When most officials think about getting ready for a game, they think about a pregame conference with their partner. The majority of pregame conferences focus on rules, mechanics, court coverage and foul-calling philosophy. Rarely discussed but equally important is a conflict management game plan.

"Clear your head" to officiate. One of your first challenges is to forget (at least temporarily) other parts of your life prior to the game. Most officials have full time jobs, families and other things that occasionally create stress. When you’ve had a stressful day, it is imperative you shelve your problems while you officiate your game.

Why is it so important? When you’re thinking about other things, you’re distracted. You can’t afford to be distracted because the game will suffer. You have a duty to the game and its participants to be ready to officiate.

There are many ways to temporarily forget your problems. In fact, many people enjoy the avocation of officiating because it gives them the chance to forget about everything else for while. Still, you may need to use some specific techniques.

Read the rulebook, casebook, officials manual, Referee magazine or any other written material that helps you focus on officiating. By diving into officiating specifics, you’ll begin to focus on them.

Use your sense of humor. Telling jokes with your partner or talking about a funny movie you’ve seen well before the game will get you laughing and help you relax.

Consider taking deep breaths and stretching out. That will help loosen tension-filled muscles that have been tightened because of the stress. Getting your body ready to officiate will also help your mind get ready to officiate.

Decide what deserves a response. Part of your management plan must include when you’re going to respond to people. You are going to be verbally challenged a lot and to varying degrees. Every statement or question does not need a response.

Questions may or may not be answered. Statements require no answer. Realize that coaches and players are often simply venting their frustrations when confronting you, usually ending their discussion quickly.

For example, if a basketball coach says, "She’s camping in the lane," what’s more effective, ignoring the statement or saying to the coach, "No way; she’s been fine all night"? Most of the time, ignoring a harmless statement or acknowledging it with a simple head nod ends the matter. But when you defend your position, the coach instinctively feels defensive, then goes on the offensive, continuing the debate. Being "worked" by coaches is as much a part of officiating as making judgment calls. To a point, let them talk, but don’t let them influence you. Ask yourself, "If I say something, will it do more harm that good?" Think often of this old cliché: "Be quiet and listen. Do twice as much listening as you do talking. That’s why you’ve got two ears and one mouth."

Understand game context. The intensity of the game, the closeness of the score and the time left in the game all play a part in how much and what type of conflict you must deal with. With a close score at the end of a game – no matter the sport or level – emotions rise. It’s merely human nature rearing its competitive spirit.

A foul called in the early stages of the game may draw few complaints from players, coaches and fans. A similar foul call in the waning moments of a tight game will undoubtedly draw a more emotion-filled response from all involved. That is normal.

With an understanding of game context, you can better handle emotional situations. Expect emotions to rise. Consider allowing the participants a bit more leeway because of the context of the game. That doesn’t mean you let a player or coach get away with extreme unsportsmanlike conduct simply because the score is close at the end of a game. It does mean, however, that the way you handle that end-of-game situation will likely have great impact on the result. Consider the emotion of the situation and tolerate a bit more than you normally would in other situations.

Controversial practice? Perhaps. Officials who want things defined with cookie-cutter parameters won’t adopt that philosophy. Successful officials understand that officiating is not black and white; it is shades of gray.

Have the courage to implement penalties in tough situations. Also have the courage to not implement penalties in tough situations. Always consider the context when implementing your conflict management plan. Often it is best to use as much preventive officiating as possible.

NFL Grants NASO

The National Football League will once again provide funding for the production and distribution of Officiating Youth Sports Football 2003.

Pop Warner Football, Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs of America, the National Youth Sports Officials Association, Jewish Community Centers, California Police Athletic League, Amateur Athletic Union and others have benefited from the program in recent years.

The popular 16-page publication is created by NASO/Referee and distributed to more than 50,000 youth football officials across America at no cost to the organizations participating in the program. Written by the editors of Referee, the 2003 publication will focus on youth officiating and will provide tips and insight on how to properly officiate youth football.

"This program continues to receive accolades from every program participant because it reaches the very core of football development," says Marcy Weston, NASO chair. "Providing youth football programs with a positive and educational publication definitely improves the quality of their program. They can see it firsthand."

NASO first introduced the concept to the NFL in 1998. After two years of development, NFL Charities funded the initial 2000 publication. It was distributed to the Pop Warner and National Youth Sports Officials Association members.

In 2001, the program expanded to include other NFL youth partners. In 2002, distribution more than doubled from the previous year.

This year funding came from the NFL’s Youth Football Fund, a new division within the NFL dedicated solely to promoting the development of youth football. Also partnering in the program this year is USA Football, another new initiative of the NFL.

After distribution to the youth organizations, a limited number of copies of Officiating Youth Sports Football 2003 is available for local football associations. If your officials association works youth football, contact Referee Group Sales Manager Patrick Miles at 262/632-8855 and request your copies immediately.

In addition to funding the youth publication, NASO also received a "partners grant" from NFL Charities. Funding from that grant will be dedicated to the enhancement of the Local Officiating Administration Network (LOAN). An expanded LOAN program that increases benefits and value to individual sports officiating groups will be introduced in the near future. Plans to unveil the "New and improved LOAN" program will be announced later this year.

"We are very grateful for the relationship NASO has built with the NFL over the years," says NASO President Barry Mano. "For many years NFL Charities, and now, the NFL Youth Football Fund, have partnered with NASO to create educational products that support our mission of improving officiating. Throughout the years, Art McNally, Jerry Seeman and Mike Pereira (NFL officiating directors) have been catalysts by supporting our mission and ensuring that NFL decision-makers understand the importance of what we are trying to accomplish. I’m sure this relationship will continue to develop and prosper in the future."

New Football Quiz On-Line

The 2003 football quiz sponsored by NASO is now on-line at http://www.referee.com/quiz/football.html. You are encouraged to download the quiz – there’s no charge – and share it with your fellow officials at your next local meeting. An answer key is provided.

Accountability Theme on Target

Recent news events involving the off-the-field/court behavior of some high-profile individuals in the college coaching ranks have done nothing to lessen the scrutiny of others – including sports officials.

"At any level, anyone involved with athletics has a responsibility to adhere to professional behavioral standards that apply both on and off the field," says NASO chair Marcy Weston. "The ‘Sports Officiating 2003’ conference is all about understanding what those expectations are and how to achieve them."

In less than six weeks officiating leaders from all levels of sports are preparing to gather in Portland, Ore., June 21-23. (You can still be part of this exciting event by registering now at www.naso.org/conference.)

Major League Baseball Director of Baseball Operations Sandy Alderson will deliver the conference’s keynote address and is expected to touch on the scrutiny officials experience every day.

For all the details on sessions, how to register, and more go to: http://www.naso.org/conference2003/

When Your E-Mail Address Changes

Have you recently changed your e-mail address? If so, does NASO have the correct one? NASO needs your help to keep our files current, so if you change your e-mail address here’s what YOU need to do…

Send NASO customer service an e-mail telling us your name and hometown, old e-mail address and your new e-mail address. Send your message to naso@naso.org. If you are receiving NASO LockerRoom, please unsubscribe your old address by going to www.naso.org/mailinglist.htm and follow the directions. You will need to resubscribe to NASO LockerRoom. Do that by going to www.naso.org/mailinglist.htm and entering in your new e-mail address and name. Thank you for your cooperation.

Get Game-Fee Protection Today!

One optional NASO insurance benefit for members is the Game-Fee Protection Plan that pays your game fees if you can’t officiate because of an injury.

The program, first introduced by NASO in cooperation with Special Markets Insurance Consultants, Inc. (SMIC), offers three options with annual premium levels of $25, $75 and $100.

The NASO Game-Fee Protection Plan was designed to pay 100 percent of your lost game fees subject to a per-game maximum and a time limitation. Simply stated, based on the level of your participation, you can receive up to $400 per game and a maximum of $4,000 in a season if your injuries prevent you from officiating. The NASO Game-Fee Protection Plan pays you regardless of other separate coverages you may have.

The policy pays if you are injured while participating in or traveling to and from a regularly scheduled officiating activity and it is medically determined that the injury prevents you from officiating.

Upon being injured, you must seek medical treatment. If the doctor advises you not to officiate for a given amount of time, you can file a claim with SMIC (NASO’s insurance partner). Forms are available from NASO headquarters or by calling SMIC. You must allow for a 10-day waiting period after your injury to be eligible for collection of missed game fees. The waiting period exists in order to keep the premium costs reasonable and to provide benefits for the more seriously injured. The waiting period starts on the date immediately following the date of the injury.

You will be required to obtain verification from your assigner of the assignments you could not work and the fees you would have received.

This program has been very beneficial to NASO members who have suffered serious injuries. For example, one football official received $4,000 in payments when his season ended due to a head injury he received while officiating.

Another example is a college baseball umpire who collected because a knee injury suffered in the final game of his basketball season prevented him from umpiring in the spring. Although his baseball season was a wash out, he collected $4,000 to help ease the loss of income.

"It’s coverage that you hope you never have to use, but that’s why it’s there," said Nora Stransky, president of SMIC. The current program offers the following options:

• Option 1 ($25 premium)

$50 maximum per game; $1,000 maximum per year; benefits payable up to 26 straight weeks

• Option 2 ($75 premium)

$100 maximum per game; $2,000 maximum per year; benefits payable up to 26 straight weeks

• Option 3 ($100 premium)

$400 maximum per game; $4,000 maximum per year; benefits payable up to 52 straight weeks.

If you have questions about the program, contact SMIC at 800/727-7642.

Asking You To Ask Us

Each month It’s Official – your 16-page newsletter found inside Referee magazine – provides three or more pages of unusual play situations that require thought and some rulebook investigation. The intent of the questions is to improve members officiating skills and knowledge.

Have you been involved in an unusual play recently? Our editors would love to hear from you and may possibly use your play in a future issue of It’s Official.

So, go ahead, ask us! Send your question or play situation to caseplays@referee.com.

June Issue Mailed

The June issue of REFEREE has been mailed and has lots of important news and information.

Here’s a preview:

Look for your issue of REFEREE any day. www.referee.com