Set Goals for Peak Performance

Goal setting has been the rage in athletics over the last few decades. Sports psychologists work with athletes and coaches to help them identify their personal "wish list" and then develop a plan to achieve it. According to the book Applied Sport Psychology, "Goal setting has not only been shown to influence the performance of athletes of varied age and ability levels but has also been linked to positive changes in important psychological states such as anxiety, confidence and motivation."

Anxiety, confidence and motivation are clearly a part of the officiating world as well. Sports officials can and should follow the same goal-setting path as athletes and coaches. Goal setting allows individuals to focus on specific objectives while maintaining effective work habits to achieve those objectives.

The goal-setting process. To ensure goal-setting effectiveness, a thorough understanding of the goal-setting process must exist.

The most effective definition of the word "goal" is attaining a specific standard of proficiency on a task, usually within a specific time limit. There are two general types of goals: outcome goals and performance goals. Outcome goals represent a standard of performance based on an event (i.e., winning a game). Performance goals focus on improvements in past performances (i.e., improving a golf stroke). Because officials don’t necessarily try to "win" and it is difficult to measure success in numbers (such as a baseball player wanting to hit .300), officials should focus on performance goals.

Remember the basic purpose of a goal. Goals are to help you generate better performance. Though that may sound oversimplified, goals are something to shoot for, something to motivate you to perform better.

Goal-setting guidelines. Goals need to be specific to be effective. A goal of "doing your best" usually does not achieve results. Even though officials have a tough time measuring success – Is it more games? Better games? Quicker games? – specific goals can be set. Here are some examples of specific, officiating related, performance-based goals:

• A baseball plate umpire works for a game on adjusting proper head height and getting in the slot to see the outside corner pitches better.

• A soccer official works for a game on watching the players adjusting for position when battling for a high ball.

• A basketball referee works at answering coaches’ questions and comments in a reasonable, controlled tone.

Set short-range and long-range goals. The goals listed above are short-range goals, designed to increase one’s performance from game-to-game or week-to-week. Short-range goals are important because they show the official immediate improvement in performance and improve motivation.

Long-range goals are necessary to continue the chase of the ultimate goal. Look at your goals as steps. No one can leap from the first step to the top step. The short-range goals are the steps between, where an official is now and where the official wants to be. Keep the long-range goal in mind because it is a motivator, but focus specifically on the short-range goals to get there.

Set difficult but realistic goals. Generally speaking, the more difficult the goal, the better the performance. That’s only true if the goal is within the official’s ability. An official who is currently working junior varsity high school games should not set a goal of being a professional official by next year. Though being a pro referee might be the long-range goal, there are obvious steps that need to be achieved before approaching professional status. Again, keep the long-range goals in mind, but work on the short-ranges goals to get you there.

Set positive goals as opposed to negative goals. Whenever possible, goals should be set in positive terms. The whole process of goal setting and achieving success is positive and positive words should be used. "I will work at getting better angles to make proper calls" sounds better than "I am not going to kick any more calls." By working on things that should happen, positive reinforcement occurs and motivation increases.

At the next opportunity, sit down and think about where you are in your officiating career and where you’d like to be. Then identify the steps that can help you get there. Establish realistic target dates and you’re on your way to using goal setting as a means to improve your performance.

Include Memphis in Your Plans

From Portland, Ore., to Washington D.C., and many places in between, the annual NASO Sports Officiating Summit has made an impact on the avocation. This year’s Summit destination was Salt Lake City. But where is the next stop? Memphis, Tenn. The 2006 Summit will be held July 29-31 at The Peabody hotel in Memphis.

"We’re excited to head to Memphis," said Barry Mano, NASO president. "Next year’s Summit will be another step forward in strengthening our alliances with officiating leaders and their organizations and enhancing officiating. The staff is already hard at work on developing the program."

The NASO Summit is the premier event in sports officiating. The annual Summit brings officials, officiating leaders, assigners, state association leaders and administrators together to talk about officiating and the issues that affect officials.

Why has the NASO Sports Officiating Summit withstood the test of time? And why is the 2006 Summit in Memphis an event you won’t want to miss? Below are some of the hallmarks of the annual Summit. They are evidence why individuals have made their way to the Summit – wherever the location – year after year.

The Summit gives officials a voice. In an avocation where gag rules are often expected and encouraged, the NASO Summit is one place where officials can safely let their voices be heard.

The Summit brings officials and leaders together. The NASO Summit gives officials and officiating leaders a wonderful opportunity to network. Hundreds of officials and administrators come together for the event each year. Officials can meet others is the industry, get feedback and talk officiating.

The Summit covers the issues that affect you. The NASO Summit provides a vast array of learning opportunities. Whether it is through the panels, in the breakout sessions or just by talking to fellow officials, there are a number of ways officials can learn more about the avocation and become better officials.

The Summit celebrates officials and officiating. In addition to the sessions, the NASO Summit also provides a backdrop for handing out NASO’s annual awards. NASO presents its Gold Whistle Award and its Mel Narol Medallion to deserving individual officials at the Summit.

The Summit improves the avocation. What happens at the Summit does not stay at the Summit. Attendees bring the ideas and information they learn back to share with their local associations and fellow officials. The session ideas also are the basis of various articles in Referee magazine and NASO-ON’s ONBoard, and in recent years books based on the Summits have been produced and made available for purchase.

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 recollection from retired MLB umpire Dave Phillips on his decision to attend umpire school. (Do you have a story to tell? Write it down and e-mail to lastcall@referee.com.)

My Biggest Booster

By Dave Phillips

I always wanted to be a major league ballplayer. I wanted to hit home runs, make diving catches, and I wanted people to cheer for me. But when they started busting that old curve ball at me, my playing days were done. So I’m an umpire like my dad was.

He spent 10 years in the minors, finally ending his career in 1956 in the American Association. He knew how hard it was on the road, even harder to get to the majors.

I was 17 when I came out of high school, immature, and I sure didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life. I thought, "I guess I’ll got to college." I spent one year at Southeast Missouri State University.

My dad was just furious at me for coming home. I was the first generation in our family that ever had been to college. But I was in love with a girl back home and that outweighed dad’s anger in my mind.

I started working, nothing career-oriented. Just summer jobs. And my dad would say things like, "What are you going to do in life?" After awhile that got to be a pretty good question.

I had umpired locally since I was 14, so out of the clear blue sky one day I announced that I was going to go to umpire school. Dad really didn’t want a son to follow in his footsteps. Later, guys who umpired with him told me that my father was very talented but he got caught in the old numbers game – you spend a long time in the minors and there’s only so many spots in the big leagues.

I’m young and I’m brash, so I say, "Don’t worry about me; I can do it." He looks at me and says, "What do you mean you can do it? You couldn’t even go 200 miles away to college. What do you think, they’re going to let you come home every weekend?"

We kept getting closer to the day I was supposed to leave and dad keeps laying it on me. But the more he’d lay it on me, the more I’d get the hair up on my back and blow it off like I’m a big, tough guy. Then in my quiet moments I would think to myself, "Well, it can’t be that bad, can it?"

At Christmas I got engaged to be married and the moment of truth came just a week later when I had to leave home and go to Al Summer’s Umpiring School. We all went to breakfast that morning. I kiss them goodbye, my girlfriend and my mom, and dad says good luck. I get in the car and as soon as I got out of their view, I remember tears welling up in my eyes and thinking, "What am I doing here?" All the insecurity and fear that I wouldn’t show to dad just came pouring out.

But I made the trip to Florida and called dad during my stops. He’s not mad at me anymore by that time. But I guess he started worrying a little. He’d say, "Now when you go down there, you just got to remember you probably won’t get a job. You’re young and you’re just learning. It’s going to be a good experience."

And it was. I ended up finishing high in the class and they offered me a job in the Midwest League. I called my dad and he was just so excited. On the drive home I’ve got a tan and I’m feeling good, and dad is now my biggest booster. He’s patting me on the back and saying over and over, "That’s great! You did great, son!"

My dad died in 1983. I worked the ’82 World Series, which was in St. Louis and my dad came to watch. He’d seen me work plenty of games by that time, but it was a special thing coming home to St. Louis. I’ve got pictures from that Series and I can see right where he’s sitting in the stands. I never got to be a big league ballplayer and have everyone cheer for me, but I know I had at least one booster out there that day.

Dave Phillips lives in Lake St. Louis, Mo. He was a major league umpire for more than 30 years.

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