Do you participate in a charity or do volunteer work in connection with your officiating?

NASO members said:

38%	Yes, I serve as a mentor to a newer official in my association.
32%	No, but I do charity work that is not connected to officiating.
15%	Yes, I volunteer for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Special Olympics or a different national organization.
9%	No, but I applaud the efforts of those who do.
4%	Yes, I am involved in a golf tournament or other event in connection with my local association.
2%	Yes, I participate in Blow the Whistle on Cancer.

To view previous issues of NASO LockerRoom

Curses Foiled When Officials Act

When America was a kinder and gentler place, swearing was considered inappropriate and those who peppered their vocabulary with profanity were in the minority. Today, cursing is pervasive in movies, television, print and everyday language.

Restrictions and penalties for cursing appear in virtually every NFHS and NCAA rulebook. But most officials adopt a personal philosophy regarding what they will penalize, what will lead to a warning and what they will simply ignore. Part of that is because no one has been able to agree on a list of words that are universally profane. What is considered a mild epithet in some areas of the country is looked upon as a serious vulgarity elsewhere.

So what parameters should officials follow? Here are some suggestions:

• Volume: If the obscenity is shouted loudly enough for spectators or other non-participants to hear, assess the appropriate penalty (technical foul, 15-yard penalty, etc.). You might not wish to convey you are so tolerant you will ignore obvious violations. Conversely, if the profanity is uttered so quietly you are the only one to hear it, a warning may be a sufficient reaction.

• Context: Sometimes it’s not what someone says, but how he or she says it. Obviously, you should penalize the player who swears as part of a personal verbal assault, e.g. “You are f------ brutal!” If the profanity is phrased differently and in a one-on-one conversation, some leeway is appropriate. Some officials would let a comment such as, “I just think that’s a horses-- rule,” pass with only a suggestion the player use different language to convey his complaint. Likewise, an under-the-breath reaction to a misplay would be best ignored.

• Background: Keep in mind the phrase, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” Players from “rougher” areas should not be given carte blanche, but a little latitude is often called for in such situations.

• Level of play: The younger the player, the shorter the leash. Swearing is habitual. It is naïve to think a peewee league player who is penalized today won’t utter an onfield curse at the next level, but it sends a message that officials at all levels of play will have little tolerance for swearing.

Should swearing be penalized only if the curses are directed at officials or at opponents? It is not unheard of to penalize a player who dresses down a teammate, but those situations are better handled with a quiet word to the angry player. Something as simple as, “Remember, he’s on your side,” can work wonders.

When it comes to a coach berating one of his players, Referee recommends leaving the situation in the hands of the coach’s superiors. If a coach repeatedly curses his players so loudly that parents and spectators can hear him, complaints will likely be directed to the athletic director, principal, superintendent or other school official. If you try to intervene, you’ll likely find yourself on the receiving end of the next barrage.

Trash talk. In addition to cursing, trash talking has become more prevalent in sports. Players whose comments are intended to ridicule or demean opponents must be penalized. Such jibes include but are not limited to references to an opponent’s race, creed, gender, national origin or physical characteristics (e.g. height, weight, deformities, etc.).

Players often engage in trash talk when the ball is not in play. It is crucial for officials to keep their eyes and ears open during dead-ball periods, when players are still in close proximity to opponents. If players know an official is in the area, they are less likely to engage in trash talk.

Gestures. In addition to verbal outbursts, officials should be prepared to penalize obscene or unsportsmanlike gestures. The meanings behind the upraised middle finger, choke sign and clutched crotch are universal and should result in a penalty.

Each sport has rules regarding celebrations, taunting and similar acts. Officials should acquaint themselves with those rules and react appropriately when faced with those situations.

Tales From the Trenches …

Real stories by officials, for officials.

Extreme Partners
We’ve all experienced our share of different partners for games. Some are prepared and thoroughly professional. Others may not know what professional means. Partner experiences range from good to bad to ugly. What is your most unique partner story? NASO LockerRoom readers had some unique partner stories to tell.

Asleep at the Base

“I got to my high school district softball game and couldn’t find my partner. When I found him, he looked like hell and told me he had worked all night and hadn’t been to bed in over 24 hours. … In the first inning I had a check swing. I went to him once, booming, ‘Did she go?’ He never moved or acknowledged me. After the second time, I realized he was asleep and answered my own question: ‘No, she didn’t!’ I then sent the catcher (who remarked, ‘I think he is sleeping’) to the circle to instruct the first baseman to wake him up. She tapped him on the shoulder, awakening him in the last game he ever worked. He retired after that game.”

‘Cell’ the Call

“I had a partner (as a softball umpire) who decided to use her cell phone to time the JV game that preceded the varsity contest. When we’re in the second inning of the varsity game (she had the plate), I noticed that her phone was clipped to her belt. Luckily, she didn’t take any calls during the game, but she wasted no time placing a call before we walked off the diamond!”

A ‘Spare’ Pair

“While refereeing a Class A varsity football game, I was assigned an overweight umpire. He showed up and his shoes were black bowling shoes. I told him to wear my spare set of shoes and he said that my size 13 didn’t fit his feet, that they were too big. I told him that if he wanted to be on the field with me he better wear them, which he did.”

Parting the Sea

“I worked a Division I baseball game with an older, respected official named Jerry. From the moment we approached the field, it was like Moses parting the Red Sea. He was referred to as 'Mr.', any challenges to his plate calls were put to him in the form of a question and both coaches treated him like gold. As a young umpire, how the coaches thought of him and treated him made a tremendous impression.”

A Spot Unprofessional

“Working a men’s rec softball game, I called a runner out because of interference. My partner came running up to me from his position and told me in front of several players that I had made the wrong call. I told him that in my judgment and by rule it was the correct call. He insisted I should not have called interference on the runner. After we had sorted out the situation and before the game resumed, one of the players came to me and suggested I talk to my partner after the game about being a team player. He said, ‘I don’t care what the call is. Putting you on the spot like that in front of all of us (players) was totally unprofessional.’”

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