it. Now, with your eyes still focused on your thumb, move your thumb toward your watch on your left wrist. Stop and place your thumb on the back of your hand about two inches from your watch. If you are focused solely on your thumb, you can’t see the second hand on your watch, or if you have a digital watch, you won’t be able to tell the time. And your watch is only one or two

inches away from where you are concentrating.

Now, move your eyes. Simply look up or around the room and glance back toward your thumb.

If you don’t immediately start to stare at your thumb again, you can see your watch and thumb simultaneously.

You’ve probably experienced fatigue from focusing on a project, some in-depth reading material,

maybe a diagram, chart or graph.

Afterward, you probably thought you were drained from the mental stress of the job, when in actuality it was a physical stressor, due to focusing so intensely with your eyes.

So relax and keep your eyes moving and your umpiring will be less stressful and improved.

Anthony “Corky” Carter is a longtime umpire and instructor from Brentwood, Tenn. *

Intentionally Dropped Ball T

he intentionally dropped-ball rule prohibits an infielder from deliberately dropping a fair fly ball, line drive or bunt in fast pitch with fewer than two outs and first, first and second, first and third, or first, second and third bases occupied.

When an infielder intentionally drops a ball (PlayPic A), the ball is dead and the batter is out. Letting a ball fall to the ground untouched is not an intentional drop, however.

If the infield fly rule is in effect, that rule takes precedence. Once a

proper infield fly is declared, the batter is out, so there is no advantage gained. Runners may advance at their own risk but will likely hold their ground (PlayPic B).

The rule that covers intentionally dropped balls exists for the same reason as the infield fly rule — to protect the offense. Without those rules, infielders would constantly be dropping batted balls in flight to obtain undeserved double and possibly triple plays. *

A B

HUNDREDS OF FREE SOftball & OFFICIATING ARTICLES ON

LABOR DAYS Over the years, strikes or lockouts have impacted the officials of every major sport.

By Jeffrey Stern 32 | REFEREE May 2018

abor disputes have been a part of American life since shortly after John Hancock put his pen to parchment. Whenever workers have felt mistreated, they have banded together and ceased operations while demanding shorter hours, better conditions, increased pay, retirement plans, more vacation or other benefits.

Labor strife has ended friendships, torn apart families and led to violence. Fisticuffs and firearms are not uncommon on picket lines. As early as 1905, three leaders of the Western Federation of Miners were accused of a plot that led to the death of the former governor of Idaho, a union foe.

Strikes have shut down or slowed virtually every type of industry in the United States, including those dealing with coal, steel, the U.S. mail, air traffic control, railroads, sanitation collection, auto production and law enforcement.

So, it’s no surprise that sports have been rife with lockouts or strikes. And not just the players, but officials and umpires as well. Arbiters in five of the major leagues in North America have sat down or been sat down in disputes with their employers.

© EVAN HABEEB-USA TODAY SPORTS

L

MLB umpire Angel Hernandez leads a picket line outside a spring training game at Fort Lauderdale Stadium during a 1995 lockout.

Before proceeding, here’s a primer on the important distinction between strikes and lockouts. A strike is initiated by the employees and occurs when the workers cease work.

Lockouts are initiated by the employer and are a denial of employment.

As in other industries, sports leagues haven’t been thrilled with the idea of their employees — in this case, officials — unionizing. The mere threat of it ended the careers of two AL umpires.

NL umpires had formed the National League Umpires Association in 1963. Five years later, at a meeting in Chicago, AL umpire Al Salerno was told that if he could get all 20 of his AL compatriots to agree, they could join the union. Salerno recruited crewmate Bill Valentine to contact the five AL crew chiefs about the offer. Within three days AL President Joe Cronin got wind of it and fired Valentine and Salerno, alleging their onfield incompetence. Although sportswriters and major league managers disputed that claim, the pair never worked another game in the majors.

As an aside, the umpires from both leagues — perhaps emboldened by the unfair treatment of Valentine and Salerno — got together anyway and formed the Major League Umpires Association (MLUA).

The history of strikes and lockouts involving referees and umpires is a long one, filled with memorable moments and colorful characters. Let’s review the others in no particular order.

NFL referee Gene Steratore and his crew get a standing ovation in Baltimore upon their return following a 2012 lockout.

Where’d They Go? When labor pains involve the officials, the games — even playoff games — go on. The MLB umpires’ first intentional walk kept them off the field for the opening games of both league championship series in 1970.

That came in the wake of the SalernoValentine case and resulted in the AL and NL recognizing the MLUA as the umpires’ representative in future negotiations.

The umpires have been the most active when it comes to union uprisings. Much of that can be traced

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labor days

to 1978, when the MLUA hired a Philadelphia attorney named Richie Phillips to serve as its general counsel and executive director.

For 21 years, Phillips ran the MLUA with an iron fist aimed squarely at MLB’s jaw. Any slight was met with a sharp rebuke from Phillips.

If a manager or player consistently gave umpires trouble, Phillips would announce that individual would receive zero tolerance in future games.

He was so persuasive he even got the union members to agree to have his air transit company transport the umpires’ gear from city to city.

He pulled his clients off the field four times (1978, 1979, 1984 and 1991).

Two of the strikes lasted one day (one was halted by a court order).

Another dragged on for 45 days. The 1984 job action kept umpires off the field for all but one game of the NL Championship Series and every game of the AL series.

In 1995, MLB changed the playoff format from a best-of-five to a bestof-seven. But the umpires’ salaries weren’t adjusted for the additional games. Phillips threatened to have his members work only the number of games called for in the contract.

MLB balked. The issue was settled by that paragon of truth and character, Richard M. Nixon, who was approved by both sides as a mediator. Nixon ruled that 40 percent more games was worth 40 percent more pay. The parties agreed and the umpires worked the games.

You can argue Phillips’ methods but you can’t argue with the results.

Those walkouts resulted in more pay, more per diem, paid vacation and other benefits that seemed like pipe dreams before Phillips came along.

Phillips overplayed his hand in 1999, orchestrating a mass resignation strategy he hoped would foil Commissioner Bud Selig’s attempts to unify the NL and AL staffs and bring control of the umpires to his office. Instead, Selig accepted 22 of the resignations, the MLUA crumbled and Phillips was fired.

The after-effects of that situation lasted for years. The World Umpires Association (WUA), the successor of the MLUA, inked a new four-year pact

34 | REFEREE May 2018

with MLB in 2000. The agreement, however, contained no provisions for rehiring any of the 22 fired umpires.

In 2001, arbitrator Alan Symonette ordered baseball to rehire Gary Darling, Bill Hohn, Larry Poncino, Larry Vanover and Joe West, as well as Drew Coble, Greg Kosc, Frank Pulli and Terry Tata. Coble, Kosc, Pulli and Tata were allowed to retire with back pay. Bruce Dreckman, Sam Holbrook and Paul Nauert had given up their right to back pay when they were rehired in August 2002.

In late 2004, the WUA and MLB signed a five-year agreement, and the fate of more of the 22 fired umpires was addressed. Three of the fired umpires — Bob Davidson, Tom Hallion and Ed Hickox — were promised the next openings on the major league staff after going back to the minors.

Six umpires received severance pay and health benefits for themselves and their families. Jim Evans, Dale Ford, Eric Gregg, Ken Kaiser and Larry McCoy got $400,000 each, and Mark Johnson, who had less service time, got $325,000. Kaiser, Gregg and Johnson have since died.

Sub-Standard Subs Any time referees or umpires have been on strike or locked out, leagues have tried to make do with replacements. Whether they came from the college ranks, were coaxed out of retirement or were promoted from the minor leagues, the results were universally abysmal.

Everyone from team management to players to fans to media expressed disenchantment with the substitutes.

Exhibit one came when the NFL locked out members of the NFL Referees Association (NFLRA) for the last week of the preseason and opening week of the 2001 season.

It was repeated when the league enforced a lockout that lasted the entire preseason and first three weeks of the 2012 campaign.

The first dispute ended at least partially because of the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers on Sept.

11, 2001. A different kind of disaster ostensibly brought the second to a close.

NBA referee Mike Mathis pickets in Chicago during a 1995 lockout.

A nationally televised Monday night game ended when replacement official Lance Easley ruled a lastsecond play in the end zone was a game-winning touchdown for Seattle instead of a Green Bay interception.

Jaws dropped from coast to coast at the obvious blunder.

Easley used the call, which was dubbed the “Fail Mary,” as a springboard to personal fame. He authored a book, made appearances, was interviewed on local and national television, and was a star on social

Richie Phillips orchestrated several labor actions as the attorney for NBA referees and MLB umpires.

Above, minor league umpires went on strike in 2006. At right, in the wake of the 2007 lockout, NFL officials, including referee Ed Hochuli, were popular enough to earn a spot on Sports Illustrated’s cover.

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media (Easley himself uploaded the clip of his guest spot on The NFL Today to YouTube; so much for officials being invisible).

But celebrity has its price. Easley later claimed he suffered posttraumatic stress disorder and severe depression. He told Yahoo Sports he contemplated suicide and had spent time at a psychiatric facility.

Perhaps coincidentally (but perhaps not), the NFLRA and the league came to terms on a new

collective bargaining agreement (CBA) soon after the disaster in Seattle.

When Gene Steratore and his NFL crew walked onto the field for the first game with the regular officials, the fans in Baltimore gave them a rousing standing ovation.

Replacements were also used by the NBA in 1977, 1983, 1995 and 2009.

Twenty-four referees went on strike the last day of the regular season in 1977. Phillips was the lawyer for the striking officials. The strike ended 15

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days later after using replacements in some playoff games. The settlement included an increase of $150 a game for referees the rest of the playoffs.

Both sides also agreed to collective bargaining after the playoffs.

In September 1983, after the expiration of the previous CBA, the NBA hired replacement officials during the preseason and beginning of the regular season before a threeyear CBA was reached in December 1983. In 1995, the NBA announced a lockout of referees because of a “no-strike clause” in the CBA proposal. The league used officials from the Continental Basketball Association and pro-am leagues as replacements. The preseason opened with 41 referees and the league was forced to use two-official crews, instead of the standard three.

In December 1995, the National Basketball Referees Association (NBRA) and NBA signed a five-year agreement, and the referees resumed officiating games. NBA officials in 2009 went on strike when the league couldn’t come to terms on a CBA with the NBRA. The league used a roster of 62 replacements in the preseason, plucked mostly from what was then known as the NBA Development League and the WNBA. But in the nick of time, the sides agreed to a two-year contract that provided increases in yearly salary and the playoff pool. After a three-day training camp, the referees returned in time for opening night.

You’d think the Beautiful Game would be immune from such ugliness. You’d be wrong.

The 2004 MLS season began with — you guessed it — replacement referees when the Professional Referee Organization (PRO), which manages officials for the U.S. Soccer Federation and MLS, and the Professional Soccer Referee Association failed to reach an accord on their first CBA. So, PRO executed a lockout that lasted the first two weeks of the season.

And don’t think this sort of thing only happens in The Show. In 2006, the Association of Minor League Umpires went on strike seeking higher wages and per diems. The umpires skipped spring training and

36 | REFEREE May 2018

were on picket lines when the season began April 6.

Replacement umpires were used in the interim (of course) and were deemed inept. One manager pulled his team off the field when he didn’t think substitute umpires handled a beanball war correctly. Outfielder Delmon Young was suspended for 50 games for throwing a bat that struck an umpire.

After contentious negotiations that included intervention by a federal mediator, a majority of the umpires ratified a contract that provided a $100 a year raise and a $3 increase in per diem. The umpires went back to work June 12.

Forced to the Sidelines When the players walk out or are locked out, it may or may not be business as usual for the officials.

MLB players went on strike in 1972 and ’81, sidelining the umpires for portions of those seasons. For those who hold the national pastime near and dear to their hearts, the unthinkable happened in 1994. The entire season — including the World Series — was wiped out by a players’ strike. No games meant no umpires.

The NFL has been the most resourceful in putting a product on the field (albeit not up to usual standards) despite labor woes. When players went on strike in 1987, owners suited up replacement players for three weeks. (One week of games was canceled, resulting in a 15-game season.)

Plenty of good tickets were available for those contests as fans stayed away in droves. Fans in Chicago called their faux warriors the “Spare Bears.” But at least the regular officials worked the games and were paid.

NHL referees and linesmen weren’t that lucky when owners locked out the players and there was no 2004-05 season. The men in stripes were forced to find real-world jobs to support themselves and their families.

They could have worked games for pay at other levels of hockey, but collectively decided they wouldn’t.

“It’s not even something we had to debate,” said linesman Scott Driscoll. “(The other officials are) doing it to

get to the next level, not for a living.”

“Yes, we all have families to provide for, and we need jobs and an income right away,” referee Don Van Massenhoven said. “But we decided not to do that at someone else’s expense.”

In fact, Van Massenhoven took the policy a step farther. When he approached a car dealer to apply for a sales job, he insisted he would take the position only if he did not take the position away from a “real” salesman.

It was déjà vu eight years later when another NHL lockout occurred.

Fortunately, the officials had learned the hard way from the previous lockout. They heard the drumbeats of owner-player unrest and had money set aside to tide them over.

COPYRIGHT 2007 BRAD MANGIN

labor days

Making a Point Officials have shown their displeasure with management in ways other than work stoppages.

The most recent example came in August 2017. MLB umpires wore wristbands to protest what they felt was a wrist-slap to a player who had demeaned umpire Angel Hernandez.

According to a statement from the umpires, “The Office of the Commissioner’s lenient treatment to abusive player behavior sends the wrong message to players and managers. It’s ‘open season’ on umpires, and that’s bad for the game.”

The next day, Commissioner Rob Manfred agreed to a meeting with the umpires and the wristbands went away.

In 2004, the NBA suspended second-year referee Michael Henderson for erroneously calling a shot clock violation in a Denver-Los Angeles Lakers game. The officials conferred and decided to rule it an inadvertent whistle and ordered play to resume with a jump ball.

L.A. won the tip and hit the gamewinning shot with 3.2 seconds left.

After the suspension was announced, all but two referees worked their next game with their shirts turned inside out and Henderson’s number 62 inscribed in marker on the back. The league warned that any official who did so would be subject to discipline. That apparently didn’t happen, but the issue didn’t die.

The five-year CBA that was agreed upon later that year had what was known as the “Michael Henderson Anti-Disruption Clause.”

Under a section titled, “No Strike Provision and Other Undertakings,” officials are specifically banned from participating in any strike or “other interference or disruption whatsoever.” According to the CBA, the penalty for such an action is a reduction of the marketing money and/or the playoff pool money by an amount not exceeding $1 million and an additional $50,000 for each official who participates in the action.

Labor Day isn’t just a holiday in September.

Jeffrey Stern is Referee’s senior editor. 

MLB umpires and other supporters walk through Candlestick Park in San Francisco during the 1995 lockout.

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SOCCER

EDITOR: DAN HELDMAN

dheldman@referee.com

RULES, MECHANICS, PHILOSOPHY

Tara Baker, Bellingham, Wash., checks on a player for potential injury. As an official, it is important to understand the rules that call for stoppage in the event of serious injury and subsequent player substitutions.

LEAVE THE FIELD

Understanding What to Do When Players Come Off the Field

By Dan C. Heldman

O

ne might think that leaving the field is such a simple, straightforward and obvious act as to not need anything further said about it.

One would be wrong.

Basically, a player needs your permission to leave the field. It cannot be given by or delegated to anyone else. Yet players leave the field in many different ways, for many different purposes, and at many different times without that permission — often without violating the Law. For example, players leave the field at halftime and no one even thinks

38 | REFEREE May 2018

about needing permission. Is it because halftime is a stoppage of play? Maybe.

Then what about a player retrieving a ball because it left the field? No one asks for or needs permission to do this but, on the other hand, halftime isn’t actually a “stoppage of play,” but rather a planned break in play where the ball leaving the field is an actual stoppage — provided for but not planned under Law 9. In the case of a serious injury stoppage, the player receives implicit permission to leave because the Law requires it. And then there are stoppages for fouls or misconduct during which a substitution is allowed. Is permission

to leave required then? Actually, yes. We all know that the substitute requires permission to enter but many referees forget that Law 3 also requires permission for the exiting player. Referees get by in this case without expressly giving it because, by idly waving their hand to OK the substitution request, they have in effect given both permissions. It’s sloppy but common and can occasionally lead to problems.

Then there is the concept of “in the course of play” for which the Law allows a player to leave the field without permission even during play (and also to re-enter without

permission) if, in your opinion, the player’s departure is brief, closely connected to and explained by the circumstances of play at the time (e.g., to avoid an opponent or to retrieve a ball), and the player does not thereby gain an unfair tactical advantage by the manner or timing of his re-entry.

On the other hand, the traditional interpretation of this sort of scenario explicitly excludes leaving the field in an attempt to place an attacker in an offside position (it doesn’t and it’s cautionable).

Players leaving the field for a substitution appear to believe that they must exit at the touchline near the midfield line. Most coaches, and even many referees, believe this also, even to the point of demanding that this is where the player must leave the field.

Under the Law, however, this is neither required nor even expected. Does it make any difference? Sometimes.

Think back to the number of times you stood tapping your foot while a fullback walks (or often ambles) 95 yards (the approximate distance from the far corner to the traditional

midfield “exit” point) and you just know this is being done solely to waste time to gain an unsporting advantage.

Yes, there is the option of adding time but this is often not permitted in tournaments and, in any event, the added time rarely fully compensates the immediate harm done to the opposing team. It is well within your authority, however, to insist that any player appearing to be wasting time in this manner leave instead at the closest point on the closest boundary line (at the risk of being cautioned for delaying the restart, if necessary).

Know when permission is required for a player to leave the field. That permission requirement is one of the safeguards that assists you in keeping track of who is a player “of record” and who is not. Recent Law changes since 2016 giving “foul status” to acts committed by rostered nonplayers nevertheless distinguish between players and nonplayers when it comes to the location of the restart.

Dan C. Heldman, Tyler, Texas, is Referee’s soccer coordinator. He is a high-level assessor and instructor. *

Preseason Fitness Rules

By Nick Lynch

R

eferees, you are the CEOs of the arena. You’re in control of the crowd, coaches, athletes and tempo of the game. You can let a game get out of hand or keep it in control for a skilled and safe match. In order to make educated calls that make sense, you’ve got to keep your cool. You simply can’t make a good call with a big ego. A big ego is like a giant version of yourself, only this version is easily insulted and distracted.

Additionally, this big version of yourself called ego requires a lot of energy to function. This is not the good kind of energy, either; it’s negative energy. In order to build strength and speed of body, you first need strength and speed of mind, and you have to work on it before the season even begins.

Rule number 1 – Identify weaknesses. Think deeply about your job as a referee and ask yourself what you dislike the most. Write down everything you’ve ever complained about. Note the things that you complain about the most.

Rule number 2 – Trace the source of each weakness. Once you’ve identified a personal weakness, you can determine what you did to create this weakness. Some questions you can ask yourself and take note on are the following: What are the worst performances you’ve had? Why? What causes you to make mistakes in a match? Why? Have you had problems interacting with coaches and players?

Are problems more likely to occur when you’re too tired to perform but have to anyway?

Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide

QUICKTIP One of your goals should be to establish a calm environment for the contest. If you pace or chew gum, you appear edgy and nervous — not what fans, players and coaches want to see in an official of their contest. Their pregame perceptions of you and your referee team are going to determine a lot of the comments made in the early phases of the game, which might be less friendly.

THEY SAID IT “Football often suppresses my tics, but I cannot control them when I get upset or stressed. He (the referee) just really stressed me out.”

— Owen Thompson, a 14-year-old English goalkeeper, was banned for two games and fined $40 for telling a referee to “F--- off.” Thompson suffers from Tourette Syndrome, which makes him prone to uncontrolled outbursts. After an appeal, the punishment was downgraded to one game and a $25 fine.

Hertfordshire FA chief Nick Perchard said, “The player swore at the referee and then refused to talk to him when asked to explain his actions. The committee decided the lack of respect shown was not connected to his medical condition.”

SOURCE: MIRROR ONLINE

SIDELINE Injury Replacement During a match between Tottenham Hotspur and Huddersfield Town on March 3, Premier League referee Mike Jones injured his calf during warmups and was initally declared unable to officiate the game. Fellow official Kevin Friend stepped in as referee, but the crew was then one short and needed a replacement for Friend’s position as fourth official.

Premier League organizers made an announcement over the loudspeakers asking if anyone in the crowd was a qualifed referee.

After one fan stepped forward, Jones decided to serve as fourth official sitting on the sideline.

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SOCCER

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 IFAB, NFHS or NCAA rules, which might vary.

Solutions: p. 81.

1. B3, a player other than the keeper, deliberately handles the ball to prevent it from going into the goal. The ball enters the goal. a. No goal. Penalty kick. b. Valid goal, based on the advantage clause. c. B3 should be shown the yellow card. d. B3 should be shown the red card.

2. A9 was shown a yellow card during the first half. Now, at the 60th minute, A9 commits a foul worthy of a yellow card. What are the mechanics and results of that second yellow card? a. Simultaneously display a red and yellow card together in the same hand. b. First display a yellow card, lower it, then display a red card. c. A9 must leave the field, but A13 may replace A9 and the team plays at full strength. d. A9 must leave the field and team A will play one player short the remainder of the game.

3. B3 trips A8 in the penalty area. A penalty kick is awarded.

The kick is properly set up and the referee blows the whistle to allow the kick. There is an unusual situation that causes a temporary suspension (the ball hits a stray dog on its way to the goal). a. The penalty kick is re-taken. b. The penalty kick is not re-taken. It is a direct free kick for team A. c. The penalty kick is not re-taken. It is a direct free kick for team B. 4. Team B is awarded a free kick about 25 yards from its own goal. B6 kicks the ball toward the keeper, B1. The ball enters the team B goal untouched. a. Retake the free kick. b. Award team B a goal kick. c. Award team A a corner kick.

40 | REFEREE May 2018

what pushes your buttons. What makes you angry, afraid or anxious during a match? Anger, fear and anxiety are all accelerants for ego.

When you react out of any of these emotions, you’re feeding your ego and will most definitely make an incorrect ruling or do something you regret.

Rule number 3 – Transform weakness into strength. Now that you’ve identified your biggest weaknesses and obstacles to becoming a better referee, you can determine how you will transform weakness into strength. With a pen and paper, please write out a simple plan to do this. A basic equation is working in opposites.

For example: By using past experiences that evoke emotions you don’t want, what can you do to create emotions you do want? Mindfulness training is a form of strength training. By meditating on the emotions you would like to have in the moment of stress, you’re training your mind to respond in a way that’s

Courage Happiness Peace

is you can practice anywhere: at the grocery store, in a conversation, with a family member, etc. You can practice overcoming any emotions you have that cause you to make mistakes.

Three tips for daily diligence: 1. Choose a word of the day.

Whenever you hear this word, take one mindful breath. For example, let’s say your emotion is fear. Choose a fearbased word such as hate. Whenever you hear the word hate or want to use the word hate, take one deep Diligence Transforming weakness into strength Creating weakness

Weakness

Fear Anger Anxiety

conducive to success. By taking out the ego-based emotions, you can make an educated call and possibly even defuse a tense situation.

Rule number 4 – Diligence. Now you need a daily routine to keep up with your mindfulness training. Keep in mind that your weaknesses will always try to come back in various forms. This is good because there is no strength without weakness. When we identify our weaknesses it means we’re ready to get stronger. Once you’ve overcome a weakness and feel able to move on to the next one, you’ll simply think and evaluate what you can improve on next. Watch game footage and take note on what you’re doing wrong. Practice in your mind doing it right next time. Take 10 minutes to repeat your error in your mind, but instead of doing it wrong this time, visualize doing it right. Repeat this until it feels natural. The good news

breath and use a different word or say nothing at all.

2. Choose a color of the day.

Whenever you see that color, take one mindful breath. For example, let’s say your emotion is anxiety. Choose a color such as orange. Whenever you see the color orange, take one deep breath and fill your mind and body up with peace and whatever you associate with peace.

3. Set 20-minute reminders on your phone. Whenever it dings, take one mindful breath. For example, let’s say your emotion is anger. Whenever your phone rings, take one deep breath and smile. It’s hard to be angry when you’ve got a big goofy grin on your face!

Nick Lynch is the founder and owner of Superb Health in Milwaukee. He has been working full-time as a trainer since 2001. *

A Short History of the Goal S occer goals have been a part of the game forever, right?

Yes, but … not always the same goal. Prior to the formation of the Football Association (FA) in 1875 there were many variations in what constituted “the goal” — two upright poles (what we would now term “goalposts”), two such poles

bounded at the top by a string or piece of tape (or nothing at all), and the eventual basic form of two goalposts bounded at the top by another post (what we would now term “the crossbar”). In addition to these variations, goals also differed widely in their dimensions (height and width). The Eton school rules in

A late 19th century FA goalpost with a crossbar connecting the two goalposts.

An 1879 illustration of an international match between England and Scotland.

1862 described a goal as consisting of two “sticks” rising 7 feet out of the ground with 11 feet between them: a goal could only be scored by going between but no higher than these two sticks. In other venues, a goal could be scored no matter how high the ball was!

The first goal description which was not associated with a specific school appears in the “Cambridge Rules” (1863) which resulted from a meeting of numerous individual schools under the auspices of Cambridge University. The “goal” in these rules was two poles 15 feet apart, but there remained many variations among those who did not adopt the Cambridge Rules.

Later, with the formation of the FA, much of the Cambridge Rules were adopted and the goal remained two poles in the ground, 24 feet apart, with nothing limiting the height of the ball so long as it was between the poles. By 1870, the FA rules specified that a tape across the tops of the poles would limit the height of the goal. The goal dimensions in 1870 were set at 8 yards wide and 8 feet high, the same dimensions we use today. By 1891, the modern goal consisting of two goalposts and a crossbar had become established.

What’s left? Why, the goal net, of course. Up to 1891, the issue of knowing whether the ball had in fact passed into the goal between the goalposts and under the crossbar (or cross string or cross tape) was a frequent source of controversy — that is, until a Liverpool engineer named John Brodie invented the goal net. For this achievement, Brodie was recognized by a bronze plaque on his home and his name on a Liverpudlian street. The net (usually) continued achieving its purpose for the next 120 years until supplemented with “goalline technology” and, a bit later, by video assistant referees. Not a bad record for what is essentially a bunch of string. Strangely, the goal net remains optional under the Laws of the Game even up to this day. *

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SOCCER

CASEPLAYS Contact Foul, Then Words Play: With the game winding down and team A holding a 5-0 lead, there is a reckless foul by A4 on B8. B8, from the ground, utters a very uncomplimentary term, which is heard by most of those in attendance. Ruling: The usual phrase is that a ball in play is the referee’s best friend. There are exceptions and here is one.

Both events involve discretionary misconduct decisions and you will want to issue each player a yellow card — A4 first for the reckless contact and B8 second for the language (FIFA 12; NFHS 12-8-1d, f 10; NCAA 12.5.4, 12.5.5). Take a lot of time doing it. You want to write out complete notes about the incident. You want to talk to both A4 and B8. In an IFAB game, a caution for “language” applies only to dissent. Red card for very intemperate words but caution for unsporting behavior if they are less objectionable.

Bad Words in Front of Assistant Play: Similar to the caseplay above, there is contact between keeper B1 and forward A8. A8 jumps at B1, knocking B1 to the ground. A8 then yells the same uncomplimentary term to B1, telling B1 to get up off the ground. Team A’s coach does not hear the words uttered. The incident happens directly in front of the spectator-side assistant referee. Ruling: The assistant should raise the flag and, once eye contact is made, waggle the flag and touch his or her patch (commonly used signal to indicate “We need to talk about a card”). The referee should speak with the assistant to get all the details about the contact as well as the verbal comment for both players involved. It is the referee’s discretion to consider that a single yellow card for A8 (for both the foul and the language) or two separate misconduct acts (reckless contact is the first, utterance is the second [IFAB 12; NFHS 12-81f 10, 12-8-2c; NCAA 12.3.8, 12.5.5]). It does not matter that the coach did not hear the words. The fact that they were reported by an assistant is what counts.

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It’s Not Restarted Until It’s Restarted T

he referee awards the darkshirted defending team a direct or indirect free kick from within its own penalty area. B2 sees all teammates are covered, so decides to pass the ball directly to the goalkeeper (as shown in the MechaniGram) for a punt well upfield.

Referee Responsibilities As soon as the goalkeeper touches the ball with a hand, foot or other body part, blow your whistle and order a retake of the free kick. The ball must pass completely outside the penalty area into the field to be playable by any player of either team.

If B2 makes contact with the ball, it

2

would be a second touch violation.

Coaches and players may yell at you for your supposed ignorance.

They will yell, “But ref, it was a free kick, not a goalkick.” Many people familiar with the game hold that misconception. The ball is not in play until it departs the penalty area. If the ball does not properly go into play, it must be a retake.

Assistant Referee Responsibilities Maintain or return to the same position for the retake of the free kick.

If the opportunity is there and the temperature seems right, offer a quiet explanation of the ruling to a coach who approaches you. *

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

OF SPORTS OFFICIALS

VISION ACTION IN

Say YES to New Orleans

W

ith a nickname like the “Big Easy,” it couldn’t be easier to say Yes to attending the 36th annual Sports Officiating Summit in New Orleans this summer.

The city is known for its round-the-clock nightlife, vibrant live-music scene and spicy cuisine reflecting its history as a melting pot of French, African and American cultures. And you can make your Summit trip even more memorable by partaking in some of the many experiences NOLA offers just steps from our host hotel, the New Orleans Marriott on Canal Street, right in the famed French Quarter.

In just a few short months, some 500 referees, umpires, assigners, supervisors, coordinators and other officiating leaders will make NOLA the center of the officiating universe for three extraordinary days.

If you have never been to a Summit, held in a variety of cities across the nation since 1981, it’s hard to pass up a destination as vibrant as this one.

Lively bars and cafes line Bourbon Street, which runs through the center of the architecturally ornate Quarter and features iconic Creole and Cajun restaurants serving dishes like gumbo and jambalaya. The Garden District is known for wellpreserved antebellum mansions in styles like Italianate and Victorian.

In Faubourg Marigny, Frenchmen Street is home to bars and clubs offering live jazz, blues and rock music.

The Summit — held this year from July 29-31 — is the one place where officials and officiating industry leaders at the local, state and national levels — representing a wide variety of sports and perspectives — can mingle and make lasting friendships and partnerships. It’s also where active working referees and umpires can discuss issues with assigners, supervisors, rulesmakers and others who influence how officials are treated and perceived.

Early Bird pricing for the Summit ends May 18, so to get the best registration price, you should sign up before then. To get an even better rate, take advantage of our group pricing and register with two or more like-minded officials (making sure you’re all NASO members, of course!) and plan an officiating-focused getaway to one of the most popular destination cities in the country.

If you’re not an NASO member for some reason, don’t worry. You can sign up for NASO membership before registering for the Summit and still save more than a nonNASO member.

Registration is now open at SportsOfficiatingSummit.com, or call the NASO offices at 262-632-5448 for more details at any time.

This year’s Summit theme is “Say Yes to Officiating” and we’re going to discuss and analyze how to recruit and retain officials with the best minds on the planet. Make sure you’re there. Make sure you say yes to New Orleans! 

WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER!

THESE ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORT OFFICIALS

OFFICIATING DEPARTMENT

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.

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GETTING IT RIGHT

INSPIRATION, MOTIVATION, ELEVATION

Community Tribute to Young Umpire

By Tom Conroy

A

n estimated 1,500 people arrived at Real Life Church in Valencia, Calif., July 15, 2017, to pay their respects to Collin Gore.

Classmates, family members and friends reminisced about Collin’s passion and drive in life, whether it was as a swimmer, a community volunteer or as an umpire. Gore was also remembered for his love

The William S. Hart Baseball Umpires Association dedicated this plaque to Collin Gore at the local field in Santa Clarita.

of music, whether it was playing trumpet and tuba, or singing songs from “Beauty and the Beast” while riding in the car.

Gore was coming home from work on the evening of July 4 when he was killed in a car accident. Gore’s death shocked the community, which mourned the loss of the young man who just graduated high school weeks before and was set to attend San Diego State University in the fall.

Classmates remembered Gore

for his extensive involvement in school activities at Hart High School in Santa Clarita. He was co-captain of the swim team on top of playing soccer, basketball and baseball. He held a 4.0 GPA and was a member of the National Honor Society.

Beginning in 2015, Gore started working as a youth umpire for the William S. Hart Baseball Umpires Association. League assigner Buck Van Patten spoke highly of Gore’s skills as an official despite only having three years of experience.

“Collin was a great kid who was extremely confident on the field,” said Van Patten. “He had a great understanding of rules and mechanics, handled situations on the field with skill and care, and always remained calm, cool and collected.”

Van Patten and other umpires in the association honored Gore with a plaque at the local field in Santa Clarita. The home-plate-shaped plaque features Gore’s favorite motivational phrase: “Do Better.”

“Any time that he would run into a problem or wanted to help someone out, his advice was always to strive to do better,” said Van Patten. “It was a simple phrase that he lived by.”

The impact of Gore’s death reverberated through the entire Valencia community to which he had given so much of his time and energy. He volunteered at Valencia United Methodist Church and drove for Safe Rides, a program that provides transportation for local youth. He even found time for two part-time jobs at McDonald’s and as a lifeguard at Six Flags Hurricane Harbor.

“It’s amazing what he packed into 18 short years,” said Collin’s sister, Genelle. “Collin is truly missed by so many and we’ll never forget the memories we made with him.”

Tom Conroy is Referee’s assistant editor. 

MLB Umpire Conducts Clinic in Canada Stu Scheurwater, the only Canadian umpire in Major League Baseball, held a threeday training camp this past February for burgeoning umpires in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. The camp was organized by the P.E.I. Baseball Umpires Association and featured both Scheurwater and Trevor Grieve, who umpired the gold medal game in the last two World Baseball Classics.

“The amount of preparation Stu and Trevor did was amazing,” said Kent Walker, the supervisor of umpires for P.E.I. “And the amount we got covered in three days was also astounding. Everyone who talked to me after the clinic said how much they were impressed by the quality of the clinic.”

“For me, it’s all about giving something back,” said Scheurwater. “I’m very fortunate to be where I am, so I try not to forget that and whenever I can, I try to help someone else.”

SOURCE: THEGUARDIAN.PE.CA

Referee, Cancer Survivor Reflects on Battle For college women’s basketball referee Rachelle Jones, the annual Play4Kay initiative for breast cancer research means more to her than just honoring former North Carolina State coach Kay Yow, who died of breast cancer in 2009. For Jones, it serves as a reminder of her own two bouts with the disease. She had her first bout with breast cancer in 2012 and her second last year.

“It reminds me of the fight,” said Jones, who appeared in her first Final Four last spring.

“I’m tickled (to be a part of it) because if people only knew what I’ve been through. I hope people understand the significance of wearing those pink whistles, those pink uniforms and shoes. Cancer is a horrible disease and we need to continue to fight to find a cure.”

SOURCE: HERALDCOURIER.COM

Have you heard an inspirational or motivational officiating story?

Send your ideas to GettingItRight@referee.com

44 | REFEREE May 2018

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BASKETBALL

EDITOR: SCOTT TITTRINGTON

stittrington@referee.com

RULES, MECHANICS, PHILOSOPHY

When officiating a play involving a ballhandler and a defender, remember the rules for illegal contact that lead to calling a foul, rather than the basketball buzzwords that coaches share from the sidelines.

BASKETBALL BUZZWORDS Let Rules — Not Catchphrases — Determine Play-calling

I

n a perfect officiating world, the coaches we work with would be as familiar with the rulebook governing their level of competition as we like to believe we are.

In the real officiating world, that often isn’t the case. Instead, many times we manage coaches who have chosen to take their instruction and knowledge about how games should be adjudicated from what they hear on television, or even worse, what they hear Joe Q. Fan shouting from the bleachers.

This becomes apparent as soon

46 | REFEREE May 2018

as the “basketball buzzwords” come screeching out of their mouths.

What’s a basketball buzzword?

It’s one of those words, usually included in some type of declarative statement, that to the untrained basketball observer sounds good in theory when it’s yelled at someone wearing stripes. It may even have a small kernel of truth, but in actuality either is not found in the NFHS or NCAA rulebooks, or does not, by rule, match up with the play/ situation the coach is screaming about.

Let’s take a closer look at four of these buzzwords — as soon as you

read each one, you’ll be mentally transported to a time in the not too distant past when you heard it — and the actual rules that govern the scenario about which the coach is barking.

“That’s over the back!”

I’ll admit, I am starting with my personal favorite, because I hear it from at least one coach at least once every game — and that’s probably selling it short by a good measure.

Smaller guy secures inside rebounding position. Bigger guy reaches over the top of him and snags the rebound. Coach bellows out,

KEITH JOHNSTON

By Scott Tittrington

“That’s over the back!” Rinse and repeat.

Now, we have been trained as officials to listen to coaches when they ask questions, but to largely ignore declarative statements — especially when such statements have no basis in the rulebook. The problem in this situation is that many of these coaches don’t know the rule, parroting words they’ve heard time and again while failing to understand what is and isn’t legal from a rebounding perspective.

Rather than ignoring these coaches and risking not only the present game devolving into a misinformed shout fest, but the behavior continuing into the future, my approach has been to succinctly let these coaches know they are arguing something not covered by rule.

“Coach, over the back is not a foul.”

Which, typically, earns me a quizzical stare and a mouth agape.

Of course, during the flow of play, we don’t have time to explain the entire section of a respective rulebook (NFHS 4-37; NCAAM 4-30; NCAAW 4-24) devoted to rebounding. But a quick follow-up can deliver an accurate, powerful message.

“Coach, if there is a push or a hold, we’ll call it. But we’re not going to penalize one player for being taller than another.”

At that point many coaches turn their disgust to their player while demanding a better box out.

“That’s a reach!”

One of the biggest points of emphasis throughout the past decade at all levels of the game has centered on freedom of movement and not allowing defenders to illegally use their hands to prevent offensive players from having it.

That doesn’t mean a player has done anything wrong if he or she, while defending a ballhandler, makes a swipe for the ball and comes up with a handful of air.

For whatever reason, many coaches have been led to believe that a defender who “reaches” has committed a foul. Instead of focusing on the result of the entire play, these

coaches are solely reacting to the action at the outset of it.

Again, there are sections of each rulebook that specifically state what type of contact is allowed by a defender against a ballhandler (NFHS 10-7; NCAAM 10-1-1 through 10-1-4; NCAAW 10-10-2 through 10-10-5). This includes contact with an opponent’s hand while it is on the ball. Nowhere in the three rulebooks does it state a defender cannot “reach” in an effort to steal the ball away from a ballhandler.

As with the rebounding scenario, I use a short, simple retort with coaches in an attempt to head off any discussion about such plays.

“Coach, a reach is not a foul.”

Any follow-up questions by the coach are met with a succinct explanation of the rules cited above, and how we as a crew will do our best to enforce them.

“Three seconds!”

When I was a youth basketball player, competing in my citysponsored league in suburban San Diego, we had one particular official who loved to make this call. And rightfully so — he wanted to make sure that we 12-year-olds knew it wasn’t OK by rule to camp in the lane, and he was in turn helping the officials who would work our games at the junior high and high school level by nipping this problem in the bud.

That said, violations of the three-second rule are nowhere near as prevalent as well-meaning but misinformed coaches (and vocal fans) would have you believe. The reason? They do not know the entire rule, and feel that anytime the offense is attempting to score and a player is in the lane for more than three seconds, it is a violation. This is most noticeable when a series of shots go up and no one clears out of the lane.

During such action, there is no team control every time there is a try for goal (NFHS 4-12-3.a; NCAAM 4-9-3 and 4-9-4; NCAAW 4-8-3 and 4-8-4). Without team control, there cannot be a three-second violation (NFHS 9-7-1; NCAAM 9-9-2; NCAAW 9-9-2).

One quick explanation of this

DID YOU KNOW? NCAA Division I men’s referee Randy McCall made news Feb. 15 when he ejected an Arizona cheerleader during the second half of the Wildcats’ rivalry game with Arizona State in Tempe, Ariz.

The important takeaway for officials is how McCall handled the situation.

After issuing a warning to the offender to stop shouting personal remarks at an Arizona State player, McCall utilized game administrators to remove the cheerleader when that warning went unheeded.

While rule 2-8.1 allows for an NCAA men’s official to penalize such behavior, the proper recourse for an ejection is to request that game administration take care of the issue when such situations arise.

QUICKTIP Think of your game-day bag as Noah’s Ark — it’s a good idea to have two of everything. Two shirts, two pair of pants, socks and undergarments, two whistles, even two pair of shoes. You never know which game will be the one when you have a rip, tear or blowout.

And if you work enough games, it’s an inevitable occurrence.

It also allows for you to have an extra on hand should your partner not arrive at the gym with the same level of preparation.

THEY SAID IT “Each year since the year we met is a learning process — from a relationship standpoint to a professional standpoint. Each year we’re evolving and learning how to handle certain things differently and better.”

— NBA official Jonathan Sterling, about his marriage to fellow NBA official Lauren Holtkamp SOURCE: USATODAY

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BASKETBALL

TEST YOURSELF In each of the following, there are at least two possible answers. You are to decide which answer or answers are correct for NFHS, NCAA men’s and NCAA women’s rules, which might vary. Solutions: p. 81.

1. Which of the following are valid types of fouls? a. Intentional fouls. b. Multiple fouls. c. Flagrant 1 and Flagrant 2 fouls. d. Both a and b. e. Both b and c. f. None of the above.

2. B1 is setting a legal screen on A1, and A2 pushes A1 into screener B1, which knocks B1 to the floor. What is the result? a. Personal foul on A1. b. Personal foul on A2. c. No foul shall be called since A1 did not mean to make illegal contact with B1.

3. A1 loses his or her contact lens during a live ball, and A1 calls a timeout because the lens was lost.

The contact lens is immediately found, and A1 leaves the game in order to replace the contact lens. What should be done with the timeout? a. Team A will be charged a 30-second timeout. b. Team A will be charged with a full timeout. c. Team A’s head coach can choose what length timeout to use. d. Team A’s timeout is canceled, and play shall resume immediately.

4. B5 is called for goaltending on A1’s try for goal. Which is true of team B’s subsequent throw-in? a. It shall be a designated-spot throw-in at the division line. b. It shall be a designated-spot throw-in along the endline. c. It shall be a non-designatedspot throw-in along the endline.

5. Which of the following is true when team members leave the bench area when a fight has occurred? a. The team members are disqualified (NFHS) or ejected (NCAA) regardless whether they participate in the fight or not. b. A technical foul is assessed and two free throws shot for each team member who leaves the bench area and participates in the fight regardless how many team members from each team leave the bench. c. A technical foul is assessed and two free throws shot for each team member who leaves the bench area that does not participate in the fight. d. The head coach is ejected if any team members participate in the fight.

48 | REFEREE May 2018

detail to coaches, if the game situation permits, can usually curtail this particular issue.

“Travel!”

Let’s wrap up with one of the toughest violations for any basketball official to adjudicate, and one of the least understood rules in the game — interesting given that what is and is not a travel is clearly defined in the rulebook.

The problem stems from the longheld and oft-repeated adage that the ballhandler “gets two steps” which, as any trained official knows, is completely inaccurate.

What the ballhandler gets is a pivot foot. And once that pivot foot is established, the ballhandler can only do some very specific things (NFHS 4-44; NCAAM 9-5; NCAAW

9-5). Things get difficult when quick ballhandlers get shifty with their feet.

It becomes one more thing to quickly and accurately pick up on while at the same time trying to officiate the defense and make sure the defender is not doing anything illegal to hinder the ballhandler’s movement.

Any official who is honest with his or her game will admit to missing travels. Sometimes we are sure the pivot foot moved when it didn’t.

Sometimes we are sure the opposite is true. It can be a tough judgment call given the athleticism of today’s players.

What isn’t difficult is the rule itself and knowing its proper application, just as with each of the other three buzzwords included on this list.

Scott Tittrington is Referee’s associate editor and is a high school basketball, football and baseball official. 

Choose the Camp That’s Right for You

By Stephen A. Mintz

L

et’s get right to it: Be careful.

Be very, very careful.

The No. 1 mistake basketball officials make in choosing a summer opportunity is not having a firm grasp on who they are and where they are as referees. They attend a camp. An assigner gets a glance at their skills.

Within five minutes, the assigner makes an assessment of the camper that can last for years.

Don’t be that person. It’s crucial you choose the camp that is perfect for your overall growth and eventual advancement, and the first step is to take an overall honest appraisal of yourself and your abilities. This is almost impossible and the one step most of you reading this will skip over. But it’s crucial: Ask more than three other officials for an honest assessment of your abilities on the court. Note that one of these may not be your current mentor nor your current assigner or supervisor. The

reason? They have a good reason to not share the exact truth with you, which you need. Also, if the truth is contrary to what you believe, you might resent them in the future, and you need to have a great relationship with them on and off the court.

Now for the camp choice. Many camps advertise as being for first- to third-year officials, or first through fifth. There shouldn’t be high level or collegiate assigners at those camps, and if they are there as “instructors,” trust they know where you are in your career and will not be coming up with long-term opinions on your abilities.

Rather, they’re putting you in their mental file cabinet, putting you “on the radar” as someone they might like to check out again in the future.

But this type of camp is not just for rookies — not in the least. If you aren’t ready to be seen, it doesn’t matter how many years you have under your Sansabelt. This is the camp for you, as good instructors will welcome having you as a more seasoned mentor on

DALE GARVEY

the court for the younger officials.

The games will be covered more competently, and camp evaluators will tailor their commentary for you.

Do not be ashamed or embarrassed to attend one of these “rookie” camps.

It will help your game if you aren’t ready to be seen for collegiate work, and make you a more solid official.

This camp is also excellent for those who plan to attend a high-level camp, as it gives you a chance to get some work in and make corrections to your own game. Plus, if you ever plan on becoming an instructor yourself, you’re showing the camp director you have an interest in lifelong learning.

Tip: At camp, you are a camper.

Don’t give advice to other campers, even if they are younger and even if you have an obvious point to make. Campers are paying money to listen to the camp observers and instructors — let those people make the comments. Instructors will often come up with a plan for a camper during that weekend, to take them along an instructional journey, one that doesn’t require interruptions from wellmeaning folks like you.

Are you ready to be seen by an assigner? Great! Remember, however, you have zero choice about which assigner will show up at any camp unless the assigner you hope for is the camp director. Assigners have to actively recruit new officials for college ball and will attend many camps, sometimes for just a few hours at a time.

Rest assured, however, the world of collegiate assigners is a very small one, and they talk about you more than you talk about yourself. Recruit and camper names are discussed quite often, and when someone sees a diamond in the rough, they will take the time to send that name to every assigner they know. The reverse is true as well — get noticed for the wrong reasons and your actions will be spread like peanut butter on wheat bread.

Tip: Don’t sweat who is or isn’t seeing you at camp. You’re there to work on your game. Keep that attitude first and foremost.

If you can’t afford the bigger camps, that’s perfectly fine. Wait to attend those pricier deals when you are actually working college ball and

Manny Nichols, Puyallup, Wash., receives feedback from a camp instructor. With the summer offseason approaching, now is the time to find the right camp to suit your abilities and your aspirations as a basketball official.

want to move up in divisions. By that time you’ll be in a position to tell the camp director you are having difficulty paying the full tab at that time. Many camps have scholarships, and even more have wonderful directors who will wipe away part or all of your fee if you’re a good person who will be there on time and for the entire camp.

Tip: Be on time and be there for the entire camp! Remember, this is some coach’s very important tournament. The games have to be covered by officials.

This is a referee camp first, but the camp director is also obligated to provide competent officials for the games. If you’re late, have to leave early, miss a game, etc., that action will never be forgotten. Ever.

Same if your camp check bounces. Be a professional.

Choose a new camp. If you’ve attended a camp more than two years in a row, it’s time to put some gas in your car and go somewhere else.

Oh, the camp directors who need to fill their slots will love having you back, but you need to get more information to help you advance your game. Spend more, spend less, but go somewhere else. And begin your

search by checking out two important factors, both of which you can get from the camp director via email. Very simply ask how many games you will be expected to work and if your games will be filmed.

Then break it down, schedulewise, in your head. Say the camp is a typical Friday through Sunday setup. Sunday is usually a half day, with the tournament semis and finals happening. Those games will not be pre-assigned, but Friday/Saturday will be, so the director will be able to tell you approximately how many games you’ll receive. Suppose the number is 13 games. That’s about five or six on Saturday. Plus film study.

Know what that means? Not a nap anywhere. No time on the trainer’s table. Those five games will be filmed, which means you’ll work five and then study five. Plus, the Saturday night social is a networking feast, one you must attend. Part of the unstated purpose of a camp is to work you hard and break you down, so by Saturday evening you are pumping on pure adrenaline and instincts — that’s how instructors can see what your game See “Right Camp” p.51

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CASEPLAYS Ball Striking an Official Play: A1 is dribbling the ball in team A’s backcourt and attempts a long pass to A2, who is standing along a sideline in team A’s frontcourt. Before the ball reaches A2, the ball ricochets off an official, who is standing inbounds in team A’s frontcourt near the division line. The ball bounces back into team A’s backcourt without touching the floor or any player in team A’s frontcourt. A3 is the first to get to the basketball and recovers it in team A’s backcourt. Has any violation occurred? If not, how much time does team A have to get the ball into its frontcourt?

Ruling: When the ball touches an official who is on the playing court, play shall continue as if the ball touched the floor at that official’s location. Therefore, the ball gained frontcourt status when it touched the official.

Since A1 was the last player to touch the ball before it returned to the backcourt, A1 caused it to go there. It is a backcourt violation when A3 is the first to touch the ball in team A’s backcourt (NFHS 4-4-2, 4-4-4, 9-9-2; NCAAM 4-23.3, 9-12.3.a, 9-12.4, A.R. 92; NCAAW 4-18.3, 9-12.3.a, 9-12.4, A.R. 92).

ouble whistles are a fact of life when officiating in the threeperson system, especially on plays that take place along the officials’ primary area boundaries (see MechaniGram).

Every once in a while, all three officials get in on the act, thanks to plays originating in the trail official’s area before culminating with illegal action in the lane.

Don’t get caught up in how many officials put air in the whistle on the play. What matters most is how the three of you as a crew proceed in the immediate aftermath.

First, it’s imperative that no one makes a preliminary signal until it is 100 percent clear which official is going to take the play. This will help avoid the dreaded “blarge” or other double personal foul scenarios that may result from two officials seeing a play and planning to adjudicate in two different manners. Should that happen, administer the situation as

spelled out by rule in the respective codes (NFHS 10-7 Pen.; NCAAM 10-1 Pen.; NCAAW 10-11 Pen.).

Second, it’s always a good idea to fall back on the best practice of, if the play came from your primary area, you have the call. The one notable exception is when a secondary defender is involved in block/charge plays in the lane. Three-person mechanics call for the lead to take the play in that situation.

Multiple-whistle scenarios should always be a part of your pregame, so that everyone can be on the same page about how your crew will handle them should they arise. Once they do, no matter how the three of you have prepared for such a situation, you will help ensure a good outcome from a crew management perspective, if you remember to slow down and have good eye contact with partners before making the big call that will attract everyone’s attention. *

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SCORER & TIMER

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D

HOME

Goal or Not Play: A1 steals the ball from B2 and has a breakaway scoring chance. As A1 approaches the basket, A1 attempts to dunk the ball, but after the ball passes through the ring, it gets caught up in the net and pops back out through the ring. At no time did the ball pass through the net, nor did any player make contact with the ball to cause it to be propelled back out of the basket. Does the goal count? Ruling: A goal is made when the ball enters the basket from above and remains in or passes through the basket.

The basket includes the ring, its flange and braces, and the net. Since the ball did not pass through nor remain in the net, the goal shall not count, and play shall resume uninterrupted (NFHS 1-10-1, 5-1-1; NCAA 1-14.1, 5-1.2.a).

Double Whistles: Know as Soon as You Blow

RIGHT CAMP

continued from p.49

really looks like. Don’t be afraid of this, but do plan for it by choosing a camp that allows for decent break times. You are paying money to grow as a camper, not to be free labor for the tournament. Part of that growth is carefully choosing how you wish to advance professionally. It’s hard to be professional on Saturday night at midnight after working the 8 a.m. and the 9 p.m. contests, with a bunch in-between.

Tip: Go to the social events. Assigners are watching you there. They might be sitting off to the side having their own adult beverages, but know they are going to see how you work with other officials.

If you aren’t likeable, what assigner will want to put you in a car for three hours to a major college game with his current staff members? You’re being watched. Always.

So choose the camp that will work for you — and if you can afford it, choose at least two. One to get your

feet under you, and then the one you really want to be seen by assigners as your main work camp. Get an honest assessment of who should be seeing you, then go to that camp only when you are ready to be seen. Don’t be afraid to chat up camp directors and ask their opinion of which camp you should attend. They need officials to cover the games and to earn enough to pay the instructors (camp directors actually make pitiful money once the food and staff and rooms are covered), but any good camp director will be honest with you about which camp to attend. Ask your current assigner which camp he or she recommends (but not about your abilities) and plan carefully.

Tip: You know enough to sit near staff and evaluators to listen to every word.

You know to hang around even on your off games when the instructors are speaking.

But know this: Work the camp, not the games. Remember, the games themselves

are secondary — you’re there to improve yourself, your own game and to be seen by assigners. Who’s playing, how great those teams are, who plays for whom? Who cares? This is about you, not them. Work the camp, not the game. You’ll come out better for it.

Final tip: If you’ve read this far, you are generally planning on going to camp. Now do this — take someone with you. Circle your own wagons, drag someone who has never been to camp, force a raw recruit to come learn, drag an old veteran out of mothballs. Make them go to camp. Camp isn’t just for collegiate advancement — it’s to make you a better official, and there’s nothing like a good camp to accomplish that.

Basketball officiating — a profession and a lifestyle. Choose the right camp to make your stripes shine.

Stephen A. Mintz officiated basketball for 30 years and is now a camp instructor at five different camps throughout California. *

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VOLLEYBALL

COORDINATOR: MARCIA ALTERMAN

malterman@referee.com

RULES, MECHANICS, PHILOSOPHY

Rich Sklama, Van Nuys, Calif., performs one of the many important duties of the second referee when he checks the lineup. As the game has evolved, so has the role of the second referee.

SECOND TO NONE

By Denis Bergstedt

T

o the casual fan, the role of the second referee can appear to be minor: check lineups, call nets and manage timeouts and substitutions.

To those in the know, however, the role of the second referee is a set of complex tasks and responsibilities that only grow more demanding as the modern game of volleyball continues to evolve.

There has been a significant increase of close plays occurring within or near the attack zones. As

52 | REFEREE May 2018

sets to the back-row players become more frequent options in offenses instead of being used only as bailouts, the second referee needs to be able to provide assistance to the first referee more often, without sacrificing any primary responsibilities. Developing routines and understanding where to focus at different points in a rally are important tools that allow the second referee to achieve success.

At the beginning of a rally, but prior to the contact of the serve, the second referee’s focus is on the receiving team’s serve receive pattern.

At that time the traditional primary focus is on potential alignment issues.

But the task has evolved greatly from concentrating on just whether or not the players are in a legal position on the floor. The second referee’s advanced responsibilities have expanded into learning to identify the potential back-row hitters during that process. As team offenses become faster, it becomes more important to identify all of the hitters.

Upon contact of the serve, the second referee transitions to the blocking side. For a number of years,

BOB MESSINA

R U a Great R2? U Can B, U Know

referees were trained to “see the play develop.” That was interpreted to mean delay the transition until the setter sets the ball. Not true. Second referees should begin their movement to the blockers’ side when the server contacts the ball and then quickly transition to each blocking side as the rally continues to see the play develop from there. As a quick self-check during play, ask yourself the question: “Have I finished my transition so that I am in a stationary position and can observe the pass coming down into the setter’s hands?” If the answer is no, your transition is likely too slow.

What exactly does “see the play develop” mean and why does it matter? It means picking up cues that allow the second referee to know where to focus attention. That starts with a position and posture that allows you to see the greatest amount of court with the least movement. Your position should be slightly angled toward the net — think shoulders, hips and toes facing through the net to the three-meter line on the opposite side. That position allows you to have a broad focus to not only see the setter release the ball but also pick up back-row players beginning their approach patterns. If the team is running a fast back-row set, we should consider putting our primary focus on the back-row player and pick up the setter peripherally.

That would allow you to better assist the first referee with attack line faults during a fast-paced match.

Using the cues we pick up from seeing the play develop allows you to focus your attention where it needs to be: the attack line for a back-row attack, the top of the net for a tight pass or the location along the net where an attack (and possibly a net fault) might occur. Adjusting our focus requires a couple of decisions to be made very quickly. The first is, “Do I need to make a secondary transition?” A secondary transition is a small step forward, backward or to one side to have a good line of sight for the developing play. However, be sure to move with a purpose — the addition of secondary transition to the referees’ vocabulary has often resulted in unnecessary movement under the

belief that it is required on all rallies.

Instead of “secondary transition,” think “necessary adjustment.” If the second referee’s current position does not provide a view of the focal point of the play, make the necessary adjustments (movements), keeping in mind to complete those adjustments and be stationary when the ball contact/play actually occurs.

The second decision is, how does the second referee see what needs to be judged? The answer to that lies in knowing where to look, which is based on experience and knowledge of the game and in practicing basic eye-movement patterns. For second referees, the fundamental eyemovement pattern is: • Watch the blockers move along the net to where the attack will occur.

• As the blockers begin to jump, track their movement from their takeoff point up along the body of the net to the top of the blockers’ hands at the height of their jump.

• As the blockers begin to land, track their movement from the top of their hands down along the body of the net to the centerline and stay focused on the centerline until all blockers and attackers have stepped away and centerline faults are no longer possible.

That eye-movement pattern will cover the issues of net and centerline faults. Assisting with other situations such as attack line faults and tight passes to the net are simply built upon that foundation: focus on the threemeter line or top of the net and, if the rally continues, simply pick up with your basic eye movements.

Second referees have a lot of movements to track and decisions to make, in very short periods of time.

Skilled second referees make that look easy by having good position, picking up cues as the play develops and utilizing efficient eye patterns.

Denis Bergstedt, Oak Lawn, Ill., is a PAVO/USAV national referee and officiates high school volleyball. He has served on the rating/training teams for PAVO and USAV and as head referee for several USAV championships. He officiates multiple Division I and III women’s collegiate conferences, and both NCAA and NAIA men’s conferences.*

BY THE NUMBERS According to the 2016-17 NFHS High School Athletics Participation Survey, the number of girls playing high school volleyball has grown every year since 2014-15.

Volleyball is the second-most popular sport for girls (trailing track and field). There are 15,992 volleyball-playing schools nationwide. Number of players: 2014-15

15,534 2015-16

15,775 2016-17

15,992 QUICKTIP A simple personal information card may someday prove to be the most important piece of equipment you have. The card can be accessed if you should become incapacitated and unable to provide medical data to emergency personnel. The card should include your name, date of birth, any allergies, a list of medications you are taking and the name and phone number of your personal physician. Names and phone numbers of contacts (spouse, adult children, etc.) are also good to list. Let your partners know you carry the card and where it can be found if necessary.

THEY SAID IT “Realize that it’s just another volleyball match, though it’s not.

But at least when the match starts, it’s 12 girls out there playing, coaches and referees. It is a big deal. I can’t say it isn’t.”

— Patsy Malta, San Diego, who has officiated multiple NCAA volleyball Final Fours, on how she fought nerves before working a championship match.

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. 81.

1. Which of the following should the scorer record in the Comments/Remarks section of the scoresheet? a. Any player replaced by exceptional substitution. b. Uniform/equipment violations and administrative cards for unnecessary delay. c. Note for when a player is removed under concussion management. d. All of the above.

2. Which of the following are true statements about the libero (when used)? a. The libero may be used as an exceptional substitution for an injured player if no other legal substitute is available. b. The libero cannot legally replace a disqualified teammate. c. The libero must be designated on the lineup sheet prior to each set. d. All of the above are true statements.

3. If the team A back-row setter jousts with the team B middle blocker, and the ball is in the plane of the net, completely above the height of the net, the result should be: a. Replay. b. Play continues. c. Illegal block on the team A setter. d. Illegal block on the team B middle blocker.

NFHS Approves Warmup Restriction, New Signal

By Marcia Alterman

R

eferees will use new mechanics and monitor a new warmup procedure between sets that reduces the risk of injury as they implement the rule changes for the 2018-19 high school volleyball season.

The NFHS Volleyball Rules Committee met Jan. 7-9 in Indianapolis and recommended those and several other changes. All of the recommended changes were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

Here is a roundup of the approved rule changes. Referee thanks Lindsey Atkinson, NFHS director of sports and liaison to the volleyball rules committee, for reviewing the material.

Signal The committee approved a change in signal 21 for unnecessary delay. The new mechanics call for the referee to raise the hand on the side of the offending team, beside the head with palm facing the shoulder, and hold the appropriate card in the other hand, near the wrist of the raised hand (see PlayPic).

4. A ball may be attacked, excluding a served ball, when it has partially crossed the net. a. True. b. False.

5. While checking the lineups at the start of the match, the second referee notices that A3 should be on the court instead of A6. Team A’s coach says there is no player A3 on the team. A substitution must be recorded to allow A6 to start the match. a. True. b. False.

54 | REFEREE May 2018

Warmup Restriction 11-5-3 Teams may warm up in their playing area. However, volleyballs

may not be hit over the net. The change should minimize potential risk during the warmup process.

No Assists 2-4-1b The wording was changed from “another player” to “team member” to clarify that no team member may assist a player during an attempt to play the ball.

Play 1: As A5 moves near the team bench to retrieve a teammate’s errant pass, she leans into team A’s coach on the bench, who supports her as she plays the ball. Without the coach’s support, A5 would not have been able to reach the ball. Ruling 1: A fault should be called on team A. The referee should use signal 3 (illegal hit).

Second Referee 5-5-3b(10), 5-53b(13), 5-5-3b(20), 5-8-3a NOTE Rule language was added to complement verbiage in the officials manual. One of the second referee’s duties is to ensure the head coach (when standing) remains in the replacement zone, no closer than six feet to the sideline.

When multiple courts are in use, the second referee may end a timeout or interval between sets with a long whistle in place of the timer’s audio signal. The change was to avoid confusing or distracting use of the horn when multiple courts are being used.

Play 2: In a facility where two nearby courts are in use, a timeout is ending on Court 1. The match is in progress on Court 2. Ruling 2: When the clock reaches 0:15, the second referee should sound the warning whistle, and instruct the timer to not sound the horn to end the timeout.

When the clock reaches 0:00 (or both teams are ready to play), the second referee should end the timeout with a long whistle.

Substitutions 9-8-2 Exc., 10-2 Pen. 2, 11-4-1b After the referees stop play for

COURTESY OF NCAA VOLLEYBALL

an injury or illness and a replay is signaled, if the injured or ill player cannot continue play after 30 seconds, the head coach may request a substitution or complete a legal libero replacement for the injured or ill player. The injured player’s coach may also request any remaining team timeouts; the injured or ill player may return to play at the end of the timeout(s) if she is able.

Play 3: A7 is injured during play; the referees stop play and signal a replay. Within 30 seconds, it is determined that A7 cannot continue play. Team A’s head coach requests a substitution for A7. Ruling 3: The substitution is allowed. A7 is not required to participate in the substitution protocol.

Play 4: A9 (a back-row player) is injured during play. The referees stop play and signal a replay. Within 30 seconds, it is determined that A9 cannot continue play. Team A’s head coach directs the libero, who is on the bench, to replace A9. Ruling 4: The libero replacement is allowed.

Play 5: A3 is injured during play.

The referees stop play and signal a replay. At the end of the 30-second evaluation period, team A’s head coach requests a timeout, which is granted. At the end of the timeout, A3 returns to the court to play. Ruling 5: Legal.

Play 6: A3 is injured during play.

The referees stop play and signal a replay. During the 30-second evaluation period, team B’s head coach requests a timeout. Ruling 6: The timeout requested by the opponent of the injured player is not allowed.

After a team is charged with unnecessary delay related to a substitution, no further substitutions may be requested by that team until after the next completed rally. The change eliminates further delay of the set.

Play 7: Team B’s head coach requests a substitution, B4 for B2. But B4 is still in sweats and not ready to enter. Team B is charged with unnecessary delay. Prior to the next service in the same rally, team B’s head coach requests a substitution, B8 for B10. Ruling 7: The second

Number, Please In all rules codes, the referees are expected to identify the guilty player when a net fault is called. In a match using USAV rules, the player at fault is identified simply by using an extended arm and hand, using the arm on the side of the team at fault. In NFHS and NCAA matches, the referees must signal the number of the player who committed the net fault.

The majority of net faults are whistled by the second referee. As with all calls made by the second referee, the referee should step to the side of the team at fault and away from the net pole to increase visibility, as demonstrated by Michael O’Connor, Apex, N.C. Use the hand and arm on the side of the team at fault, and signal the net fault. In NFHS, use signal six; in NCAA, use signal 19a. After signaling the net fault, indicate the player.

• For player numbers 1-5, use the hand on the side of the team at fault.

• For numbers 6-9, the right hand is the base hand, and is filled first.

• For double-digit numbers, the first digit is shown with the right or both hands, and the second digit with the left or both hands. When the first digit is 1, use a closed right fist.

After indicating the player, the second referee must hesitate and allow the first referee to award the point, and then mimic that signal.

The first referee repeats the number of the player at fault after awarding the point.

When the first referee whistles a net fault, she or he indicates the point, and then follows the same sequence as described above — signal the net fault, followed by the number of the player at fault. The second referee mimics the entire sequence.

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VOLLEYBALL

CASEPLAYS

substitution request would not be allowed.

Back-Row Setter Play: The ball is entirely above the top of the net when the team B back-row setter sets the ball from the front zone in the direction of a front-row teammate (B8). B8 attempts to hit the ball, but misses it. The ball goes over the net with no further contact by either team and lands on the floor of team A’s court. What is the correct decision by the referees? Ruling: The team B back-row setter becomes an illegal attacker as soon as the ball that she set is either legally blocked or passes completely over the net into the opponent’s playing area. The referees should whistle and signal illegal attack by team B (NFHS 9-5-5b-1; NCAA 14.5.4.1; USAV 13.2.2.1).

Editorial Changes In addition to rule changes, language in other rules was modified.

In rules 1-5-2c and 1-7-2 through 4, new language provides consistency by listing all reasons why a match shall be declared a forfeit and clarifies that a forfeit is considered a termination of a match and not a suspension.

New language in two rules clarifies duties of the referees. Rule 5-4-1c clarifies that the prematch

Uniform Requirements Play: All of team B’s players have a manufacturer’s logo that is less than 14.6 square cm (2-1/4 square inches). However, one team B player’s shorts have a different manufacturer’s logo than the rest of the team. How should the referees rule on the uniforms? Ruling: The shorts with the different logo are legal (NCAA 7.1.1.1; NFHS 4-2-1f; USAV 4.3.5).

By Ashley Howerter

Second Referee Responsibilities Play: The second referee whistles and signals out as the ball contacts the antenna on his or her side. The first referee signals the result of the play as a point. Is that the correct procedure? Ruling: Yes. The second referee should take responsibility when a ball contacts or travels over or outside the antenna on the bench side, and immediately whistle the fault (NCAA 19.3.7.1.3; NFHS 5-5-3; USAV 24.3.2.3).

Position Fault Play: Team R’s center front setter is straddling the feet of the center back player at the moment of service. Is that a position fault? Ruling: No position fault has occurred. The rules require the center front to have at least part of one foot closer to the centerline than the feet of the center back player (NFHS 6-5-3b; NCAA 10.3.1.1; USAV 7.4.2.1).

56 | REFEREE May 2018

duties of the first referee include inspection of the net antennas. Rules 5-5-3(13) and (20) indicate the second referee shall use a double whistle to indicate the warning when 15 seconds remain in a timeout or in the interval between sets.

When a team is playing with fewer than six players, the vacant position remains open through all rotations. Specifically, the vacant position remains open when rotating to the front row. That situation is covered in rule 6-4-5 Note.

Marcia Alterman is Referee’s volleyball coordinator. *

Mentor Me This W

hen I started officiating, I had no understanding of what I was getting into. I did not know, as a rookie volleyball official, that my mentor would become one of my closest friends, that I would gain a volleyball family or that I would learn about my strengths and weaknesses as an official and as a person. I did know that I wanted to become the best official that I could, to have the chance to travel the country, to experience new places and to meet new people.

The first and biggest step in my officiating career was finding a mentor. As an entry-level official, I did not formally make a decision to seek out a mentor. I decided to simply ask a National level referee what I had to do to one day officiate in the Olympics; I literally didn’t know what I didn’t know. Since that day, my mentor has opened my eyes to the journey that it will take to achieve my goals. He has taught me about professionalism and its importance on and off the court, that it’s critical to be a student of the game, to know where rules are located in the rulebook, and he has pushed me to be better than I thought I ever could be.

A mentor is someone who you can call to celebrate after the best

match of your career and to support you after the worst match of your career. He is also someone who will give me honest feedback, even if I did not ask for it. My mentor has given me the extra drive to push myself to reach my goals. I have discovered that I want to make him proud, so that he feels that investing his time and effort to make me a better official has paid off.

One other valuable lesson that my mentor has taught me in my young career is to listen to others and what their experiences have been. Officials all have stories they love to share, but being able to take a step back and just embrace what others are saying can help a career more than is imaginable.

By talking with more experienced officials — more importantly, by listening to more experienced officials — you hear about the challenging situations that might happen and learn from them. Take advantage of the opportunity to ask those officials questions, including what they wished they could have done differently, and then decide how you are going to learn from their experience. When you hear a success story, think about what they did that you liked and then next time you officiate, try to use that information, tailoring it to your own style.

My mentor has taught me the importance of learning the art of officiating by watching other officials work, so that I can improve myself to learn new techniques and never be satisfied.

So far in my career I have attended three training camps through USA Volleyball and PAVO. Each camp I have attended has been very beneficial to my development. Attending a training camp highlights your strengths, shows what your weaknesses are and gives you an endless list of suggestions for improvement. Going to a camp is a great time to make mistakes, ask questions and learn more about yourself as an official.

Making mistakes in a training environment is a great way to learn. You find out what you can or cannot say to a coach, how to handle unsporting conduct from playing participants and to show yourself

if you are ready for a higher level and speed of play. Camp trainers will break down anything you want to focus on. They will educate you about new techniques, are more than willing to show you what you could have done better or give you tips to try something new that may work better for you. The thought of going to a training camp might seem intimidating at first, but once you take that step and attend one, it will be one of the best decisions for your career.

In July 2017, I won the Bronze Whistle Award given by USA Volleyball. Receiving the award has been the biggest honor and proudest moment of my career. It has proven to me that the hard work of being honest with myself, recognizing and using the tools that I have been given, putting in the time and effort of going to training camps and listening to my mentor’s advice

have put me on the right path to my biggest goal. Being honored with the award has also made me dig even deeper within myself to push harder and expect more of myself and it has given me the drive to want to be a mentor to other officials.

I have learned that officials who have more experience are always willing to talk and help younger officials understand their successes and mistakes so others can learn from their experiences. My advice to an up-and-coming official is not to be afraid to go up and just start talking to that National level official.

He or she could become your new mentor.

Ashley Howerter is from Massillon, Ohio. She has officiated college volleyball since 2014 and earned her USAV Junior National patch in 2016. In 2017, she received the Bronze Whistle Award for outstanding work at the USAV Girls Junior National Championship. *

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MONEY Corporate sponsorships, well-funded travel teams, significant entry fees — big dollars drive the world in which sports officials are asked to work.

By Rick Woelfel

58 | REFEREE May 2018

M

ost officials know that when they take the field or court to work a high school or college contest they have an ad hoc support system behind them. That support system could take the form of state athletic association bylaws, a contract between their local officials association and the schools they work for, or schools’ individual policies on student conduct.

Add in the fact that interscholastic and intercollegiate sports are, at least in theory, an extension of the educational environment, and officials can do their jobs knowing that if a player, coach or spectator acts inappropriately, they will often be held accountable for their actions.

In other situations, however, that support system is lacking and officials may find themselves alone on an island

without backing or support if a problem arises.

Michael Silver is a U.S. Soccer state director of assignment for Louisiana. In that role, he selects officials for the state cup and other major events. Over the past half-dozen years, Silver and the Louisiana Soccer Association (LSA) have created a protocol to minimize the possibility of events being disrupted by instances of poor sportsmanship.

“We had an issue in our state tournament last year where some parents went nuts and we pretty much had to clear the sidelines,” Silver says. “What we’ve done at state tournaments is provide a tournament referee who is generally a combination of instructor/assessor and who oversees all the assignments and deals with any complaints, whether it be from coaches or parents. There are LSA reps there along with tournament

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referees, working to let the referees just take care of what’s going on on the field.”

Silver says the effort has paid off. “We’ve seen our red cards go down,” he says. “We’ve seen our issues with parents decrease.”

In addition, the LSA holds its member clubs responsible for spectator behavior if parents act up.

Under the new regulations, similar to what some other sports groups have adopted, clubs can be assessed monetary fines and/ or their teams can be barred from tournaments if their supporters misbehave.

“It really puts the club in a position where they want to make sure their parents are not the ones who act out,” Silver says. “The LSA has started holding them accountable, not just saying, ‘That’s Little Johnny’s mom; she’s always crazy.’ Well, if she’s always crazy and you as a club haven’t done anything to address it, then (at the state level) we’re going to hold you as a club responsible because you knew about the issue and you chose not to deal with it.”

Silver works to see that the state’s top officials are assigned to the most significant matches.

“We changed our assigning process quite a bit for our state tournament,” he says. “We’re a

60 | REFEREE May 2018

Youth basketball tournaments where several games are being played at any one moment — often times in warehousesturned-multi-courtgymnasiums — have become the new normal, and create a unique environment for the officials tasked with working such games.

lot more heavily involved in the assignment process.

“It’s not so much that the local assigners aren’t doing their jobs, because they are, but we have access to the resources to pool our statewide officials and mix and match our best possible officials to put them on these high-stakes games.”

Spectator behavior is a concern for Randy Olhausen, who serves as the umpire-inchief for AAU baseball in Florida.

He oversees two major showcase events each year, which feature more than 400 games. One of them is at the Wide World of Sports Complex.

Olhausen personally supervises these events, along with umpiring colleague A.J. Lostaglio. They handle both rules interpretations and sportsmanship issues. If there is a problem, the guilty party will be suspended for a game or two or, in the case of a repeat offender, barred from the event.

“In the three years I’ve been doing it, we’ve been able to cut back on the number of ejections and number of situations considerably,” he says. “Seventy percent I would say.”

Olhausen works various levels of baseball himself, including college games, and assigns in the Jacksonville area,

which allows him to access umpiring talent throughout the state; he’ll bring in umpires from all over Florida to work his two showcases.

While Olhausen’s umpires know he’ll stand behind them if there is a problem, not all of their peers are as fortunate. Olhausen tells Referee he’s had umpires tell him they’ve worked other tournaments and were told to “Go easy” on players or coaches who act up.

“They were told, ‘Don’t eject this coach, even if he gets crazy,’” he says, “or, ‘Keep everybody in the game.’ That’s not the way to handle things in my mind.

“I understand these tournaments are trying to make money and trying to build a reputation so all these coaches come in and the players come in.

At the same time, allowing that stuff to happen and not giving the umpires the control and support they deserve is hurting everything.”

Corporate sponsorship adds another element to an atmosphere that may already be emotionally charged. This scenario occurs most often at basketball camps or showcases that are sponsored by shoe companies.

The talent is top notch, which provides the officials

COURTESY OF NCKELL COPELAND/FASTMODEL SPORTS MCCORMICK PLACE BASKETBALL ONE

MONEY BALL

who attend an opportunity to work high-level games. But the players, coaches and sponsors who attend these events all have their own agendas. The players are looking to attract the attention of the college coach who will give them that longdesired scholarship. The college coaches are looking for talent, while the shoe companies are hoping to induce both college and club coaches into putting their teams in their brand.

Those conflicting interests breed an environment in which the officials are viewed as necessary evils at best, or as obstacles standing between athletes and a scholarship and/ or between a coach and a shoe contract.

Ed Rush has spent a lifetime in basketball, first as an NBA and ABA referee and later as the NBA’s director of officiating and a college coordinator. Today he runs clinics for officials with high-level aspirations.

“When you go to the shoe company tournaments, you’re talking about kids that play over 100 games a year,” he says.

“Each individual has their own agenda, and their agenda is obviously to put themselves in a place where they attract college coaches.

“The shoe companies, they have their agenda, which for the most part is to keep the college coaches happy. The college coaches spend a lot of money for entry into these places and to get the information (on the participants). Basically, it’s a high-level tryout.”

In that environment, support for the officials is, to put it kindly, not a high priority. “The only people you have (providing support), quite frankly, are the people who are running the camp,” Rush says. “Whoever is managing the camp, they’ve got to back (the officials) up, they’ve got to stand behind them.”

Last July, Rush brought 110 officials to a clinic and camp sponsored by Adidas. The group

varied in experience from aspiring prospects to those already at the NCAA Division I and NBA levels.

One of the teams at the camp was coached by LaVar Ball, AAU coach and aspiring shoe manufacturer, who was accompanied by a video crew that was assembling material for a reality TV show.

In a much-publicized incident, Ball was ejected from a tournament game, then threatened to pull his team off the court and demanded that the female official on the three-person crew working the game be replaced. She was, over Rush’s objections.

According to Rush, the ultimate decision to replace the official was made by a representative of Adidas. Rush told Referee that in retrospect, he might have handled the situation differently.

“One of the things we could have done was take the entire crew off the game,” he says, “because they’re there as a team. So instead of taking one official and replacing (her) you take them all off the court.

“We would have found them three other officials. For the sake of the game and the kids and the other team we would have brought in three other people.”

Rush says he believes Adidas sought to curry favor with Ball during the tournament.

Prior to that team’s next game, Adidas indicated it wanted three experienced officials assigned and for each of Ball’s games to be monitored by an NBA referee. And indeed, three NCAA Division I officials were assigned. Two of the three had Final Four experience. It should be noted all three were women. When Adidas learned of the assignment it insisted only one female could be on the crew, Rush said.

The Lavar Ball case is a high-profile example of what

can occur when outside forces are permitted to disrupt the normal officiating dynamic.

Rush, in theory, could have pulled all 100-plus of his officials off the tournament, but says that would have been counterproductive. “We’re taking away their opportunity to work these high-level games,” he says. “We kind of bit the bullet. We were thinking more of the big picture and we decided to move on.”

Following the tournament, Rush and his company ended their affiliation with Adidas.

“Looking back, I don’t know if there was a right decision,” he says, “(but) we made the right decision when the tournament was over.”

The Lavar Ball incident was outside the norm, but one reason officials in any sport sign up to work showcase events is to gain experience working a higher level of play. Inevitably, there is a weeding-out process.

“You don’t always know whether or not people can handle that level of play,” Rush says. “We have a pretty good idea of who we can work because we see them on video and we talk to them. But there are people who get in these situations where the play itself, the environment, might be a little bit over their head.”

Rush admits he likes to see his officials challenged in camp situations, to the point where he has approached coaches and asked them for more of what he euphemistically describes as “authentic emotional response” to test up-and-coming prospects.

But he doesn’t ask officials to officiate differently because of the AAU environment.

“I do believe in the depth of the educational experience,” Rush says. “I’ve been to camps where it’s highly competitive and the games are tremendous and we’ve got arguments, we’ve got near fights, and we have ejections, at some of the best camps I’ve been to. You can

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capture that on video and put that in front of people and that becomes a phenomenal learning experience.”

Joan Powell has been around volleyball for some 45 years as an official, coordinator and administrator. She notes tournaments have expanded significantly in size in recent years; some events may utilize more than 150 courts. And the larger the event, the greater the potential for unrest.

Powell says assigners will shift assignments when possible to place their strongest officials on what they figure to be the most significant or difficult matches. But sometimes that’s not possible.

“Sometimes it’s about warm bodies,” she says.

In 2000, USA Volleyball introduced the Arbitrator Program. An arbitrator or arbitrators (sometimes there are two at large tournaments) deal exclusively with eligibility and behavior issues.

He or she does not deal with rules matters; those are adjudicated by a head referee.

The arbitrator is charged with resolving administrative disputes, such as player eligibility, but Powell says the arbitrators, who are readily identifiable in green shirts,

62 | REFEREE May 2018

Club volleyball tournaments are not immune to the craze of playing dozens of games in one location in one oversized venue.

deal primarily with spectatorbehavior issues.

Powell will often ask a coach to intervene if a parent is acting up. “Sometimes I just go to the coach,” she says, “and I say, ‘The guy in the blue shirt right there, is he one of your dads?’

And ‘request’ that he invite that parent over for a conference.

“When you have a little conference with the coach involved, it just takes on a different light. But some spectators are incensed anyway and they don’t care who is around.”

At some tournaments, the host club will provide table personnel, often utilizing players from its own teams that aren’t competing. Powell recalls being confronted by a spectator at a tournament who was irate about an alleged mistake by the scorer. Powell finds incidents like this especially perplexing, in part because they discourage today’s players from getting involved in officiating.

“I said, ‘Sir, here’s what’s bothering me,” she recalls. “‘See this team right here, your team?

And the opposing team? And the (table) team?’ “‘You have just announced to everybody and to these little girls that the last place they ever want to be is up on that

(referee) stand and now we’ve lost a whole generation of kids because it is not fun to be yelled at by the parents.’

“I really lecture them, because you know what? We should be getting officials out of the players’ pool and we’re not getting them.”

The individuals Referee spoke with for this story all expressed concerns about changing societal attitudes that have impacted organized sports.

Those attitudes often manifest themselves in the belief, stated or otherwise, that a particular player or team is entitled to a desired outcome, whether it be the result of a particular game, attaining a college scholarship, or a similar tangible reward.

And that makes things tougher for officials. “’It didn’t go our way so that official must be cheating,’” Olhausen says. “It’s sad. I’ve seen a lot more of that.”

Olhausen believes today’s enhanced sense of entitlement is fueled in large part by dollars and cents, starting with the thousands of dollars being spent for parents to participate in club teams, even those not necessarily at the elite level.

“There’s more and more pressure being put on these kids to perform well,” he says.

COURTESY OF USA VOLLEYBALL

MONEY BALL

“There’s more and more and more money involved trying to get a full-ride scholarship, or any type of scholarship to college.

“And then once you get to college, the coaches at the college level are making a lot of money now. It’s changed in the 25 years I’ve been doing this, because of the pressure, because of the money that’s involved.

“Especially during the summer here in Florida. These kids come from all over the country to be seen by coaches from all over the country. The showcase events bring coaches all the way from the West Coast.

These parents are paying a lot of money for these kids to come to these games, to travel to Fort Myers or Orlando or wherever, to come to these showcase tournaments in front of 40, 50, 60 or 100 coaches. You see that pressure, unfortunately.

You’ve got it down all the way

to maybe 10-year-olds. The parents put a lot of pressure on these kids.”

Rush points out that many of the players who attend the most prestigious basketball camps come from difficult circumstances. They and those around them often see basketball as a way out of poverty. “(Their passion) is driven usually by a single mom trying to keep it together,” he says. “They see what people make in basketball and they’re looking for that Division I scholarship so the player can get to the NBA. It’s a level of desperation.”

This mindset didn’t arise overnight. But in today’s world, officials can find themselves in an environment where the principles of sportsmanship and ethical behavior have been swept aside.

“There’s a big difference

even from when I first started calling,” Silver said. “You’d go out, you’d call a game, you might miss a call or somebody might say something during the game and you would just move on.

Now, everybody’s got a video camera that’s high quality, good access. You miss a call, they’ve got it on film, they want to put it on YouTube, want to blast it to 30,000 other people.

“They want to show what their child has done and done well. They’re so much about wanting to congratulate and pass on, but at the same time find somebody to blame. In the old days you’d hold players accountable and say, ‘Let’s play though it.’ And in today’s world we’re growing up with a new generation of parents who in many cases do not hold the student-athletes accountable.”

Rick Woelfel is a freelancer writer from Philadephia. He officiates high school softball. *

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PROFILES

PERSONALITIES PLUS

By Joey Wagner

T

wo hours before tip-off at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Ill., Edgar Brummett sets his bag on his chair, pulls out an electric pencil sharpener that he plugs into the scorer’s table and takes out one pencil from a selection of roughly eight in a rubber band-bound stack.

Brummett makes sure his pencil is sharpened to a fine point, opens a scorebook and gets ready for another night’s work. Except it doesn’t feel like work.

Edgar Brummett (left) has been the official scorer at Illinois men’s basketball games for the last two-and-a-half years.

Brummett, a Decatur native who played basketball for three years at MacArthur before he graduated in 1984, and for two years at Richland (Ill.) Community College, knows just how lucky he is to have the same seat, with the midcourt line at the State Farm Center slightly to his right, every night.

For the past two-and-a-half years Brummett has been the official scorer at Illinois men’s basketball games.

Before the game, he sets a bag of mini-Air Head candy and a cardboard boat of popcorn on the scorer’s table, then throws the official game ball in a high-arching shooting motion toward the ceiling of the arena to test the air capacity.

Brummett keeps track of everything: the score, who scored, what time the ball went through the net, fouls, timeouts, media timeouts, the score prior to the timeout, coach’s warnings, subs and who is coming in for whom. There was a question one night in a game against Michigan State that Brummett had to clarify.

Though a seemingly daunting task, Brummett has slid into the position with ease. His 22 years and counting as an IHSA official makes some of the rigors of the job seem like a cinch.

Though he’s only been the official scorer for two-and-a-half years, Brummett, who also works in management at Ameren during the day, has been a fixture around the program for 15 years.

His high school officiating career, including three stints in the Class 3A or 4A state championship games — 2010, 2012 and 2017 — has led to deeper ties with the Illinois program.

For years when former coaches Bill Self or Bruce Weber wanted to host scrimmages with referees, they called Brummett. After hanging up the phone with a coach, he had no problem finding referees to accompany him to Champaign.

“We would go in and work scrimmages for them all the time,” Brummett said. “Bruce Weber’s first year, of course, he didn’t know any of the referees. Everybody at the basketball office knows me, so I scheduled the referees for his first team camp.”

Brummett schedules his officiating duties around Illini games.

When Illinois is the home team, he is there. He misses a few Illini games a year because of his officiating, which he plans to do for three more years to give him an impressive 25.

“I like doing it because it’s the best seat in the house,” Brummett said. “It’s fun.”

This story originally appeared in the Decatur, Ill., Herald & Review. It is reprinted with permission. 

Off to an Early Start Antonio Flores Age: 20 Muskegon, Mich.

As early as age five, Antonio Flores was in his backyard throwing flags in his homemade striped shirt. He got started officiating in high school on top of being a three-sport athlete. Since then, he has officiated college softball, high school football and basketball. Despite the challenges of traveling at such a young age, Flores remains grounded by his love of officiating and the camaraderie.

“Going out on the field on Friday nights is just like playing all over again,” Flores said. “It’s a brotherhood, it’s networking. I could travel around the country and have a place to stay. Once you meet somebody, you’re in.”

SOURCE: MLIVE.COM

Football Official Honored With Education Fellowship Joe Underwood Age: 65 Miami

Joe Underwood, a teacher at Miami Senior High School and a football official, was recently honored with a Global Learning Fellowship from the National Education Association. The fellowship will include online course work, webinars and collegial study aimed at building global competency skills.

Underwood and other participants in the fellowship will meet for a nine-day international field study this summer.

Underwood’s illustrious teaching career includes induction into the National Teachers Hall of Fame in 2007 and a 2018 Global Teacher prize finalist. He was also inducted into the American Football Hall of Fame in 2009 for his work as a now-25-year official.

SOURCE: NEAFOUNDATION.ORG

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64 | REFEREE May 2018

MARK JONES

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FOOTBALL

EDITOR: JEFFREY STERN

jstern@referee.com

RULES, MECHANICS, PHILOSOPHY

Tony Haire, Eastover, N.C., inspects equipment before a game. Those checks are good preventive officiating and can prevent problems later on.

SHIFTING GEAR

By Jeffrey Stern

P

layers who fail to properly wear required equipment or are missing required equipment during a down shall be replaced for one down rather than incur a yardage penalty, according to a change approved by the NFHS Football Rules Committee. The committee met Jan. 27-28 in Indianapolis.

66 | REFEREE May 2018

The change proposals passed by the committee were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

The caseplays in this column are presented by Referee to explain the changes but are unofficial. Check NFHS publications for official interpretations. The changes are presented in approximate order of importance.

Improperly Equipped Player 1-5-4, 1-5-5, 3-5-10e, 3-6-2d, 9-8-1h The former rule 9-9 specifying a penalty for a player failing to wear required equipment during the down, and the former rule 3-6-2d that mandated a delay-of-game foul if a player was detected not wearing required equipment when the ball was about to become live, have been deleted.

KEN KASSENS

NFHS Nixes Penalties for Some Equipment-Related Fouls

ERIC BAKKE

When any required player equipment is missing, an official’s timeout shall be declared. If the missing or improperly worn equipment is detected during the down or subsequent dead-ball action related to the down without being directly attributable to a foul by an opponent, or if a player is wearing otherwise legal equipment in an illegal manner, the player shall be replaced for at least one down, unless halftime or an overtime intermission occurs.

If proper and legal equipment has become improperly worn through use but prompt repair is possible and does not delay the ready-for-play signal for more than 25 seconds, such repair may be made without replacing the player for at least one down.

The head coach is responsible for verifying to the referee and another official before the game that all of his players have all required game equipment and will use no illegal equipment. The penalty provisions for any use of illegal equipment remain unchanged and result in an unsportsmanlike conduct foul charged to the head coach. ”The committee recognizes that the state of high school football focuses on risk minimization and the responsibility that coaches, players and game officials play in continuing to protect our student-athletes.

By emphasizing that the coach is ultimately responsible for assuring his players are using legal equipment by issuing an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for violations and that players will be removed for using legal equipment in an illegal manner, the committee continues to focus on minimizing risk for all players,” said Todd Tharp, chair of the NFHS Football Rules Committee and assistant director of the Iowa High School Athletic Association.

Play 1: An official observes that A1 does not have a mouth protector, or has pants that are pulled up so they are not covering his knees. The discovery is made (a) just before the ball is to be snapped, or (b) after the down has ended. The official is sure the situation was not caused by a foul by an opponent or through play.

Ruling 1: In (a) and (b), the official should call an official’s timeout. A1 must depart for one play and may not return until he has a legal tooth and mouth protector, or is wearing his pants so they cover his knees. No yardage penalty is enforced.

Play 2: A1 runs for five yards.

After he is down, the umpire notices A1 is wearing cleats that are more than 1/2 inch in length. Ruling 2: A 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct is charged to the head coach for purposes of his disqualification.

It is treated as a dead-ball foul and is enforced from the end of the run. A1 must leave the game until his cleats conform with the rules.

Penalty Option for Team R 6-1-9b, 10-4-2 NOTE and 10-5-1j If the kicking team commits a foul during a free kick or scrimmage kick down, and the kicking team will not be next to put the ball in play, the receiving team may choose to have the penalty enforced at the end of the down. The change would allow the receiving team all of the previous options as well as accepting the distance penalty at the end of the down.

“The ability to ‘tack on’ penalty yardage on free kicks will potentially reduce the amount of repeated free kicks,” Tharp said. “This rule change is consistent with NFHS rules that no foul should go unpenalized.”

Play 3: Team K’s free kick from its 40 yardline goes out of bounds untouched (a) at team R’s 35 yardline, or (b) after breaking the plane of team R’s goalline. Ruling 3: Team R may accept a five-yard penalty from the previous spot and have K rekick; put the ball in play at the inbounds spot 25 yards beyond the previous spot; decline the penalty and put the ball in play at the inbounds spot; or accept a five-yard penalty enforced from the dead-ball spot. In (a), that would put the ball at team R’s 40 yardline. In (b), because the result of the play was a touchback, the ball would next be snapped from team R’s 25 yardline.

Play 4: Fourth and 10 from team K’s 20 yardline. At the snap, team K is flagged for an illegal formation.

K1’s punt is caught by R2 at the 50

DID YOU KNOW? John Heisman’s contributions to football were many and he is certainly worthy of having a trophy named for him. As a coach in the early 1900s, Heisman pushed to divide the game into quarters and created the center snap (previously the ball had been rolled on the ground). Heisman introduced the vocal signal (“hike,” which far too many people still use in place of the word “snap”) and the first audible at the line. He invented the hidden ball trick and what would now be called the fumblerooski. In 1935, the Downtown Athletic Club wanted to present an annual award to the nation’s top college football player and wanted to name the award for Heisman. Although Heisman was never shy about promoting himself, he steadfastly declined.

But two months after his death in 1936, the club renamed the award the Heisman Trophy.

CONTRIBUTING SOURCE: THE NEW YORK TIMES

SIDELINE NFLRA Honors Look Dean Look, Okemos, Mich., whose 29-year career included three Super Bowls, was named the National Football League Referees Association’s (NFLRA) Annual Honoree. The award, presented in April, recognizes an NFL official’s onfield work and his support of the union. Beyond officiating, Look is remembered for his mentoring of rookie officials. He was a first-round draft pick by the Denver Broncos of the AFL but instead signed with the Chicago White Sox and had his major league debut in 1961. He would follow that up with a stint in the AFL with the Buffalo Bills and New York Titans. “Beyond his great contributions on the field, Dean will forever be an important member of the NFLRA family for his dedication to improving officiating and his contributions to the union,” said NFLRA President Tony Steratore.

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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. 81.

1. First and 10 on team A’s 20 yardline. A1 advances to team A’s 30 yardline when he is hit and fumbles.

The ball is in flight when B2 bats the ball toward his own goalline.

B3 catches the ball at team A’s 35 yardline and is downed immediately. a. Legal play. b. B2 is guilty of illegal batting. c. The penalty is enforced from team A’s 20 yardline. d. The penalty is enforced from team A’s 30 yardline. e. The penalty is enforced from team A’s 35 yardline.

2. Second and goal at team B’s eight yardline. A1 throws a backward pass to A2, who is at team B’s 10 yardline when he bats it forward to A3. A3 catches the ball at team B’s five yardline and carries the ball across team B’s goalline. a. Legal play. b. A2 is guilty of illegal batting. c. Second and goal at team B’s 23 yardline. d. Second and goal at team B’s 25 yardline. e. Second and goal at team B’s 20 yardline. f. Third and goal at team B’s 20 yardline.

3. For which of the following fouls is physical contact required? a. Pass interference. b. Fighting. c. Sideline interference. d. All of the above. e. None of the above.

4. Which of the following situations results in disqualification of a player? a. Two personal fouls. b. Fighting. c. Two unsportsmanlike conduct fouls. d. All of the above. e. None of the above.

5. Third and 10 on team B’s 34 yardline. A1 drops back to pass. To hinder B2’s rush, lineman A3 swings his leg and contacts B2 at his knees.

B2 stumbles, but regains his balance so he is able to resume his rush.

He then contacts A1 well after the pass is released. The contact was avoidable, rough but not flagrant. a. Both teams have fouled. b. Only team A has fouled. c. Only team B has fouled.

68 | REFEREE May 2018

yardline and returned to team K’s 40 yardline. Ruling 4: Team K may have the five-yard penalty enforced from the previous spot, or have the penalty enforced from the end of R2’s run.

Play 5: Fourth and 10 from team K’s 20 yardline. At the snap, team K is flagged for an illegal formation.

K1’s punt is caught by R2 at the 50 yardline and returned to team K’s 40 yardline, where R2 is hit and fumbles.

The ball is recovered at team K’s 35 yardline by (a) R3, or (b) K4. Ruling 5: In (a), the penalty is enforced from the end of the play. That gives team R a first down at team K’s 30 yardline.

In (b), in order to negate the loss of possession, team R must accept enforcement from the previous spot.

Play 6: Fourth and 10 from team K’s five yardline. At the snap, team K is flagged for an illegal formation. K1’s punt is blocked and the ball (a) rolls out of the back of team K’s end zone, or (b) is recovered by R2, who advances across team K’s goalline. Ruling 6: In (a), if team R wants the two points for a safety it must decline the penalty.

The penalty cannot be enforced on the succeeding kickoff because team K will be next to put the ball in play. Team R could have the penalty enforced from the previous spot. In (b), team R scores a touchdown. The five-yard penalty will be enforced on the try.

Defenseless Player 2-32-16a The committee clarified that defenseless player provisions do not apply to a passer until a legal forward pass is thrown. Previous wording indicated a player who was “in the act of” throwing a pass was defenseless. The committee noted that a player in possession of the ball is a runner. He does not become a passer — and therefore a defenseless player — until he throws a legal forward pass. He remains a passer until the pass ends or he moves to participate in the play.

The rule change clarifies the distinction between the time when players are runners and after they have become passers.

Signals For consistency, the committee approved adopting one signal for

free-kick infractions except for encroachment.

Signal 19 (rolling fists) will be used to indicate that team K had a player or players more than five yards behind the kicking team’s freekick line; if one team K player was more than five yards behind that restraining line and any other player kicked the ball; or, if at the time the ball is kicked, team K did not have at least four on each side of the kicker.

Previously, signal 18 (hands on hips) was used to indicate those fouls. Signal 18 will only be used for encroachment.

A new signal has been adopted to indicate a blindside block. The fists are bumped together at chest level (see PlayPic).

Six-Player Timing Rule With a change in the six-player rules, timing rules for the break between periods for all forms of football have been standardized.

In each game, teams get a oneminute break between the first and second and third and fourth periods.

Previously, six-player teams received a two-minute break.

As always, state associations may determine the length of halftimes, provided it is not less than 10 minutes and not more than 20 minutes (not including the mandatory threeminute warmup period).

Jeffrey Stern is Referee’s senior editor. *

Are You Working the Game, or Are You Letting the Coach Work You?

By George Demetriou

A

broad definition of the term “gamesmanship” is the skilled or expert use of methods that are dubious or seemingly improper, but not strictly illegal. Here’s the classic, which is NFHS Casebook play 9.10.1B: In an apparent field goal situation, potential kicker K1 moves from his backfield position toward his team box while yelling “Where’s the tee?” However, K1 breaks downfield following the snap and catches a touchdown pass.

According to the rules, the officials are to prevent the snap and enforce a 15-yard penalty against team K for unsportsmanlike conduct. An accompanying comment notes in part, “Football has been and always will be a game of deception and trickery. … However, actions or verbiage designed to confuse the defense into believing there is problem and a snap isn’t imminent is beyond the scope of sportsmanship and is illegal.”

Another aspect of gamesmanship is known as “working the officials.”

There are many techniques available to wily coaches, particularly those with psychology degrees. Some of them are employed before the game begins.

Here are a couple of situations that occurred several years ago during the pregame conference. In the first game, the visiting coach mentioned the other team’s tight end blocks below the waist. In the second, the home coach complained a film review had shown that in punt formation, the opposing team’s snapper would lift the ball before passing it backward.

While it is preferable that a coach not begin a game with allegations about the opposing team, it is bound to happen during the course of a season. Sometimes, as in the first case above, there will be a legitimate question. The second situation is somewhat different from the first because the coach made a specific request.

Many officials look at those

scenarios as no-win situations. If you accommodate the coach, he may think he has you in his hip pocket. If you don’t, he may either feel ignored or later say, “I told you so.” Probably the worst thing you could do is let the coach know that’s how you feel about it. Here are some possible responses along with an analysis of their plusses and minuses.

Response 1: “Thanks for your concern, coach. We will watch that closely for both teams.” Analysis 1: Mentioning that both teams will be monitored is a good idea, but thanking the coach for his concern falls somewhere between smart aleck and patronizing.

While it is preferable that a coach not begin a game with allegations about the opposing team, it is bound to happen during the course of a season.

Response 2: “Coach, we’ve worked your games before, and I assure you we will not tolerate illegal acts from either team.” Analysis 2: If you’ve officiated for the coach before, he probably remembers and there is no point in reminding him. The second half of the statement smacks of apple pie and motherhood.

Response 3: “Coach, I’ll get the visiting coach and we can discuss your concerns and his together.”

Analysis 3: That is asking for trouble.

If the coaches wanted to talk to one another, they did so when the teams took the field to warm up. Only in the most unusual circumstances should a referee bring the coaches together and in that situation, it is a response in kind. You’ll be beating him at his own game. The most likely outcome

is the first coach will be intimidated into withdrawing his remarks or modifying them. Your success in eliminating the issue is hollow because the coach will remember you negatively. If he persists in making a face-to-face accusation, you run the risk of being caught in the middle of a shouting match between coaches.

So what really happened? In the actual game regarding the tight end blocking below the waist, the referee explained that type of block could be either legal or illegal depending on whether the players involved were in the free-blocking zone and on their respective lines of scrimmage at the snap. He assured the coach the crew would watch for illegal blocks. The coach’s comments were passed on to the wing officials, but not to the opposing coach. The game was played without incident and no illegal blocks were observed.

In the second game, regarding the snapper first lifting the ball, the umpire explained the act described was an illegal snap and he would watch for it. At the end of the conference with the visiting coach, the umpire, without reference to the home coach’s comments, added a reminder that snaps on punts must be smooth and continuous. In the first quarter, it happened exactly as predicted. The dead-ball foul was declared and one of the assistant coaches yelled to the snapper, “Ask him to tell you what you did wrong!” The snapper later confirmed the umpire’s pregame hint had not been passed on to him.

Most coaches are reasonable and responsible individuals. Many of their pregame questions will be legitimate requests for information or clarification. On occasion, some coaches will vie for an advantage and the official must be prepared to respond professionally without falling victim to the gamesmanship.

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

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FOOTBALL

CASEPLAYS Touchback or Safety?

Play: A1’s pass is intercepted

by B2 in his own end zone. B2 runs toward one sideline, then backtracks to the other. He is tackled in the end zone with the ball never breaking the plane of the goalline. Is that a safety?

Ruling: That is a touchback. The force (NFHS) or impetus (NCAA) that put the ball in the end zone was the pass. Because the ball never returned to the field of play, it is a touchback (NFHS 8-5-1, 8-5-2; NCAA 8-6-1, 8-7-2).

Onside Kick Play: K1 drives the ball immediately into the ground.

The ball bounces high into the air seven yards beyond team K’s free-kick line. R2 gives a fair-catch signal. K3 bats the ball forward but R4 recovers 12 yards beyond the free-kick line.

Ruling: In NFHS, that is a pop-up kick, which is a foul. The ball is dead when kicked and team K is penalized five yards from the previous spot. In NCAA, K3 is guilty of kick-catching interference and illegal touching. Team R may have the 15-yard penalty enforced from the spot of R4’s recovery, decline the penalty and take the ball at the spot of R4’s recovery or take the ball at the spot of K3’s illegal touching. R2’s fair-catch signal is valid because, during a free kick, a player of the receiving team in position to receive the ball has the same kick-catch and fair-catch protection whether the ball is kicked directly off the tee or is immediately driven to the ground in that manner. However, the ball cannot be advanced by team R and is dead when caught or recovered (NFHS 2-24-10, 6-111 Pen.; NCAA 6-4-1f, 6-5-1a, 9-4-1c).

Snap Play: Does the ball have to be snapped from between the snapper’s legs? Ruling: No. The snapper could snap the ball in such a way that it was propelled to the outside of a leg. In order to be legal, the snap must be one quick and continuous backward motion of the ball. The snapper must face the opponent’s goalline and must have his shoulders approximately parallel with the line of scrimmage (NFHS 2-32-9, 2-40, 7-2-4; NCAA 2-23-1a, 2-23-1g).

70 | REFEREE May 2018

First and …? It Depends S

everal fundamental rules come into play when team B commits a dead-ball foul after a change of possession.

In PlayPic A, the runner has failed to reach the line-to-gain on a fourthdown run. Assuming there were no live-ball fouls during the down, a change of possession occurred when the ball became dead and team B took over on downs. That doesn’t change despite the dead-ball late hit by the team B player.

The penalty for the personal foul is enforced before the chains are set

A

B

for team B’s series. As seen in PlayPic B, the penalty has been assessed and it is first and 10 (not first and 25) for team B. A new series always begins with a first down. It will always be first and 10 unless either team commits a dead-ball foul between the ready signal and the snap (NFHS 5-31; NCAA 5-2-7).

If a dead-ball foul occurs after the referee’s ready signal, acceptance of the penalty results in first and something other than 10 yards. For instance, a false start on team A would yield first and 15. *

FOOTBALL

‘There’s a Penalty Marker on the Field’ A

72 | REFEREE May 2018

the flag should be tossed into the air directly in front of the body and the stop-the-clock signal given (even if the clock isn’t running; it’s a good habit to develop). In a false start or encroachment situation, a lineman could take exception to the foul and retaliate.

Reporting the foul. Once confident the action has stopped, jog toward the center of the field and report the foul to the referee. Referee recommends the linesman and line judge refrain from giving the signal from the wings. If the other wing official has a different foul, it can make the crew look bad.

It is strongly recommended that an official who throws a flag or sees one on the field use several short blasts on the whistle after the ball is dead to bring the flag to the referee’s attention. The whistle should be accompanied by the stop-the-clock signal.

Sometimes the calling official has to leave the spot of the flag to report to the referee. If feasible, another official should stand at the spot to ensure the flag isn’t moved.

If two different officials throw flags on the same play, it is important they communicate to see if they saw the same foul or have two different fouls.

A few techniques to avoid: slamdunking the flag to the ground; looking angry when it’s tossed; holding the flag and waving it, instead of throwing it; or throwing it at the fouling player. On late hits, the latter looks confrontational, and worse yet, might hit the player in the face.

There are varying schools of thought on how an official who rules a foul against the scoring team should signal if the play ends in a touchdown. Some say the stopthe-clocks signal is appropriate since the official knows the score will be nullified. Others believe the touchdown down indicates to all that the result of the play was a touchdown. Your crew can decide which is preferable.

Willie Wellbrock, Fayetteville, N.C., flags a foul in a high school game last season.

Flags for live-ball fouls can be tossed underhanded to ensure accuracy. It is not imperative to have the flag on the exact spot of grass where the foul occurred, but marking the yardline is crucial if the spot of the foul is also the spot of enforcement.

“Me-too” flags. Avoid throwing “me-too” flags. That involves having the official closest to the official who threw his flag also throwing his flag as a means of supporting his partner.

The concept is the coach will think it is an acceptable call because two officials had it. The technique is both unnecessary and deceptive.

While there are some situations in which the coverage will overlap two officials, many plays dictate each official maintain unique coverage.

Further, if the two officials were to offer contradicting explanations of the foul, the crew’s integrity would be severely diminished. Finally, excessive flags will contribute to an image of a “flag happy” crew. 

KEN KASSENS

s ironic as it may seem, the penalty flag was invented by a coach. Youngstown College’s Dwight “Dike” Beede gets the credit for conceiving what has become an indispensable piece of officiating gear.

Beede commissioned his wife, Irma, to sew the first flag. She used red cloth accented by white stripes, then added lead sinkers from Beede’s fishing tackle box to weigh it down. It was 16 inches square with the weight all at one end of the flag.

The penalty marker has undergone several changes since then. But no matter its appearance or the material used, it has become an indispensable part of officiating gear.

Where to throw it. When a liveball foul is observed, it is crucial that the penalty marker is dropped at the proper yardline but that the whistle is withheld until the play is over.

Make a mental note of the spot of the foul and the number of the offending player but continue to officiate the play; don’t stop at the spot of the foul and fail to cover the play to its conclusion.

If the spot of the foul will be the enforcement spot, the flag must get as close to that spot as possible. If it’s off target, relocate the flag as soon as possible after the play by picking it up and moving it definitively.

The longer the delay in making that correction, the more it will appear the officials are manipulating the situation. Also, attempting to kick it to the correct spot gives an underhanded appearance.

If the penalty would be enforced from the spot of the foul, it is important for the calling official to put his flag on the yardline on which the infraction was committed. The flag should be thrown or dropped so that it hits the ground on either side of the players; don’t think of the player as a dart board and the flag as a dart. Throwing the flag in the direction of the players will help the calling official observe the number of the offending player.

For pre-snap fouls, the whistle should be blown immediately and

e r o m t i u r c e r n a c you

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e s u a c e b d e tart s t o g s l a i l ffic a i o c i l l f f a o f e o v i act 48 % n n a a h m t o e r r f o n M atio t i v n i l a n o of a pers attention officiating leaders Having your officials invite a prospect is the best way to swell your ranks. 9 Rules You Thought You Knew is the ideal vehicle to deliver that invitation.

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learn more at referee.com/Recruit

ALL SPORTS

EDITOR: JEFFREY STERN

jstern@referee.com

FOR ALL SPORTS, ALL LEVELS

Jim Mullen, Bellevue, Wash., maintains his cool while facing an argumentative coach.

WHAT YOUR WRATH HAS WROUGHT P

erturbed. Agitated. Ticked off.

Peeved.

Whatever label you give it, we all know it. Whether the cause is a knownothing loudmouth in the stands, a coach who won’t stop chirping or a mouthy player, every official has gotten just plain angry at someone or something during a game or match.

How did you react the last time you were angry? Did you hold it in? Did you lash back at whomever was getting under your skin? How did those strategies work for you? If you held it in, you likely spent the ride home talking to yourself about how you

74 | REFEREE May 2018

wished you’d have responded more aggressively. If you gave back as good (or better) than you got, it might have felt good at the time, but in retrospect, you might be worried about backlash from your assigner for losing your cool.

Anger is a normal human emotion and no one is able to keep his or her temper 100 percent of the time. Experts say the two main triggers for anger are stress and frustration. Few games you officiate will have absolutely no stress. If you are so fortunate as to have a cruiser — an absolute lollipop of a game — look out, because the officiating gods are saving a lulu for

you down the road.

Psychologist Dr. Peter Sacco believes the best way to recognize your anger is to know yourself. “You need to take an assessment of your emotions to know what sets you off and what your limits are,” Sacco theorizes.

“Anger management problems usually stem from repeated experiences with similar people and situations. Plain and simple: Individuals with anger management problems become classically conditioned to respond the same way over time, without having to really think.”

If that sounds familiar, you likely

DALE GARVEY

Get Rid of the Anger and Improve Your Game

BARRY POOLE

remember Anton Pavlov, who trained dogs to salivate whenever he rang a bell. Instead of bells, your trigger is criticism and instead of salivating, you become angry.

Take the example of the umpire who has worked several games over the past few weeks. At the same time, things at work are tenuous, there have been family issues and vacation is weeks away. If that weren’t enough, there have been some missed calls on the field and criticism is coming from every quarter.

But the umpire puts all of that aside and enters the next game with a can-do attitude. All is well until one missed call in the top of the fifth inning is followed by another in the bottom half and a third in the top of the sixth. All of that confidence is shattered, everyone is barking, and the umpire thinks, “Here we go again.”

According to Sacco, not only is the umpire perceiving that others are calling him a bad umpire, but he is interpreting things even deeper and believes others are calling him “bad” overall.

It’s not uncommon for players, coaches and fans to see the official or umpire as the “bad guy” who penalizes their team. “In their eyes, the referee is the one who costs them the game,” Sacco says. “Sometimes they treat the referee as an outcast. Depending on how thick your skin is, you may take that to heart and believe the players and fans also hate you as a person, instead of simply disliking your station and uniform.

“So when batters start questioning your strike zone, do you perceive them to be saying, ‘You are a bad umpire’?

Or do you see them questioning your integrity as a person? Officiating, perhaps more than any other career, has that fine line.”

Avoid the argument. This column has already implored you not to get angry when things go haywire during a contest. Now here’s another concept out of left field: You can train yourself to not argue.

It’s not an easy thing to not argue.

In fact, Sacco says, “It takes more mental toughness, emotional control and good old-fashioned restraint than it does to go on the offensive and fire

when fired upon. But if you can train yourself to remain above the fray when a player or coach desperately wants to go nose-to-nose with you, you’ll be a better, more confident and more respected official.”

One word of warning from Sacco: Nothing recommended from this point forward is intended as a substitute for dealing with a problem head-on.

“When a participant clearly steps over the line when trying to goad you into an argument, that’s another animal and you should deal with that appropriately,” he notes.

Here are some suggestions for taking control of a conflict before it turns into an argument: 1. Let the other person talk — and don’t interrupt. In other words, have the courtesy to listen before you say anything. You may have made up your mind and there’s no way you’re changing anything, but by fully listening to what the coach or player has to say, you can at least empathize with the other person’s viewpoint.

2. Using your own words, repeat the problem back to the coach or player. That lets the aggressor know you heard him or her and that you understood the message. It also gives that person a moment to calm down.

3. Don’t debate judgments. You should always remain objective and not try to justify judgment calls once you have made up your mind.

4. Limit discussion only to the most recent call. When the coach or player brings up a play from earlier in the game, it’s time to shut down the conversation. Make it clear that you’re only willing to consider the current conflict; the past is history.

5. Remain assertive and decisive.

Avoid being wishy-washy with agreements. You’re free to change your mind about a call, but it should never appear that you were talked into that change. And if you do change your mind, do it in a strong, decisive manner. The worst thing you can do is look like you’re going back and forth with your decisions.

6. If you can help it, don’t engage in any discussion when you’re very angry. There’s that word again!

You’ve probably seen a game or heard stories in which a player gets

QUICKTIP Officials are an integral part of athletic competition. Just as the athletes are expected to hustle, so should the officials.

But the officials have a different responsibility than players and must use controlled (good) hustle as opposed to running all over the field or gym. The difference is clearly noticeable.

Don’t walk when you should be jogging. Don’t jog when you should be sprinting. But don’t do either when it’s just for show.

DID YOU KNOW? After a spectacular career as a pro football player, Cal Hubbard went on to have a stellar career as a major league umpire. In fact, Hubbard is the only person to have been elected to both the baseball and football halls of fame. Hubbard played for three NFL teams between 1927-36 and is credited as being one of the inventors of the linebacker position. He then went on to umpire in the AL from 1936-51.

After retiring from the field, he served as an umpire supervisor until 1969. To top it off, Hubbard, who attended both Centenary College in Louisiana and Geneva College in Pennsylvania, is also a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

THEY SAID IT “My definition of a fan is the kind of guy who will scream at you from the 60th row of the bleachers because he thinks you missed a marginal holding call in the center of the interior line, and then after the game won’t be able to find his car in the parking lot.”

— Former NFL referee Jim Tunney

REFEREE

May 2018 |

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ALL SPORTS

ejected, followed shortly by the head coach, then an assistant, and maybe a couple of other bench personnel follow.

It’s easy to see how a person’s tolerance level would get shorter and shorter with each successive verbal assault.

Situations like that call for an alert partner to step in, giving you a moment to cool your jets and let the adrenaline drain.

7. When discussing problems, focus on solutions. For officials, that doesn’t mean changing a call, but it might mean acquiescing to a coach’s

request to consult a crewmate. Or you might say something like, “It was a good no-call, coach, but I understand your frustration and I’ll keep an eye out for the sort of contact you’re talking about.”

In summary, remember that anger can be used as a motivator by invigorating you to get something done. Perhaps that something is a change in how you deal with anger.

Anger tells you something is wrong and you need to deal with it. The best way to make anger work for you is to

modify what needs to be changed, but don’t become an extremist and think you need to change your entire being.

Put things in perspective, leave your personal life off the playing field and leave your officiating gear at the game.

The key to self-control is change, and vice versa. As Sacco says, “Always remember: No one can make you mad unless you want to be mad.”

Portions of this column were taken from the feature story, “How to NOT Argue,” which appeared in the 5/05 issue, and “Mad as Hell,” from the 9/00 issue. *

From ‘New Guy’ to ‘One of the Guys’

By Scott Tittrington

W

hen I accepted the offer to join Referee as an associate editor in January, I had next to no concerns about how I’d fit in with my soon-tobe co-workers. I had the opportunity to interview with several of them both via telephone and in person and knew we would have an instant kinship forged by working in journalism devoted to the common passion of officiating.

My bigger concern was how long it would take for me to find acceptance and trust as the “new” guy trying to break into high school sports officiating in Wisconsin.

We all know the reality that there is a numbers crunch in the officiating ranks and that in some locations the only initial requirement is that you be a warm body. Still, there is a vast difference between that bare minimum and indoctrinating yourself as someone whom your new brothers or sisters in stripes not only accept, but want to work with and will vouch for with other officials and assigners.

Fortunately, I had been down this road before. After working four years as a three-sport official in California, I relocated to Utah for a new job in March 2014 and had to quickly make connections and impressions at the outset of the high school baseball season. Unfortunately, my move to Wisconsin the first week of February meant trying to gain some sort of

76 | REFEREE May 2018

foothold not at the start of a season, but 80 percent of the way through the high school basketball campaign.

Early indications are I did something right. I had the opportunity to not only work immediately — my first game assignment took place less than 72 hours after my arrival in the state — but with several good crews. In many ways it mirrored my experience in Utah, where the local baseball unit made me feel at home from Day One. I’d like to think both positive experiences were the result of following a basic blueprint in my effort to make a smooth transition from “the new guy” to “one of the guys.”

Be communicative. The first key to making connections as the new guy is being willing to put yourself out there by opening the lines of communication with your new officiating brethren. In these times of advanced technology, we have so many tools at our disposal with which to offer an initial introduction to local assigners, be it a phone call, an email, a Facebook friend request or some other method. You don’t want to be pushy or overbearing, but you also must be willing to make the first move and get your name and information in their hands. Assigners can’t help you if they don’t know who you are or what you are all about. So, give them the basics and build from there.

Be honest. When making your initial contact and in subsequent follow-ups, be honest in describing

your officiating background and your abilities. Don’t try to bluff new assigners in the hopes of making an early favorable impression. Remember, technology and accessibility are a two-way street and the officiating community is a tight one. If you claim you have collegiate experience, your new assigners are going to investigate to make sure it’s true. If you say you worked the state tournament last winter, you can bet your former assigner will be getting a call. Don’t get off on the wrong foot by giving your new assigners a reason to doubt how trustworthy you are.

Be dependable. So now you have made some connections, your new assigners have done their homework and formed an initial impression about your abilities and assignments start coming your way. The very first one is the time to start proving you are a partner that your assigner and your crewmates can count on. Don’t just be on time — arrive early. Be dressed and groomed appropriately. Have everything you need in your game bag ready to go. And make sure you repeat that same process with the same diligence every single game. Sure, we all have issues that crop up from time to time in our officiating careers. But the first few weeks are when you are going to make the impression that’s going to stick with your new mates. Be where you are supposed to be, when you said you would be and how you said you would be.

Be engaged. The time has come to show your abilities calling a game.

Now, you must step up and show you can be a vital contributor to your crew. Be aware of your environment and what is necessary to work well with your partners. Be an active participant in pregame, halftime and postgame discussions. But don’t be the know-it-all and don’t be the, “Well, this is how we did it in my last unit” guy. It’s your job to find out what it takes to work seamlessly in your new association and with your new partners. Show them your first priority is to be on the same page with them, to call the same game as them and to be a trusted part of the team.

Be flexible. We’ve all worked with rigid partners who make life difficult for other members on their crew or their assigners. Perhaps it’s their unwillingness to work what they feel are “inferior” games, whether it’s a lower-level contest, or a girls’

game instead of a boys’ tilt. Or they don’t want to travel more than 20 miles from home. Or they don’t want to work on Thursday nights, even though they have the availability to do so. Don’t be that person. Take the games your assigner needs you to work. And if your assigner is in a pinch and you can help out, do it. You want to be someone your assigners can count on, not someone who makes their already incredibly difficult job even more so. Plus, it’s always good to have a little extra officiating karma on your side.

Be patient. We all want to work the best games with the best partners.

There is nothing wrong with that motivation. However, we also need to be realistic in understanding that we’re not going to walk into a new association and have those assignments handed to us instead of officials who have spent years earning those coveted games. That

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doesn’t mean seniority trumps all.

It means come in, work hard, get noticed and let your ability speak for itself and ultimately reap the rewards rather than having a pre-determined timetable that says even though you are the new guy, you expect some type of unwarranted pampering.

Be yourself. We’ve all heard the phrase, “Fake it till you make it.”

Don’t confuse that with being fake or inauthentic as an official. You owe it to yourself, your partners, your assigners and your unit to be the real you, so that everyone knows exactly what to expect on game night. You’ll do your best job if you are comfortable in your own skin and call your own game without the added pressure of trying to be someone you’re not. And you’ll discover it’s also the biggest key to your success as an official.

Scott Tittrington is an associate editor for Referee and a high school basketball, football and baseball official. *

FOR THE RECORD AWARDS, ROSTERS, NOTABLES

PROFESSIONAL • NFL playoff crews are listed here. Crew order is referee, umpire, down judge, line judge, field judge, side judge, back judge, replay official. Super Bowl LII (Feb. 4): Philadelphia 41, New England 33 – Gene Steratore, Roy Ellison, Jerry Bergman, Byron Boston, Tom Hill, Scott Edwards, Perry Paganelli, Paul Weidner.

Conference championships (Jan. 22): New England 24, Jacksonville 20 – Clete Blakeman, Fred Bryan, Mark Hittner, Kent Payne, Tony Steratore, Dyrol Prioleau, Aaron Santi, Carl Madsen.

Philadelphia 38, Minnesota 7 – Ed Hochuli, Shawn Smith, Jim Mello, Rusty Baynes, Todd Prukop, Brad Freeman, Eugene Hall, Tom Sifferman.

Division championships (Jan. 13-14): Philadelphia 15, Atlanta 10 – Bill Vinovich, Mark Pellis, Ed Camp, Boston, Shawn Hochuli, Allen Baynes, Hill, Charles Stewart. New England 35, Tennessee 14 – Ron Torbert, Bruce Stritesky, Jerod Phillips, Mark Perlman, Perry Paganelli, Edwards, Dale Shaw, Darryll Lewis.

Jacksonsville 45, Pittsburgh 42 – Brad Allen, Barry Anderson, Bergman, Julian Mapp, Scott Helverson, Walt Coleman IV, Joe Larrew, Jim Lapetina. Minnesota 29, New Orleans 24 – Steratore, Ellison, Tom Symonette, Mark Steinkerchner, Greg Meyer, Boris Cheek, Scott Novak, Weidner.

Wild Card (Jan. 6-7): Tennessee 22, Kansas City 21 – Jeff Triplette, Bryan, Mike Spanier, Payne, Steve Freeman, Prioleau, Hall, Earnie Frantz. Atlanta 26, Los Angeles 13 – Hochuli, Smith, Hittner, Gary Arthur, Greg Wilson, Freeman, Michael Banks, Billy Smith. Jacksonville 10, Buffalo 3 – John Hussey, Bill Schuster, Phil McKinnely, Baynes, Terrence Miles, Alex Kemp, Santi, Mike Wimmer. New Orleans 31, Carolina 26 – Tony Corrente, Bryan Neale, Derick Bowers, Tim Podraza, Dino Paganelli, Terry Brown, Steve Zimmer, Larry Nemmers.

78 | REFEREE May 2018

COLLEGE • The following officials worked the 2017 NAIA fall championships: Volleyball – Lisa Walter, Rachael Stringer, Joshua Hall, Sharon Harris Agrusa, Joanie Havens, Ann Hutchins, Conrad Johnston, Eric Sanders, Matt Larsen, Dianne Penner, James Phillips, Kelly Peterson.

Men’s soccer – Karl Braun, Doug Ferguson, Andy Ellsworth, Ben Trevino, Khalaf Al-Latayfeh, Will Niccolls, Esteban Rosano, Ben Darriba.

Women’s soccer – Bryan Auten, Abdu Bensalah, Racheal Cutts, Amin Hadzic, Brian Bauer, Amanda Dibiasio, Brandon Wulff, Brian Martin.

HIGH SCHOOL • The following officials worked the California Interscholastic Federation state football championships: Mark Thomas, Vallejo; Cornell Gathing, Sacramento; T.J. Gomez, Colusa; Rick Moore, San Jose; Otis Byrd, San Francisco; Conrad Bassett, Oakland; Ed Bautista, San Jose; Wayne Neault, Marysville; Patrick Burford, Pittsburg; Terry Miles, Elk Grove; Jerry Springer, West Sacramento; Chris Denker, San Jose; Paul Campana, Pleasanton; Robert Micheli, Millbrae; Melvin Landry, Oakland; Michael Gasvoda, Los Gatos; Eric Martinez, Chico; Jonathan Little, Bloomfield; Mac Parfet, Pacifica; Kirk Mason, Fort Bragg; Eric Joe, Sacramento; Randy Frey, Los Gatos; Charley Hayes, Novato; Mike King, Redwood City; Dan Santi, Redding; Jonathan Nagle, Browns Valley; Joseph Freeman, Elk Grove; Joshua Aragon, Sacramento; Gordon McClaskey, Visalia; Anthony Britt, Carson; Troy Podratz, Palmdale; Max Hernandez, Rancho Cucamonga; Ryan Parris, La Habra; Jimmy Christensen, Vista; Chris Daste, Simi Valley; Steve Heyman, Yorba Linda; Charlie Chastain, Norco; Moses Vergara, La Mirada; Ron

Gillenberg, San Diego; Jim Sayre, Sunland; Nelson Bae, Los Angeles; Rick Cazares, Clovis; Mark Millsom, Santa Monica; Charles Glover, Inglewood; James Thomas, Upland; Cody Wilson, Fresno; Heath Johnson, Lompoc; Wade Van Hooser, Lindsay; Kipperr Bell, San Diego; Mike Downing, Encinitas; Mod Vega, Placentia; Eric Espinola, Exeter; Ron Maden, Redondo Beach; Rob Schaerer, Santee; Timothy Cage, Chatsworth; Darrell Brooks, Murrieta.

• The following officials worked the Texas football state championship games. All games were played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Dec. 20-23: 1A Division 1 – Mark Nolen, Justin Jacobson, Albert Larrea, Larry Morgan, Lloyd Clippinger. 1A Division 2 – Tony Gonzales, Ronnie Hargis, Steve Hastings, Dennis Campbell, Mike Perry. 2A Division 1 – Edgar Reed, Freddy DeLeon, Steve Gibson, Joe Clark, Bruce Jones, Coby Ford. 2A Division 2 – Charlie Wernette, Charlie Salinas, Charlie Salinas Jr., Jeff Spence, Kevin Wilcox, Tim Yarbrough. 3A Division 1 – Mike Atkinson, Bill Stevens, Steve Prihoda, John Farris, Bob Hubbell, Brian Raines, Chuck Gurney, Duffy Mapes.

3A Division 2 – Ricky Prine, Mo Jones, Geoff Marolda, Cy Vojtek, Michael Jenkins, Allen Mann, Onare’ Brown, Kim Gullickson. 4A Division 1 – Greg Maxwell, Greg DeLuca, Jason Manies, Chad Jackson, Deon Samuel, Ronnie Barker, Larry Metcalf, Duane Martin.

4A Division 2 – Mike Barrett, Andre Andrews, Mike May, Drey Lord, Jim Wilson, James Minor. 5A Division 1 – Wayne Elliott, Marc Harrod, Darren McDaniel, Nick Foreman, Tanner King, Mike Gann, Julian Alvarez, Joe Wise. 5A Division 2 – Kyle Rutherford, Daryl Starkes, Brad Frisby, Charles Thomson, Richard Hodde, John Teague, Jackie Culverhouse, Wes Hall. 6A Division 1 – Randy Wilson, David Balli, Todd Helmer, Robert Balli, Kenny McCants, Josh Daume, Carlton Brown, Tim Loesch. 6A Division 2 – Clark Calvert, Durwood Manley, Rusty Duke, Thomas Bennett, Thomas Beene, Richie McKittrick, David Fields, Chad Wakefield.

• The following officials worked the 2017 New Mexico state football championships: 6-Player – Dave Davis, Pat Kiska, Felix Salas, Mitch Gruen, David Langley; 8-Player – David Soveranez, Greg Sandoval, Bobby Benavidez, Stephen Aragon, John Baca; Class 2A – Jon Price, Antonio Lujan, Jeff Wagner, John Coriz, Gregg Sanchez; Class 3A – Greg Hanson, Alan Kirby, Jon Sasse, Larry Vaughan, Greg Sandoval; Class 4A – Jay Edgett, Steven Huebner, Doug Brewer, Lolly Zamora, Dwain Brown; Class 5A – Oscar Payen, Julian Apodaca, Martin Martinez, Tim Holguin, Mike Rundell; Class 6A – Pat Montano, Van Romero, Steve Rosas, Jake VanDerGeest, Mickey Shortencarier.

The following officials worked the Pennsylvania AAAAA state football championship game: (from left) Dave Glass, side judge; Dave Coates, down judge; Scott Laird, umpire; Eric Updegrove, referee; John Fishel, line judge; Brian Horner, field judge; Don Orwig, back judge.

Ploeger, Holstein; Jared Rahe, Lake Park; Royce Ranniger, Sioux City; Josh Rasmussen, Atlantic; Blake Reinke, Spirit Lake; David Rittman, Ankeny; Mark Royer, Council Bluffs; Todd Sadler, Mapleton; Kip Shanks, Council Bluffs; Brent Sharff, Maynard; Matt Shull, Mount Pleasant; Chad Slagle, Bancroft; Jason Slaughter, Sioux City; Robert Smith, Waterloo; Bob Squiers, North Liberty; Nathan Steege, Parkersburg; Justin Stockdale, Dike; Curt Strouth, Sheldon; Todd Thompson, Greene; Brad Van Roekel, Boyden; Kurt Walderbach, Mason City; Rollie Wiebers, Charter Oak; Ray Wilden, Clinton.

• The following officials worked the 2018 Iowa boys’ state basketball tournament: Benjamin Applegate, Winterset; Randy Baxter, Council Bluffs; Jeff Bermel, Keota; Randall Blum, Ankeny; Joe Breakenridge, Buckingham; Cory Burkle, Cedar Rapids; Kyle Clark, Waterloo; Rich Collision, Algona; Marshall Cotton, Mount Pleasant; Grant Detrick, Pleasant Hill; William Dotson, Grimes; Chris Ehlers, Mapleton; Ryan Eklund, Cedar Falls; Mark Gassman, Dewitt; Joseph Gatto, Marion; Jonathan Getting, Grimes; Scott Giles, Mount Ayr; Bill Gillman, Council Bluffs; Benjamin Hauge, St. Ansgar; Casey Hoffert, Shell Rock; Jeff Horst, Clinton; Jarry Jacobus, Des Moines; Brett Johnson, Spirit Lake; Steven Klein, Keota; Shawn Petersen, Atlantic; Lance

AWARDS & HONORS • The following officials have been selected for induction into the Ohio High School Athletic Association Officials

Hall of Fame. The induction banquet will be held on June 9 in Columbus: Thomas Bechtel, Wheeling, W.Va. (FB, SB, BK, BB); James O’Donnell, New Philadelphia (BK, FB, SB); Daniel Barringer, Bay Village (BK, VB, BB, SB); Rick Crislip, Louisville (WR); Tim Gebhardt, Pepper Pike (BK); Thomas Henson, Rome (Admin.); Jeffrey Crosby, Bellevue (WR); Ed Oberlander, New Knoxville (BK, BB, SB); Kenneth Katafias, Maumee (FB); Billy Holland, Gallipolis (FB, BK, SB); Michael Harbison, Cincinnati (BK, FB, BB); Jon Sagers, Cincinnati (BB, FB); Karol Warden, Loveland (VB, BK, SB); Henry Armstead, Massillon (FB, BK, SB, TF).

in the Navy and was a lifetime member of the Northern Officials Association in Illinois.

• Christopher Crowell, Racine, Wis., died Feb. 5.

He was 58. Known to many as “Chris the Ref,” Crowell officiated high school basketball for 25 years.

• George Voskerchian, Buffalo, N.Y., died Feb. 25.

He was 87. Voskerchian spent 38 years as a referee for the Western New York High School Football League. He also worked the sidelines at college football games for eight years and at high school swimming meets.

CONTRIBUTING SOURCE: BUFFALONEWS.COM

OBITUARIES • Andy Harlfinger, Burlington, Wis., died Jan. 20.

He was 79. Harlfinger served

Do you have any rosters, assignments or awards that warrant mention?

Send info to us at ForTheRecord@referee.com

ROSTERS Major League Baseball The 2018 MLB umpire roster is listed by crew. The umpire’s uniform number precedes his name. Following is each umpire’s hometown and first year of full-time service. Crew chiefs are listed first in each group.

12 Gerry Davis Appleton, Wis., 1985 6 Mark Carlson Joliet, Ill., 1999 91 Brian Knight Roseville, Calif., 2009 31 Pat Hoberg Des Moines, Iowa, 2017 32 Dana DeMuth Gilbert, Ariz., 1985 39 Paul Nauert Lawrenceville, Ga., 1999 87 Scott Barry Quincy, Mich., 2009 37 Carlos Torres Acarigua, Portugesa, Venezula, 2017 22 Joe West Weston, Fla., 1978 88 Doug Eddings Las Cruces, N.M., 1999 60 Marty Foster Beloit, Wis., 1999 90 Mark Ripperger, Escondido, Calif., 2015 38 Gary Cederstrom Minot, N.D., 1997 56 Eric Cooper Des Moines, Iowa, 1999 89 Cory Blaser Westminster, Colo., 2014 85 Stu Scheurwater Regina, Saskatchewan,

2018

Denver, 2017

24 Jerry Layne Winter Haven, Fla., 1989 53 Greg Gibson Catlettsburg, Ky., 1999 19 Vic Carapazza Palm Harbor, Fla., 2013 71 Jordan Baker Shawnee, Okla., 2014

33 Mike Winters Carlsbad, Calif., 1990 95 Tim Timmons Ft. Myers, Fla., 2001 30 Rob Drake Phoenix, 2010 76 Mike Muchlinski Bothell, Wash., 2014

9 Brian Gorman Camarillo, Calif., 1993 58 Dan Iassogna Marietta, Ga., 2004 80 Adrian Johnson Houston, 2010 73 Tripp Gibson Marysville, Wash., 2015

25 Fieldin Culbreth Spartanburg, S.C., 1999 7 Brian O’Nora Canfield, Ohio, 1999 54 CB Bucknor Brooklyn, N.Y., 1999 98 Chris Conroy North Adams, Mass., 2013

8 Jeff Kellogg Mattawan, Mich., 1993 51 Marvin Hudson Washington, Ga., 1999 92 James Hoye Cleveland, 2010 81 Quinn Wolcott Puyallup, Wash., 2015

65 Ted Barrett Higley, Ariz., 1999 44 Kerwin Danley Chandler, Ariz., 1998 23 Lance Barksdale Terry, Miss., 2007 93 Will Little Fall Branch, Tenn., 2015

20 Tom Hallion Louisville, Ky., 1986 10 Phil Cuzzi Nutley, N.J., 1999 2 Dan Bellino Crystal Lake, Ill., 2010 78 Adam Hamari

45 Jeff Nelson Orlando, Fla., 1999 63 Laz Diaz Orlando, Fla., 1999 49 Andy Fletcher Olive Branch, Miss., 1999 79 Manny Gonzalez

Valencia-Carabobo, Venezuela, 2013 26 Bill Miller Aptos, Calif., 1999 55 Angel Hernandez Loxahatchee, Fla., 1993 13 Todd Tichenor Holcomb, Kan., 2012 64 Alan Porter Warminster, Pa., 2013 41 Jerry Meals Salem, Ore., 1998 46 Ron Kulpa Maryland Heights, Mo., 1999 15 Ed Hickox Port Orange, Fla., 1999 47 Gabe Morales Livermore, Calif., 2017 27 Larry Vanover Nashville, Tenn., 1993 21 Hunter Wendelstedt Madisonville, La., 1999 68 Chris Guccione Brighton, Colo., 2009 86 David Rackley Matthews, N.C., 2014 57 Mike Everitt Des Moines, Iowa, 1999 52 Bill Welke Marshall, Mich., 1999 11 Tony Randazzo Las Cruces, N.M., 1999

94 Lance Barrett Fort Worth, Texas, 2014 50 Paul Emmel Bradenton, Fla., 1999 1 Bruce Dreckman Marcus, Iowa, 1997 4 Chad Fairchild Bradenton, Fla., 2010 83 Mike Estabrook Boynton Beach, Fla., 2014 34 Sam Holbrook Lexington, Ky., 1998 72 Alfonso Marquez Gilbert, Ariz., 1999 28 Jim Wolf Ahwatukee, Ariz., 2004 70 D.J. Reyburn Franklin, Tenn., 2014 14 Mark Wegner Plant City, Fla., 1999 77 Jim Reynolds Osprey, Fla., 1999 16 Mike DiMuro Denver, 1999 74 John Tumpane Evergreen Park, Ill., 2016

REFEREE May 2018 |

79

LAW

ISSUES AFFECTING OFFICIALS

Association Intervention

By Donald C. Collins Historically, too many officials take the approach that they just have to worry about one thing: officiating.

Too many associations believe their sole roles are to train or assign.

There are still many officials and associations who hold this view today.

Unfortunately, the associations that hold this innocent view of officiating are occasionally surprised by various disruptions. Those disruptions could be an injured official, an official upset over game assignments, an official who wasn’t paid, a sportsmanship problem, officials raising discrimination claims and any of a host of other problems.

Associations may be good at responding to a crisis when it happens, turning to the person in their association who might be able to bring in expertise from their outside work. The success of this approach to officiating correlates

In a modern officials association, intervention should become a continuation of ongoing education, training, discussion and feedback. to the ability of the troubleshooter.

Unfortunately, this approach is not always reliable and can be avoided if preventive measures are in place.

There are many associations that take preventive measures that put more concrete solutions in place.

They can require their members to carry liability insurance, make sure that their association is insured and join the NASO MICP program. This gives these associations protection and the ability to consult with someone should things go south.

Ultimately, crisis response — intervention on behalf of the official

80 | REFEREE May 2018

or the association — has to be a part of a coordinated strategy of education, training, communication and feedback within the association and with the association’s clients.

Association leadership has to start with education on association bylaws, policies and other association practices. This education has to be followed by training, actual implementation of the practices (they can’t just be written down on paper and forgotten on a shelf) and feedback from members on how things work.

Associations have to use this same approach with fine policies, penalties and due-process systems.

Then, associations need ongoing feedback and have to be willing to consider the feedback and make changes where appropriate.

This process has to occur on other matters, too. Members need a review of basic business practices. Associations will have to call on the attorneys, CPAs and insurance people within their ranks (and outside if that expertise isn’t available) to make sure that there is an educated membership.

Associations also need to continue this process with their clients. Clients need to know what to do — and have someone to tell them to do it — on matters ranging from pay and hosting officials to sportsmanship and game security.

Intervention should not seem like an ad hoc solution to an emergency.

In a modern officials association, intervention should become a continuation of ongoing education, training, discussion and feedback.

Intervention should become a routine practice that flows from ongoing conversations on a wide array of topics that the association has identified as core issues.

Donald C. Collins is executive director of the San Francisco Section of the California Interscholastic Federation.

He is a longtime basketball official and lawyer. This material is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. *

Proving Harassment in Court When an athletic director (AD) convinces other ADs and the commissioner of a conference to no longer use an official, he or she is not really interfering with the official’s economic relationship with a third party, as long as the AD is not misstating any facts.

However, the misstated facts have to be significant enough to make the official look bad. An error in a minor detail that has no significance won’t be enough.

It has to relate to something that would harm the official’s reputation and diminish his or her ability to get games. Even proving the AD’s facts were wrong may not be enough. The AD will argue that since the official is a public figure as far as his or her officiating is concerned, it’s not enough that the AD was wrong.

To be liable, the AD has to have a reckless disregard for the truth.

The Prejudice of AgeBased Evaluation There are some technical legal issues that relate to whether the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act or a state variant might apply to high school officials associations. To obtain relief under the acts, an injured party must be an employee. To be liable, an employer must have a minimum number of employees. One exception is made when a state or local government is the employer.

If a sports official tries to bring a case under one of the acts, the association or group that does the assigning is going to claim he or she is not an employee, but an independent contractor, so the act does not apply.

The association may also argue it is not an agent of the government and it does not have the requisite number of employees. Those arguments may or may not win. Just because an official is found to be an independent contractor for worker’s compensation does not mean a court won’t decide he or she is an employee for the purposes of discrimination.

PRESENTED BY

Go to www.naso.org and click on member benefits for more on MICP.

CLASSIFIEDS CAMPS/CLINICS/ SCHOOLS * ATTENTION ASSOCIATION LEADERS! — Are you holding a camp or a clinic? Do you know of a camp or a clinic coming up? Referee can help get the word out! Call our sales department at 262-632-8855 for more information.

EQUIPMENT/APPAREL * Purchase Officials Supplies — Everything for Life Inside the Lines.

Call 800-767-2233 or visit our website purchaseofficials.com for the best products and prices in the market. * Ump-Attire.com — The #1 website for officials’ sporting goods. Now serving free returns to go along with more brands, product reviews, sameday shipping and world-class service. * Smitty Outlet Store Visit the NEW Smitty Outlet Store featuring discontinued, factory

seconds and individual slightly defective items at great prices. Go to smittyoutletstore.com to shop now! * For 30 years, Honig's has been the most trusted name in officiating apparel. Our new state-of-the-art facility will allow us to serve you even better. Visit us online at honigs. com or call 800-468-3284 for a free catalog.

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.

Plus, the association will 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.

TRAINING RESOURCES * Referee Training Center — The largest library of officiating training materials in the world. Rules study, mechanics updates and materials on important topics can all be found in one location 24 hours a day, seven days a week with sample chapters and video samples. Discover it all at refereetrainingcenter.com.

MISCELLANEOUS * Follow Referee magazine on Facebook and Twitter Get officiating-related news from around the country, participate in conversations with Referee staff and fellow officials, and find out about new products and special offers from us and our partners.

QUIZ ANSWERS BASKETBALL 1 — NFHS – d (4-19-3, 4-19-11); NCAAM – e (4-15.2.c, 4-15.2.d, 4-15.3.d, 4-15.5); NCAAW – f (10, A.R. 269) 2 — All – a (NFHS 10-7; NCAAM 10-1; NCAAW 10-10.1, A.R. 271) 3 — All – d (NFHS 5-8-3, 5-11-4 Exc. a; NCAAM 5-11.2.b, 5-16.1.b; NCAAW 5-11.2.b, 5-14.12.a, 5-16.1.b) 4 — All – c (NFHS 7-5-7; NCAA 7-4.6) 5 — All – a (NFHS 10-7 Pen. 8.b; NCAAM 10-3.2.g, 10-4.2.j; NCAAW 10-14.1.b.1) BASEBALL 1 — All – a (NFHS 8-2-3 Pen.; NCAA 8-6a Nt. 2; pro 5.09c2) 2 — All – a (NFHS 8-3-3a, Interp.; NCAA 7-6e Nt.; pro 5.06b4, Interp.)

3 — All – b (NFHS 8-3-3c3; NCAA 8-304 Nt. 2; pro 5.06b4G Cmt.) 4 — All – d (NFHS 5-1-1b, 5-1-1f, 8-4-1d; NCAA 7-11m; pro 5.09a8) 5 — NFHS, NCAA – b (NFHS 7-3-2; NCAA 7-10a, 7-10 Pen.); pro – a (6.03a1)

FOOTBALL 1 — NFHS – a (2-2, 9-7-2); NCAA – b, d (2-11-3, 9-4-1c Pen.) 2 — NFHS – b, d (2-2, 9-7-3 Pen.); NCAA – b, f (2-11-3, 9-4-1c Pen.) 3 — Both – a (NFHS 2-11, 7-5-10, 9-8-3; NCAA 2-32, 7-3-9f, 9-2-5) 4 — Both – b, c (NFHS 9-4-1 Pen., 9-5-1 Pen.; NCAA 9-2-1 Pen., 9-5-1 Pen.) 5 — Both – a (NFHS 2-45, 9-3-7, 9-4-4; NCAA 2-28, 9-1-2c, 9-1-9a) SOFTBALL 1 — All – c (USA 8-7J-1 Effect; NFHS 8-6-10a Pen.; NCAA 12.8.5 Effect; USSSA FP 8-18G; USSSA SP 8-5B Effect) 2 — All – a (USA 1-Foul Ball; NFHS 2-25-1; NCAA 11.5; USSSA FP 3-Foul Ball; USSSA SP 3-Foul Ball) 3 — All – c (USA 1-Force Out, 8-2-B Effect; NFHS 2-24, 8-2-1 Effect; NCAA 12.2.1 Effect; 14.2.12; USSSA FP 3-Force Play; USSSA SP 3-Force Out; 4-6A) 4 — All – b (USA 5-5B; NFHS 9-1-1 Ex; NCAA 6.1.3; USSSA FP 4.2B; USSSA SP 4-6)

SOCCER 1 — All – b, c (FIFA 12, Advice to Referees 12.40 Diagram 7; NFHS 12-8-1f 13; NCAA 12.5.5) 2 — All – b, d (FIFA 12; NFHS 12-82c; NCAA 12.3.8) 3 — All – a (FIFA 14; NFHS 14-7; NCAA 14.3) 4 — All – c (FIFA 13, 17; NFHS 17-1-5 Exc.; NCAA AR 13.1.2.a) VOLLEYBALL 1 — NFHS – d (5-6-3h thru k); USAV, NCAA – a (NCAA – Officiating Manual; USAV – 25.2.2.7, S14.1.3f) 2 — All – d (USAV 15.7, 15.8, 19.1.1; NCAA 11.3.6.1.2.3, 12.3.2.2, 12.1.1; NFHS 6-4-2c, d, a) 3 — All – c (USAV 14.6.1; NCAA 14.6.1 Note; NFHS 9-5-1c Note) 4 — All – a. (USAV 13.2.1; NCAA 14.5.3; NFHS 9-6-6) 5 — All – a (USAV 7.3.2-7.3.4; NCAA 10.1.1.9; NFHS 8-1-4b)

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 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.

MAY

FLASHBACK 40 YEARS AGO …

1978

• John Nucatola followed Pat Kennedy and Dave Tobey as the third modern-day official to be inducted into the Naismith Basketball of Fame.

Nucatola began officiating in 1926 and worked his way up through high school and college before reaching the NBA, retiring from the court in 1959.

30 YEARS AGO …

1988

• Major League Baseball announced umpires would have their own baseball cards for the first time since 1955.

The four-color, 64-card set was printed by T and M Sports, which also produced special cards for umpires who worked the All-Star Game and the World Series.

20 YEARS AGO …

1998

• The Amateur Baseball Umpires Association (ABUA) was formed for the purpose of certifying umpires and providing education on college rules and mechanics. “The need for this type of organization is overwhelming,” said ABUA executive Dave Yeast, who also served as NCAA’s national coordinator of umpires.

10 YEARS AGO …

2008

• The Kansas High School Activities Association (KHSAA) executive committee approved two proposals to prevent schools from discriminating against sports officials.

The decision stemmed from a Feb. 2 incident in which St. Mary’s Academy refused to allow basketball official Michelle Campbell to officiate a game because she was a woman.

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81

LAST CALL

A PERSONAL STORY BY GREGG BECKER

We Can’t Save Them All I just met with a friend who had been working himself into officiating.

I heard he had gotten out of officiating after only a few years and I thought his departure was for health reasons.

It wasn’t.

The officials shortage is growing. More and more games are being canceled due to a lack of officials.

Those of us who have survived past our fifth year usually had a friend or group of friends we could turn to for the needed support.

The average age of officials in many sports is above 55. It is difficult to get new and younger people involved in officiating. It’s even harder to keep them. It takes

quite a bit of time and effort to recruit and train officials. We lose them too quickly once they are in the system.

Our association decided to try to change this. We thought we could work on keeping officials once they are in the system.

To keep officials engaged, we implemented a mentoring program.

This is a voluntary program for officials who want extra guidance in their avocation. We offered it to officials in our association in their first five years, with hopes of expanding the program in the future.

We are frustrated with bringing on new officials, investing time and resources in them, only to have them turn in their whistles after just three years.

Sometimes officials feel they are not moving up quickly enough. Other times they stop officiating due to the time and travel commitment, but mostly it’s frustration — feeling once they are past the first year, there is a very limited support group. Then there’s the increased lack of respect from fans, coaches and students. It’s borderline abusive at times and not all can take the growing pains of moving up through the ranks.

With the mentoring program, we adopt the interested officials into our official family. We have them travel with us to observe our pregame, the contest and postgame discussion. We observe their games in the same manner.

The goal is for three mentors to observe the official throughout the year. The mentee must observe three mentors’ games in the same manner.

The official is given a written evaluation of each game with strengths and weaknesses that were observed. We try to help the officials feel connected to a group of experienced veterans. We want them to know they have access to

us for questions, rules knowledge, game management and how best to handle situations. We’re hoping that by keeping the officials connected, it provides a support group. Instead of feeling lost and on their own, they have a group of veterans who have had similar experiences and can keep them moving forward instead of throwing in the towel.

It’s a new system, but the response has been very positive.

We are hoping it provides a longterm bond that will help keep these officials on track.

The next step is to turn these mentees into future mentors. They need to understand that fellow officials took time to help them develop the skills and mental toughness they might not have found on their own and they can help others do the same — pay it forward.

Those of us who survived past our fifth year usually had a friend or group of friends we could turn to for the needed support.

The friend I thought left for health reasons didn’t leave due to health reasons. He left officiating due to the disrespect shown by a fifth-grade athlete to the official and then by the coach (dad), who not only didn’t take action, but also condoned his son’s behavior.

The official had enough.

Maybe if the official had a mentor or someone to talk him through the situation, we might not have lost another good official for the wrong reason. We can’t save them all, but we need to try.

This time we lost, but we will win more in the future.

Gregg Becker is a rules interpreter for the Wood County Basketball Association in Bowling Green, Ohio.

He is in his 16th year of officiating high school basketball in Ohio and Michigan. * Do you have a personal officiating story to tell?

Send your story or queries to lastcall@referee.com

82 | REFEREE May 2018