Serving as a REFEREE is indeed one of the most powerful, difficult, enjoyable, stressful, and scrutinized positions in a tournament--but its also one that elicits the most comments. Much ado is being made these days about referee's decisions because its not just dual match time, it is also conference tournament time...
I am good friends with many fellow referees and we have a great time getting together and sharing "war stories". Its amazing what happens to all of during the course of a year. Since I have been privileged to referee two ITA National Indoor Tournaments as well as countless conference tournaments and hundreds of dual matches, I thought I would venture out with some of my own personal guidelines that I use in tournaments (not dual matches):
* Always be aware of the personality makeup of your team of officials. You should be aware of each official's strengths and weaknesses and assign them accordingly.
* Never assign someone as referee when they graduated from or played for one of the schools involved. This creates a problem when there doesn't need to be one.
* Never assign someone as referee when they are the coordinator for one of the schools. No coach wants to see the opposing coach's coordinator serving as referee.
* Cautiously use officials on a match when they have graduated from one of the schools or are the coordinator for one of the schools. This can and is done but leaves you open for unwanted criticism.
* Listen to the coaches involved. There is no substitute for listening.
* Never let one official continually officiate a specific player's matches.
* Be very visible if you are the tournament referee but don't try to micromanage. If your officials are good enough to be there then they are good enough to do their match. Trust your officials to do the right thing. If there is ever a question, I always ask the chair official first and then trust what they tell me to be the truth. Supporting your officials is one of the prime jobs of a tournament referee.
* Don't stand and hover over matches for long periods of time. If you are standing and observing the coaches, players, and fans might want you to overrule a line call or call a footfault or something worse. I always stand a reasonable distance away so I can still see but not involve myself in a match. That's why we have chair umpires.
* Convey to your coaches and players that they can always present their case but have to do it in a civil manner. I never permit coaches, players, or fans to yell at me or my officials.
* Never correct or berate an official in front of someone else. You wouldn't want that done to you so why would you do it to them.
* Expect all officials to be clean, well dressed, and clean-shaven. You would think this would never have to be addressed--but it does. Players sometimes smell but officials never should!
* Be as friendly, courteous, efficient, and professional as you can be. You have a tremendously important job and it needs to be done well.
These are just a few of my thoughts and comments--we would welcome hearing yours...
6 comments:
* Never assign someone as referee when they are the coordinator for one of the schools. No coach wants to see the opposing coach's coordinator serving as referee.
* Cautiously use officials on a match when they have graduated from one of the schools or are the coordinator for one of the schools. This can and is done but leaves you open for unwanted criticism.
Based on these two statements, then why does Mr. RM assign himself as referee for all SMU Men, SMU Women, North Texas, UTA Men and UTA Women's matches when he is the coordinator for those schools?
What a great list of reminders! It's going to be in my courtbag :)
--Lisa
Dear anonymous,
You obviously need to re-read the post. What you are alluding to is in a conference TOURNAMENT and not in dual matches.
BTW, I very seldom do UNT matches and don't do all the matches for UTA and/or SMU but the coaches have made it plain that when I am there, I am to be the referee.
It is the same at UT and Baylor and TCU. When their coordinator is there then they are expected to be the referee.
Perhaps if you would like to sign your name I could consider you for a referee assignment next year...
Randy:
Forget anonymous comment about you being the referee for all SMU, North Texas, and UTA. The school hires the individual to staff officials for their matches. Until someone has fill these shoes they should forget about critcizing someone who put in all the time expense to located officials to work, make sure all officials are paid for the matches not counting all the expense of sending 1099 and the expense of postage.
I believe all your comments a valid except one should be added.
When you hire an official, he should act like an official and not try and act as the referee, trying to make assignments and trying to run the match. To many individuals want be in charge when they are hired just to officiate a match.
Let the Referee do his work and quit whinning about not being in charge.
Coaches hire the individual they want to act as referee and the coaches has the right to suggest what official they want on what match, since they are the ones who is paying the bill.
Now when it comes to BIG XII, everyone knows, from Texas to Iowa, that Cheryl Jones tries to tell everyone what to do. When was the last time anyone saw her do a match
Cheryl is the QUEEN, undisputed, and the complete authority...granted to her in full faith and credit by the Big XII Conference, so folks move on.
Seems to be lots of envy and sour grapes in the big 12 et al of those commenters here.
The items listed in the blog were just above blather and soon to turn to gag me.
The coordinator position is coveted, and all officials are sure they could do the job so much better than
the goodoleguysandgals who worked their way in the last 25 years to this position.
Maybe these naysayers should work more junior tournaments to get their minds right about the privilige of working/chairing D-1 dual matches.
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