Which of these advancements would most improve your overall officiating experience?

NASO members said:

To view previous issues of NASO LockerRoom

The Great Debate: Is It Time to Drop a Sport?

If you were to ask multi-sport officials which sport was their favorite, many would have to think long and hard before giving an answer. Some wouldn’t be able to answer at all. Each sport has unique aspects that officials find appealing. It’s those factors that keep officials coming back year after year.

But if you are one of those rare multi-sport officials who has a pecking order, you may be considering dropping one or more of your least-favorite sports. Before taking that step, you owe it to yourself to examine your feelings and make sure you’re not acting hastily. If you drop a sport from your repertoire only to have a change of heart later, it’s sometimes difficult to return to the level you were working when you “retired.”

You may be able to solve or mitigate the problem without dropping the sport completely. Perhaps the answer is as simple as taking fewer games. Let your assigner know you’re scaling back your schedule. Cutting back only one game a week can sometimes make a huge difference in your attitude.

Conversely, not working enough can also be problematic. If you shy away from assignments due to a fear of failure, you’ll never gain the confidence and experience you need to maximize your potential. You may find that studying the rules or mechanics or attending camps increases your knowledge to a point at which you’re better prepared for games. That translates into better performance, which adds to your enjoyment.

Working sub-varsity games instead of varsity contests or recreational games rather than competitive games may help. Sometimes the exuberance of youngsters playing games for the pure joy of playing rubs off on the officials. Working those games also may provide an opportunity for you to officiate with a less-experienced referee who may benefit from working with a veteran.

Those are good reasons to stay involved. What factors might lead you to drop a sport or two?

If officiating causes you to miss too much time at work, your employer may force you to make a choice: your job or officiating. Since few non-professional officials can make a living as an official, you might be best served to give up your least-favorite sport.

If your son or daughter plays the sport you don’t prefer to officiate, you could drop the sport and support your child’s efforts. Not only would you be improving that emotional bond, you’d eliminate the possibility of a conflict of interest.

Whichever way you turn, don’t base the decision purely on emotion. One bad game or a run-in with a coach isn’t the same as consistent unhappiness. Take your time and make a thoughtful decision that you’ll feel good about long after you’ve worked your last game.

Written by Jeffrey Stern, Referee senior editor. This article originally appeared in the 4/03 issue of Referee.

NASO Summit Receives Record Support From Sponsors

The NASO Summit, which is the premier event for the officiating industry held annually, has received record support in 2007 from officiating leagues, associations and businesses from across the country and Canada. This year’s event, which will be held July 29-31 at the Denver Marriot Tech Center in Colorado, has received the backing of 22 contributors. The Summit theme is The Power of Persuasive Officiating: Resolve Conflicts, Manage Games, Build Relationships.

The tremendous show of support for the event emphasizes the importance of the annual NASO Summit for local, state and professional officials, officiating leaders and administrators.

“The Summit in Denver is being supported by more sponsors and grant-giving organizations than ever before,” said NASO President Barry Mano. “Yes, the financial resources being contributed in support are vital to the educational reach of the event. Of equal importance is the statement of common purpose that these sponsorships create within our industry and within the sports world in general. The effect has an impact more far-reaching than the direct financials involved.”

The Colorado High School Activities Association and the NFHS will assist NASO as presenting sponsors of the event.

Other first-time financial supporters of the Summit include TheArbiter.net, the NHL, the Amateur Softball Association, the Illinois High School Association, the Michigan High School Athletic Association, Sports Officials Canada and the National Basketball Referees Foundation.

Returning Summit sponsors include the NBA, Major League Baseball, NFL Youth Football Fund, Fox 40, the NFL Officiating Department, NFL Referees Association, Ohio High School Athletic Association, Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association, the Sun Belt Conference, Honig’s Whistle Stop, the National Intercollegiate Soccer Officials Association, U.S. Soccer and Referee.

Other leagues and associations will be showing support for the industry event as part of a variety of Summit panels or through their attendance at the Summit.

For more information about the 2007 NASO Summit, visit www.naso.org/summit2007.

Pull Up a Chair …

Everyone who’s ever stepped onto a field, court or rink to officiate a game has a story to tell. Here’s a story about an official who has to make a tough call. Do you have a story to tell? Write it down and e-mail to lastcall@referee.com.

My Knee or My Whistle?

By Bobby C. Harraid Jr.

I know I was consciously aware of the fact that I might cripple myself, but it never really seemed as urgent as it sounds now when I say it out loud. The game is what was important, and I worked as many as I could. Finally it came down to a choice — my knee or my whistle. Who knew at 35 I’d have to make that kind of call?

This was the toughest call that I have ever had to make. Six orthopedic surgeons told me the same thing: I could continue to officiate, destroy what knee I have and accelerate the need for a total knee replacement. Or I could take their advice, retire from the game, have a surgical procedure called a high tibial osteotomy (H.T.O.) and extend the life of my knee for 10 or more years.

It meant I literally had to walk away from the game while I was still able to. 

I battled back and forth with the decision for two years and two more hardwood-pounding seasons, thinking I could patch the problem by taking on fewer games. Reducing my schedule is ultimately what allowed me to see the light. It was simple: No games equaled no pain. Games equaled pain, no sleep and a lot of frustration. My body knew the answer to the call before I ever realized it.

When my last game came, I didn’t know that was going to be it. I’ll always remember it more for the pain than anything else.

I almost put off the call too long. One doctor refused to do the surgery because my window of opportunity for a successful surgery had passed. Another accepted, but said my chance for success had drastically decreased.

I’d been officiating for 18 years; that’s what I did in my free time. My first year of retirement was spent rehabilitating. I substituted officiating with running the clock and keeping the book at a nearby high school, but I was made to officiate, not to sit at a scorers’ table. I found myself isolated from the game, and I had to get back. Now, I find myself working with scouts and recruiters, organizing a regional all-star game and writing about my basketball memories. 

I’m figuring out that I can never totally replace my enjoyment of officiating. But I feel I have to make a personal effort to keep contributing to a pastime that was so rewarding for me. I still try to attend a few games. I keep up now by reading the scores in the paper and watching the highlights on television. I cherish the opportunities I get to talk to an old officiating buddy. We embrace each other, and we still laugh about the first time we put on our striped shirts. 

Sometimes I can hear the familiar noises of the gymnasium — the ball bouncing, the swish of the net, the fans cheering and, especially, the sound of a whistle — and I find myself contemplating a comeback. The thought crosses my mind every season. But I shake it off. As a true official, I know the drill — you make the call, stick with it and sell it. I will have to sell this call for a long time, but only to myself. 

I still love to talk about basketball and everything about it. I remember seeing a youngster at a summer camp once wearing a jersey with the words, “Basketball is Life.” Oh, how I believed that at one time in my life, but I have accepted that there is life after basketball. And, more importantly, that the toughest call of all is walking away.