A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO ETIQUETTE FOR FOOTBALL OFFICIALS

The following is brief guide to etiquette for High School Officials in the NCOA North Section Group.  These are suggested guidelines for a variety of topics.  While many of them may seem self-evident, most of the time we receive criticism it is related to a perceived lapse of judgment and common sense.  Please accept these as gentle reminders as to how we can best interact among ourselves and with others.

Section 1 - Contacting and/or traveling with others on the crew

·         Each crew member should contact the Referee during the week preceding a game you are assigned to work to confirm that you will be working on the crew, to verify uniform choice and to establish the time and place to meet.  This contact can be made in person at a meeting or by telephone.  Having the crew members call the Referee reduces the number of calls anyone person has to make.

·         Selection of the Junior Varsity Referee is the prerogative of the Varsity Referee.  Various methods are used; first to ask, last to choose, most senior, least senior, highest ranking, most proficient, etc.  If you have a desire to work as a JV Referee, contact your Crew Chief early and ask what method he will be using.

·         If a crew will be traveling out of town, the Referee should coordinate group travel if appropriate and desired.  Crew members who will travel together should confirm the time and location of departure and be there in time to leave on time.

·         Crew members who ride with another official should offer one-third of their travel time to the driver.  Have the cash with you and hand it to the driver before you depart the game site after the game.  If the driver refuses, that is his prerogative.  But making the offer should be automatic.

·         If work or other urgent business will delay your arrival, discuss the issue with the Referee as soon as you can.  This will enable the crew to make adjustments as necessary and reduce conflict among crew members.

Section 2 - Uniform selection and appearance

·         Selection of the uniform to be worn is up to the Varsity Referee.  This includes long or short sleeve shirts, regular (knickers) or summer (shorts) uniform.  Most Crew Chiefs will consult with the members of the crew.  Some have specific expectations.  When making contact with your Referee (refer to Section 1) inquire about his uniform expectations.  Each official is responsible for having all uniform components available.  If you need to, make arrangements in advance to borrow or purchase what you need for an upcoming game.

·         Know the different uniform components, i.e. which socks go with which pants, are specific types of shirts required or prohibited?, etc.

·         Make sure that what you are wearing is uniform apparel.  Tennis shorts, jogging shorts or shirts from your part-time job at Footlocker are not acceptable.

·         Keep your uniform clean and in good repair.  Replace worn out, faded or severely stained items.  Looking professional helps reduce conflict and enhance confidence in those who are observing your performance.

·         Do not wear discernible uniform items inappropriately.  If stopping for food or (especially adult) beverages, change out of your stripes and into street clothes.  Even though the game may be long over, the association of drinking or other personal behavior with the uniform may be negatively perceived and reflects on the entire group.

Section 3 - Conduct at school facilities

·         Conduct yourself in a respectful and professional manner at all times when on school facilities.  Keep in mind that the people you will encounter on campus are parents, grandparents, volunteers and workers who may have already worked a long day.  They may not know you or why you on campus as you arrive.  Be polite. If there are conflicts, seek out an administrator who is in responsible charge.

·         All campuses are tobacco and alcohol free.  Smoking, chewing or otherwise using tobacco products or consuming alcohol on school campuses is prohibited by state law.  We are there to enforce one set of rules.  Don’t violate another.  In a similar vein, the consumption of alcohol prior to working a game should be avoided.  While you may not be impaired, the odor of alcohol may suggest that you are ill suited to work the game and may be an important factor in determining liability in the event of a serious controversy or injury.

·         Be vigilant about what you say.  You never know who may overhear an inappropriate remark.  Do not speak critically or inappropriately about those you observe, especially students.  Avoid the use of profane, explicit or suggestive remarks.  Again, we are demanding high standards from coaches and athletes.  We must rise above those standards ourselves.

·         Snack bar privileges are at the discretion of the host school.  Many schools will offer you refreshments and or food from their snack bar.  Often times this is announced when you first meet with the facility administrator or the coach.  Never presume that such privileges will be afforded, however.  The sports programs are paying a lot of money over the year for game officials.  With tightening budgets, they may feel less generous about freebies at the snack bar.  Go on the field prepared to pay for any refreshments (even water) you may request from the snack bar.  If you are offered food or drink, don’t be greedy.

·         Do not fraternize with spectators, school officials or others.  The appearance of impropriety is a most damaging factor for officials.  Even though you may have friends or other acquaintances at the game, reserve your visiting for another time and place.  Opposing team players, coaches and fans may view an overly friendly or prolonged interaction with someone on the opposing side as an indicator that the game will not be fairly officiated.  At the first sign of controversy, that pre-game or halftime interaction will likely be a subject of discussion.

Section 4 - Working with new officials

·         Treat fellow officials how you would like to be treated.  None of us was born a football official.  We all had to start at some time and place.  We all made rookie mistakes.  A long-time friend and colleague in our group, Bob Rodness, used to profess that it would take 5 to 10 years to develop someone into a good football official.  With the numbers of games we are staffing, inexperienced officials will be on every crew.  Show them respect and dedicate yourself to helping them to become as good an official as you believe yourself to be.

·         Support the new official on the field.  Each official has specific areas of responsibility related to the position assigned.  Through the course of play these areas have natural seams where responsibility overlaps.  Referees, back judges and umpires can all support newer officials on the flanks by being more aware of the overlapping areas, by being close at hand to help prevent player misconduct, to intervene with an unruly coach and to express words of encouragement when a “mature” play or call is made.

·         Reserve constructive criticism for the locker room.  Don’t openly criticize or correct another official on the filed in earshot of players, coaches and others.  If a mistake needs immediate attention to avoid repeating, discuss it discreetly.

·         Accept suggestions or criticism as an effort to help you improve.  If a senior or fellow official offers you a suggestion or a criticism of your performance, avoid the temptation to argue or defend yourself.  Evaluate how and if the comment can help you improve the way you work your game and act on it accordingly.  Many of the officials in our group genuinely want to help everyone excel.  They will be less inclined to try to help you if you resist their efforts.  There are some variances in practices and some officials may give you questionable advice.  Such issues may be discussed in classrooms or in private with leaders of the group.  Little benefit can result from an open argument on the field, however.

·         Provide new officials with information they need.  If you know that a school does not play its games or some levels of its games at the school, check with less experienced members of your crew to insure they know where the game is being played.  If there are particular places at a school that are good or bad to park or easier or more difficult to gain access, or where crews can dress share that information with other crew members, especially those who may be less experienced.

Section 5 - Conflicts of Interest

·         If it looks like it might be a conflict of interest, treat it as though it is.  Officiating subjects us all to questions about integrity, fairness and impartiality.  As a general rule, avoid accepting assignments anywhere where an issue might be raised questioning how you measure up to those standards.  You may be fully able to officiate without prejudice but if a controversy arises, your personal relationship or other potential conflict is an easy target for critics and unfair to the players, the coaches, the fans, the Association and yourself.

·         Block teams, schools where you have any vested personal interest.  As discussed above, the appearance of impropriety is as damaging as the real deal.  If you have coached, attended, worked or otherwise been associated with a school, you should block that school from your schedule.  If you have relatives who play, attend, volunteer or work at a school, you should block that school from your schedule. 

·         Prominent citizens in small communities are subject to scrutiny.  If you live in a small community where you may be easily recognized by others who attend games in that community, you should block that school from your schedule.  Although the temptation to work a game right next door to home is strong, the opportunities for being viewed as fraternizing or worse are just too great.

·         Don’t accept gratuities.  Aside from a cold drink and possibly a brief snack, avoid accepting gratuities of any kind from school representatives, spectators or others in attendance.  While it may seem ludicrous to think that the outcome of the game would be affected by an official who was known to have received some form of gift (shirt, hat, memorabilia, etc.) remember the tenets in the first bullet in this section.

Section 6 - Inquiries from fans, schools, the press and others

·         Experience dictates that coaches and sportswriters are rarely complement the performance of officials.  They are frequently free with their criticism. 

·         Keeping in mind the warnings about being courteous, politely decline to answer questions from spectators, athletic directors, the press or others regarding calls, events or conflicts on the field.  All such inquiries should be directed to the Group Leader.  He may ask you for a report or may ask you to answer questions from a legitimate source.  Avoid the temptation to do so on your own, however.

·         Fans may approach you at halftime or after the game asking for an explanation of a call or challenging you about a call.  Courteously inform them that you are not permitted to have that discussion with them and invite them to contact the Group Leader or their Athletic Director with their questions.

Section 7 - Observations and comments about other officials or the rules

·         If you have occasion to observe games worked by others, don’t make comments about other officials to spectators, coaches or others.  Recognize that we received enough unwarranted criticism from the stands without encouraging or engaging in it ourselves.  A simple, “I don’t have the position or angle he had on the field.” or “I can’t make that call from here.” Is an easy way to avoid saying something that may be interpreted as disagreement with or criticism about a call made by a fellow official.

·         Be cautious in answering questions about the rules when off the field.  All of us are asked from time to time about a rule.  Be careful about providing information about rules unless you are certain of your knowledge and certain of the question.  Don’t put a colleague in the line of fire next week by giving misinformation about a rule only to have the person you told tell his game official last week, “Well I talked to one of your officials last week and he said…..”  

·         Avoid the temptation to comment about a ruling someone wants to ask you about.  If you were not there, you didn’t see the play and you are not even sure it is being explained to you accurately.  Don’t speculate as to what the ruling may have been or what the official at the time may have seen and ruled upon.  If you were there, if you were not the covering official, refer to the first bullet in this section.  If you were the covering official, refer to the item above regarding responding to the press and others.

Section 8 - Handling threats or violence

·         Exercise sound judgment.  Know the difference between criticism and a threat, between misbehavior and threatening behavior.  We have been fortunate over the years that not many violent acts have been perpetrated against our members.  According to reports in publications, other parts of the country have and continue to experience frequent threats and actual violence upon officials.

·         Stay together.  Officials should always try to enter and leave the field and the school facility together.  An isolated official is much more likely to be threatened or attacked than a group of three to five.

·         Stay calm.  You employ conflict management skills on the field.  Use the same techniques if challenged or threatened.  Do not engage in argument or aggressive speech with a potential combatant. 

·         Separate yourself from the threatening situation.  Simply walk away from threatening individuals and avoid unseemly situations. 

·         If blocked from the place you need to go to change or to get to your car, seek assistance from school administrators, security personnel or the police.

·         Don’t retaliate if assaulted.  Just as we advise players who retaliate that they are guilty of violating the rules, your ability to seek redress against an attacker may be affected by how you respond.  Take necessary steps to protect yourself from injury but do not engage in a hand-to-hand battle.  As discussed above, get away from the threat and report it immediately to the appropriate authorities.