Understanding Conflict

To manage conflict effectively, you must understand that conflicts are inevitable.

Some commonplaces about conflict should be acknowledged right from the start. When two teams compete in a sports event, conflict is already present. It may be mild, it may be subdued, and it may even be masked by the appearance of harmony. But the potential for aggrieved feelings is always lurking. An event in the game may trigger an eruption, a series of difficulties may cause frustration to build, and sometimes decisions or non-decisions by officials will inaugurate behavior whereby the official himself becomes the focal point of anger.

The official must approach any contest with the notion that a central part of the job requirement will be handling conflict successfully. When done well, officials can take a measure of satisfaction for their role; it is an abstract measure, of course, because officials cannot gauge their success with a scoreboard.

It is hard to "love it when they boo," which is a favorite slogan among officials, but the fact remains that onlookers will sometimes offer catcalls and sarcastic comments to officials. There is an element of hypocrisy in this, because coaches, players and game administrators often show extreme politeness, even deference, before a game begins. Then once the contest starts, "all bets are off," as the saying goes, and behavior on the part of participants and their followers can indeed become snide, if not downright ugly.

As a theoretically neutral participant, you won’t be able to please people on a consistent basis due to the fact that you must make calls that "go against" each team. Therefore, it is pointless to try pleasing people. You are there to arbitrate competition, and the most you can hope for is respect. It is hard to win friends and influence people when you officiate.

The reasons why spectators and participants vent their anger at officials are complex and numerous. It might be futile to identify causes and certainly they can’t be explored fully, but singling out a few causal factors may at least show that the problem does not always lie with the official. We live in a society that insists on placing blame. Keep that in mind as we explore ways to deal with conflicts: Often blame is going to be placed on officials unfairly. Understanding that may make it easier to forgive.

Do you suppose a Little League parent has ever barked at an umpire because his daughter struck out? To "save face" with neighbors? To diminish the pressure on the child? In frustration because of perceived inadequacies of the youngster? To show impatience with his own lack of success in reliving an athletic life he never had? Or failure to relive the athletic life he did have? To "displace" chagrin (transferring it from the coach to the ump) because the coach failed to teach the daughter properly? Shame, because he himself did not teach the daughter properly? Fury at the mother who forced the daughter into the sport? How about all of the above?

The topic hasn’t broached about whether this was the girl’s first at-bat of the season, whether her team was ahead or behind 26-0 or whether the game was close with the bases loaded in the last inning. The role and context can vary immensely.

The point is that officials will sometimes be the blamed for other people’s inadequacies, such misplaced blame being called "scapegoating" (an ancient practice, goats used to be beaten for the faults of humans). Other general factors can be identified too: the desire to take the blame off a player’s lack of talent, a close play where perceptions are clouded by desire for a favorable judgment, a coaching strategy that misfires, desire to unload responsibility for inadequate play (players and coaches), general lack of respect for authority figures, and a warped sense of tradition that says it’s all right to "take it out" on the officials.

Understanding why the conflict exists helps your overall game management skills.

LOAN to Become NASO-ON

Beginning Jan. 1, 2004, the Local Officials Administration Network will officially become the National Association of Sports Officials—Organizations Network (NASO-ON). All LOAN benefits and fees will remain the same and additional benefits and services will be added throughout 2004.

"This is really the culmination of our plan to expand NASO’s officials association program," said NASO President Barry Mano. "LOAN has been a wonderful vehicle for associations to share ideas and network with folks facing the same issues. NASO-ON takes the LOAN concept even further by reaching out to more local associations as well as other groups that have officiating management responsibilities."

The 01/04 issue of Referee magazine will provide more details. If your association has ideas for the NASO-ON program, we’d like to hear them. Send your ideas and comments to naso-on@naso.org.

Periera a "Star" on NFL Network

Can’t get enough football?

The National Football League has launched its own television network called the NFL Network. NFL Director of Officiating Mike Pereira appears each week in a segment called "Officials Review" and explains some of the tough calls from the previous week’s games.

The show is called Total Access and it appears throughout the week on the new NFL Network that is part of Directv (Channel 212) and some cable networks. Check local listings for time.

Website Your #1 Resource

NASO reminds you that the association website should be your first choice for association information. More than 1,000 pages of information exist to help members with benefits and services.

Members can contact any of the NASO Education Partners via the web by linking to their site from the NASO Home Page.

Got questions about NASO insurance coverages? The website has the NASO program explained in detail. You can read about the NASO liability program and the Assault Protection Plan with the click of your mouse.

Want to be more of an advocate for assault protection in your community? The NASO website has more than 100 examples of egregious behavior directed at sports officials. Plus there is a listing of all state statutes currently in effect to protect sports officials.

Missed out on getting previous NASO Special Reports? You’ll find a link for those as well and you can download the reports at no cost.

There’s so much more available at the click of your mouse. Visit the NASO website regularly to get updated on new books, training materials, and the latest activities of your association.

Cry for Help Answered by NASO

Frank Ryan says he never heard of NASO or Referee magazine. He might have wished he’d heard of NASO sooner, but today, he’s glad he has.

Ryan, the Millard West (Neb.) baseball coach and longtime football and basketball official, is part of a new committee teaching sports officiating for the Millard Public Schools near Omaha.

A story appeared in the Sept. 9 issue of the Omaha World-Herald describing Ryan’s frustrations of not having any teaching materials other than rulebooks.

"We don’t have any lesson plans to go by," he told the Omaha-based newspaper. "We’re creating as we go."

His plight reached NASO thanks to member Brian Hanson, who forwarded the story to NASO’s Communications and Development Manager Bob Still.

"NASO obviously has a strong interest in any program teaching officiating," says Still. "We want to help if we can because it’s important that new officials get off on the right foot and stay passionate and enthusiastic."

Referee Enterprises Group Sales Manager Patrick Miles contacted Ryan and, after a series of phone calls, the Millard officiating program was equipped with appropriate training materials. The program is using such NASO/Referee publications as the baseball, basketball and soccer guidebooks, various other guides, transparencies and other educational materials.

Millard is believed to be the only K-12 school district in Nebraska or Iowa to offer such a course. Nearly 100 students enrolled in the fall semester.

Ryan is teaching two classes this fall. He teaches 52 students, 47 boys and five girls, many of whom have officiated youth sporting events.

"I think this is unique," said Bob Knudson, Omaha Marian’s head softball coach and a Nebraska School Activities Association official for 30 years. "I think the Millard Public Schools are doing a tremendous service to the local sporting world."

In the World-Herald article, Knudson goes on to say that such classes give the students a base of knowledge, but that alone won’t prepare them to be officials in big-time settings like high school varsity games.

The program teaches basic rules, mechanics and game management skills.

"It’s hard to simulate a two-point ballgame with a district title on the line, with 3,000 people screaming at once, and at the same time trying to keep with the pace of the game," he adds.

When asked by the World-Herald reporter which sport offered the most excitement, the students responded that flag football had provided the most controversial situations so far in the very young season.

Sophomore Kara Daeges, who has never been an official, said she already has learned how to take charge when players get out of line.

"You give them a warning and show them who’s boss, and if it comes up again, you throw them out," she said.

Daeges says she’ll treat officials better in the future. "Officiating’s not as easy as you think."

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December Issue Mailed

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

Here’s a preview:

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