Referee Magazine - May 2017

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May 2017 // referee.com

DISTINCTIVE MARC PG. 28

CHECK IT BASEBALL

PG. 14

BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY

PG. 40

THE GEOGRAPHIC CENTER

OF OFFICIATING PG. 70

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E K A T OUR HE ON T S RULE

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CONTENTS

MAY 2017 Volume 42, No. 5 Issue 487 28

FEATURES 28

MARC OF DISTINCTION

The respect Marc Ratner has earned for his work in boxing and MMA sets him apart.

40

BE SAFE

50

THINKING ABOUT THE RULES …

Seven ways to avoid attacks.

If the powers-that-be gave Referee’s editors a magic wand, what rules might we change?

70

STATE OF OFFICIATING

A look at a small state office with a large percentage of employees with officiating ties.

SPORTS

COLUMNS

12

4

PUBLISHER’S MEMO

6

THE GAG RULE

ON THE COVER GREG STREET

20

Wendell, N.C.

Occupation: Sergeant, Wake County Sheriff’s Department

COURTESY OF MARC RATNER, KEN KASSENS (STREET), GARY TURNER (BARKER)

Officiating Experience: Attended Harry Wendelstedt Umpire School in 1987 and 1988. Spent eight seasons as an umpire in the International, Texas, Eastern, South Atlantic and Gulf Coast leagues.

NCAA D-I baseball umpire since 2005. Evaluator and instructor at college umpire camps — teaching and giving back to umpires is a “passion of mine,” he said. Street has worked Atlantic Coast and Southeastern conference tournaments, called regionals and super regionals and worked the College World Series in 2013. In addition to umpiring in Cuba (as shown on the cover photo), he has called baseball in Japan.

34

BASEBALL

There’s No Rush: Here’s How to Get Timing ‘On Your Side’; Check-up on Checked-Swing Assistance; Mouthing Off

SOFTBALL

Outside the Lines: Offthe-Path Tips to Success While Working the Bases; NCAA Shifts Gears With Pace-of-Play Rules; ‘Did She Go?’ 5MW: Cody Little

SOCCER

Avoiding Triple Penalty: How Recent Law Changes Impact DOGSO Situations; Run the Line Mechanics; 5MW: Chad Collins

44

BASKETBALL

58

VOLLEYBALL

64

FOOTBALL

74

ALL SPORTS

Be a Rules Official: What Rookies Need to Know; Jump Stops Always Legal?; Look Like an Official Should

8

42

56

Official; Coroner Investigator at Home as Wresting Official

Decision-making 4.0

Letter: Game-Ending Comment; Your Call @ Facebook; They Like Us; Referee.com Poll

78

FOR THE RECORD

80

LAW

81

CLASSIFIEDS

THE NEWS

Four MLB Umpires Retire, Replacements Named; Tennis Umpire Hit by Ball, Has Surgery; Triplette Resigns as NFLRA President

GETTING IT RIGHT

Umpire Eyes a Comeback; Referee Bounces Back; MAGBO Inducts Three

PROFILES

Oh, Baby! Surrogate Mom Gives Birth to Grandson; Last Hurrah for Longtime

82

MLB Roster

Electronic Payments: Whys and Wherefores; Be Prepared to Avoid Liability; Hands Off Best Approach During Melee, Injury Camps/Clinics/Schools; Equipment/Apparel; Training Resources; Leadership Resources

LAST CALL

Wise Guy: I shared my thoughts on Facebook ... and was dumbfounded at the response.

PROFILES HIGHLIGHT THIS MONTH

Timing’s Everything: NFHS Alters Second Referee’s Timeout Responsibilities; Arm Yourself During Rise Through the Ranks Substitutes, Sidelines and Some Subterfuge: How to Make Sure It’s 11 vs. 11; The Hand That Touches the Ball Rules the Play; No Score in the End Zone Peak to Peak: You Just Might See Forever From There; Put a Premium on Your Pregame

High school volleyball referee Megan Barker worked matches up to one week before giving birth — as a surrogate for her daughter.

FOR MORE, GO TO PAGE 56

Find Referee Magazine on Facebook and follow RefereeMag on Twitter

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PUBLISHER’S MEMO Watch the video at referee.com/pubmemo

Chief Strategy Officer/Publisher Barry Mano Chief Operating Officer/Executive Editor Bill Topp

Decision-making 4.0 A sports official is hired to make decisions quickly, authoritatively and without fear or favor. It takes an incredible amount of training, experience and discipline to do that effectively and with aplomb. The officiating endeavor is not well-suited to the faint of heart. For the most part, people in the outside world marvel at our ability to make such decisions.

In that respect, our decisiveness is applauded.

Then along came replay. The system was built with the main intention to ensure more plays were correctly called. At first the system was confined … just the “life threatening” calls or those that anyone sitting on a barstool could get right after watching the TV screen.

That is where it started. Predictably that is not where it stayed.

Replay has been expanded, enhanced and extrapolated into a tool of immense capability and usefulness.

We now see more, better and quicker.

The numerous times I have walked into a major replay command center, I remind myself that a reasonable person might well ask why game calls would not be made in the center and exported back to the officiating crew at the game site. The center is darkened, calm, temperaturecontrolled and beautifully laid out for the purpose of evaluating video images in real time, rendering decisions about what is seen and then transmitting those decisions to the officials. These command posts and stadium replay booths are harbingers of change in officiating decisionmaking.

Formerly we had the luxury of a play being nothing until we said it was something. Remember those days? Sweet they were. But now, a play is something even if we did not recognize that fact and with some frequency. Now we see a play, call a play and then that reality is supplanted with a different reality

4 | REFEREE May 2017

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— the one from a multi-HD-screened console. More and more we are accepting of that, and beyond that acceptance we now embrace this new “friend” of officiating. In fact, being as smart and quick as we are, already we have built replay into our decision-making apparatus.

There are some who are unhappy with the new way of officiating.

They feel officials just need to keep making calls the way they have been made for decades … maybe centuries. Make the call and don’t even think about replay. Almost has a Norman Rockwell feel to it, wouldn’t you say? But any reasonable referee who is working in an environment replete with replay will invariably and reasonably — reasonably I say — begin to adjust the approach to the game. We know that certain plays are monstrous to undo. In those cases, let the play play out and then come back and fix the play if the camera shot tells us to.

Injecting replay into our decisionmaking process is not a sign of cowardice. It is a sign of pragmatism and the evolution to this awareness has been at breakneck speed. When replay began, I believe many thought the officials would turtle in and shun the incursion onto their turf. Turns out, they should have given us more credit than that. At our core we are pragmatists. We don’t theorize. We don’t muse about stuff. We make decisions and if a tool comes along to help us make those decisions, we will incorporate it into our toolbox.

One caveat: As we integrate replay into our decision process, we have to be doubly sure to remain decisive. Now we build into our process an extra intuition about plays that are better left uncalled at the very instant they occur. Yes, that is an extra load on our shoulders but we can handle it. We have much more capacity than we might think or that others might give us credit for. Show time.

Peace,

Chief Marketing Officer Jim Arehart Chief Business Development Officer Ken Koester Managing Editor Brent Killackey Assistant Managing Editor Julie Sternberg Senior Editor Jeffrey Stern Associate Editor Todd Korth Copy Editor Jean Mano Education Director Margaret Domka Education Coordinator Justin Marien Content Production Coordinator Chris Szolyga Director of Design, Digital Media and Branding Ross Bray Publication Design Manager Matt Bowen Graphic Designer Dustin Brown Video Coordinator Michael Dougherty Interactive Media Developer Michael Kielas Director of Audience Development Dan Olson Event Planner/Marketing Coordinator Nancy Short Comptroller Marylou Clayton Data Analyst/Fulfillment Manager Judy Ball Director of Administration and Sales Support Cory Ludwin Office Administrator Garrett Randall Customer Service Support Specialists Michelle Murray Lisa Burchell Transportation Services Assistant Bob Wemmert Editorial Contributors Jon Bible, George Demetriou, Alan Goldberger, Jerry Grunska, Judson Howard, Peter Jackel, Jay Miner, Tim Sloan These organizations offer ongoing assistance to Referee: Collegiate Commissioners Association, MLB, MLS, NBA, NCAA, NFHS, NISOA, NFL, NHL, Minor League Baseball Umpire Development and U.S. Soccer.

Their input is appreciated.

Contributing Photographers Ralph Echtinaw, Dale Garvey, Ken Kassens, Jack Kapenstein, Bob Messina, Bill Nichols, Ted Oppegard, Jim White Editorial Board Emily Alexander, Marcia Alterman, Gloria Cox, Ron Huffman, Wade Labecki, B.J. Ligocki, Cheryl McCarthy Chiari, John O’Neill, Brent Rice, George Toliver, Larry Warrenfeltz Advertising 2017 Lathrop Ave., Racine, WI 53405 Phone: 262-632-8855 advertising@referee.com REFEREE (ISSN 0733+1436) is published monthly, $46.95 per year in U.S., $81.95 in Canada, Mexico and foreign countries, by Referee Enterprises, Inc., 2017 Lathrop Ave., Racine, WI 53405. Periodical postage paid at Racine, WI and at additional mailing offices.

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THE GAG RULE WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

REFEREE.COM POLL

LETTERS

The use of replay is ...

Game-Ending Comment

I am a retired longtime baseball umpire and a sports fan. I read the article concerning the Illinois high school playoff game which ended in a courtroom and I must agree with the judge’s decision to not overturn the outcome in accordance with the IHSA (Illinois High School Association) bylaws.

However, the time has come for associations with jurisdiction in these matters to amend their bylaws and rules regarding game-ending situations. With replay being used more and more to overturn officials’ judgment calls in most sports, the time has come to make the situation right!

I can recall four situations in recent years where game-ending criteria was not adhered to and the end result was a team consequently suffering a needless loss!

In 2015, an Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) football game involving Duke and Miami resulted in an exciting kick return only to have the ACC publicly call out the officials for four mistakes on that particular play and time would have expired. This resulted in the officials receiving a two-game suspension, but the outcome was not changed and Duke took the loss.

Again in 2015, the (Jacksonville) Jaguars kicked a field goal on an untimed down to defeat the (Baltimore) Ravens, only to have the NFL publicly acknowledge that the field goal should have been nullified as the offensive line was not set prior to the snap. The penalty, had it been called, would have resulted in a 10-second runoff of the game clock and time would have expired; yet, the NFL chose to not overturn the outcome.

This past fall we again witnessed Central Michigan being awarded an untimed down erroneously, resulting in a winning touchdown over Oklahoma State. The officials had mistakenly misapplied a rule and the NCAA upheld the victory citing college football rules.

Now, we have a similar situation involving high school football in Illinois. Today, in 2017, it is just not enough for sanctioning bodies and governing associations to say we are sorry, but the result still stands! Let’s make it right for all concerned, so as not to involve the legal system.

Brian Pinson Mesa, Ariz.

just about right

56%

too intrusive

34%

not aggressive enough

10%

SOURCE: 2016 SURVEY OF 61 OFFICIALS

YOUR CALL @

THEY LIKE US Michael Keil: DPI and defensive personal fouls to be automatic first downs (NFHS football).

Tina Reichert: If a player is not properly dressed, a direct technical foul to the head coach (NFHS basketball).

Jeffrey Neal Page: Sixth foul of a quarter, shoot two-shot bonus. With a quarter reset of fouls (NFHS basketball).

Mary Fitzgerald: When advantage is applied and the whistle is held for a foul, a verbal acknowledgment should accompany the hand signal so the fouled player knows a foul has been recognized (women’s lacrosse).

Tony Haire: Rescind the rule that allows the head coach to request a timeout during live ball (NFHS basketball).

Rob Tranthem: Make all facemask penalties 15 yards (NFHS football).

Walt Kornatowski: Eliminate the changing of courts between matches (NFHS, NCAA volleyball).

Anthony Delebreau: Do away with all blocks below the waist in the free-blocking zone (NFHS football). Team requesting a timeout after a basket with under two minutes remaining gets the ball at halfcourt, like in the NBA (NFHS basketball).

Billy Isaac: Abolish the DP/ flex (NFHS softball).

Walt Freiling: Balk should be a live ball. Change the hybrid pitching rule: when the pivot foot is parallel to the pitching plate, the pitcher is in the set position; and, when the pivot foot is not parallel, the pitcher is in the windup (NFHS baseball).

John Schoenthaler: If a player is clearly injured and cannot return (concussion/ broken bones/shoulder separation), the sub should not count toward the three allowed per game (IFAB).

Brent Hilliard: Jersey numbers zero to five (NFHS volleyball).

“I have been known to bark at umpires every now and then. Who doesn’t? But at the very least, after this weekend, I gained a new respect for those men and women, boys and girls, who put up with the heat — the relentless heat — and arguments from players, coaches and fans without much time to rest their bodies or brains. There’s no retreating to the dugout every half inning to sit and enjoy the shade. It’s work, man.

Rob Bowman: Four count, four-point near fall (NFHS wrestling).

“I would be crazy to do this again. So why am I thinking about becoming an umpire?”

Rick Woelfel: Limit the number of timeouts in the final two minutes (NCAA, NBA basketball).

— Brad Hallier, The Hutchinson (Kansas) News columnist, after umpiring four youth baseball games.

Joshua Parry: Add a five-yard minor unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty (NFHS football).

Jim Marzullo: Get rid of the coaching box (NFHS basketball).

Wade Price: Allow twohand reporting to the table (NFHS basketball).

“Like” us on facebook.com/RefereeMagazine to join the conversation.

SOURCE: HUTCHINSON NEWS

Tell Us What You Think Send email to letters@referee.com Send letter to: Editor, Referee, 2017 Lathrop Ave. Racine, Wis. 53405 Opinions expressed in “The Gag Rule” are not necessarily those of Referee. Unless otherwise stated, letters sent to Referee are intended for publication and become the property of Referee.

COURTESY COURTNEY CAMERON OF ATHLETIC BUSINESS

On page 50, Referee’s editors write about rules they’d revise. We wanted your input, too. What is a rule in a sport you officiate that you would like to see changed or added?

6 | REFEREE May 2017

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THE NEWS Four MLB Umpires Retire, Replacements Named

Hirschbeck

Joyce

Welke

Davidson

Welke was part of the AL staff from 1984-99 and the merged MLB staff starting in 2000. He worked the World Series four times along with six LCS assignments and eight appearances in a Division Series (one as a replay umpire). He also worked the All-Star Game three times.

Davidson worked his first NL game in 1992 and joined the staff the next year. In 1999, he resigned as part of a labor dispute that led to the formation of the WUA. He later worked his way up through the minor leagues before joining the MLB staff in 2007.

Davidson worked one World Series, three LCS assignments, three Division Series and three All-Star games.

In the wake of the retirements, MLB announced four hires. Adam Hamari, 33, has worked 461 MLB games since his debut in June 2013. Carlos Torres, 38, a native of Venezuela, worked his first big-league game in July 2015.

He’s worked 389 MLB games. Gabe Morales, 32, has 389 games of bigleague experience since April 2014. Pat Hoberg, 30, made his MLB debut in March 2014. He has worked 354 games.

CONTRIBUTING SOURCE: USA TODAY

Tennis umpire Arnaud Gabas underwent surgery in midFebruary to repair a fractured bone under his left eye — a fracture caused by a ball hit by a player in anger.

Canada’s Denis Shapovalov smashed the ball after losing his serve during the third set of a Feb. 4 Davis Cup match against Great Britain’s Kyle Edmund.

The ball accidentally hit Gabas in the eye.

Gabas was taken to Ottawa General Hospital after the incident and no damage to his cornea or retina was found. Upon his return home to France, Gabas underwent further exams. X-rays showed a fracture of the orbital bone under his left eye, which See “Gabas” p.10

THE WIRE Howard Webb Joins MLS to Manage Video Referees The Professional Referee Organization announced in early February that retired FIFA referee Howard Webb has been hired as manager of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) Operations. Webb retired after a 25-year career officiating more than 500 English Premier League and Football League games. VAR testing took place in MLS preseason games

with a goal of implementing live, in-game testing during regular season matches in the second half of the 2017 season. Webb will oversee the development and education, assessment and assignment of VARs for PRO. “Howard Webb will be a great asset to PRO in spearheading the VAR project,” said PRO general manager Peter Walton. “His highlevel officiating experience and work as a broadcaster will bring

tremendous value as he guides our referees through various VAR testing and assessment exercises ahead of forthcoming VAR implementation.”

NHL Player Handed Suspension for Contact With Official

Anaheim Ducks forward Antoine Vermette received a 10-game suspension without pay for slashing linesman Shandor

Alphonso after a face-off. The suspension cost Vermette nearly $98,000, which will go to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund. Vermette was expected to appeal the suspension to NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman.

The incident, where Vermette slapped his stick against Alphonso’s leg after losing a faceoff, occurred at 7:33 of the third period of a game in Minnesota on Feb. 14. Vermette was assessed

COURTESY OF MLB, JUSTIN TANG/ZUMA PRESS/NEWSCOM (GABAS)

NEW YORK CITY — There are some new faces on the field for the 2017 MLB season. Four of MLB’s longest-serving umpires — John Hirschbeck, Jim Joyce, Tim Welke and Bob Davidson — have retired.

Hirschbeck was part of the AL staff from 1984-99 and the MLB staff from 2000-16. He closed his career by serving as the crew chief for the 2016 World Series between Cubs and the Indians.

Hirschbeck worked five World Series, five ALCS and 10 Division Series. He also worked three All-Star games. Hirschbeck served as the first president of the World Umpires Association (WUA) from 2000-08.

Joyce worked in the AL from 1989-99 before joining the MLB staff in 2000. While he made headlines on June 2, 2010, when an incorrect call at first base with two out in the top of the ninth inning cost Detroit’s Armando Galarraga a perfect game, Joyce’s career had many highlights. He worked the World Series three times, four LCS and 10 Division Series, along with three AllStar games.

“I prided myself on trying to walk on the field every day with a smile,” Joyce said. “I tried never to look like I was upset or other things were bothering me because you’re going to work. … If you walk out and don’t look like you enjoy what you’re doing I think that’s one of the things to overcome right away.”

Tennis Umpire Hit by Ball, Has Surgery

R

About t

Ralph Swearngin Jr., Ph.D., is the retired ex

School Association (GHSA), a position he h

was the GHSA commissioner of officials fro

officiated high school football in Georgia an

Atlanta Falcons Lifetime Achievement Awar

served the National Federation of State Hig

the board of directors and on the Football R

Rules Committee (8 years). He is also a pas

the National Association of Sports Officials.

in the areas of officiating and athletic admin

educational psychology from Georgia State

degrees from Whittier College in Whittier, C Perry, Ga. They have two children and four

Cover_The Inner Game.indd 1

8 | REFEREE May 2017

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Get your face in front of A

real book

R

THE IT FACTOR IN OFFICIATING

R

R

From Referee Magazine and The National Association of Sports Officials

Ralph Swearngin Jr., Ph.D., is the retired executive director of the Georgia High School Association (GHSA), a position he held from 2001-2014. Before that, he was the GHSA commissioner of officials from 1992-2001. For 22 years, Swearngin officiated high school football in Georgia and California. He is a recipient of the Atlanta Falcons Lifetime Achievement Award for high school football. He has served the National Federation of State High School Associations as a member of the board of directors and on the Football Rules Committee (22 years) and Softball Rules Committee (8 years). He is also a past member of the board of directors of the National Association of Sports Officials. Swearngin is an author and speaker in the areas of officiating and athletic administration. He holds a doctorate in educational psychology from Georgia State University and bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Whittier College in Whittier, Calif. He and his wife, Evelyn, reside in Perry, Ga. They have two children and four grandchildren.

THE INNER GAME OF OFFICIATING IT’S ALL ABOUT YOU

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THE NEWS

Triplette Resigns as NFLRA President WASHINGTON, D.C. — Jeff Triplette has resigned as president of the NFL Referees Association (NFLRA) and will be replaced by Tony Steratore.

Triplette, 65, led the officials union since 2013. He has been an NFL official for 21 years and a referee since 1999. Steratore, a back judge for 17 seasons, has been a vice president of the NFLRA the last four years.

“I talked to Tony and let him know that I am not going to be running and that (he needs) to be president,” Triplette said. “I told him, ‘I’m going to step aside and throw all of my support behind you and help to get you elected for a full three-year term.’”

Elections are held every year for certain positions under the NFLRA’s bylaws. This December the president and vice president positions are up for election.

Umpire Carl Paganelli is the leading candidate for the vice president’s role. He has 18 seasons of NFL experience.

“I have served on the board and in the union for 15 years,” Triplette said. “It’s time to give it to some other folks. I was not going to run for re-election anyway later this year. I made that decision and announced it to the board back in December (2016).

I felt that once the postseason was over that it was a good time to go

Gabas

continued from p.8

ahead and relinquish the leadership role and let others step forward and lead the association going forward.”

NFLRA Executive Director Scott Green praised Triplette’s contributions, saying, “Every member of the union is in a better position because of the acumen he showed in the economic and workplace negotiations during (the lockout in) 2012.”

Triplette served as an NASO board member from 2010-14, including two years as chair. Green is currently serving on the NASO board.

was repaired surgically, the International Tennis Foundation said.

After the ball hit Gabas, Shapovalov was defaulted. The ITF later fined the 17-year-old $7,000.

“I would like to thank my doctors for their excellent support,” Gabas said in a statement issued by the ITF. “The surgery was successful and I am now concentrating on rest and rehabilitation so I can be back on the court in the near future.

“I would also like to express my sincere gratitude for all the messages of support I have received around the world,” Gabas said.

Shapovalov apologized immediately after hitting Gabas and later sought him out again in the referee’s office.

“I went back and spoke to the umpire afterwards and apologized directly to him,” Shapovalov said after the match. “Luckily he was OK but obviously it’s unacceptable behavior from me. I feel incredibly ashamed and embarrassed, and I just feel awful for letting my team down, for letting my country down, for acting in a way that I would never want to act.”

CONTRIBUTING SOURCE: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

CONTRIBUTING SOURCE: ESPN

a game misconduct for abuse of officials.

N.C. Gets Tough With Baseball, Softball Coaches The North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) adopted a zero tolerance discipline policy for coaches for the 2017 baseball and softball seasons. The biggest change prohibits head coaches from having discussions with an

umpire at home plate or between the foul lines — the coach will have to meet the crew chief at the respective foul line in front of the dugout, midway between home and first or third base. There are additional restrictions on inappropriate language and profanity, and consequences to the head coach if an assistant argues a call from the dugout. The get-tough approach was aimed at improving

sportsmanship within the batand-ball sports.

SEC Notes 8 Percent Accuracy Increase

Southeastern Conference Officiating Coordinator Steve Shaw said his conference saw a nearly 8 percent improvement in officiating accuracy in 2016 thanks in part to the newly implemented collaborative replay system. “In anybody’s business, if

you can get an 8 percent increase in productivity, that’s huge,” Shaw told CBS Sports. “We’re very pleased with it. We think we got better as the year went on.”

The collaborative replay system added replay officials at a command center in Birmingham, Ala., to aid in official replays.

Starting with the 2016 season, the NCAA allowed conferences to use people other than the stadium replay official to assist on reviews;

JOHN DEFREITAS

THE WIRE

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Bell Selected for Basketball Hall of Fame KNOXVILLE, Tenn.

— The Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame announced Feb. 12 that longtime NCAA Division I basketball official Sally Bell was selected for induction as part of the Class of 2017.

“I was so honored and humbled when I actually heard the news,” Bell said. “I feel like my selection to the Hall of Fame represents all the officials who work every night for the love of the game. I am one of them.”

Bell has 33 years of experience as a women’s basketball official. She has officiated 15 NCAA Division I Women’s Final Fours, including 13 consecutive

from 1992-2004. Bell was named the 1991 Naismith Women’s Basketball Official of the Year. She also officiated the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.

Bell will become the fifth official to join the hall of fame. Marcy Weston, Darlene May, Patty Broderick and June Courteau were previously inducted.

“To be in the company of Marcy, Darlene, Patty and June makes it even more special,” Bell said. “They have set the standard for officiating in Women’s Basketball and have been a big part of my officiating career.”

Bell’s oncourt career ended 10 years ago, but she is still involved as a coordinator of women’s officials for the Southeastern, Sun Belt, Southland, Southwestern Athletic, Atlantic Sun and Ohio Valley conferences.

“Officiating is such a part of who I am and the officials are ‘family.’

To share this passion with so many wonderful people is a blessing of a lifetime,” Bell said. “Now as a coordinator, I get to see new generations of officials come along.

Hopefully I am part of their growth and education of their officiating career.”

Bell will be inducted June 10 along with the rest of the 2017 Class, which includes former WNBA All-Star and Olympic gold medalist Sheryl Swoopes, former pro player and Olympic gold medalist Kara Wolters, Middle Tennessee coach Rick Insell, and Christine Grant, founder of the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women.

D-League Experiments With More Officials BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Three-person basketball crews are standard at the high school level on up, but the NBA is taking things a step further and experimenting with four- and fiveperson crews. The D-League (to become the NBA Gatorade League in 2017-18) staged nine games this season with extra officials. The games were played between Dec. 26 and March 19 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

The NBA also experimented with four-person crews during last season’s summer league in Salt Lake City.

“We are confident in how our three-

that experiment is expected to be allowed to continue in 2017.

Vietnamese Players Suspended for Protesting

COURTESTY OF SEC

The Vietnamese Football Federation imposed twoyear bans on two players and suspended a coach for three years after their team stopped playing and allowed multiple goals to be scored in protest of a referee’s penalty call.

person system works and are constantly thinking of ways to improve our game,” said Bob Delaney, the NBA’s vice president of referee operations and director of officials. “The four- and fivereferee initiative is a prime example of that focus and will help the NBA with research and development.”

The first seven games were played utilizing two different sets of four-person mechanics. One featured two lead officials with the other two handling the slot and trail positions.

The other featured officials in the traditional lead and trail roles with the

Goalkeeper Nguyen Minh Nhut of Long An turned his back when a penalty kick was taken, and the team stood motionless as two additional goals were scored. The players were banned “due to disrupting the match, not respecting the decision of the referee and causing damage to the reputation and honor of the Vietnam Football Federation,” the Federation said in a written statement. Coach Ngo Quang

other two in slot positions. The last two games had five-person crews featuring three officials worked the traditional lead, slot and trail positions; the extra two assumed stationary lead positions at either end.

“We’re just in the gathering stage,” Delaney said. “We want to know if more fouls are being called. The length of the game. How is the game flow being impacted?”

Delaney didn’t make predictions about the use of expanded crews in the future. He said research will continue.

CONTRIBUTING SOURCE: NBA.COM

Sang was banned for three years.

The penalty protest occurred during a league match in late February. Long An was defeated

by Ho Chi Minh City, 5-2.

Indiana Contemplates Law Protecting Officials Lawmakers in Indiana have proposed a bill that would give sports officials the same protections as public safety officials. The bill, introduced by

Sen. Ron Alting, R-Lafayette, would make physical abuse of certified athletic officials a class A misdemeanor. That carries a fine of up to $10,000 and one year in jail — an increase over existing laws which call for fines of up to $1,000 and 180 days in jail.

As written, the bill would go into effect July 1, but a similar bill died in committee last year.

CONTRIBUTING SOURCES: SEC, CBS SPORTS, SBS. COM.AU, THE NEWS-SENTINEL, THE ROBESONIAN, NBC SPORTS, USA TODAY

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BASEBALL

EDITORS: BRENT KILLACKEY

bkillackey@referee.com

CHRIS SZOLYGA

cszolyga@referee.com

RULES, MECHANICS, PHILOSOPHY

Phil Cuzzi, of Nutley, N.J., making a safe call in a 2012 NLDS game, knows the importance of good timing, and he has a few tricks to help get himself back on track if he’s feeling too quick behind the plate.

THERE’S NO RUSH

By Bill Madden

V

eteran MLB umpire Phil Cuzzi remembers the exact moment when he recognized the importance of timing in the craft of baseball umpiring.

“I had just finished umpire school in 1983 and I drove up to Pawtucket from my home in New Jersey to watch John Hirschbeck work a Triple-A

plate game,” Cuzzi said. “I clearly remember the first pitch coming in, hitting the catcher’s glove and after a full second John calling a strike. At that moment, a light bulb went off for me about timing.”

The NFHS baseball rulebook makes no mention of timing, yet it is often the determining factor in assessing the ability of an umpire.

Mastering it is key to advancement. In

the fraternity of college, minor league and major league umpires, timing is valued as a precious skill.

“I don’t know if there is anything more important than timing in either working the plate or the bases,” said Cuzzi, who finished his 18th year in the majors in October 2016 with his fifth straight postseason assignment.

“Good timing leads to good judgment.

It is one of the most important skills

BILL NICHOLS

Here’s How You Get Timing ‘On Your Side’

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BILL NICHOLS

to learn. After major league games, we always talk about calls that we miss and timing is often the reason for them on both pitches and plays.”

Cuzzi shared three tactics that he uses to give him an “extra second” when his timing is “too quick” behind the plate during a game: • “I will squeeze my thigh very tightly with my hand and not release it until I am ready to make my call.”

• “I’ll hold my breath when the pitch is released and then exhale when the catcher receives the ball.”

• “I will call the pitch in my head first before signaling my call.”

Former major league umpire Jim Evans, now a special umpire advisor in minor league baseball and regarded as one of the game’s finest teachers, includes timing as one of his well-documented “Seven Laws of Umpiring.”

In his “Sixth Law,” Evans distinguishes between “the call” and “the signal.” The law specifically states, “The call is a mental process and the signal is physical. Without a doubt, the greatest cause of missed calls is quick timing, making a decision before the play is completely over. Ask any umpire and he will tell you that he is often the first to realize it when he has missed a call.

To develop good timing, it is critical you understand that an umpire’s job on each pitch or play is a two-part process — the call and the signal.

“The call is the decision-making process. You observe the play and gather all the information you need to render a correct decision. Then after all the facts are in and you have interpreted them, you make your decision … ball or strike, safe or out, fair or foul, catch or no-catch. At this point, no participant on the field nor any fan in the stands has any idea what your final decision is but the call has already been made. The verdict is in, but it has not been announced to the court. Once this first process has been completed, it is time to inform the world of your decision. Now, and not a nanosecond sooner, is the time for the signal. A signal should never be given while the brain is still processing the play.”

Timing on the bases is just as

important as in plate work. Ed Incle, who has 37 years of minor league, college and high school umpiring experience, remembers a time in the Florida State League when he learned a valuable lesson about timing.

“I was missing close plays at first base for about five or six games and it unfortunately led to a few ejections,” said Incle, who worked six years in affiliated and unaffiliated minor league ball. “I realized that I had a bad habit of anticipating and not seeing the whole play.”

Incle breaks down the process of making a call on a pitch or play into these simple steps: 1) Get set; 2) See the pitch (or play); 3) Listen; 4) Make a decision; 5) Make a call. Incle now mentors many young umpires in Rockland County, N.Y., and believes it takes several years to develop advanced timing.

“In my opinion, it takes a good, solid five years to develop your own rhythm and timing behind the plate,” Incle said. “I’ve noticed that young umpires who have super quick timing usually make many mistakes. To me, it is a difference of only one or two seconds.”

There are many drills used at camps and clinics to help umpires improve their timing. According to Cuzzi, a common drill is for instructors to tell student umpires not to call a pitch until the instructor tells him to do so. The instructor waits 2-3 seconds after the catcher receives the ball before permitting the umpire to make a call. “Instructors exaggerate the timing in this drill but it helps the umpire to slow down.” Incle remembers instructors at the Bill Kinnamon Umpire School “always trying to slow us down by urging us to stay down for a count before coming up with a call.” Camp instructors even resort to unorthodox drills like asking plate umpires in the cage to close their eyes and make a strike call only after they hear the sound of the pitch hitting the catcher’s mitt.

“One of my regular high school partners now likes to slow himself by forcing himself to look at the trademark on the catcher’s mitt, like Wilson or Mizuno, before making his

DID YOU KNOW? One would think expressing sentiments of physical harm toward an umpire would always result in an ejection. But umpire Bill Byron said he once was so impressed with a player’s retort that he didn’t eject him from the game. The Feb. 3, 1917, issue of The Chicago Eagle said the incident occurred after Byron called a batter out at the plate in Newark. “The player arose, dusted off his uniform, and then pointing to the chimney which towers high over the field, he said to Byron: ‘Bill, I ain’t sayin’ nothin’ to you.

I ain’t makin’ no kick or nothin’, but I hope that that chimney falls on you and hits you one brick at a time.’ Bill says the hope was so soothing and so original that he did not put the player out of the game.”

SOURCE: THE CHICAGO EAGLE

QUICKTIP Umpire training tends to hammer home the phrase, “Angle, then distance,” noting that getting a good angle to see the play is primary and getting closer is secondary. If you’re fortunate enough to have a good angle and can close the distance, remember closer is better, up to a point. Get too close and it’s tough to see all the elements of the play. The optimal distance on a tag play is between 8-10 feet; 15-18 feet on a force play.

As you gain experience, those distances can be adjusted to fit your own ability.

TOOLS Umpires Quiz The annual baseball umpires quiz, prepared by the editors of Referee, is available free on the Internet. To download the 20-question quiz and answers, go to referee.com. Find sport-specific quizzes under the “Resources” drop-down menu.

Test your knowledge of pro, NCAA and NFHS baseball rules.

REFEREE May 2017 |

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BASEBALL

In each of the following you are given a situation and at least two possible answers. You are to decide which answer or answers are correct for NFHS, NCAA or pro rules, which might vary. Solutions: p. 81.

1. With R2 on second, F1 momentarily stops during his delivery and then immediately continues. B1 lines a single scoring R2. A balk is called. a. The ball is immediately dead. b. The ball is delayed dead. c. R2 is allowed to score and B1 remains on first. d. R2 is awarded third and B1 must return to bat. e. The offensive team may choose between c and d.

2. With no runners on base, B1 hits a high fly to short center. The wind-blown ball eludes F8 as B1 pulls into second. B1 rounds second, feints to third and is on his way back to second, when F8 fires the ball over F5’s head into the dugout. B1 is awarded: a. Second (the base he was approaching). b. Third. c. Home.

3. With R1 on first and R2 on second and none out, B1 hits a towering fly ball which F4, standing in the baseline, settles under. Neither umpire declares the infield fly. F4 allows the ball to drop as both runners attempt to advance. F4 fields the ball, tags R1 and fires to third for the tag on R2. B1 holds safely at first. After the play, the umpires confer and recognize it was an obvious infield fly. a. B1 is out. b. The play stands. c. Triple play. d. R1 and R2 return to first and second, respectively.

4. With R1 on first and R3 on third and one out, the suicide squeeze is called and both runners break with the pitch. B1’s bunt, a pop up down the firstbase line, is caught by F2, who then fires to first to double up R1. R3 crosses the plate as the ball is enroute to first. a. The run counts. b. The run is canceled. c. The run is canceled only on appeal.

call,” Incle said. “Umpires need to develop their own triggers.”

Timing is not easy to grasp and some umpires never achieve the necessary pacing to move up to higher levels of baseball.

“I’ve seen guys at umpire schools who just don’t get it and never make

the adjustments needed to have good timing,” Cuzzi said. “There is an old saying in umpiring, ‘It’s nothing until I call it.’ That says it all. There is no reason to rush.”

Bill Madden, Stony Point, N.Y., is a high school baseball umpire and a former sports editor of a daily newspaper. *

Check-up on CheckedSwing Assistance

By Brent Killackey

T

he lead photo in the 2/17 softball section (shown below) caused quite a stir among baseball umpires.

Several wrote to express their displeasure with Referee magazine for displaying a plate umpire asking for help on a half swing by pointing with his right hand.

Hold onto your hats, baseball umpires. That’s the correct mechanic in softball, where some manuals prescribe stepping out, removing the mask with the left hand and pointing to the appropriate base umpire with the right hand. (See page 25 for further details.)

On the baseball side, pointing with the right hand on a request for help on a half swing remains a no-no, largely because some umpires signal a strike with a right-handed point.

There’s a risk for confusion between a point for help on a half swing and a point for calling a strike. Pointing with the left — as the umpire is doing in this month’s cover photo — makes it completely clear the umpire is going

for help. (Also note that baseball umpires will request help without removing their mask.)

A plate umpire will go for help only after calling a ball on a half swing. If a strike is called, there is no appeal.

There is a rules wrinkle among the different codes about what an umpire must do when a coach or player requests that a plate umpire get help on a half swing.

Under pro and NCAA rules, if an umpire calls a ball on a half swing and a player or coach requests an appeal, the plate umpire must get a judgment by a base umpire (NCAA 3-6f; pro 8.02c Cmt.). The ball remains live on an appeal of a half swing; baserunners and fielders have the responsibility to remain alert, such as if the half swing occurred on a dropped third strike, and the call is changed from ball to strike on appeal.

In NFHS, an umpire is not required to go for help on a checked swing when it’s requested (10-1-4a).

But it’s a good practice to do so.

Unless you’re looking to unnecessarily ratchet up the tension between yourself and the coach or player, nothing good comes from denying that request.

What about the two-umpire system when the base umpire is in B or C? There are some plate umpires who outline in the pregame that they simply want their call confirmed if the base umpire is in B or C. If we’re working to get the calls right, if a partner really has information that changes a call, why not use it?

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But a base umpire in B or C better be certain — the view on a checked swing isn’t great from those positions.

What constitutes a swing? In NFHS and pro, the rulebook doesn’t set specific criteria, except whether

the batter offered at the ball — it’s a judgment call. In NCAA, if the barrel of the bat crossed the front hip, it’s a swing.

Brent Killackey is Referee’s managing editor and a high school baseball umpire. *

T I M M CO

R U O Y TO

S C I N A H C ME

Mouthing Off

By George Demetriou

T

he rules regarding a pitcher that goes to his mouth are one of the few rules that differ among all three major baseball codes. The legality of the pitcher’s act depends on whether the pitcher is on or off the rubber and whether or not he wipes off his fingers before touching the ball.

Because of the nuances surrounding these rules, pro, NCAA and NFHS rules will be discussed separately unless otherwise noted.

While a pitcher is off the rubber he has the status of an infielder and is relatively free to do as he pleases, but if there are runners on base, he cannot make any movement naturally associated with his pitching motion.

Aside from that, the limitations on a pitcher going to his mouth when he is off the rubber are minimal.

NFHS. Regardless of runners, a pitcher who has not intentionally contacted the rubber can go to his mouth as long as he wipes his hand

before he touches the ball, as shown in the PlayPics below. If the pitcher touches the ball after going to his mouth, he can request a new ball without penalty at any time before he engages the rubber.

Once this provision is violated, a ball is called. It does not matter whether or not there are runners on base or if the ball is dead or live — a ball is simply added to the batter’s count (NFHS 6-2-1e, 6.2.1A, 2008 NFHS Interps #9).

Once the pitcher engages the rubber, he is totally restricted from going to his mouth. If he goes to his mouth, regardless of whether or not he wipes it off, it is a balk with runners on base and an illegal pitch (a ball) without any runners on base (6-2-1e, 6.1.3P, 6.2.1A, 6.2.1 B).

NCAA. A pitcher who has not engaged the rubber, whether any runners are on base or not, can go to his mouth as long as he wipes it off before he touches the ball. If he fails to wipe his hand before touching the

Pages: 208 Price: $19.95 NASO Price: $15.95

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BASEBALL

CASEPLAYS Appeal With Runs Scoring Play: With R1 on first and R2 on second and two outs, B5 hits a triple. B5 misses second base on his way to third. At the time B5 missed the base, R2 had already touched home plate and R1 was between third and home.

When play ceases, but while the ball is still live, the defense tags second base and appeals B5’s failure to touch it. B5 is called out. At the time of the appeal, R1 had already scored. Ruling: Two runs score. Since B5 was not forced to second, it is a timing play and his out occurs at the time of the appeal. Since both R1 and R2 scored before play ceases, both runs score (NFHS 8-2-6; NCAA 8-6; pro 5.09c).

Bat Hits Catcher Play: With a R1 on first and no outs, B2 squares around to bunt.

As the pitch is delivered and with R1 moving, B2 pulls the bat back into the catcher’s glove and mask. Ruling: The umpire must judge whether B2 deliberately attempted to create a catcher interference call. If so, the batter is out and R1 returns in NCAA. In pro, a strike is charged, R1 returns and B2 is ejected.

NFHS rules do not address this point, but Referee recommends following the NCAA rule. If the umpire judges B2 was merely attempting to bat the ball, B2 is awarded first on the catcher’s interference and R1 advances because he is forced (NCAA 7-4h, pro interp).

Infield Fly Interference Play: With R1 on first and R2 on second, B1 hits a pop up to F3. The umpires invoke the infield fly rule. As F3 gets under the ball, R1 makes contact with him on the way back to first base. Ruling: R1 is guilty of interference. In NFHS, the ball is immediately dead when a runner interferes. The umpire should not call the out until it is determined whether the ball is fair or foul. In pro, the ball remains live until it is determined whether the ball is fair or foul. If fair, both the runner who interfered with the fielder and the batter are out. If it is foul, it is a double play only if the ball is caught (NFHS 2-19, 5-1-1e, 8-4-2g; NCAA 2-Infield Fly, 6-2g, 8-5d; pro 2.00 Infield Fly, 7.09L).

ball, a ball is awarded to the batter.

It does not matter whether the ball is dead or live (NCAA 9-2d).

Once the pitcher engages the rubber, he is totally restricted from going to his mouth. If he goes to his mouth, regardless of whether or not he wipes it off, and regardless of runners, a ball is awarded (9-2d AR 1).

Pro. The pitcher is prohibited from touching his hand to his mouth while he is standing anywhere within the 18-foot circle surrounding the pitcher’s plate. He may go to his mouth while outside that circle as long as he wipes it off before he touches the ball or the pitcher’s plate. If he goes to his mouth inside the circle (on the dirt), including while he is on the rubber, the ball

is immediately removed from play and a warning is issued to the pitcher. Any subsequent violation is called a ball. However, if the pitch is made and a batter reaches first base on a hit, an error, a hit batsman or otherwise and no other runner is put out before advancing at least one base, the play proceeds without reference to the violation (6.02c1, 6.02c2, PBUC 8.11).

Rosin bag. Pitchers may dry their hands by using a finely meshed cloth bag of powdered rosin, but the ball may not be rubbed with the rosin nor may it be applied to his glove or any part of his uniform (NFHS 6-2-1 Nt; NCAA 9-2c AR 4; pro 6.02d Cmt.).

George Demetriou, Colorado Springs, Colo., is the state rules interpreter for the state of Colorado. *

Did the Pitcher Just Throw at the Batter?

By Mike Droll

M

ost sports involve some risk of injury to the athletes on the field of play. One of the primary purposes of the rules of any sport is to protect such players from any unnecessary risk caused by the actions of their opponent. Nothing in baseball exemplifies this responsibility for umpires more than the hit-batsman situation. Being hit by a pitched baseball can create a severity of injury unmatched by most other sports.

Consequently baseball umpires have a great responsibility to govern the actions of players whose behaviors can lead to this danger. The profound risk involved makes the hit-batter situation one of utmost concern for umpires.

An important question for the umpire to consider is the intent of the pitcher who threw the pitch.

At all levels, intentionally throwing at a batter is an offense punishable by ejection of the pitcher and, potentially, his head coach. All rulebooks give the plate umpire the

leeway to warn the pitcher and both dugouts when he suspects the pitcher has thrown intentionally at the hitter.

However, if the circumstances warrant drastic action, the umpire may eject the pitcher immediately without warning.

There is a great deal of responsibility that comes with this decision-making ability. NFHS and NCAA rules call for suspensions for pitchers and coaches who are ejected under these conditions. Consequently, this judgment should not be made without sufficient warrant.

However, not being assertive enough to take on this obligation when necessary could lead to serious negative effects such as fights or serious injury later in the contest.

Sometimes young men need the intervention of a responsible adult in a situation to allow them to maintain their machismo while backing down in the face of a warning with stiff consequences.

Awareness on the part of the plate umpire to volatile situations during a game is paramount. A

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KEITH JOHNSTON

number of things may occur in a game that can cause a desire for retaliation against the opposing team.

This usually involves enforcing the game’s “unwritten rules.” A hard slide into a base, a hitter flipping his bat, standing and watching the ball as he hits a home run, or a perceived overly joyous celebration by the opponent while scoring can create such a desire for retaliation. Any action by one team that could be considered “showing up” the opponent should be a red flag to a “heads-up” plate umpire.

Retaliation most often involves one team sending a message to the opposing team with a hard fastball thrown at a particular batter when they feel the time is right. Even one hitter going deep more than once in a game can provoke a knockdown pitch his next time at bat. If I notice a player violating one of these “unwritten rules,” I’ll usually make a mental note of it at the time, or even write it down on my lineup card. It may take a couple of innings before

At the amateur levels, it not very often that a batter being hit by a pitch warrants a warning or ejection. But in those situations where intentionally throwing at a batter is suspected, swift action by the umpire can prevent further escalation. Dan Collins, West Hartford, Conn.

that particular player comes up to bat. When he does, I don’t want to be caught off guard by the possibility of an intentionally hit batsman.

Sometimes such awareness can involve knowing something about the history between the two teams before the game begins. Part of a

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BASEBALL

Sub Way Here are a few tips for handling mid-game lineup changes:

Tuck your mask under your arm, as MLB umpire Larry Vanover of Nashville, Tenn., demonstrates in a 2016 NLDS game. Don’t put your mask on the ground. It looks unprofessional.

Confirm the changes by repeating them back to the coach.

Ask questions if something seems strange.

Do not accept or allow changes that are illegal. It’s good preventive officiating to avoid a problem.

Write down changes right away. Relying on memory can be a recipe for trouble if other changes soon follow.

good pregame meeting with your partners should involve discussions about the two teams and if there is any knowledge of bad blood between them. It is considered good preventive officiating at higher levels, such as college baseball, to issue warnings at the plate meeting when the history between the two teams is hottempered.

Plate umpires have to be ready for circumstances during a game that may lead to desire for retaliation.

When a pitch comes inside and hard in such a situation, if there is any possibility in my mind that it’s retaliatory, I’m going to come out from behind the plate and issue warnings to the pitcher and both dugouts, whether the pitch hit the batter or not. It is better to err on the side of caution. It is only a warning, and you have informed everyone of your intent to make sure the game is played fairly. The warning should involve emphatically pointing

at the pitcher and both dugouts while verbalizing your warning for intentionally pitching at the batter.

Follow that up with taking your lineup card out and writing down the warning, including when during the game it occurred.

Of course, umpires need to be concerned about the possibility of overreacting when a pitch hits a batter or comes close to doing so. Good pitchers need to be able to throw inside to be effective. Even good pitchers can lose control when simply trying to pitch inside. You can often tell if the pitch simply got away from the pitcher by pitcher’s reaction to its location. This is especially true at the high school or lower level. Younger players are less likely to get involved in this type of activity and they are also more likely to have less control of their pitches.

If you have no reason to believe retaliation was the intent, it’s better to use restraint and pass on a warning.

However, if the pitch is at the hitter’s head, be ready for the possibility that the other team will retaliate when they have the opportunity. It’s also important to note that even if you have issued warnings, the next hit batsman is not automatically going to cause the ejection of the pitcher and head coach. I have been involved in games where warnings were issued very early in the contest, and several batters were hit later in the game without incident and without complaints about it being intentional.

The task of preventing serious injury and volatile conflict during a game rests with the umpires enforcing the rules when the threat of intentionally throwing at a hitter looms. Being aware of your role and responsibilities in these situations will help maintain the safety and integrity of the game.

Mike Droll, Coralville, Iowa, has umpired for more than 20 years and works in the Big Ten and Big 12 conferences. *

BILL NICHOLS

Don’t take projected substitutions. Taking a few seconds to note a substitution as it happens is preferred to sorting out the mess if the substitution doesn’t go as originally planned.

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SOFTBALL

EDITOR: TODD KORTH

tkorth@referee.com

RULES, MECHANICS, PHILOSOPHY

A base umpire can anticipate a force out at second base in the defense’s attempt at a double play, but until the fielder catches the ball and releases it on the throw to first, the umpire should hold off on anticipating the call. Randy Sears, Puyallup, Wash.

OUTSIDE THE LINES

By Jay Miner

T

o succeed in umpiring you must be a good plate umpire.

Nevertheless, no matter how good a plate umpire you are, your shortcomings on the bases can quickly be exposed. Working the plate is more methodical and structured.

On the bases you are in the perilous land of unexpected, lightning-fast and unusual plays.

On the bases, you will have to judge if a bullet throw or quick scoop beat a streaking runner or if a swipe tag nicked an evading runner.

Crushing collisions will test your judgment and knowledge of the rules while a pulled foot and out-of-the-

baseline situations will demand your complete focus.

Just as challenging, a fielder may obstruct a runner or a runner may interfere with a fielder. Who is out?

Who goes back? What bases are awarded? Are one or two runners out? Is the ball dead or live?

A good base umpire must master basic mechanics, use proper positioning and learn to read developing play situations. The base umpire must then react by moving to favorable positions to see all elements of the play and then render credible decisions. That takes hard work, determination, concentration, study, trial-and-error experiences, a feel for the game and common sense.

See in all areas of the field but call only in your own area. Be a good partner for a good umpiring team. Being a good umpiring team member means supporting your partner in difficult situations and being prepared to step up and assist without hesitation.

Good partners see in all areas of the field but call only in their own area. That means visually scanning all areas of the field but calling plays only in your own area of responsibility unless your partner requests additional information on a play in his or her area.

Never allow coaches or players to gang up on a partner. Worse, do not “throw your partner under the bus.”

DALE GARVEY

Off-the-Path Tips to Success While Working the Bases

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Get a stance. Plate umpires are taught the importance of having a good stance, but many base umpires look much like bystanders rather than the person who is about to make an important decision. The base umpire should be stopped, stationary, set, balanced and square to the play.

My recommendation for any career-oriented umpire is not to alienate your UIC. However, be aware that experienced UICs can quickly spot an umpire’s phony attempt to impress them. Be welldressed and on time, work hard, be a good crewmember and give an honest effort. It works.

Anticipate the play but never anticipate the call. A good umpire always anticipates the play but never anticipates the call. Concentrate to see the entire play and never rush to judgment before the play is over.

Sell your call. Sell your decision convincingly with a strong voice and clear physical signal that shows complete confidence and conviction.

It is important to convey that you believe you made the correct call.

Though some may disagree with your call or are not sure of the call, you must make them believe you are 100-percent positive your call was correct. Your demeanor often will convince doubters that you made the right call.

Plan your work and work your plan. Realize there will be many decisions to make throughout the game. From position A behind first base, it may be necessary to (1) move into fair territory for calls on the batter-runner at first base; (2) go to the outfield on fly balls and line drives from between the starting position of the center fielder to the dead-ball line in right field; (3) rim outside the diamond on safe hits going with the advancing batter-runner, or (4) move inside the diamond with a pivot on selected extra base hits when the batterrunner may attempt to advance beyond second base.

Use the “1SF” position for plays at first base. For ground balls to any infielder with no runners on base, U1 will move from position A

approximately 18 feet behind first base on the foul line to a calling position one step in fair territory.

That position allows U1 to best compare the arrival of the ball and the batter-runner at first base with an incredible slow motion-like view. For a pulled foot on the home-plate side of first base, U1 needs only to look up to see directly between the fielder and the runner for a perfect view of the attempted tag without moving.

Snap-thud with 1SF. When the thrown ball is approximately 20 feet from first base, U1 will flash his or her eyes from the ball to the home-plate side of first base while maintaining peripheral vision with the ball. U1 will then listen for the snap of the ball in the fielder’s glove and the thud of the runner’s foot on the base. If the snap beats the thud, the runner is out.

Flash technique. Use the flash technique for pickoff plays, steal attempts, tags and catch/no-catch situations. With the flash technique, first track the ball with your eyes but then flash your eyes to the fielder’s glove when the ball is approximately 20 feet from the fielder. Then let the glove take you to the tag on pickoffs, steal attempts and tag plays. For catch/no-catch situations, flash your eyes to the glove and you will see catch or trap like never before.

The flash technique allows your eyes time to adjust and your brain time to comprehend what happened.

That is much better than tracking the ball all the way to the glove as everything appears to explode in front of you.

Angle beats distance every time.

Strive to get as close to plays as possible. There is a close correlation between closeness to the play and correctness of the call. Yet be aware that angle beats distance every time.

View force plays and plays on the batter-runner at first base from 15 to 18 feet from the play. For a tag play, get as close as 8 to 10 feet from the play. Your author admits going even closer but I try not to step on any players. If I do, I know I might be too close to the tag.

Jay Miner is a longtime umpire and rules interpreter from Albany, N.Y. £

SIDELINE Hamilton Rides Off Lurline Hamilton is stepping down as the assigner for the Southeastern (SEC), Atlantic Sun and Sun Belt conferences after this season as she transitions into retirement. The longtime assigner (since 2000) from Baton Rouge, La., will continue to serve as coordinator of umpires for the Big 12 in 2018-19. Dora Martinez of San Antonio took over for Hamilton this season as coordinator of the Southland Conference and Conference USA. The SEC, Atlantic Sun and Sun Belt conferences will share one assigner beginning next season.

QUICKTIP When you are the first member of a crew to arrive at a game site, let the on-site game administrator or home coach know that you are in the parking lot changing into your gear for the game.

That will put the coach and/or on-site administrator at ease until your partner(s) arrive. Plus, they won’t be calling the conference or league coordinator to complain about late-arriving umpires.

TOOLS Nine Rules You Thought You Knew Looking for an easyto-digest refresher on some of the commonly misunderstood rules of high school softball?

From the editors of Referee, Nine Rules You Thought You Knew serves as a source to quickly review rules such as the DP-Flex, look-back rule, illegal pitches, double bases and more. The booklet is available at refereetrainingcenter.com for $4.95.

REFEREE May 2017 |

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SOFTBALL

TEST YOURSELF Each of the following includes a situation and possible answer(s).

Decide which are correct for ASA, NFHS, NCAA or USSSA rules and which might vary. Solutions: p. 81.

1. Fast pitch. R1 occupies first base with B2 batting. F1’s drop pitch strikes F2’s glove and rolls slowly away from the plate. F2 uses her mask to scoop up the errant pitch as R1 stands motionless just off first base and makes no attempt to advance. a. The ball is immediately dead when F2 scoops up the ball with her mask. b. The ball is delayed-dead when F2 scoops up the ball with her mask. c. R1 is awarded third base. d. R1 is awarded second base. e. Since no apparent play was obvious, R1 remains at first base.

2. Fast pitch. R1 occupies first base with B2 batting. F1’s drop pitch strikes F2’s glove and rolls slowly away from the plate as R1 breaks for second. F2 uses her mask to scoop up the errant pitch. a. The ball is immediately dead when F2 scoops up the ball with her mask. b. The ball is delayed-dead when F2 scoops up the ball with her mask. c. R1 is awarded third base. d. R1 is awarded second base. e. Since no apparent play was obvious, R1 remains at first base.

3. Fast pitch. Speedy R3 occupies third base as B3 bats with one out.

B3 hits a chopper up the first-base line in fair territory. As F3 attempts to play the ball she is interfered with

by B3. At the time of the interference R3 has touched home plate. a. R3’s run counts. b. R3 is returned to third base.

4. B1 lines a single to center and takes a wide turn at first base. F8 fires to F3 at first and B1 is tagged before she returns to first base.

However, the momentum of B1’s tag dislodged the ball from F3’s glove and the ball entered the first-base dugout. a. B1 is awarded first base. b. B1 is awarded second base. c. B1 is awarded third base.

5. Several players on team A have rolled up and secured their uniform sleeves. a. Sleeves or straps of the uniform top may be adjusted providing the uniform number is clearly visible. b. Rolling up or securing uniform sleeves is considered wearing the uniform improperly. c. No specific rules provisions.

NCAA Shifts Gears With Pace-of-Play Rules

By Todd Korth

A

t least seven Division I conferences have been experimenting with three rules during conference games and conference tournaments this season to help speed up games. The experimental pace-ofplay rules include fewer conferences, limited huddles and a strict time limit between innings. They were approved by the NCAA Softball Rules Committee and the Playing Rules Oversight Panel earlier this year.

Conferences participating in the experiment include the Atlantic Coast (ACC), Big 12, Big Ten, Colonial Athletic Association, Pac-12, Southeastern (SEC) and Sun Belt. The experimental rules have not been used in non-conference games and will not be used in the NCAA tournament.

The pace-of-play rules were mainly developed by representatives of the Power 5 conferences (ACC, SEC, Big 12, Big Ten and Pac-12) last December in New Orleans at the National Fastpitch Coaches Association national convention.

“Some of the items are survey/ rules proposal changes that have been suggested by some of the conferences,” said Vickie Van Kleeck, NCAA softball secretary-rules editor. “These are already survey/rules proposal items that NCAA rules committee will address in June.”

The committee will review statistics from the conferences that used the experimental rules this spring to determine what to implement in the future. The committee meets during the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City.

“There are some activities that may be detracting from our game and adding to the time element,” Van Kleeck said. “That’s not for all situations, but I think with the information that we’ll get, we’ll have an idea of suggestions that will help the pace of play and flow of the game.”

The experimental rules that the seven conferences are using include a reduction in conferences, no huddles by the defense after outs and a 90-second time limit between innings.

Conferences. In previous seasons, teams were allowed a total of 28 conferences during a game — seven on offense and seven on defense for each team. That has been reduced to 12 — six charged conferences of either kind (offensive or defensive). Any remaining conferences do not carry over into extra innings.

If a team representative or player initiates an additional charged offensive or defensive conference, he or she shall be immediately ejected from the game.

A team can only use one charged offensive conference per half inning. A team can use more than one defensive conference per half inning, but any additional defensive conference will be counted toward the team’s six conferences.

Defensive players are allowed to call timeouts, but not after an out.

No huddle defense. The defense can huddle after an error, but not after an out. If a team violates the no-huddle rule, a warning will be given. A ball will be rewarded to the batter for any subsequent violation.

After an out, the infield can throw the ball around and then must throw it directly to the pitcher. Players are not allowed to walk the ball to the pitcher or high-five the pitcher. After any out, including a strikeout, the defensive team cannot huddle, but if a defensive player makes an outstanding play, it is OK for a teammate(s) to give her a “quick congratulatory high five,” according to the NCAA. 90 seconds between innings.

Teams are allowed 90 seconds between innings, from the time when the last defensive player(s) crosses the foul line closest to their dugout.

At the end of the 90 seconds, the defensive team must be in position to start, including the pitcher in the

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person crew and the base umpire in a two-person crew keep the time between innings with a stopwatch.

The umpire shall issue a warning if a coach, player or any other team personnel is arguing a call after the 90-second window has expired. If the individual continues to argue after the warning, he or she will be ejected.

Todd Korth is a Referee associate editor and softball umpire, including high school, college and USA Softball. £

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: BALLS & STR IKES

circle ready to pitch. Aside from the completion of warmup pitches, the defensive team must be ready and in position to play.

If the defense violates the 90-second time limit, a ball will be awarded to the leadoff batter. The pitcher is allowed an unlimited number of warmup pitches in all games with the 90-second time limit between innings.

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expediting the inspection of bats and helmets will make the efficient and conductedprocess more in a timely fashion,” said Sandy Searcy, NFHS director of sports and staff liaison for softball.

If a team does not place its bats and helmets outside of the dugout for the umpires to inspect before the pregame conference, the head coach shall receive a team warning.

Any bats or helmets added by players who arrive late to the SEE “NEW CRITERIA”

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NINE RULES YOU thought you knew

the game and in advance of the pregame conference, which should take place no later than five minutes before the start of the game.

The rules committe e agreed that placing the bats and helmets together at one time outside of the dugout/ bench area is a more efficient method to conduct the inspection . It also keeps the umpires from having to enter the dugout/bench area that can sometime s be crowded with players and equipmen t.

“The committee believes that

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players and equipment.

If a team does not place its bats and helmets outside of the dugout for the umpires to inspect before the pregame conference, the head coach shall receive a team warning. Any bats or helmets added by players who arrive late to the game are acceptable providing the intent is not to circumvent the inspections. If the umpires determine a team is trying to circumvent the inspection, it shall be issued a team warning.

The umpires, upon arrival, are encouraged to establish a time frame with the coaches of each team for when to have the equipment in front of the dugout, but preferably 15 minutes before the start of the game. £ S.indd

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he NFHS Softball Rules Committe e at its June meeting in Indianapolis approved four additions to Rule 3 regarding uniforms, equipment and substitutions. Those changes approved by the committe e, along Rule 1, were subseque with one in ntly approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

Under the Rule 3-2-15, AM 10:50 bats and helmets, including 11/23/15 the catchers’ helmets, shall be inspected by the umpires in one location outside of the area preferably about dugout/bench 15 minutes before

PITCEVHERYETHSING

2017

nder a new NFHS rule (3-2-15) that goes into effect this season, bats and helmets, including the catchers’ helmets, shall be inspected by the umpires in one location outside of the dugout/bench area, preferably about 15 minutes before the game and in advance of the pregame conference, which should take place no later than five minutes before the start of the game.

Teams are required to place the bats and helmets together at one time outside of the dugout/bench area, as shown in the PlayPic, for umpires to conduct the inspection. That also keeps the umpires from having to enter the dugout/bench area, which can sometimes be crowded with

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SOFTBALL

CASEPLAYS Batter Switches Batter’s Box Play: Fast pitch. With F1 in the pitching position, B1 quickly switches from the right-handed batter’s box to the left side.

Ruling: The ball becomes dead and the batter is out. All codes basically agree, but a violation is possible in USA Softball as soon as the pitcher is taking her signal or anytime thereafter. In NFHS, NCAA and USSSA FP, the batter is in violation if she changes boxes when the pitcher is in pitching position and the catcher is ready to receive the pitch (USA Softball 7-3E Effect; NFHS 7-4-3 Pen.; NCAA; 11.22.17; USSSA FP 7.10 Pen.).

Bat Hits Catcher on Backswing Play: Fast pitch. As B1 is in the batter’s box taking practice swings, her bat and the catcher’s glove accidentally make contact on the batter’s backswing but before the pitch.

Ruling: In all codes the plate umpire will immediately call, “Time” while extending his or her arms overhead with a dead ball signal. It is often difficult to tell which player is responsible for the contact, which could be a simultaneous event. Give everyone a fresh start and begin play anew.

The pitch or swing should not be allowed since the batter’s concentration or rhythm could be affected. Catcher’s obstruction involving a batter should be called only on the batter’s attempt to contact the pitch (USA Softball 8-1D; NFHS 8-1-1d; NCAA 9.5.1 Note 1; USSSA FP 8.4E).

Obstructed Runner Interferes Play: R2 occupies second base with no outs when B2 hits safely to centerfield. As R2 is advancing she is illegally obstructed by F6.

F8 fires to F2 who is about to tag R2 when R2, remaining upright, violently crashes into F2 knocking the ball loose. R2 scrambles and touches the plate. B2 is between first and second base. Ruling: R2 is declared out and ejected from the game. In that situation interference takes precedence over obstruction. B1 is returned to first base (USA Softball 8-5B Effect, 8-7Q Effect; NFHS 8.6.10 Sit. G, 2-32, 5-11e, 8-4-3b Pen., Exc. 3, 8-6-10, 14 Pen.; NCAA 9.4.7; USSSA FP 8.13D.2).

Two Umpires: Bunt, Play at First or Second B

unting is a common strategy in fast-pitch softball, especially with a runner on first base and one or no outs. In that situation, both umpires in a two-umpire system should be on high alert for the offense to bunt in an attempt to move the runner from first to second base and into scoring position.

Both the plate umpire and base umpire have a lot to prepare for when a team bunts.

The plate umpire is responsible for ruling fair or foul as necessary after moving out from behind the catcher. The plate umpire also has to be careful to not interfere with the catcher’s effort to get the ball and also rule if there is interference or incidental contact by the batter on the catcher.

After determining if the ball is fair or foul, the plate umpire should be ready to offer an opinion of a swipe tag or pulled foot at first base (if the

base umpire requests help) at position A and be prepared to cover third base in the event of a subsequent play at position B (see MechaniGram).

Meanwhile, the base umpire (U1) must read the play at position C and determine whether it will develop at first or second base. The base umpire will need to move to establish the best possible angle to the expected throw. In most cases, the throw will go to first base, but a strong-armed catcher may try to get the force-out at second base. In any case, the base umpire needs to adjust to a position that will afford the best possible view of the play.

For a play at first base, move closer to the first-base line and for a play at second base, move toward the base and stay behind the fielder. If U1 has uncertainty of a swipe tag or pulled foot, he or she can go to the plate umpire for help before ruling the batter-runner safe or out. £

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‘Did She Go?’ T

here is no arguing with the umpire on balls and strikes, but the defense is allowed to appeal a checked swing. In some associations, the plate umpire must go to his or her partner for help and in other associations, it is up to the plate umpire to go for help or decline.

When plate umpires decide to ask for help on a checked swing, they should step out from behind the catcher, remove their mask with their left hand and then point to the base umpire with their right hand/arm and ask, “Did she go?” or “Did she swing?” The base umpire responds by making a strike signal or a safe signal for no strike.

The baseball version of an appeal on a checked swing appears on p. 14.

Plate umpires in baseball are taught to appeal by using their left hand on a request for help on a checked swing and do not have to remove their mask. £

The All-Around Medal

By Anthony “Corky” Carter

I

n honor of all the coaches, judges and athletes, I would like to refer to the Olympics as we look back at our individual performance in 2016, and in preparation for being a better slowpitch softball umpire in 2017.

An Olympic athlete could be the best on the bars, but not the best on the floor exercise, and could still win the gold in the all-around. They don’t have to score the highest on each of the four components for the women or for all six for the men. Yet, they can be the best.

Slow-pitch umpires have three areas that comprise the majority of what we do. Moreover, we don’t have to be the best in each of the three to be a “gold medalist” slow-pitch umpire.

Rules knowledge. Umpires can memorize the rules and feel more confident, but there is a big difference in being able to recite the

•May_Magazine.indb 25

rules verbatim versus knowing and understanding the rules. Simple memorization is not “learning” the rules.

However, I highly recommend to our umpires, especially newer umpires, that they memorize one specific rule as they begin their slowpitch umpiring career. That is the infield fly rule, which remains one of the most misunderstood, misapplied rules of the game. Additionally, I recommend they change a few of the “official” words to their own words without changing the meaning of the rule.

It is impossible to understand the intent of a rule, thus you won’t “know the rule” unless you discuss the rule in a class or with a fellow umpire. I admit that with today’s technology and YouTube, you can probably find someone discussing the rule, and it may be as good as being there in person.

3/15/17 1:15 PM

5 MINUTES WITH CODY LITTLE Women’s College World Series (WCWS) umpire learned DP/Flex through rulebook study, experience.

REFEREE: How was your overall experience at the WCWS? LITTLE: It was crazy because being from Oklahoma City, I have worked games in that stadium since I was 14 years old just about every summer.

You never know if you will get to the (WCWS) or not, but getting the call and getting to be there was awesome.

REFEREE: How much did that help you to be familiar with the field, stadium and surroundings?

LITTLE: For the past five years, I worked as the “red hat” or timeout coordinator for ESPN during the WCWS. So just being there as a red hat and being down on the field, getting a feel for the intensity and all that, there was a calming factor for me on the umpiring side of it. Once the first pitch was thrown, you realize that you are in the real deal.

REFEREE: Do a lot of teams at the Division I level use the DP/Flex?

LITTLE: I would say 95 percent is probably a safe number of teams that use the DP/Flex. Not all teams utilize it the whole game, but they start with it when they initially submit their lineup because if you don’t start with it, you can’t play with it. But the majority of teams use it because there are the advantages of playing with the DP/ Flex because of the freedom it gives a team with those two players. The purpose of using the DP/Flex depends on the players that a team has and how they fit into those roles.

REFEREE: Why do you feel the DP/Flex is confusing to umpires and coaches?

LITTLE: I think because there are so many moving parts. When you talk about somebody in the fifth spot in the lineup and there is a straight substitute, everybody understands that. At lower levels the subs can re-enter and at the college level, only the starters can re-enter. But there are moving parts with the DP/Flex and we’re talking about two people who are connected.

It’s kind of like learning algebra in high school and you’re doing an equation and don’t quite understand it, but once you understand how it works you almost slap yourself because it’s really not that difficult.

But you have to understand each piece of the equation before you can understand the whole rule.

REFEREE: How did you go about learning the DP/Flex rule and

Residence: Oklahoma City Occupation: Assistant athletic director for Mustang Schools in Oklahoma City Age: 29 Experience: Has umpired for 15 years and is in his ninth season at the NCAA Division I level; past experience in USA Softball; worked the Women’s College World Series (WCWS) for the first time in 2016; former intern with USA Softball. simplifying it to make it easier to remember?

LITTLE: Just gaining experience on the field and a lot of time, it’s sitting down and talking about it with other umpires — talking it out with a lineup in front of you, writing changes down and learning what teams can and can’t do. If you just open the rulebook and read the DP/Flex section as a new umpire, the chances of understanding it the way it’s intended are slim.

REFEREE: Do you do anything different on your lineup card when making DP/Flex changes?

LITTLE: The NCAA provides a lineup management system that they prefer you to use, especially if a game is halted due to rain and somebody else takes over at the plate the next day. They want to resume with the same lineups. Everybody is on the same page as far as how they manage their lineup card. If I’m on the plate and I go out with an injury and the next person comes in, they can pick right up. But everybody has their own way of managing the game. For me, I use circles and Xs with the DP/ Flex. If I circle somebody’s number, it means they have left the game.

REFEREE: So the best way to understand the DP/Flex is through rulebook study and experience?

LITTLE: Yes, study it and through experience in game situations.

Another way is to watch PowerPoint presentations and talk about what you can and can’t do. £

One error that rookie umpires make is they start their pursuit of rules knowledge in the middle of the rulebook by delving into the playing rules for batting and baserunning.

Sure, that’s where the game happens, but begin with the definitions for a solid foundation. Some veteran umpires lack the ability to explain some of the simplest, yet most important fundamental aspects of the game. It doesn’t help you very much when the baserunning rule refers to a catch, but you don’t really understand the definition of a catch. Start with the basics, even though it might seem boring at first. I can assure you, you can take up an entire classroom session with just the definitions.

Finally, you have to understand why the rules were written. For many of the same reasons laws are enacted, playing rules have been developed to ensure neither team gains an unfair advantage. This learning is also a component of discussion and classroom study.

Judgment. It can be learned and improved. I believe that judgment is also benefitted by knowledge. When you have knowledge of physics, yes physics, you realize the ball travels at an exponentially faster rate than the runner. You know how high a pitch has to be to meet the minimum standards of an arc. You know the angles it takes to get into position where angle is more important than distance. And you learn how your sight and your brain work together to form an image so you can make those bang-bang calls correctly and with conviction.

Just about every rookie I have had the opportunity to umpire with has improved their judgment, not just because they umpired more and more games, but because they began to study how and why they were not consistently making the right calls on the tough plays. Much of that judgment had to do with physics.

Most often their lack of correctness was because they were moving as they tried to make the bang-bang calls.

Game management. You may have expected to see this as the third component. I grew up in the officiating world learning about and also

PHOTO COURTESY OF NCAA

SOFTBALL

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teaching about game management.

Managing the players, managing the coaches, managing the managers and managing the game. You really don’t (or can’t) manage people that you don’t have any control over. Yes, you can threaten them with ejection, but that would make for a very unpleasant career on the ball field.

So, what do leaders do? We know that a leader has followers. Followers emulate the leader. That means they see the things the leader does and they try to do those things similarly.

So, as an umpire how can you lead?

How do you lead? If you as an umpire hustle, surely your partner will want to reciprocate. Your hustle will affect the players. There is nothing more rewarding than having a player or coach say simply, “Great hustle, ump” when you’ve been right in position to make the call, and a lot of times when you’ve been in position and you didn’t have to make a call.

And what about the game atmosphere? When the umpires are enjoying what they are doing, really liking being on the diamond with a group of athletes, that shows as well.

Asking for help with keeping the bats picked up, instead of barking about the bats not being picked up, may achieve the same end, but one elicits a cooperative behavior and one a compliance behavior.

Good play, great play, great catch, good decision, great hustle. Those are all phrases that give off a positive vibe. Many umpires simply don’t compliment the players enough.

Some umpires think that if you are complimenting the players you might be showing favoritism. I don’t think so. There is no favoritism in acknowledging good plays and especially good sportsmanship.

Always, always reinforce good sportsmanship by players. And as your mother told you, saying,

“Please” and “Thank you” go a long way.

And if you are confident in your leadership style and abilities, you can acknowledge that you are human.

You are going to miss a close play, a foul/fair call down the line, a strike that was just a bit outside and a ball that was a strike. When it happens, your leadership can come through simply by replying, “You might be right.” That goes over a lot better than simply reiterating the call you just made since the player thinks it was the wrong call anyway.

You may not win the gold separately in rules knowledge, judgment or leadership. But you can still win the overall gold medal. They do it at the Olympics and you can do it on the diamond.

Anthony “Corky” Carter, Brentwood, Tenn., is a longtime slow-pitch umpire, instructor and a USSSA Hall of Fame umpire. £

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MARC OF

DISTINCTION

By Peter Jackel

THE RESPECT MARC RATNER HAS EARNED FOR HIS WORK IN BOXING AND MMA SETS HIM APART.

H

e used to sit anonymously in the Silverado High School bleachers in Las Vegas during the mid-2000s, a bookish, kind man who could easily pass for a grandfather sitting among the other proud parents. Someone striking up a casual conversation with Marc Ratner during a high school basketball game they were watching may very well not have realized that they were sitting with one of the most influential, respected figures in sports, not to mention someone associated with some of the most iconic names in professional boxing history.

Here is a man who has quietly earned enormous respect as a rules enforcer for more than a quarter century working out of the boxing mecca of Las Vegas, his hometown since he was in the eighth grade, and is on a first-name basis with legends, but he was delighted to simply be just a face in the crowd at Silverado High School.

Ratner, a devoted family man who married at 41 and recently celebrated his 30th anniversary, used to show up regularly to watch his son, Heiden, a two-time All-State guard in 2006 and ’07, display skills that would earn him a scholarship to James Madison

University. For Marc, this remains as good as it gets despite the professional life he has lived. And a remarkable life it has been. In his roles with the Nevada Athletic Commission since 1985, Ratner appreciated the ring artistry of Marvin Hagler, Floyd Mayweather, Sugar Ray Leonard and countless others. He was on hand when the infamous “Fan Man” crashed his paraglider into the side of the ring at Caesers Palace on the Las Vegas Strip during a heavyweight bout between Evander Holyfield and Riddick Bowe in 1993. Four years later, the bizarre became the absurd when Mike Tyson bit off a part of Holyfield’s ear during a bout at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Ratner saw it all.

As if that wasn’t impressive enough, Ratner has managed to cram more into his professional career. He was a football official who progressed from Pop Warner in 1966 to the Cotton Bowl in 2006, after which he retired. While in a striped shirt, Ratner worked in the Pacific Coast Athletic Association, and the Big West and Mountain West conferences. He has served as the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association’s commissioner of officials for

Southern Nevada since 1991.

And since the days when Jerry Tarkanian was chewing on towels as the UNLV coach in the early 1990s, Ratner has somehow found the time to serve as the program’s shot-clock operator.

The man has seen so much in a lifetime. And yet it never got better for him than when he was an anonymous face in the crowd cheering on his son.

“I don’t think there’s anything that I’ve done in anything that’s made me more proud than sitting in the stands watching my kid play,” Ratner said. “It’s just one of the best feelings a father can have.”

That’s what it’s all about for Ratner, a recent inductee to the Boxing Hall of Fame who expresses no desire to slow down at the age of 71. The hell with that noise. The “R” word is a non-starter with him. On the contrary, his career has evolved into serving as senior vice president for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and helping push the popularity of Mixed Martial Arts to new heights.

Wife Jody, sons David and Heiden, and daughter Mary will always be dearest to his heart. But then there’s Ratner’s passion for sports, which captivated him since Frank Sinatra,

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MARC OF DISTINCTION

Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., and Liberace were commanding the stages of the The Sands and resorts were sprouting like dandelions through this once quiet city in the desert during the 1950s. His credentials as an athlete are sparse — strictly intramurals in high school and getting a few at-bats as a reserve right fielder for Nevada Southern (now UNLV) — but that passion for sports burned within Ratner from an early age.

“I helped him learn how to fish,” said Sig Rogich, former Nevada Athletic Commission chairman, who has been close friends with Ratner since 1957, when the two were classmates at John C. Fremont, the first junior high school in Las Vegas.

“The first time I took him on a fishing trip with a bunch of friends, he came galloping out of his house and he had a picnic basket with … peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and off we went.

me to the Nevada State Athletic Commission, that just opened up more opportunities for Marc and me to associate ourselves with boxing.”

That was still years into the future.

By the time Ratner graduated from Nevada Southern, his passion for sports remained powerful. He might have forged a career in his family’s beauty and barber supply business and scratched his itch for competitive athletics with city league activities. But then, almost as if it was predestined, Ratner came across an advertisement in the Las Vegas Sun that caught his eye one day in late 1966 or early 1967 and his life would be permanently altered.

“It said in essence, ‘Are you the kind of guy who goes to games and screams at officials because you know you can do better?’” Ratner said. “And it said, ‘If you can do better, why don’t you come to this meeting at Las Vegas

BUT WHAT TRULY RAISES RATNER INTO ICON STATUS IS A PERSONALITY THAT HAS A WAY OF CALMING THE TURBULENT WATERS OF THE HIGH-STAKES, HIGH-EGO FIGHT GAME. My friend looked at me and said, ‘Who is this guy?’ He just ended up loving him. Everybody who knows Marc Ratner loves him.”

Ratner and Rogich bonded through the years, with their mutual love for sports. They were both mesmerized by Vin Scully’s majestic word paintings of Wally Moon, Sandy Koufax and other heroes on the radio during the Dodgers’ first years in Los Angeles 270 miles away. And, of course, there was boxing. There was always boxing.

“We lived in the days of Benny ‘The Kid’ Paret and the early days of Cassius Clay,” Rogich said. “Marc went to Clay’s first fight against Duke Sabedong (at the Las Vegas Convention Center in 1961). And Marc and I would watch Floyd Patterson spar. We had a great love and affinity for boxing. And when Governor Michael O’Callaghan appointed

High next Sunday?’ And I did. That’s where it started for me.

“I went to a Las Vegas high school and that’s how I started doing Pop Warner football, doing City League basketball, that kind of stuff, and slowly, but surely worked my way up.”

Ratner didn’t fit the profile back in the day with his longer hair and bell-bottom pants that were in vogue during that flower-power generation at the time of the Vietnam War. And his officiating career didn’t get off to the most promising of starts.

“I got in trouble, I think, at Lake Havasu High School,” Ratner said.

“A player intercepted the ball, I was a referee and, for some reason, I was back-pedaling. And I tried to beat him to the goalline back-pedaling. It made the coach from Lake Havasu think I was trying to show up his players, but I was just having fun. That was a low

moment that you learn from.”

Ratner obviously did. He evolved into a no-nonsense, by-the-book figure in boxing whose services continue to be coveted at an age when he easily could be retired. As the years passed, Ratner gained credibility and his career branched. He joined the Nevada Athletic Commission in 1985 and became chief inspector two years later. In 1992, he stepped into the role of executive director after Chuck Minker — one of his mentors and friends — died at the age of 42.

Ratner remained in that role until 2006, when he accepted the position of vice president of regulatory affairs with the UFC, a sport which has seen spectacular growth under his watch.

Through it all, Ratner has earned enormous respect.

During more than his 30 years in the fight business, he has left nothing to chance. As tension mounted for another fight he was overseeing, Ratner would be the eye of the hurricane. He could be seen carrying a briefcase with a tape measure to ensure that the ring conformed to the standard 20-foot by 20-foot dimensions. So exacting was this man that he kept in the trunk of his car an assortment of boxing trunks to avoid the possibility of boxers wearing the same colors. “I also had extra gloves in case a glove ripped,” Ratner said. “The promoter is supposed to have them, but I just like having them. It’s just a feeling of comfort I guess.”

But what truly raises Ratner into icon status is a personality that has a way of calming the turbulent waters of the high-stakes, high-ego fight game. One couldn’t help but love the guy and that’s been a constant. This is a man who has held his own with the likes of legendary promoters Don King and Bob Arum. Actually, this is Top: Ratner poses with Dana White, UFC president, and takes a call at his UFC office. Bottom: Before accepting a position with UFC, Ratner was the executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Here he tosses a coin to determine who will go into the ring first as (from left) WBC Heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis, boxing promoter Don King and IBF and WBA heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield look on.

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COURTESY OF MARC RATNER; MIKE BLAKE/REUTERS/NEWSCOM

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MARC OF DISTINCTION

to everybody. That’s why everybody loves him.”

Dana White, president of the UFC, offers assurances that Ratner has only improved with age. Consider this: In 2000, casino entrepreneurs Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta purchased the martial-arts company for $2 million. In July 2016, it was sold to WME-IMG for $4 billion. Ratner has been associated with the enterprise through more than 20 years of its rapid growth. White and Lawrence Epstein, UFC executive vice president and general counsel, know how vital his presence has been.

“When we started the UFC … very early on, we realized that we needed somebody like Marc Ratner to help us grow the sport,” Epstein said. “And hiring Marc was the most high-profile hire that the UFC ever made because it really sent a message that if Marc Ratner would come and join this organization that it had to be credible. No. 1, it had to be focused on the health and safety of athletes. No. 2, and it was going to become a permanent part of the sports landscape. Mr. Ratner would not have

joined the organization if those three things were not true.

“I have had the luxury of traveling around the world with Marc as we sought to have the sport regulated and when Marc walked in that room, the ice was broken and credibility was immediately given to us. We would not have gotten this sport regulated and permitted in 50 states and all the provinces of Canada and accepted by federations around the world without Marc Ratner. There’s just no way.”

It all goes back to Ratner’s personality, according to White.

“You know what’s funny?” he asked. “Now understand, everybody in the fight business hates everybody.

It’s the craziest thing ever. And nobody — and I mean nobody — dislikes Marc Ratner. He is a guy who can literally work with and for anybody. Everybody is out for their own agenda when they’re looking for something. Marc makes everybody in the room leave happy — even if they didn’t get what they wanted. Marc has this way about him of making everybody feel good. And the guy’s such a hard worker. Even at his age now with us, he’s here every day, he’s flying all over the world to be at all these different fights, to oversee them and make sure everything is being done the right way and working with the different regulators. And he’s still doing all the things on the referee side.

It’s amazing at any age — let alone his.”

A prelude: It was the late 1960s when Ratner, still trying to find himself in the professional world, approached Sonny Liston, the notoriously surly former heavyweight champion, for an autograph. Damned if Ratner didn’t come away with a prized signature.

“I went up to him at the Thunderbird Hotel and asked him for an autograph,” Ratner said. “He couldn’t write his name very well.

Top: Ratner has served as a longtime shot-clock operator at UNLV (pictured at a USA Basketball event at the Thomas & Mack Center). Bottom: He worked his way up to the college ranks as a football official, working games for the Big West and Mountain West conferences.

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COURTESY OF MARC RATNER

a man who has held his own with just about any high-profile name in the fight business.

Ken Rivera, a former football official with Ratner who became supervisor of the Mountain West Conference, noticed his personality in the mid-1980s. “He’s always been a unique individual,” Rivera said. “He’s very kind. He always had a kind word for people and he was always generous with his time. He liked to use the word, ‘eclectic.’ He was an eclectic kind of guy.”

Webster’s Dictionary defines that term as, “selective, not following any one school of thought.” That’s Ratner, who has had an uncanny feel for connecting with the wide range of complex personalities in the fight business, from King to Mike Tyson.

“Marc was really tied into sports and is a very smart guy,” said Richard Steele, a longtime highly regarded boxing referee. “He understands people and he understands how to deal with people. He became one of the best executive directors that we ever had. He knew the referees and he knew the judges and he knew who could handle what fight.

He was very good and very fair

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It took him to write his name what seemed like a minute. The next time I saw him a couple of months later, he had mimeographed autographs.”

Call it the Ratner Touch. And it’s something that would be a constant in his career. Like Nov. 6, 1993, when Holyfield was looking for revenge a year after losing his heavyweight championship to Bowe. He appeared to be getting just that in the rematch when, during the seventh round, a 30-year-old paraglider named James Miller literally crashed the party.

“That was the most bizarre moment ever,” Ratner said. “It was at Caesers Palace which, to me, is the most iconic venue in Las Vegas.

Outdoors is very special there. I’m watching the fight and I see people looking up and this guy was sitting in some contraption with a fan on the back. He flies right into the ring with his legs overhanging the ropes. This was 1993. If it was 2003, we would have thought it was a terrorist and everybody would have gone crazy.

It would have caused a complete riot. I always give credit to the ring announcer, Michael Buffer, because he was able to keep the crowd calm.

“From doing all this officiating, the first thing I knew to do was go to the timekeeper and see how much time was left in the round. So I did that and I went to each judge and said, ‘I don’t know if this fight is going to continue, but if it does, you’re going to have to know where you are in this round because you’re going to have to score this round.’ So there was a 21-minute delay and we got the ring cleared up.

Ironically, one judge gave that round to Holyfield, one gave it to Riddick Bowe and one had it even. And if the judge who called it even had given it to Bowe, then the fight would have ended up a majority draw and Bowe would have kept his title. So it really changed the course of heavyweight history.”

Only in boxing would Ratner encounter a bout more bizarre than that. It came June 28, 1997, when Holyfield faced Tyson at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. The previous Nov. 9, Holyfield had upset Tyson for the World Boxing Association heavyweight championship and had

won the first three rounds in the rematch. With 40 seconds left in the third round, Tyson, caught in a clinch, maneuvered and bit off a one-inch portion of Holyfield’s right ear. The fight resumed, but was stopped when Tyson bit Holyfield on the left ear.

“What I remember about the first fight is we had a referee that nobody knew much about except us at the commission,” Ratner said. “His name was Mitch Halpern. He had already done about 30 title fights, but he wasn’t Richard Steele, Joe Cortez or Mills Lane to the public, but we had all the confidence in the world in him and he did a great job. So now

wouldn’t have been talking to me today because it would have been my fault that the fight went on to a lot of people.”

Nearly 20 years have passed since that bout and Ratner remains as busy as ever. These days, he is pouring energy into the UFC. It has escalated into an international phenomenon.

“The great thing for me is to see the sport grow,” Ratner said. “I can go to Australia now and use the Australian officials. We’ve grown the officiating base there. We have officials all over Europe now who are working.

Unlike football and basketball, we’ve been able to groom these people with

DANA WHITE, PRESIDENT OF THE ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP, OFFERS ASSURANCES THAT RATNER HAS ONLY IMPROVED WITH AGE. we come to the second fight and we at the commission thought he did a great job and we’re going to put him back into the second fight. The Tyson people thought because he did the first fight, they wanted a different referee and they wanted Richard Steele. But we didn’t want anyone picking the referee, so the commission picked Mills Lane.

“There was an accidental head butt in the second round, which incensed Tyson. And then in the third round is when he bit him and there would be two bites. I didn’t know what happened, but I saw Evander jumping up and down. … And then Mills came over to the corner and said, ‘He bit him. I’m going to disqualify him.’ All I said was, ‘Are you sure you want to disqualify him?’ I wanted the official to think about what he was saying and he said, ‘Let’s bring the doctor up.’ The doctor said, ‘His ear is bleeding, but he can go on.’ And then it happened again and, for sure, the fight’s over and Mike was disqualified.

But I often wondered — and I brought this up at my Hall of Fame speech — after the first bite, if Mike would have knocked him out, I’m sure you

limited experience into world-class officials and bring some of them to America now.”

Ratner, an avid newspaper reader who has a passion for “The Sopranos” television series and “The Godfather” film trilogy, has no plans to slow down.

“I’m very proud of him,” Heiden Ratner said. “He accomplished a lot and he’s well known in his lanes of life. I used a scripture to reference him recently. It comes from the Book of Proverbs. It says, ‘A good reputation is better than silver and gold.’ And I’ve never met a person who ever said anything negative about my dad and I think that’s powerful. People always say, ‘Your dad is the best man I know,’ and, ‘He’s always answered my phone calls,’ and, ‘He came through for me on this when I needed him.’

“His reputation not just in the city but all around is so strong. If I could model a similar lifestyle pattern where one day when people hear my name they would really only be able to think of things that are positive, that would be a strong testimony to a life.”

Peter Jackel is an award-winning writer from Racine, Wis. £

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SOCCER

EDITORS: JUSTIN MARIEN

jmarien@referee.com

MARGARET DOMKA

mdomka@referee.com

RULES, MECHANICS, PHILOSOPHY

Under the 2016/17 edition of the IFAB Laws of the Game, when there is potential for a foul on a goalkeeper challenge of an obvious goalscoring opportunity, the referee must judge whether all of the elements of DOGSO exist, and then consider the nature and location of the foul before issuing a yellow or red card.

AVOIDING TRIPLE PENALTY

By Esse Baharmast

I

n March 2016, the International Football Association Board (IFAB) published the latest changes to the 2016-17 Laws of the Game, which went into effect on June 1, 2016. These changes were the most comprehensive revisions of the laws in the IFAB’s 130year history. It consisted of removal of more than 10,000 words, a change in the structure of the laws and their interpretations and, in some instances, an outright change in the way the laws are enforced.

penalty area, resulting in a penalty kick. They argued that the punishment was too severe as it resulted in triple punishment. Why was triple punishment too severe? They argued that by awarding the penalty kick, the goal-scoring opportunity was re-instated. Even further, sometimes depending on the location of the foul occurring in the penalty area, a penalty kick was a better opportunity to score.

They argued that a penalty kick 12 yards from the goal was, at times, a better goal-scoring opportunity than a player who was stopped just inside the penalty area and 17 yards away.

The guilty player would be sent off, could not participate further in the match and the sent-off player’s team had to play shorthanded for the rest

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MICHELLE GOLOWATSCH (MEERSMAN), COURTESY OF KATHERINE HIGHSMITH

Editor’s note: This article provides information specific to the IFAB Laws of the Game, which does not apply to the NFHS or NCAA rules.

One of the more important changes dealt with the revision of Denying an Obvious Goal-Scoring Opportunity (DOGSO). Before the revisions, when a player denied the opposing team a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by a foul or a deliberate handball offense, the player was sent off. A free-kick restart would occur if the offense occurred outside the penalty area. When the offense was in the penalty area, a penalty kick would result. The coaches and players had no problem with a sendoff when the foul occurred outside the penalty area and totally agreed that the sanction was just and appropriate.

On the other hand, in some cases, they were not happy to see a sendoff when the foul occurred inside the

DALE GARVEY

How Recent Law Changes Impact DOGSO Situations

MICHELLE GOLOWATSCH (MEERSMAN), COURTESY OF KATHERINE HIGHSMITH

of the match. Additionally, the guilty player who was sent off could not play in the next match as a result of an automatic one-game suspension.

These were valid concerns and as referees we agreed in our discussions that in some cases involving DOGSO inside the penalty area, a penalty kick and a caution (rather than a sendoff) would be just and appropriate punishment. For example, when a player who tries to play the ball mistimes the tackle and brings down the attacker inside the penalty area, thus denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity. The penalty kick would reinstate the obvious goal-scoring opportunity, the player receives the caution and his or her team is not shorthanded for the rest of the match.

It was this logical and fair approach to the laws that was the guide in looking to find a better framework for revision of the LOTG regarding DOGSO. Some things stayed exactly the same as before and no change was made, such as when a DOGSO occurred outside the penalty area. But there were some instances where the law was changed to address the concerns previously mentioned.

Let’s examine the law considerations of DOGSO that did not change. We still have to be sure of the following considerations that a DOGSO situation exists and all four conditions must be present. If we have doubt about any one of these four conditions, then we do not have a DOGSO situation. An easy way to remember this is CDDD (ControlDistance-Direction-Defenders) • Likelihood of keeping or gaining control of the ball.

• Distance between the offense and the goal.

• General direction of the play.

• Location and number of defenders.

her penalty area).

• Denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity to an opponent moving toward the opponent’s goal by an offense punishable by a free kick (unless as outlined below).

Sendoff offenses A player, substitute or substituted player who commits any of the following offenses is sent off: • Denying the opposing team a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by deliberately handling the ball (except a goalkeeper within

Inside the penalty area: With all four conditions for DOGSO present, as a practical guide think about a caution first, rather than an immediate sendoff. That allows you time to analyze the play and consider if any of the following occurred.

New changes Where a player denies the opposing team a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by a deliberate handball offense, the player is sent off wherever the offense occurs.

Where a player commits an offense against an opponent within their own penalty area which denies an opponent an obvious goal-scoring opportunity and the referee awards a penalty kick, the offending player is cautioned unless: • The offense is holding, pulling or pushing; or, • The offending player does not attempt to play the ball or there is no possibility for the player making the challenge to play the ball; or, • The offense is one which is punishable by a red card wherever it occurs on the field of play (e.g. serious foul play, violent conduct etc.).

Summary Nothing has changed regarding the considerations for DOGSO, and all four conditions must be present in order to entertain the existence of DOGSO. If any one of the four conditions is not present or is doubtful, we may have the situation that is considered stopping a promising attack (punishable by a caution), but for sure not DOGSO. Nothing has changed regarding denying the opposing team a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by deliberately handling the ball.

Nothing has changed, outside the penalty area, and DOGSO remains as a sendoff offense.

QUICKTIP When a player has fouled and the referee applies advantage, the referee can verbalize “that’s two,” “that’s three” or something similar. Doing so lets the fouled player know you have seen multiple, distinct fouls, and lets the fouler know they are running the risk of a caution for persistent infringement.

SIDELINE 2016 Young Referees of the Year Announced

US Youth Soccer announced the national male and female Young Referees of the Year awards.

Philip Meersman and Katherine Highsmith were announced as the recipients from a group of four regional finalists at the January US Youth Soccer Workshop in Los Angeles.

Meersman is from Delavan, Wis., and is currently a grade 8 referee. He has worked the Wisconsin state championships, US Youth Soccer Region II ODP Camp and the Midwest Regional League. Officiating is not the only place Meersman has found success; he also participated in Stanford University’s High School Summer program, earning eight college credits prior to his senior year of high school.

Highsmith is from Springfield, Va., and is currently a grade 7 referee. She has officiated six Northern Virginia Soccer League matches and eight US Youth Soccer Eastern Regional League matches. One of the things Highsmith has always focused on is finding out how to improve her officiating performance. She regularly seeks out the advice of mentors for greater insight.

Other region finalists included: Max Hartman, South Par, Pa.; Jaelin. E. Rainey, Newnan, Ga.; Samuel Rozinski, Chandler, Ariz.; Jackie Speigel, Ada, Mich.; Laurel Theroit, San Antonio; and Suhani Abdullah, Berkeley, Calif.

SOURCE: US YOUTH SOCCER

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SOCCER

TEST YOURSELF In each of the following, you are given a situation. Decide which answer or answers are correct for IFAB/FIFA, NFHS or NCAA rules, which might vary. Solutions: p. 81.

1. A2 commits a cautionable foul 25 yards from goal. The referee displays a yellow card to A2, quickly sets the wall and signals for the direct free kick to be taken, with A2 still on the field. The ball enters the goal. a. It is a valid goal; restart with a kickoff. b. The free kick must be re-taken after A2 departs the field and a substitute enters. c. While it was an infraction of the rules, allow team B the advantage, count the goal, have A2 step off the field and allow a substitute before the kickoff. d. It is a valid goal; restart with a kickoff and caution A2 for failing to depart the field prior to the restart being taken.

2. A penalty kick is awarded.

Goalkeeper B1 is on the goalline, and all players except kicker A8 are outside the penalty area. After the referee’s whistle, A8 kicks the ball, which is blocked by B1, and rebounds to A8, who puts it in the net. a. There has been a second-touch violation when A8 touched the ball a second time. b. Restart is a retake of the penalty kick. c. It is a valid goal. Restart is a kickoff. d. Restart is an indirect free kick for team B. 3. During the game, A4 was sent off (disqualified/ejected) and shown a red card. After the game, both coaches and the assistant referees convince the referee that A4 should not have been shown the red card. a. The card stands and must be reported, along with a description of any referee misgivings. b. The referee may fix the error by reporting it as two yellow cards. c. The referee may fix the error by saying it was an error in judgment. d. The referee, league, conference or governing body can change the penalty aspects of a card displayed.

4. The referee inadvertently sounds the whistle. Realizing the error, the referee: a. Verbally directs “play on” to the players to continue play. b. Conducts a dropped ball. c. May give the team in possession an indirect free kick. d. Returns to the previous restart to start that phase of play over.

• Was the offense holding, pulling or pushing?

• Did the offending player not attempt to play the ball or was there no possibility for the player making the challenge to play the ball?

• Was the offense punishable by a red card wherever it occurs on the field of play (e.g. serious foul play, violent conduct etc.)?

If you answer “yes” to any of the above questions/offenses, you must upgrade to the correct decision for a sendoff and show the red card.

Otherwise your initial assessment for a caution is the correct one and now you can show the yellow card.

As a practical guide, you must take a mental picture of the offense at the

moment it happens. This technique allows you to correctly determine if all four conditions for a DOGSO situation exist or not. It will also help you to know the location of the foul and if the offense occurred outside or inside the penalty area, and therefore resulting in a free kick or a penalty kick. By staying calm, going through the mental picture of the incident and analyzing the play step-by-step, you will always arrive at the right decision.

Esse Baharmast, Golden, Colo., was a referee for the 1998 FIFA World Cup France, a former CONCACAF Referee’s Committee member and US Soccer Director of Officials. He is currently a FIFA technical instructor in the FIFA Referee Assistance Program. *

Run the Line Mechanics

By Gary LeMay

F

lip through a coaching magazine or read a coaching article, and you will find material devoted to sportspecific technique. Qualified coaches at all levels understand the importance of proper technique, leading to improved performance and injury prevention.

As a result, coaches regularly devote practice time to improving their athletes’ technique. Officials in programs dedicated to improving their performance should do the same. It is just as (if not more) important for those officiating athletes who may be much younger than themselves to utilize every technique available, ensuring the best opportunity to be in the right place at the right time.

The current credo is that assistant referees (AR) should face the field as much as possible and only turn sideways to run when the speed of play is moving too fast toward the goal for the AR to sidestep comfortably.

To move properly while facing the field, the AR must be able to sidestep effectively and efficiently.

So how is that done? ARs must prepare their bodies to sidestep for more than 50 percent of the game. Any effective training program will include a variety of static and dynamic stretches

as well as dynamic exercises for muscles involved in typical AR movements during the game.

Athletes who play sports demanding frequent lateral movements, such as tennis and basketball, can attest that sidestepping is more easily done when moving on their toes, not with weight on their heels.

Research has shown that taking narrow steps no wider than shoulder width (or a few inches past shoulder width for people with naturally long strides) is a more effective strategy than moving with wide steps. Effort should be made to avoid clicking one’s heels as this will disrupt stability. An effective personal-training regimen for ARs must include proper movement practices while on the balls of one’s feet and sidestepping the recommended width.

There are times when sidestepping reduces an AR’s speed, making it difficult to keep up with players running toward goal or a ball that has been passed through the defensive line.

In these situations, the AR must turn and sprint toward the goal. How the official turns makes a huge difference.

Two techniques are recommended for making the turn. Just as sprinters practice leaving the starting gate, ARs wanting to advance within the ranks need to practice at least one of them.

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COURTESY OF CHAD COLLINS

The first is what I will term the “GK step.” It is the same type of step goalkeepers take when diving to the side. To execute the GK-step technique, simply raise the knee nearest to the direction in which you want to run, externally rotate the hip, and step. That technique was favored around the turn of the century and is considered to be the easiest one for older or less-mobile officials to execute correctly. Whenever I assess officials over the age of 35, I recommend that technique because it is easy to learn and execute and does not require a lot of flexibility. It saves time and provides one-half step advance over stepping first with the trailing leg because of the time required to bring the trailing leg across the body.

The second technique — and the one currently being taught as the favored method to pro-level officials — is what I will term the “twist method.” That is the same movement baseball players are taught to use when changing direction. To utilize the technique, the AR essentially bounces repetitively on the balls of his or her feet just before needing to spring and at the crucial moment (while the feet are off the ground), the hips are rotated and the AR takes off running, usually stepping with the foot closest to the field. That method is believed to offer some minute advantages over the “GK step” method, and both techniques have been shown to save crucial seconds when ARs shift from sidestepping to sprinting — seconds that translate into meters if the change in movement patterns occurs near the halfway line. That, of course, can mean the difference between being in position to make a critical call and being out of position and missing it.

Do not wait until the day before your next assignment to serve as assistant referee to practice these techniques. Find a place — a gym, your garage, your backyard or any other suitable location — to work on your movement on the line. By doing so, you will be taking an important step toward improving your performance and preventing injuries.

Gary LeMay, Columbus, Ga., is a NISOA clinician and regional assessor. He is a retired USSF National Referee and officiated for 10 years at the professional level. *

5 MINUTES WITH CHAD COLLINS NFHS Soccer Rules Committee chair believes involvement by administrators, officials and coaches is best for the game.

Resides: Lexington, Ky. Occupation: General Counsel for the Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA).

Experience: Active national NISOA and state USSF referee; has worked numerous NCAA tournaments at Division I, II and III levels; referee instructor, assigner and assessor.

Administrative roles: Chair of the NFHS Soccer Rules Committee, KHSAA’s State Soccer Rules Interpreter, and the USSF State Referee Administrator in Kentucky.

REFEREE: What have you learned as the chair of the NFHS Soccer Rules Committee?

COLLINS: What I appreciate about the process is its transparency. I also think it helps to ensure we have a deliberative process that makes positive changes. Being a part of that process now has given me a better appreciation for the priorities of the committee. We’re always looking out for what is better for the game, what keeps the players safe, and how we can make this game more accessible to people across the country. It is critical to get a breadth of knowledge, experience and representation in that room. It doesn’t help to have a room full of coaches only. It doesn’t help to have a room full of just referees. It doesn’t help to have just a room full of state administrators. You need a blend, you need a balance, because everybody in that stakeholder position has a different role and a different lens from which they perceive and look at the challenges that are being faced by the committee.

REFEREE: What are the current trends in NFHS rule changes?

COLLINS: First and foremost is risk minimization. The committee and stakeholders are all looking at how we can make this game safer for our young men and women in order for them to get the values of participating at the high school level. It’s never been the drive of the committee to make everybody have a chance to win the trophy. It truly is a way in which we develop leaders. We also are always looking at what’s best for the student-athletes in keeping the game, from a fiscal standpoint, from being too expensive.

REFEREE: What are the biggest challenges for officials working IFAB, NFHS and NCAA games?

COLLINS: The biggest challenge is knowing the differences. We are expected to be the experts in the rules as officials. We are expected to know those rules forward and backward.

That is always a challenge. We don’t have time to open the book and flip to the page that’s relevant. We have to know the rules, and that becomes an even bigger challenge when you have multiple rule bodies floating around in your head.

REFEREE: Is there advice you could give to other officials?

COLLINS: Referees could benefit by always taking a step back before stepping on the field and understand the pressure the student-athlete is feeling, the pressure the coach is feeling, the pressure the game administrator is feeling that’s there for the home team that also has a JV football game going on across the way or a volleyball game going inside the gym. If you can understand those pressures better, it gives you a better perspective.

REFEREE: What should officials know about administrative roles?

COLLINS: Our need to effectively and fairly administer the game. Very much like a referee’s role in the 80 minutes on the high school field that they have to fill, we have to do that on a much bigger basis over the course of an entire season. We have to be consistent, we have to be fair and we have to follow our rules, our regulations and our policies just like they have to follow the rules in the NFHS rulebook. £

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SOCCER

CASEPLAYS Breakaway Challenge by Goalkeeper Play: A10 has a breakaway opportunity to the goal and enters the penalty area with goalkeeper B1 challenging. The nearest defender to A10 is 10 yards behind, which forces B1 to make a challenge. B1 dives for the ball, but misses and almost grabs A10’s feet instead. A10 reads B1’s movement and jumps over B1’s hands, but falls as a result. As A10 attempts to get up to play the ball into the goal, B5 is able to clear the ball out of play for a corner kick. How should the referee handle the restart? Ruling: Even though A10 has avoided the contact, B1 has still committed a foul by tripping or attempting to trip. Since this foul also denied the obvious goal-scoring opportunity that A10 had at the moment of the foul, the referee must use the DOGSO considerations to make the correct decision (likelihood of keeping or gaining control of the ball, distance between the offense and the goal, general direction of play and location/number of defenders). With the recent changes in IFAB/FIFA and the foul occurring inside the penalty area, if the referee determines the offending player was attempting to play the ball, B1 will be given a caution and the restart will be a penalty kick. In NFHS and NCAA, as long as the DOGSO requirements are met, the location on the field does not matter, the player is sent off. The restart is a penalty kick. (IFAB/FIFA 12, 14; NFHS 12-1-2, 12-8-2d 3, 14-1-1; NCAA 12.1.4, 12.5.6, 14.1).

Quick Free Kick Becomes Ceremonial Play: B4 recklessly fouls A9 and the referee blows the whistle. A10 sees a quick free-kick opportunity and kicks the ball to A11. Ruling: Once the referee decides the foul is reckless, a caution must be given. Since the referee cannot change a decision once play has restarted, the quick free kick must not be allowed. Instead, the caution is given during the stoppage and the referee should manage the ceremonial restart.

In NFHS, the cautioned player must depart the field and may be replaced (IFAB/FIFA 5, 12; NCAA AR 5.6.1.c, 12.4.5; NFHS 5-1-2, 12-8-1f 10 and Pen.).

Changing Goalkeepers

W

hether in IFAB, NCAA or NFHS, if a team desires to change its goalkeeper, the referee must be informed before the change and the change must occur during a stoppage in play. A new goalkeeper may enter the field as a substitute, or may change places with a player already on the field. In either case, the new goalkeeper must be wearing distinguishing jersey colors from the field players prior to the restart of play.

Informing the referee of the change. The referee should always be verbally informed of the goalkeeper change, including at halftime. The exception to that is a substitution in which the substitute is already wearing a distinguishing uniform prior to entering the field of play. In that case, the referee has been notified of the change visually based on the difference in uniform.

If a referee is not informed of the change, at the next stoppage the referee should caution both players in IFAB (3.5) and warn both players in NFHS play (3.5). There is no penalty referenced in NCAA play (3.8).

Goalkeeper change at a penalty kick. In IFAB, substitutions can occur at every stoppage. Therefore, the stoppage prior to a penalty kick is a valid time to change goalkeepers as well (3.5). In NFHS and NCAA, a teammate on the field may change places with

the goalkeeper, but a goalkeeper substitution from the bench is not permitted (NFHS 3.3, 3.5; NCAA 3.8).

Goalkeeper change at kicks from the mark. In IFAB, an eligible player may change places with the goalkeeper at any time. But, a substitution may only occur if the goalkeeper is injured and the team has not used its maximum permitted number of substitutes (10.3). In NCAA, once the goalkeeper is designated for the kicks, he or she shall not be replaced unless injured or ejected. In this case, any of the players listed on the official roster may replace the goalkeeper (7.1.1.7). In NFHS, all of the players and substitutes are eligible to take part in the kicks provided they were not previously disqualified. The defending team may change the goalkeeper prior to each penalty kick (p. 88 A.3.b and e). *

CORRECTION The 3/17 issue contained an incorrect answer for the second Test Yourself question relating to IFAB laws. Due to the changes in 2016-17 Laws of the Game, the doctor should be dismissed from the field for behaving irresponsibly — the doctor would be considered part of the team personnel — and the restart is a penalty kick.

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BE SAFE 7 WAYS TO AVOID ATTACKS Unfortunately, in today’s culture, many officials have been followed out to their car by unfriendly people after a game. Others have been threatened during or after a game or perhaps even endured a physical assault.

It takes a coordinated effort to deal with the problem of attacks against officials. That coordination begins with local officials associations or, for those officials who work directly for a league, the league that hires the officials.

1

Associations’ Role

An officials association needs to regularly educate its membership on sport or league rules that pertain to officials’ safety. Those rules range from governing ejections and fights to rules governing attacks on officials to rules and procedures governing unruly crowds. Associations should also address how to handle difficult or threatening spectators postgame.

An association also needs to reach beyond its membership. Meetings with the school, league and the tournament personnel who will be managing sites are essential. Those meetings should not be adversarial.

Officials need to regularly remind people who are not officials that attacks and threats occur and they need certain things done to minimize their risk. However, officials must be

cognizant of the fact that the people they are meeting with probably don’t regularly see or deal with attacks on officials.

An association should arrange security escorts, ensure security in the officials’ changing areas and review basic security procedures.

Education and coordination are keys to meetings with the nonofficials who can help in keeping officials safe.

2

Officials Must Commit to Safety, Work as a Team

An association also needs to communicate with mid and lower levels of affiliated organizations. A failure to meet and gain a commitment from those organizations could be the difference between a police officer recording an

BY MICHAEL LOCICERO

attack against an official as a fight instead of an attack.

All the meetings in the world are useless if officials associations don’t inform member officials about safety protocols. It is very easy for safety concerns to be a low priority item for some officials, and it is not uncommon for safety procedures to become poorly performed rote exercises.

Consequently, uninformed officials often directly address angry spectators, even though they shouldn’t, and they engage in other breaches of officiating procedures and mechanics that may increase their risk of harm. Evaluations must point those things out. If hustling off the court or exiting together are part of the safety and exit protocol, evaluations must note any breaches.

The key thing for officials and associations to note is that it is a team

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effort. If the lines of communication are constantly open, officials, in case of attacks, have a better chance of having game administrators, police officers and others react positively.

3

Stick Together

An obvious way for officials to protect themselves is to arrive, dress and leave with their partners. Officiating manuals have long advised that as the professional thing to do, but now the suggestion goes beyond appearances.

There is safety in numbers, so before, during and after a game, you and your partners should be inseparable.

Discuss before the game how you will leave the playing field/court, dressing area and parking lot.

Another often-overlooked bit of pregame business is to identify the game-site supervisor. Often at the high school level that person will be the athletic director. At other levels, or non-school sponsored events such as AAU tournaments, that designation can blur.

Arrive at the game site early enough to find and identify the person in charge of the game site. Before you even get in uniform, find out from that person how you and your partner(s) are to get on and off the court or field, who (if anyone) will accompany you, who will handle unruly spectators, if there will be uniformed security personnel available and where they will be located.

4

Preventive Officiating

Officials need to enforce the rules as written, do it quickly in a contest and make sure the participants and coaches understand the parameters. The fans will figure it out. The players will adjust.

The coaches will learn. Hold them accountable through their players.

If the jersey is being held, blow the whistle. When the defender reaches around and pins the arm of the receiver down while breaking up a pass, throw that flag. If there’s

a shove, don’t stand by passively and let it go. It is the responsibility of officials to make those rulings quickly, repeatedly and consistently, all within the intent of the rules.

5

Prepare for the Worst

That is a sixth sense every official must hone. Look for where an incident could ignite into a fire and defuse it. That is easier said than done, but it means keeping your eyes wide open, building camaraderie with the players, using the captains as necessary and maintaining a strong yet calm demeanor.

6

States Toughen Laws

Several states in recent years have passed laws strengthening punishment for assaulting officials. South Carolina, Nevada and 19 other states have passed legislation designed to protect officials.

In South Carolina, assault and battery penalties for crimes against officials and coaches include a fine up to $1,000 or imprisonment for a term up to 60 days or both.

In Nevada, an unarmed assault against a sports official has been elevated to a gross misdemeanor, carrying up to a year in jail and a $2,000 fine. Armed assault of a sports official is a felony.

Officials and associations can reach out to state lawmakers to ask for tougher laws to act as a deterrent.

7

Park as close to an exit as possible, but away from fans. Park your vehicle “nose out.”

Safety for the official should be everyone’s concern, but the reality is that it begins and ends with you.

Taking even the minimal proper precautions can help assure that you don’t become another statistic.

Michael LoCicero is a high school and college basketball official from Tempe, Ariz. *

STRONG SAFETY Referee and the National Association of Sports Officials (NASO) are here to help you be as safe and secure as possible before, during and after your game. Officials have a tough job on the court and field. They deserve to arrive at the game, work it and leave the venue feeling confident in their wellbeing. In order to achieve a safe officiating environment, schools, officiating crews and individual officials need to work together. A good safety plan is important. Guidance for individual officials, crews, and schools and administration is contained within the booklet, “Strong Safety.”

The guide is available for free for NASO members through the NASO members app. Nonmembers will be able to find it on naso.org.

Use Common Sense

Other techniques for remaining safe after a game require some common sense.

Don’t get into a shouting match with an irate coach, player or spectator during or after a game. Leave the field/court immediately and swiftly with your partner at the conclusion of the game. Never dally to chat with coaches or players.

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GETTING IT RIGHT

INSPIRATION, MOTIVATION, ELEVATION

Umpire Eyes a Comeback J

ohn Mashburn knows every corner of Arthur Lady Field like he knows the back of his hand.

After 40 years of umpiring for the Johnson City (Tenn.) Major Little League, the place has become a second home for him. His impact on the kids who have filtered through the Little League program during his time as an umpire was so great that the instructional league field located a block away from Arthur Lady Field now bears his name.

To Mashburn, it feels like just yesterday he got the call all Little

Diana and John Mashburn hope eye surgery will result in his return to umpiring Little League games.

League umpires dream of: making the trek to Williamsport, Pa., to umpire at the Little League World Series. But that is already seven years behind him.

But in a cruel twist of fate, Mashburn is no longer able to call the balls, strikes and outs. For the first summer in more than 40 years, Mashburn was unable to call a single game last season. Macular degeneration has stolen his eyesight to the point that he’s unable to do the thing he loved to do the most.

Despite the rapid loss of his eyesight, Mashburn was at the field for every game last season. He still serves as the umpiring chief for the league. He also spent the summer working the concession stand.

But now there is a glimmer of

hope for John and Diana, and it has come in the form of an experimental procedure known as SCOTS, short for Stem Cell Ophthalmology Treatment Study. “It has a success rate of 60 percent so far,” Diana said.

The doctor will extract stem cells from John’s bone marrow and inject them into his eyes to rejuvenate the dead and dying cells in his retinas.

Since SCOTS is not covered by insurance or Medicare, the Mashburns will have to pay for the entire $20,000 procedure. But Diana said the chance to restore her husband’s vision is worth any cost.

As word got out about the financial impact of the surgery, people have stepped up to the plate to help defer some of the cost. The Johnson City National Little League has held 50-50 drawings with the proceeds going to the surgery. John’s daughter, Bridget, has also gone all-in, helping organize fundraisers and starting a Go Fund Me campaign to help offset her father’s impending medical bills.

The outpouring of support has been humbling for Mashburn.

“People I don’t even know,” he said. “It’s just been fantastic. It’s unreal.”

Mashburn is hopeful that his experience will help clear the way for legislation that advances stem cell research and opens the door for more insurance companies to start covering treatments like SCOTS. For a man who has spent more than four decades giving his time and energy to young people, it’s not surprising that he’s still looking for ways to help future generations.

If Mashburn is able to have the surgery, it will take up to a full year to find out just how effective the procedure was. If all goes well, Mashburn has his umpiring equipment stashed away in hopes that he can possibly regain enough of his vision to call a handful of games in the future.

What a wonderful sight that would be.

Story and photo reprinted courtesy of the Johnson City (Tenn.) Press. £

Referee Bounces Back In 2012, Bozeman, Mont., basketball referee Wallis Bryan was diagnosed with stage three ovarian cancer. After a brief remission, the cancer returned in 2014. But more chemo treatments have put her cancer in remission.

“You know the challenges that a cancer patient has to go through — physical, mental and emotional,” Bryan said. “All of that together gives me the strength to get back out here and give it my all, every single game.”

SOURCE: KTVH

MAGBO Inducts Three

The Metropolitan Approved Girls Basketball Officials (MAGBO) of Bayside, N.Y., hosted its second hall of fame induction ceremony Oct. 1, 2016. The honorees were Anita Morse, Sue Shepherd and the late Eileen Shea, who was inducted posthumously.

All three began their officiating careers in the Catholic Youth Organization and the Catholic High School Athletic Association (CHSAA).

Morse officiated the first Public Schools Athletic League (PSAL) girls’ basketball finals at Madison Square Garden in 1990 as well as the 1996 NCAA Division III finals.

Making her mark as a referee, assigner and clinician, Shepherd officiated the New York State Federation Tournament of Champions. She was also one of the founders of the In Position Officials Camp and assigned CHSAA officials in both the Diocese of Brooklyn and Archdiocese of New York.

Shea began her officiating career by completing a basketball rules course in 1970 as a requirement to play on her high school’s varsity team. MAGBO established the Courage in the Face of Adversity Award in her honor. Shea succumbed to colon cancer in July 2015.

Initial inductees in 2016 were Phyllis Deveney, former assigner and NCAA Division I women’s official, and Fran Mitilieri, a longtime official, mentor, clinician and assigner.

Have you heard an inspirational or motivational officiating story?

Send your ideas to GettingItRight@referee.com

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/ A L L L E V E L S /// A L W A Y S T H E R E F O R Y O U A L L S P O R T S //

Your Old Kentucky Home downtown Louisville the center of the officiating universe for three extraordinary days.

If you have never been to one of the 34 other annual NASO Summits held in a variety of cities across the nation since 1981, you owe it to yourself to experience it at least once.

The community, celebration and thoughtful exchange of ideas between members of the officiating community from all levels and sports — from the pro leagues to local associations and everything in-between — can be found nowhere else.

Early Bird pricing for the Summit ends May 19, so to get the absolute best registration price, you should sign up with two or more likeminded officials (making sure you’re all NASO members, of course!) and plan an officiating-focused getaway to one of the most popular destination cities in the country.

The Summit, held this year from July 30-Aug. 1, is the one place where officials and officiating industry leaders at the local, state and national levels — representing a wide variety of sports and perspectives — can

These organizations support officials

WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER!

mingle and make lasting friendships and partnerships. It’s also where active working referees and umpires can discuss issues with assigners, supervisors, rulesmakers and others who influence how officials are treated and perceived.

So how does having two friends play into this equation? Simple!

NASO members who register together in groups of three or more before the May 19 Early Bird deadline only pay $399 apiece. Compare that to a non-NASO member who registers individually after May 19 paying $675 — That’s a $276 savings!

If you’re not an NASO member for some reason, don’t worry. You can sign up for NASO membership before registering for the Summit and still save more than a non-NASO member.

Registration is now open at www.

SportsOfficiatingSummit.com, or call the NASO offices at 262-632-5448 for more details at any time. * Attention Referee Magazine Subscribers:

APRIL UPGRADE SPECIAL

When you think of Louisville, Ky., most people are drawn to three things: 1. Horseracing — Churchill Downs is there, home of the Kentucky Derby.

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And 3. Sports — Louisville is primarily a basketball town with the Louisville Cardinals playing at the KFC Yum! Center, but two of the biggest draws to Louisville involve baseball and boxing. The Louisville Slugger factory and museum, which features the world’s largest bat at 120’ feet tall, is one of the biggest draws in downtown Louisville. The Muhammad Ali Center is another huge draw, which showcases the life and values of the late boxing champ.

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•May_Magazine.indb 43

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BASKETBALL

EDITOR: JUSTIN MARIEN

jmarien@referee.com

RULES, MECHANICS, PHILOSOPHY

A difficult concept for beginning-level officials, even with a mastery of the rules, is communicating and working with coaches during live- and dead-ball action. When coaches request a timeout, it is OK if you refrain from granting a requested timeout until you are certain that you can either take your attention away from the live-ball action or that the team’s head coach is the actual person requesting the timeout. John Furrer, Menomonee Falls, Wis.

BE A RULES OFFICIAL

What a rookie needs to know ... Remember when you were one?

By Kenneth Pink

B

asketball officials must read and study all rulebooks as part of their craft. It takes years of experience with dedicated and continuous education before an official can achieve a comfort level with the rules. But what if you are just starting out in your first or second season? What are the most important rules a rookie needs to know? Is there an actual number, or are all rules equally important? Up to now, a rookie

has only begun to study the rules. Most of his or her rules knowledge likely has come from playing days or making calls from the recliner while watching their favorite team.

During a game, a veteran crew knows what to call and when to make a call. However, most rookies see, think and then react. Let’s dribble inside a rookie’s head and pass around the most important things he or she should know. Call it a starter-kit for rookies. How many rules are there?

Are they specific rules, sections of the rulebook or game situations? Perhaps they are the philosophies behind the rules and not rules themselves. As a seasoned official, let me tell you the most important things a rookie needs to know about the rules.

First, the philosophy of basketball rules states that the game should be played so that neither team has an unfair advantage. Rookies need to understand call consistency at both ends of the court and throughout a

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DARRELL WALKER/ICON SMI/NEWSCOM

THEY SAID IT “I’m a basketball junkie, and I enjoy the camaraderie I have with all my referee buddies. We’re kind of like police officers. They hate us, but they have to have us. If you can’t take everything that comes with it, then you’re not going to last long in this business.”

— John Higgins, NCAA Men’s Division I official SOURCE: CAMPUS RUSH

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The officials should check the positions of the players before the jump ball. Anyone within three feet of the jump circle (shaded area), must be standing side by side until the ball is tossed. The referee (or designated tosser) can double check before tossing the ball. White 1 and Yellow 1 in the MechaniGram need to be repositioned. Players beyond three feet of the jump circle can move at any point during or before the jump ball.

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can save the game.” It is very rare when it happens in your game, and it results from an official’s error, but when it is properly administered and explained, it will help to defuse the situation. Maurer’s two examples work hand in hand. Only after completely understanding live-ball and dead-ball rules can an official properly identify and confirm a correctable-error situation.

Maurer has just described the most important things a rookie needs to know about basketball rules. What else could there be? From the thoughtprovoking to the hard and fast rules, rookies are now armed with valuable insight and ready to hit the court.

“What about legal-guarding position?” asks Rachel Schienbein, a four-year high school and Division III women’s basketball official from Camarillo, Calif. At this point in her career, Schienbein is putting her rookie days in the rear-view mirror. She believes a full understanding of legalguarding positions can have an impact on many of the fouls called. “Having the ability to tell a coach exactly why it was a foul on their player while quoting the rulebook is incredibly helpful,” Schienbein explains.

Schienbein seems to have already experienced in her young career that most coaches, once given a rulesbased explanation from a composed, confident official, will move on and continue coaching their team.

So, there are three officials, each with definitive views on the most important things rookies need to know about basketball rules. And each one is correct. Which way are you leaning?

Schienbein’s point speaks directly to the strong rules knowledge a confident Joe Maurer takes onto the court, which stems from my earlier point on calling the game so that neither team has an unfair advantage. A career as an official is a journey with continuous learning and improvement. Any situation can occur during your game, and we must be able to demonstrate knowledge and properly administer the penalty.

That only comes with experience, determination and confidence.

Kenneth Pink is a freelance writer from Buffalo Grove, Ill., and officiates high school basketball. £

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A few numbers regarding experience among the 2016-17 NBA’s roster of officials with the number in parenthesis signifying last year’s info.

802 (816) 63 (64) -

Total years in NBA. Total full-time officials.

13 (13) -

Average years of experience.

17 (17) -

Officials with 20-plus years.

17 (20) 26 (27) 3 (3) -

Officials with 10-19 years.

Officials with nine years or less.

Rookie officials.

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game is paramount. An illegal-dribble violation (double dribble) must be called each time it occurs.

Next, rookie officials should always be conscious of player safety. If a player, at any time during a game appears to be in imminent danger, the game shall be stopped immediately so he or she can receive proper medical attention.

No basket is as important, nor can any team victory supplant the threat of a serious injury.

Finally, maintain composure on and off the court. Conduct yourself as a professional from the moment you arrive until you are headed home.

You are seen as a role model and are being observed by coaches, school administrators and anyone else in the stands. An official’s appearance and demeanor play a big part in establishing credibility. Many games will flow smoothly, allowing officials to stay relaxed. But pressure situations will test an official’s temperament and can be a determining factor in whether or not he or she has a long, prosperous career. Demonstrating a professional image with a clean shave, a well-kept uniform and hustle will form a strong perception of integrity and credibility.

Now you know the most important things today’s rookies need to know about basketball rules. Time to get the game started, right? Not if you choose to listen to Joe Maurer, NCAA men’s basketball official from Glen Burnie, Md., who believes understanding specific rules is where the importance lies. More than 20 seasons ago, during Maurer’s rookie years, his mentors stressed to him the importance of memorizing all live- and dead-ball rules. “During that brief moment when the ball becomes dead after a made field goal,” Maurer says, “it’s key to know what to call if there is a foul or if the foul occurs after the ball is in possession of the inbounding team.”

Maurer makes a great point. Deadball contact results in a technical foul whereas a foul during a live ball may be only a common foul, each netting very different outcomes. As an official who believes constant rules study has helped achieve confidence and reliability on the court, Maurer goes on to say, “knowing when any of the five correctable errors should be applied

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BASKETBALL

TEST YOURSELF In each of the following, decide which answer or answers are correct for NFHS, NCAA men’s and NCAA women’s rules. Solutions: p. 81.

1. While A1’s successful try is in flight, simultaneous personal fouls are ruled against opponents. The alternatingpossession arrow points to team A. How is play resumed? a. Throw-in to team A. b. Designated-spot throw-in to team B. c. Non-designated spot throw-in to team B along the endline. d. Alternating-possession throw-in.

2. B1’s throw-in after team A’s successful try is deflected out of bounds by A2 along team A’s endline.

Where is team B’s ensuing throw-in? a. A designated-spot throw-in nearest where B1 released the original throw-in. b. A designated-spot throw-in nearest where the ball went out of bounds. c. A non-designated spot throw-in along the endline. d. A designated-spot throw-in nearest where the ball went across the out-of-bounds plane.

3. An inadvertent whistle occurs before team A’s throw-in ends. Which of the following is true? a. Team A receives another throw-in. b. The whistle ends the throw-in, and team B shall receive a throw-in. c. Resume play based on the alternating-possession arrow. d. Resume play with a jump ball.

4. Before A1 releases the ball on a final free-throw attempt, B4, who is in a marked free-throw lane space, steps into the free-throw lane. A1 then releases the ball and the free-throw try misses the basket. What is the result? a. Only B4’s free-throw violation is penalized. A1 gets another free throw. b. Only A1’s free-throw violation is penalized. Team B receives a throw-in. c. Both free-throw violations are penalized. Resume play with an alternating-possession throw-in. d. Both free-throw violations are penalized. A1 gets another free throw.

5. After A1’s unsuccessful try for goal, A2 fouls B3 in an attempt to secure the rebound. The foul is team A’s seventh in the period. What is the result? a. Team B receives a designatedspot throw-in nearest to the foul. b. B3 goes to the free-throw line line for a one-and-one bonus. c. B3 receives two bonus free throws. d. Any team B player receives two free throws.

Jump Stops Always Legal?

By Jay Rowan

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hy is the jump-stop move seldom called correctly?

Because it is easier to call what most people think is correct than what is actually correct by rule. How can fans, players or coaches expect high school officials to make a different call from what they are seeing every night with televised games? It is the path of least resistance. It has been accepted for officials to make this wrong call because we see it at all levels. Calling this move incorrectly is giving the offense a major advantage.

The question is, do we want to call the jump-stop move as written, or do we want to accept what is being called incorrectly all over the country? If it is the latter, why have the powers that be not changed the rule to reflect what is actually being called and accepted?

If it is the former (call the jumpstop rule as written), maybe we just do not understand the rule or are confused by it. The following should be used to understand the rule and how to make the correct call.

First, never guess on a violation.

You either have it or you do not. If you know the rules in determining the pivot foot, your confidence in making the correct call (violation or no violation) will be high.

Confidence is the key and very important in making any call.

Normally, a player who lifts the pivot foot and returns it to the floor has committed a traveling violation.

The exception is when a player may use a jump-stop move. This is when an offensive player can jump off one foot and land on two feet simultaneously. That is a perfectly legal move and is how a jump-stop should be done.

There can never be a traveling violation while dribbling. Traveling can only occur while a player is holding the ball. We must establish when the dribble stops, so it is more important to be aware of that

rather than the player’s feet. After the player has stopped dribbling we can now establish which foot is the pivot foot. We only have a pivot foot when a player is holding the ball. The pivot foot is in contact with the floor and cannot move except to be lifted prior to passing or shooting the ball.

No matter what position you are in on the court, the moment you can clearly read the back of the player’s number, it is time to move. Go to where you need to be in order to get the best angle: left, right or back.

The jump-stop is a little different. The rule is as follows: • A player must jump off one foot and land on two simultaneously (both feet do not have to land side by side). Neither foot can be a pivot foot.

The rules for an illegal jumpstop are as follows: • If a player has both feet on the floor when the player receives the ball or stops the dribble, that player cannot legally perform a jump-stop move. Either foot may be the pivot foot, but if the player picks up that pivot foot and returns it to the floor before releasing the ball, it is a traveling violation.

• If a player is dribbling and stops the dribble or receives the ball with one foot on the floor, the player can jump off that foot and land simultaneously on both feet.

Neither foot can be a pivot foot.

If the player picks up either foot and returns it to the floor before releasing the ball, it is a traveling violation.

• If a player is in the air, receives the ball, then lands on one foot, that player may jump and land simultaneously on both feet but neither foot may be a pivot.

If the player picks up either foot and returns it to the floor before releasing the ball, it is a traveling violation.

• If a player is in the air and receives the ball, then lands on one foot, that player may jump. If the player lands on one foot followed

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by the other, that is a traveling violation.

As always, if you only think you have a violation, you probably do not.

Remember, for a legal jump stop, a player must jump off one foot and land on two feet simultaneously.

Anytime a player jumps off one foot and lands on one foot followed

by the other, it is a traveling violation.

If the player, after jumping off one foot, lands on two feet simultaneously, the player may jump or lift a foot but may not bring either foot back to the floor before the player has released the ball for a pass, shot, has requested a timeout or lost possession. Otherwise it will be a traveling violation.

A jump-stop means exactly that.

It does not mean jump, stop and keep going.

Know the rules. Have confidence in yourself and concentrate on making the correct call whether a traveling violation or not.

Jay Rowan, Pittston, Pa., is a longtime multi-sport official, including high school basketball. £

Look Like an Official Should O fficiating is an athletic endeavor.

Those who have been paying close attention have seen the shift toward fitter-looking officials working at the higher levels and deeper into the postseason. Right or wrong, gone are the days of the non-athletic look.

Regardless of your shape or fitness level there are a few small things you can do to help portray a better athletic look based on how you handle the basketball.

Dead ball. One of the more common times an official will hold the ball is during lengthy dead-ball periods (i.e. timeouts or intermissions). During these times officials will want to fight the temptation to give the impression it’s a rest period. Many officials will hold the ball against their side or stomach. Doing so does not portray

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an athletic look. Instead hold the ball out in front, as shown in PlayPic A. This look not only better portrays an athletic look but also fights off giving the perception that you are resting or not in control of the situation.

Direction to resume play. Often officials are taking a moment during timeouts or intermissions to collect their thoughts and can relax a little.

From time to time an official has been known to forget which way play is suppose to resume. One way to counteract that lapse of memory is to put the basketball in the hand to which team receives the ball when play resumes. As shown in PlayPic B, the official is holding the ball in the right hand, which is a reminder that play is headed in the direction to the right of the official.

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Ready to resume play. When play is ready to resume following a lengthy delay, such as a timeout or intermission, or after a foul or violation ruling, the administering official needs to direct the inbounding team to the throw-in spot. During these situations the official will want to portray an athletic look as shown in PlayPic C. By raising the ball in the air, it brings attention to the throw-in spot while also demonstrating control of the situation. It displays that the official knows what is going on.

Keep in mind the different ways, while holding the basketball, that you can improve your look. You may be surprised how just a little tweak pays off in huge dividends how you are perceived by others. £

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BASKETBALL

Throw-in Pass Touched Play: A1 has the ball for an opposite endline throw-in and attempts a long pass to A3, who is running near the division line tableside. A1’s pass is first touched by A3 who is standing on the sideline at the intersection of the division line. The officials rule that the throw-in pass was not legally touched on the court and administer the ensuing throw-in to team B at the endline spot where A1’s throw-in pass occurred.

Ruling: The officials were incorrect to resume play at the endline. The ensuing throw-in should be at the division line where A3 touched the ball. Even though A3 was out of bounds, the touch was not a throw-in violation (NFHS 7-6-2, 9-2-2, 7-2-1; NCAA 7-6.5, 9-4.1.b, 7-2.1).

ne of the teams requests a timeout and you or your partner grant the request. Upon the timeout being granted, it becomes an easy time for officials to drop their guard. However, officials should not drop their focus immediately upon the request being granted. The timeout for officials has not started yet. There are a few items for which the crew should remain aware.

Crisscross. As shown in MechaniGram, the players’ paths often cross as each team heads to its respective timeout areas. The officials do not want to lose focus on either team’s players until they reach their timeout area and are clearly separated. One quick shot (physical contact or verbal exchange) to an opponent as the players go to their benches can cause escalation.

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Block/Charge on the Line Play: A1 is dribbling the ball near the sideline as B1 takes a position near the sideline with one foot on the sideline. B1 meets all the other requirements of a legal-guarding position. A playercontrol foul is ruled on A1. Ruling: A player-control foul on A1 would be correct if B1 had both feet inbounds. Since B1 had a foot out of bounds, B1 is not in a legalguarding position. B1 instead was guilty of a blocking foul (NFHS 4-23-3a, 4-7-1, 4-35; NCAA Men 4-17.6.b, 4-5, 4-23; NCAA Women 4-18.6.b, 4-6, 4-24).

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Bench personnel. Once a timeout is granted, or a media timeout is set to occur at the levels that allow media timeouts, it is not uncommon for bench personnel to run out onto the floor to congratulate or otherwise talk to teammates. That bench personnel’s excitement can be a flash point for an opponent having just made a bad play or given up a shot that changed the perceived momentum.

The rules allow bench personnel to be in the timeout area, as shown in MechaniGram B, and officials need to have awareness for the potential for more.

Walk toward benches. In order to ensure focus, the entire crew is wise to walk toward the benches until the players have clearly separated and there is distance between all opponents. The proximity of an official to two opponents can help

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Screen on Inbounder’s Defender Play: Following a team B basket, A5 attempts to inbound the ball with B4 pressuring. A3 takes a position a few feet away from B4 in preparation to set a screen. A3 sets a screen, with one foot inbounds and one foot on the endline, before A5 begins to run the endline toward A3’s position. While A5 runs along the endline, to administer the throw-in, B1 keeps pressure and does not see A3’s screen.

B1 runs into A3. What should the officials rule? Ruling: A3 should be ruled for a team-control foul (illegal screen). A screen is legally allowed against an opponent while a teammate runs along the endline during a non-designated spot throw-in; however, the screener must maintain an inbounds position (NFHS 4-23-3a, 4-7-1, 4-35; NCAA Men 4-5, 4-23; NCAA Women 4-6, 4-24).

Wait a Second; No Timeout Yet

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be a deterrent from something more happening. Should there be a potential for a problem, the official now standing closer to the opponents can either step in-between two opponents to ensure the players get to their respective bench or can insert themselves by using voice to prevent problems.

Patience. The granting official should join the crew in ensuring teams get to their respective benches as a first priority. The granting official can use the location of the players (sitting on the bench or standing) as an aid to determine the timeout length. Do not be in a rush to figure out the timeout length in lieu of missing a potential problem as teams cross. Once the teams are to their respective timeout areas, the granting official can notify the timer and begin the interval for the duration of the timeout.

Officiate the period between the timeout being granted and

the timeout interval starting by ensuring the crew is mentally and physically engaged in observing the players and bench personnel. Rest

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Thinking About t A

s editors at Referee magazine, our jobs immerse us in the rules of the sports we cover every day. We’re not just knee-deep in following the rules, we’re neck-deep.

In order to write and edit Referee’s articles, quiz questions, caseplays and educational content/books, we have to be extremely well-versed in the rules.

We don’t have involvement in writing the rules; that falls to the governing bodies. But like most officials, we have our opinions about certain rules. What if the powers-that-be handed over a magic wand for a day and let us make a change or two? What would the editors of Referee want to tweak or add?

Here’s a thing or two we might revise, if given that chance:

Intentional Grounding Rule

DISCUSSION: In order to legally “dump” a pass, the passer would have to go outside the tackle box and throw a pass that lands beyond the neutral zone. The tackle box is an imaginary rectangle 10 yards on either side of the snapper and from the line of scrimmage to the offensive team’s endline.

The proposed rule would provide “boundaries” that would guide the official. Currently it is purely a judgment call with no parameters, real or imagined, to serve as helpers. The NFHS penalty for an illegal forward pass — five yards from the spot of the foul and loss of down — is harsh for a rather minor foul.

Allowing the passer to ground the ball would give defenders fewer

NFHS 7-5-2d and e: “Illegal forward passes include: a pass intentionally thrown into an area not occupied by an eligible offensive receiver; or a pass intentionally thrown incomplete to save loss of yardage or to conserve time.”

opportunities to legally hit the passer, who is in a vulnerable posture when he is in the middle of or has just completed the throwing motion. At a time when risk minimization is the watchword, eliminating one more potentially dangerous hit is a good thing.

DALE GARVEY (NICK MARTIN, EVERETT, WASH.)

PROPOSAL: In NFHS, allow the passer to intentionally throw an incomplete pass without penalty if specific criteria are met. That would match the NFL and NCAA rules.

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t the Rules ...

By the Editors of Referee

Balk Rule PROPOSAL: Instead of an immediate dead ball, change the NFHS rule to more closely match pro and NCAA rules where it is a delayed dead ball.

BOB MESSINA (DAVE GARDNER, LOS ANGELES)

DISCUSSION: On the plus side, the NFHS rule on balks is fairly simple to adjudicate. Pitcher commits a balk, the ball is immediately dead. Runners are awarded one base. Nothing else can happen. But it creates situations where the team on offense is penalized. The classic, although extreme hypothetical example, is a pitcher who commits a balk but completes the pitch, which the batter promptly hits out of the park for a home run. Under NFHS rules, runner(s) are awarded one base on the balk, but the home run does not count.

One of Referee’s baseball editors experienced a situation in which the pitcher, with a runner on second, committed a balk on a pickoff throw (he stepped toward home and tried to throw to second base), which sailed into the outfield. The speedy runner was going to easily make it home and kept heading that way despite the base umpire’s calls of, “Time, that’s a balk.” It was the only time in the editor’s umpiring career that a coach of the team on offense complained about a balk being called.

Moving balks to delayed-dead-ball adjudication — similar to how catcher’s obstruction is handled by letting the play proceed and sorting out a potential penalty afterward — would avoid a situation in which the team that should benefit from the call is sometimes worse off.

NFHS 5-1-1k: “Ball becomes dead immediately when … a balk or an illegal pitch is committed.”

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Thinking About the Rules ...

Change Coaching Uniform Rule DISCUSSION: An NFHS coach who is in a live-ball area to confer with players or an umpire, or to occupy a coach’s box, must wear a school uniform or jersey/ coaching shirt with coaching shorts/ pants or warmup suits in school colors or colors of khaki, black, white or gray.

Jackets are not considered part of the coaching uniform. Cutoffs or any type of jeans are prohibited. The penalty for a coach who is not dressed in appropriate attire includes not permitting that coach in the field of play following the pregame conference for the duration of the game or until the situation has been remedied.

Let’s face it, this rule may be one of the least, if not the least, enforced rules in softball, probably because it is so specific.

If umpires do enforce the rule, many coaches would be watching a game from the dugout/bench area, especially in colder climates. During cool spring weather, coaches often wear as many layers of clothes as possible and that often is far from a coaching shirt, pants in school colors or in colors of khaki, black, white or gray. Kudos to the coaches of schools who do abide by the

NFHS 3-5-3: “Any time a coach is in live-ball area to confer with players or an umpire, or to occupy a coach’s box, the coach shall be attired in school uniform or jersey/ coaching shirt with coaching shorts/ slacks or warm-up suits (including fleece warmups) in school colors or colors of khaki, black, white or gray. Cutoffs or any type of jeans are prohibited. Jackets are not considered part of the coach’s uniform.”

rule, but in reality, many more coaches simply don’t follow the rule to the letter because they usually have many more things to deal with prior to a game. That makes it very difficult for an umpire to “bench” that coach after the pregame conference.

It would be best to redefine the rule but make it less specific. Coaches should be wearing pants or shorts on warmer

days, but does the color really matter?

Does it really matter if a coach is not wearing a uniform or jersey, or coaching shirt?

A more realistic approach to the coaches’ uniform rule would be better for coaches and umpires.

DALE GARVEY (MEGAN RABIN, BELLEVUE, WASH.)

PROPOSAL: Relax the rule on coaches being attired in a school uniform or jersey/coaching shirt.

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Penalties for Coach Behavior PROPOSAL: Add a restriction-to-thebench penalty for coach misbehavior.

DALE GARVEY (REFEREE: SOO-HUI UM, PUYALLUP, WASH AND AR: CHRIS OLIN, SILVERDALE., WASH)

DISCUSSION: NFHS basketball and volleyball get this one right. At some point during their career, all officials must face the challenge of managing difficult behavior by coaches. But some sports provide better tools to assist the official than others. In soccer, a referee really has two options for dealing with coach behavior. The first is a warning to indicate the behavior is inappropriate and will not be tolerated. In both NFHS and NCAA, a yellow card is shown in this circumstance. In IFAB, this would be a verbal warning without a card shown. The second option is to issue an ejection, or expel that coach from the field of play and its immediate surroundings. Again, in NFHS and NCAA, a red card is shown to communicate this decision, while in IFAB the referee does not show a card but indicates that the coach must leave the field and technical area. It is not necessary for a coach to be cautioned, or warned, before being ejected if his or her behavior goes beyond what constitutes a warning.

With these two options, there seems to be no middle ground. The warning does not impose any true penalty, but simply communicates that the behavior needs to stop. At times, when the behavior of coaches is inappropriate, yet is not enough to warrant an ejection, this leaves the referee in a difficult predicament.

Imagine here the chirpy coach that has a negative comment to make on every referee decision throughout the entire game. The comments are neither profane nor terribly loud, yet are extremely persistent. If the coach is not ejected, the message portrayed is the behavior is acceptable, albeit obnoxious. Meanwhile, if the coach is ejected, the referee may seem too sensitive or unable to manage the situation. In basketball and volleyball, there are rules that give the officials another option. When coaches are assessed a technical foul in basketball, or a yellow card in volleyball, there is also a penalty — they must remain seated on the bench for the remainder

of the game. They can no longer stand to give instructions while coaching. This certainly assists in preventing additional inappropriate behavior because they are more isolated physically and there is a clear message that further verbal abuse will not be tolerated. This does not leave the referee in the awkward position of deciding whether or not a coach’s actions were “enough.”

The loss-of-coaching-box penalty, as it is called in basketball, does not mean

the referee loses the power to eject a coach acting beyond the bounds of responsible behavior. The referee can still take the direct action of ejecting the coach for clearly irresponsible behavior. But this also gives the referee some additional strength in managing the coach and sending the message to all competition participants, rather than just a polite “please don’t do that again.” Two thumbs up to basketball and volleyball for getting this one right!

IFAB 5: “The referee takes action against team officials who fail to act in a responsible manner and may expel them from the field of play and its immediate surrounds.”

NFHS 5-3-1e: “The officials shall hold a card (yellow or red) … and indicate the player or coach being carded and notify … of the nature of the misconduct.”

NCAA 5-6-2: “The referee has the power to caution any player, coach, or other bench personnel for misconduct or unsporting behavior and, if the behavior persists, eject that individual from the game.”

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Thinking About the Rules ...

Alignment/Overlaps PROPOSAL: Do away with alignments/ overlaps rule.

NFHS 6-4-3b: All players, including the libero, shall be in correct serving order. Each right-side player shall have a least part of one foot touching the floor closer to the right sideline than both feet of the center player in the corresponding row (except the server and the center back of the serving team).

Each left-side player shall have at least part of one foot touching the floor closer to the left sideline than both feet of the center player in the corresponding row.

Each front-row player shall have at least part of one foot touching the floor closer to the centerline than both feet of the corresponding back-row player.

By rule, front-row players must have a portion of at least one foot closer to the centerline than their corresponding back-row teammate (LF-LB, CF-CB, RF-RB). Right-side players must have at least one part of one foot closer to the right sideline than their adjacent teammate (RF-CF, RB-CB), and left-side players must meet the same requirement with respect to the left sideline (LF-CF, LB-CB). Why does it have to be like that? Why not allow

USAV 7.4.3.2, 7.4.3: Each right- (left-) side player must have at least part of his/her foot closer to the right (left) side line than the feet of the center player in that row.

The position of the players is judged according to the position of the foot last in contact with the floor at the time the ball is contacted for service.

NCAA 10.3.1.1, 10.3.1.1.1: In the front or back row, the right-side player must have at least part of one foot closer to the right sideline than the feet of the center player in the corresponding row, and

teams to place players in a serve-receive formation of their choosing prior to the serve instead of having to wait till the ball is served before moving to a certain spot on the court? Most players are going to go to where they are needed the most anyway. What is the difference? Will it affect the game in any way?

Alleviate the overlaps and alignments rule, and the confusion that comes with it.

the left-side player must have at least part of one foot closer to the left sideline than the feet of the middle player in the corresponding row. Each front-row player must have at least part of one foot closer to the center line than the feet of the corresponding back-row player.

The position of the players is judged according to the location of their feet to the location of their feet in contact with the team court at the time the ball is contacted for service. An airborne player is considered to retain the status or position of the foot last in contact with the floor. The service zone is not considered to be a part of the court.

BOB MESSINA

DISCUSSION: Identifying overlaps and alignments is one of the biggest challenges for volleyball referees, especially early on. Receiving teams often use varied serve reception patterns to put the best passers in position to receive the serve, to get the setter closer to the target position (usually near right front) to run the offense or to move their best hitters into position for a quick attack.

NFHS rules allow the second referee to use a lineup card as a tool for tracking player positions. But even with a lineup card it can be a challenge, constantly requiring the second referee to look at the card, track servers, identify the frontand back-row players, and to determine if everyone is in legal alignment.

NCAA and USAV rules do not permit the second referee to use a lineup card, so memorization techniques, communication with the scorekeeper and a quick peek at a team’s lineup once in a while is common.

Because of the fast-moving nature of the game and the number of players involved, it can be very difficult for the second referee to recognize any overlaps or misalignments. It is a difficult enough task at times to keep track of the front-row and back-row players, and to follow the setter.

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Coaches’ Ability to Request a Timeout PROPOSAL: Coaches are only allowed to request a timeout when the ball is dead or during a throw-in.

The coach gets an opportunity for an instructional period while the demands of the officials’ responsibilities and coverages are more spelled out. *

JACK KAPENSTEIN (JOHN GAFFNEY, WESTWOOD, MA, FOREGROUND AND KENNETH TURNER, BUFFALO, NY)

DISCUSSION: Granting timeouts to requesting coaches can be a dicey situation for any official, experienced or inexperienced. The demands of officiating the action on the floor can be a tall order. Knowing where all 10 players are on the floor and whether the coach is requesting a timeout in an often intense loose-ball situation is an official’s nightmare. The nightmare can lead to improperly granting a timeout to a team that is not in player control or shifting focus away from the action to a coach and missing an important decision moment (possible foul or violation).

The proposed rule would limit a coach to only requesting a timeout during a dead ball or while the ball is at the disposal of a player for a throw-in. Currently both a team’s head coach or any player can request and be granted a timeout. The NCAA Men have recently gone to this rule and have shifted from their original focus of a coach’s request only during deadball action to include the throw-in element.

Limiting the coach’s ability to request timeouts would help the officials remain focused on the action at hand, which helps eliminate the conflicted feeling of when to look at a coach to ensure a proper request was made. It also leads to a decreased number of inaccurate timeout requests granted.

At one point in the history of NFHS rules only players were allowed to request timeouts. This proposal would balance going back to that extreme.

Timeout occurs and the clock, if running shall be stopped when an official …

NFHS 5-8-3: “Grants and signals a player’s/head coach’s oral or visual request for a timeout …”

REFEREE May 2017 |

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PROFILES

PERSONALITIES PLUS

By Greg Waxberg

“A

s a mother, you always want what is best for your children,” says Megan Barker, high school volleyball official and basketball referee in California … and surrogate grandmother.

At age 14, Barker’s daughter Maddie Coleman was diagnosed with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser

Megan Barker, right, volunteered as a surrogate for her daughter, Maddie Coleman, and gave birth to her grandson, Gus, last October.

(MRKH) Syndrome, a disorder in which the cervix and uterus do not fully develop. Ten years later, doctors discovered a tumor on Maddie’s ovary, so she could not carry her own child.

“When Maddie was diagnosed, we knew she’d never physically be able to carry a baby,” Megan said. “I looked at it not as a detriment to her, but as a challenge. We considered the possibility of adoption or another surrogate, and then we came up with the idea of me being the surrogate. I was healthy enough and passed the required tests, and it would be a lot cheaper than paying someone to be a surrogate. But the biggest reason for me to do it was that I wanted to give

Maddie and her husband, Tyler, the gift of parenthood.”

Was Barker concerned about a higher risk of birth defects? “No, because birth defects are determined by the biological eggs. The eggs were Maddie’s — 24 years old, not 48.” And so, the child was carried through In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) with Barker as surrogate, and Gus Coleman was born on Oct. 22, 2016.

This whole time, Barker, who has also taught first grade for 20 years at a nearby elementary school, continued with her officiating jobs. Barker is part of a family tradition that has included her mother (who started their local volleyball officials association more than 30 years ago, and is still officiating), father (high school wrestling), older brother (college basketball) and sister and youngest brother (volleyball).

A member of NASO who has officiated volleyball for 25 years and basketball for 10, Barker officiated volleyball until one week before she gave birth. She was back on the stand for the postseason a week later (she had completed the first half of the 2015-16 basketball season before starting fertility clinics).

Aside from ultimately not fitting into her uniform, which necessitated having to buy new pants and a new shirt, and facing some difficulty with climbing the volleyball ladders, Barker says the pregnancy was easy.

“I was fortunate to have a healthy, great pregnancy. No sickness. No bed rest,” Barker said.

What would she like other female officials to know about what she went through? “Challenges will arise, and you can overcome them with hard work and perseverance,” she says.

And Barker says a woman can officiate while being pregnant. “If your body can do the job, then you need to do it.

Don’t let other people tell you that you can’t do something you want to do.”

Greg Waxberg is an award-winning freelance writer from Branchburg, N.J. £

Last Hurrah for Longtime Official Terry Bupp Age: 69 West York, Pa.

Terry Bupp’s final basketball game was a hurrah, in a way, for him and high school sports.

In February, the longest-tenured official in the York-Adams chapter of Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association basketball officials walked away from officiating after 48 years. “You know when you sort of get to the end,” said Bupp, who registered with the York-Adams chapter of officials in September 1969. “You have that feeling, the time’s up.”

Bupp walked away as head football coach at West York after 33 years in 2005. A few years later, he stepped down after 18 years as the Bulldogs baseball coach.

SOURCE: GAMETIMEPA.COM

Coroner Investigator at Home as Wrestling Official Tom Stortz Age: 55 Butler, Ohio

Tom Stortz is a Richland County coroner’s investigator, but he also has been a wrestling official for 33 years.

Stortz began officiating after he and two other Clear Fork High School coaches decided they would all get their refereeing licenses to become better coaches. Stortz said being a wrestling official is something he really loves. “I like working with kids,” he said.

Stortz can be found in area gymnasiums on many nights and weekends, officiating high school matches, having participated in wrestling and track while in high school. He currently serves as secretary-treasurer of the North Central Ohio Wrestling Referees Association.

SOURCE: MANSFIELD (OHIO) NEWS JOURNAL

Do you know a person or group who should be profiled?

COURTESY OF PARK AVENUE PHOTOGRAPHY; GAMETIMEPA.COM (BUPP); MANSFIELD (OHIO) NEWS JOURNAL (STORTZ)

Oh, Baby! Surrogate Mom Gives Birth to Grandson

Send info to us at profiles@referee.com

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the VIP card, NASO members are able to stay at those participating hotels for a room rate 25 to 40 percent lower than the regular price.

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Take the family for a getaway or book your next business trip. Using your card just once can save you the annual cost of your NASO membership.

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VOLLEYBALL

COORDINATOR: MARCIA ALTERMAN

malterman@referee.com

RULES, MECHANICS, PHILOSOPHY

TIMING’S EVERYTHING

NFHS Alters Second Referee’s Timeout Responsibilities

By Todd Korth

T

Alfonso Canella, Thousand Oaks, Calif., signals to the first referee the number of timeouts that each team has used. With the NFHS rule changes, the second referee will have additional mechanics during timeouts.

Second referee responsibilities (5-5-3b-12) The second referee’s specific responsibilities have been changed slightly, requiring him or her to sound a whistle prior to the end of the timeout, whether it lasts 60 seconds or is shortened because both teams are on the court and ready to play.

Play 1: The second referee whistles to end a 60-second timeout because the audio signal has not sounded and both teams are ready to play. Ruling 1: Incorrect procedure. The second referee should whistle a warning at 45 seconds and instruct the timer to sound the horn at 60 seconds. If the horn does not sound at 60 seconds, the

BOB MESSINA

he NFHS has made a few changes to the second referee’s responsibilities and mechanics during a timeout. Effective with the 2017-18 season, the second referee will whistle a warning at 45 seconds and instruct the timer to sound the horn at 60 seconds to end the timeout. Also, the second referee shall whistle a warning (two short blasts) if the teams are ready to play prior to the 45-second warning and then instruct the timer to immediately sound the horn.

This revision to rule 5-5-3b was one of five rule changes recommended by the NFHS Volleyball Rules Committee at its Jan. 8-10 meeting in Indianapolis and subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

“The committee is in resounding agreement that the sport of volleyball is in a good position. Participation numbers are higher than ever and there is no need to make many changes to the rules,” said Becky Oakes, NFHS director of sports and liaison to the Volleyball Rules Committee.

Referee thanks Oakes for reviewing this article.

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second referee shall whistle the end of the timeout.

Play 2: Both teams are ready to play after 35 seconds of the timeout.

The second referee whistles a warning that the teams are ready to play, then gives to the first referee each team’s number of timeouts the teams have used. The second referee then directs the timer to sound the horn to signal the end of the timeout. Ruling 2: Correct procedure. If both teams have returned to the court and are ready to play prior to the 45-second warning and/or end of the timeout, and an audio signal has not sounded, the second referee will whistle the warning, then immediately instruct the timer to sound the horn.

First referee warning whistle (5-4-3c-17) In a related change, this rule now states that the first referee shall whistle a warning at 45 seconds if the second referee is still checking the scoresheet or is otherwise occupied, with game management or monitoring a cleanup issue, for example.

Play 3: During a timeout in set No. 2, the second referee checks the scoresheet and lineup sheets at the request of the team A coach to verify that the serving team’s players are in the correct order. While the second referee is checking the numbers, 45 seconds have elapsed in the timeout. At that point, the first referee whistles a warning. Ruling 3: Correct procedure. If the second referee is still checking the scoresheet, the first referee should sound his or her whistle for the warning. The second referee should then direct the timer to sound the horn.

referee. The second signal is sounded by the timer after 60 seconds. If both teams have returned to the floor and are ready to play before the end of the timeout, the second referee shall whistle a warning whistle (if there has not yet been a warning whistle), then instruct the timer to immediately sound the horn.

Replay (9-8-2) A new rule has been added to the replay section to clarify that a replay is considered part of a single-play action.

Once a replay is signaled by the first referee, no requests — timeout, service order or lineup check, substitution, libero replacement, etc. — may be recognized until after the replay.

Play 5: As A1 tosses the ball in the air for a jump serve, the timer’s audio signal sounds in error, and A1 hits the ball into the net. The first referee judges that a replay shall be granted because the audio signal distracted A1.

Team A then requests a substitution, A4 for A8. Ruling 5: The substitution request shall not be recognized by the second referee because A1’s serve has not been completed.

Mechanics change A change was also made in the official signals in the volleyball rulebook, casebook and manual.

QUICKTIP Keep the yellow and red cards in separate front pants pockets.

For example, yellow in the left and red in the right. You will be able to pull out the correct card without fumbling for them. Avoid putting the cards in the front pocket on the uniform shirt, where they may draw attention or lead a coach or player to believe you are “card happy.”

DID YOU KNOW? Ten years ago, the NFHS Volleyball Rules Committee changed a few rules regarding the libero that eliminate any distractions for the first referee prior to the serve. Rules 10-4-1f and 10-4-2c were changed to ensure that the libero replacement shall be completed prior to the whistle/signal for serve. In both rules, the libero replacement must take place during a dead ball and prior to the signal for serve.

That allows the assistant scorer to record the replacement, the scorer to be alert if the libero is to serve and the official to turn all of his or her attention to the serve and not be distracted by a late replacement and possible delay in the flow of the game.

SOURCE: NFHS

TOOLS ParaVolley Training USAV offers World ParaVolley training materials online for free.

To receive credit for viewing the video or to take exams, go to the USA Volleyball Membership Database and register for the clinics offered by your region.

SOURCE: USAV

COURTESY OF WORLD PARAVOLLEY

Timer responsibilities (5-8-3a) This rule has been changed to state that every timeout will end with a warning whistle by the second referee followed by the horn sounded by the timer instead of the timer sounding the horn at 45 seconds and 60 seconds.

Play 4: The timer times a team timeout, giving an audio signal at the end of 45 seconds and again after 60 seconds. Ruling 4: Incorrect procedure. The signal at 45 seconds should be a whistle from the second

Signal No. 20 for illegal substitution has been eliminated since the penalty for illegal substitution is covered in signal No. 22 — unnecessary delay, as shown in the PlayPic. Todd Korth is a Referee associate editor and high school volleyball referee. *

REFEREE May 2017 |

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VOLLEYBALL

TEST YOURSELF In each of the following, you are given a situation and possible answer(s). You are to decide which answer(s) are correct for NFHS, NCAA or USAV rules, which might vary. Solutions: p.

81.

1. When are lineups due prior to the start of a match? a. Three minutes prior to the end of timed warmups. b. Two minutes prior to the end of timed warmups. c. One minute prior to the end of timed warmups. d. 30 seconds prior to the end of timed warmups.

2. A libero wearing a sleeveless white jersey may wear a black long-sleeved shirt underneath her jersey. a. True. b. False.

3. A player who has been replaced by exceptional substitution may return to play in a subsequent set in that match. a. True. b. False.

4. During the first set, team A receives a delay warning for an illegal substitution. Later in the set, the second referee denies the request for a third timeout. a. Delay warning. b. Delay penalty. c. Improper request. d. No penalty.

Arm Yourself During Rise Through the Ranks

By Cornelio Galdones

o you feel stuck in place, going nowhere fast as an official?

Here’s the likely reason. Your overall body of work doesn’t stand out.

To rise up in the ranks in hopes of reaching its pinnacle, you can’t remain ordinary. Don’t let politics, red tape, glass ceilings and other frustrating barriers hamper you.

Become the cream of the crop by addressing the following aspects of officiating: Priorities. Your profession that takes care of the bills and your loved ones take precedence over your whistle. Ensure your life is in order.

Until it is, you may have to lower your ambitions and sacrifice some goals as an official since you will be unable to devote the time and focus needed to move forward.

Maturity. Regardless of how young or how old you are, the common sense and wisdom reflected in your actions influence how fast and how far you will advance. Live it up without having to live it down.

D

What is life if you are not enjoying it? However, those controlling your destiny or anyone else who matters won’t put up with foolish or juvenile behavior. Cut out the nonsense and get your act together. Grow up.

Networking. Acquaint yourself socially with your associates. Who you know can make a difference. Still, who knows you and what they know about you has more impact. You have only one chance to create a lasting first impression with anyone. Be with it but not full of it. An opinion of you could be formed not when someone first meets you but when that person first hears about you. Our officiating community is a small world with word swift to travel everywhere. Juicy news such as anything disreputable or absurd you may do never fails to be of interest. Big Brother may already know about you.

Learning. Be a sponge. As a selfstarter not requiring much hand holding, absorb everything there is to learn about officiating. Along with attending training clinics, seminars and conventions, surf the internet to

Officials attending a clinic absorb information from instructor Ruben Reyes, Temple City, Calif. (center, seated)

BOB MESSINA

5. As the teams take the court for the start of a set, the coach realizes that an incorrect player has been listed in the starting lineup. The coach would like to replace a starting player with another team member. Which of the following referee decisions is correct? a. Allow the coach to change the lineup without sanction or penalty. b. Allow the coach to change the lineup and assess a delay sanction. c. Allow the coach to make a substitution to have the desired player start the set. d. Deny the coach’s request to change the lineup until after the first service.

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VOLLEYBALL NEW FOR

unearth a trove of information and insight from officiating instruction websites and discussion forums. Stay away from gossip on online sites and social media.

Find a mentor, someone knowledgeable and respected, willing to take you under their wing. Ask others questions and seek their advice. The more input you receive and process, the better you will be. Welcome criticism. When you are observed doing something substandard, suppress the natural urge to explain or differ. To benefit, hear it out. Swallow your pride, owning up to your flaws or they will end up owning you. Learn to listen. Listen to learn. Zip your lip except to discuss ways to improve.

Take notes left and right, reviewing them periodically. Has all you have taken in been taken up or are you still repeating the same mistakes? Speed up your growth. Be a quick learner.

Skills. Arm yourself with tools and expertise to do well.

For one, know the rules and their interpretations by heart. Bear in mind proper skills come from proper practices. Gain as much experience as possible, pursuing challenges above but not beyond your abilities instead of staying complacent and stale.

Besides mechanics and techniques, sharpen your judgment IQ of ballhandling to read, recognize and react to what is legal and what isn’t. Determine an appropriate ruling standard comfortable not only to you but everyone else as well. Train your brain for everything to click. Your thinking should be instinctive and instant, your decisions spot on and trusted to stay consistent throughout, your presentation calm and concise.

In addition find out intuitive, effective ways of dealing at once with difficult people. Build a solid foundation such that your base skill set performs with flying colors no matter the occasion. When your big chance comes, be able to hit the ground running. Nothing less will do.

Professionalism. Upgrade your dignity, integrity and reliability.

Epitomize your outer and inner beauty, eliminating detractions in grooming, demeanor and character.

•May_Magazine.indb 61

How genuine a person are you?

Distinguish right from wrong plus good from bad without prompting.

Display an aptitude, not an attitude.

Are you high or low maintenance?

Prima donna or team player?

Liability or asset? Do you fulfill your commitments or fill them with excuses? Are you timely or tardy? In and out of uniform, you are forever viewed as an official representing all of us.

Art of officiating. Anyone with a handle on the rules and officiating mechanics can be an official. Going by the book, which can make it a rough going, won’t be enough. There is an art to officiating in what to call and what not to call, how to take charge unnoticed, and how to still stormy waters with no damage done.

A correct call might not be the right call.

Manage a match rather than imposing the rules. Realize where, when, why and how to apply what to whom, an acuity derived from grasping how the game is played. Immerse in the culture, understanding in depth the latest player techniques, offensive and defensive strategies and formations, and varying nuances of plays unfolding. Watch better referees work, analyzing their decisions and how they go about their business making it look easy. Study how the players play and how the coaches coach. Adapt.

Become adept on what to look for and further, what teams are looking for from officials. Turn into an officiating artist, acquiring a finetuned feel of the rules that connects with players and coaches of all levels. You are holding yourself back otherwise.

Nothing will be handed to you as an official. Want it. Earn it. Make every effort to be the best referee you can be. Delude no one, especially yourself. Whether your progress is helped or hindered is all on you.

Leave no doubt of how excellent you are so not a single thing can stop you from ascending all the way to the top.

Corny Galdones, Alexandria, Va., is a longtime high school and college volleyball referee. *

2017

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VOLLEYBALL

CASEPLAYS Ball Use During Timeouts Play: During a timeout, players warm up using volleyballs behind their court’s endline. Ruling: Allowed in NCAA. Not allowed in USAV (4.2.3) or NFHS (11-2-4).

Ball Crossing Outside the Pole Play: Team A’s first contact is passed poorly and is traveling outside the pole. A2 reaches beyond the centerline to play the ball before it completely crosses the centerline outside the pole.

Ruling: In all rule codes, this ball may legally be retrieved. A ball in the free zone is not considered “out” until it completely crosses the vertical plane of the net outside the crossing space (NFHS 9-3-3a; NCAA 16.2.2.5; USAV 8.4.4).

Timeout Request Play: Team A’s coach moves to the substitution zone to instruct a player. An assistant coach requests a timeout.

Should the referees whistle and acknowledge the timeout request? Ruling: In USAV and NFHS rules, only the (head) coach or game captain may request a timeout (USAV 4.1.1, 15.3.1; NFHS 11-2-1). NCAA rules permit the playing captain or any designated coach to request a timeout (11.2.6.1).

Wrong Server Play: A2 serves and scores three points, and then team B wins the next rally. Team B serves and wins a point. The scorer then tells the second referee that A2 was the wrong server. Ruling: Under NFHS and NCAA rules, the points scored by A2 are retained since team B has subsequently served. Team A’s service order is corrected with no further penalty, and team B continues to serve (NFHS 8-25d; NCAA 10.3.2.4). In USAV rules, if the number of points scored by the wrong server can be determined, the points scored by the wrong server are canceled regardless of when the discovery is made during that set. In this case, the three points scored by A2 are canceled, and team A’s service order is corrected with no further penalty. Team B continues to serve (7.7.1, 7.7.2).

Towel Off When Necessary V

olleyball players often wear equipment that is not directly addressed in the rules. Examples are ankle braces, sweatbands and knee pads. All rules codes allow such equipment as long as it does not create a competitive advantage or a safety issue.

Another common piece of equipment that referees see is a small towel tucked into the waist of a player’s shorts, as shown in the PlayPic. Players (often the setter) use the towel to quickly wipe the hands between plays. Like the other equipment noted, the towel is legal in all rules codes as long as safety and competitive tests are considered.

However, there is a concern if the towel falls to the floor during play and creates a safety concern. Under NCAA women’s rules, if a towel on the floor creates a safety concern, the referees whistle immediately to stop the rally, and no other sanction or penalty is assessed. The rally is replayed. If it is clear that a towel on the floor does not create a safety hazard; the referees should allow the play to finish.

In a match played with USAV rules, if a player’s towel falls to the floor during play, the players need to quickly pick up the towel and throw it off of the court in order to avoid the safety concern. If, because of the potential safety issue, the referees must intervene by whistling to stop the rally, a delay sanction is assessed

and the rally is replayed (unless the delay sanction is a penalty, resulting in a loss of rally).

For NFHS rules, safety is also the primary directive for the referees.

When a towel on the floor during play creates a potential hazard, the rally is stopped and replayed. An unnecessary delay may be assessed if the towel frequently falls to the floor, interrupting play. But in most cases, a replay of the rally is all that is required.

Referees must be attentive to any situation where player equipment creates a safety concern, without being overly officious on this topic. Be ready to manage this situation, and assess delay sanctions or unnecessary delays when necessary. *

Positive Match Control A

n official’s job is about control, not owning it but maintaining it. How we go about it and how we handle others make a big difference in how our directions and decisions are received. We have the right and might to tell folks what they can do and where they can go.

Use, don’t abuse, these powers, for rubbing anyone the wrong way can turn, or worse, tick that person off.

We’re in charge. That doesn’t mean we’re always right. Opposing opinions may have merit. Hear them out. Do something about it and turn the negative into a positive. *

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FOOTBALL

EDITOR: JEFFREY STERN

jstern@referee.com

RULES, MECHANICS, PHILOSOPHY

SUBSTITUTES, SIDELINES AND SOME SUBTERFUGE

By Tim Sloan

T

he snap is the point at which 22 players, three to eight officials and umpteen coaches and team personnel must be in their appointed places, ready for the play. A lot of interesting things can happen in those few seconds before the ball is snapped. Sometimes a team intends to cause confusion, while other times confusion causes surprises which might or might not be illegal. Let’s work through a selection of plausible occurrences and how we might deal with them.

Substitutions. To begin with, each team ideally has 11 players on the

field at the snap, but having fewer may be OK. Play 1: Team A has 10 players in its formation. There are (a) seven linemen and three backs, (b) six linemen and four backs, or (c) eight linemen and two backs. Numbering rules are met. Ruling 1: In NFHS, (a) and (c) are legal. The formation in (b) is illegal, but the play is allowed to run. High school rules require at least seven players on the line of scrimmage at the snap (7-2-5). In NCAA, all of the formations are legal.

Team A may have no more than four players in the backfield; having more or less than seven linemen is not a foul (7-1-4a).

Huddles. One difference between the codes involves huddles. In NFHS, it is not a foul for team A to break the huddle with 12 players as long as any replaced player begins to leave the field within three seconds of the arrival of his substitute (3-7-1). In NCAA, breaking the huddle with 12 players is a dead-ball foul (3-5-3a).

Play 3: Team A has 11 players in the huddle when A12 enters the huddle. After about two seconds have elapsed, (a) the huddle breaks, or (b) A1 leaves the huddle and team A breaks the huddle about a second later. Ruling 3: Legal in both cases for NFHS. In NCAA, it’s a foul for illegal substitution in (a), but legal in (b).

TED OPPEGARD

How to Make Sure It’s 11 Players vs. 11

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David Epperley, Newport, Va., uses the “iron cross” signal to indicate the offense is substituting. The NCAA altered its rules to allow the defense to change personnel when the offense substituted. That wasn’t always possible when the offense was using a no-huddle, fast-paced offense.

REFEREE

Using subs to deceive. Getting the right number of players on the field is an adventure for some teams.

Substitution procedures, whether intentionally deceptive or poorly managed, always challenge officials.

The onus is on team A to avoid deceiving team B about which players are participating. That makes the fabled sleeper play — one unnoticed team A player split out close to the sideline — virtually impossible today, as all 11 A players must be inside the numbers at some point between the ready-for-play signal and the snap (NFHS 7-2-1; NCAA 7-2-3).

You’ll often see wide receivers sprint downfield for the play, then go back where they started from, never having been inside the numbers.

Technically that is illegal. However, it has become custom in many areas to excuse that as long as a defender is aware of the receiver. Check with your assigner or association to see what’s acceptable in your area.

Sideline personnel. Let’s not forget the requirements on bench personnel. In NFHS, three coaches are allowed to be in the two-yard belt between their bench area and the sideline until the referee signals the ball ready for play. They must then immediately clear the area, leaving it solely for occupation by the officials (9-8-1k).

NCAA rules are different. When the ball is in play, the “white area” between the sideline and the coaching line must be free of all coaches and other team personnel. Coaches may be in that area only when the ball is dead. There is a second two-yard belt in front of team box specifically for coaches. There is a warning for the first violation; a five-yard delay-of-game penalty from the succeeding spot for the second and third instances; and a team 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty from the succeeding spot with an automatic first down for team B fouls for the fourth and any subsequent fouls (9-2-5 Pen.).

If an official is contacted in NFHS, it is a foul with a 15-yard penalty from the succeeding spot for all occurrences. It is considered a personal contact foul (9-4-8). In NCAA, physical interference with an official is a team unsportsmanlike conduct foul. Such interference includes not only contact with an official, but also a coach or player’s presence in the white area that has an impact on officiating duties.

Examples of such interference include obstructing the view of the official or causing the official to run around anyone. That results in a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for sideline interference (9-2-1b-1 Pen.).

Be aware of the issues prior to the snap, but be judicious and sensible about how you apply them.

Tim Sloan, Davenport, Iowa, is a high school football, basketball and volleyball official, and former college football and soccer official. £

SIDELINE Rhoads Honored Doug Rhoads is the posthumous recipient of the 2017 David M. Parry Award. The award goes to a coordinator of officials who exemplifies the qualities exhibited

by Parry, the first CFO national coordinator.

Rhoads died last May. He was coordinator of officials for the Atlantic Coast and Big South. He created the game-day operations center, established a variety of high-tech systems to respond to coaches and officials, developed a system of evaluations and ratings and advanced the training process for all officials.

Upon his retirement, he became a football rules analyst for ESPN and NBC, providing rules insight.

THEY SAID IT “Dick Butkus, the Bears’ captain, called ‘Tails.’ It landed heads, and he immediately yelled, ‘I called heads.’ I told him three times that he had called tails. He again said, ‘I called heads.’ And I again replied, ‘Dick, you called tails.’ At that point he said, ‘Toss it again.’ We all laughed.”

— Former NFL referee Fred Wyant, referring to the unusual things that can occur at the coin toss.

DID YOU KNOW? Only NCAA rules do not give a team the option of a free kick after a fair catch.

That choice was available to college teams until the rule was changed in 1951.

Although the play is rarely seen, the rule did come into play twice during the 2008 NFL season. Field goal attempts by Arizona and Green Bay were no good. Dallas had a chance to take advantage of the rule just before halftime in a 2017 game, but elected not to attempt the kick.

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FOOTBALL

TEST YOURSELF In each of the following you are given a situation and at least two possible answers. You are to decide which answer or answers are correct for NFHS and NCAA rules, which might vary. Note: In kicking situations, K is the kicking team, R the receiving team. Solutions: p. 81.

1. With 14 seconds left in the first half and the clock running, quarterback A1 takes a hand-tohand snap. The ball rolls up his arm, but A1 is finally able to control it. Once he controls it, he throws it to the ground in front of him. a. No problem. b. Illegal forward pass. c. The penalty is five yards from the spot of the pass and loss of down. d. The penalty has the option of a 10-second runoff.

The Hand That Touches the Ball Rules the Play T

he neutral zone becomes effective with the ready-for-play signal from the referee (additionally in NCAA when an official places the ball at an inbounds mark or between the inbounds marks and steps away to his position). That affects encroachment (NFHS) and offside and encroachment restrictions (NCAA).

The offensive lineman in the PlayPic is in the neutral zone.

However, since the snapper has not placed a hand(s) on the ball, there is no foul for encroachment.

Once the snapper has at least one hand on the ball, any team A player

on his line between the snapper and the player on the end of his line who’s placed a hand(s) on or near the ground may not move a hand(s).

Play: The snapper’s hand is on the ball. Team A’s linemen are in three-point stances. Before the snap, (a) the snapper, or (b) a guard rises to hear the signals. Ruling: In (a), if the center takes both hands off the ball once he’s touched it, it is a snap infraction. In (b), it’s a false start.

Since the guard is between the end and the snapper, he may not lift his hand from the ground once placed there until the ball is snapped. £

2. First and 10 at team A’s 40 yardline. A1 sweeps right end and is driven out of bounds at team A’s 49 yardline. During the run, A2 is flagged for holding at team A’s 37 yardline. When the ball is declared dead, the game clock reads 3:47 to play. After the penalty is enforced: a. It will be first and 23 at team A’s 27 yardline. b. It will be first and 20 at team A’s 30 yardline. c. The game clock starts on the snap. d. The game clock starts on the ready.

3. K1’s field goal attempt is good.

R2 is flagged for running into the kicker. a. The penalty is declined by rule. b. If team K wants to accept the penalty, it must be enforced from the previous spot. There is no option for enforcement on the succeeding kickoff. c. Team K may choose enforcement from the previous spot and a replay of the down or enforcement on the succeeding kickoff.

4. With 7:33 to play in the first quarter, B1’s helmet comes completely off during the down without a foul. When the ball is again marked ready for play, how much time will team A have to snap for the next down? a. Forty seconds. b. Twenty-five seconds.

No Score in the End Zone

By George Demetriou

T

he rules state that possession of a live ball in the opponent’s end zone is a touchdown (NFHS 8-2-1; NCAA 8-2-1). NFHS rules use the word “always,” but we’ll call that artistic license because it’s not the right word. It can be frustrating for

a team to have an official signal a touchdown only to find out that it isn’t true. A penalty on the offense is the primary reason a touchdown is negated, but it’s not the only reason for canceling a score. Officials must be certain when taking away a touchdown, so a good understanding of the nuances surrounding the

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goalline is essential. Here are two examples where multiple scores were denied.

On Dec. 21, 2015, the Saints hosted the Detroit Lions and had three scores called back on the same drive at the end of the first half.

They ended up with zero points and went to halftime trailing, 21-3.

The first non-touchdown is not likely to occur in amateur play.

Saints’ quarterback Drew Brees completed a long pass to Brandon Cooks, who caught the ball and dove for the end zone. It’s not clear whether the covering official did not see Cooks’ knee touch the ground or ruled he was not down by contact.

Nonetheless, replay reversed the touchdown and gave New Orleans a first down at the one yardline.

In a crew of seven or eight, the covering official will be at the goalline pylon and there will be two views of the play, the second view being that of the back judge. In a crew of five, only the back judge can rule on such a play and that likely will be from the middle of the field.

In an NFHS or NCAA game, down by contact is not an issue so the only question is whether the ball broke the plane of the goalline before the runner was down.

To continue, a first-down run yielded no yardage. On second down, the Saints’ Tim Hightower crossed the goalline with the ball.

However, the Saints were flagged for an illegal formation. NFHS rules require at least seven players on the line and in NCAA play, no more than four players can be in the backfield.

Many teams substitute for goalline plays by replacing fast players with more beefier blockers. Officials should check the alignment of the linemen carefully, especially for the “V-shaped” configuration.

The replay of second down from the six yardline gained five yards.

On third down Hightower tried to replicate his touchdown run, only to be stuffed at the line. On the fourth-down play, Brees found Marques Colston in the end zone for a touchdown, but again there was a flag — this time for an ineligible receiver downfield. Under NFL rules,

an offensive penalty on the last play of the half ends the half and negates a score.

Under both NFHS and NCAA rules, if a penalty is accepted for a foul by either team during a play in which time for a period expires, the period is extended for an untimed down. That would have given the Saints one more opportunity to score.

The two amateur codes have separate rules regarding ineligibles downfield. During a down in which a legal forward pass crosses the neutral zone, interior offensive linemen and other originally ineligible team A players in NCAA play may not go more than three yards beyond the neutral zone until the pass is thrown (7-3-10).

Under NFHS rules, such players may not venture beyond the neutral zone except to immediately initiate contact with the opponent. They may not continue the contact beyond the expanded neutral zone (two yards) (7-5-12). If such a team A player loses contact with the opponent, he must freeze or retreat until the pass is thrown. The neutral zone cannot be expanded into the end zone.

It is important to note the foul is not only about where the ineligible player is when the pass is thrown,

but also where he has been any time between the snap and the pass. That is, if he goes too far downfield and returns behind the neutral zone before the pass is thrown, it is still a foul.

The penalty for ineligibles downfield in both codes is five yards from the previous spot. It does not include loss of down.

Less than a week later, on Dec. 24, the Oakland Raiders hosted the San Diego Chargers. The visitors were denied scores twice on the same drive, albeit one was by choice.

Leading, 17-12, in the fourth quarter, the Chargers’ Josh Lambo kicked a 53-yard field goal. However, the Raiders’ Khalil Mack was flagged for holding. Declining the penalty would have forced the Raiders to need a touchdown and two-point conversion to tie.

Breaking with the norm, the Chargers took the points off the board. Initially it looked like a great call as on the very next play, Philip Rivers hit Ladarius Green for a 30-yard touchdown. Unfortunately, the catch was overturned by replay.

Three plays later, Lambo missed a 48-yard field goal.

George Demetriou has been a football official since 1968. He lives in Colorado Springs, Colo. £

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FOOTBALL

CASEPLAYS Kick-Catching Interference Play: Fourth and 10 at team K’s 17 yardline. K1 aims his punt toward the sideline. R2 is in position to catch the kick, but the ball strikes K3 on the helmet at team K’s 47 yardline and rolls out of bounds at team K’s 44 yardline.

Ruling: In NFHS rules, that is kick-catching interference. Team R will likely accept an awarded fair catch and have a 15-yard penalty enforced from that spot. It is also kick-catch interference in NCAA play. The penalty is 15 yards from the spot of the foul (NFHS 6-5-6a Pen.; NCAA 6-4-1 Pen.).

Both Teams Foul?

Play: Fourth and 10 on team B’s 32 yardline. A1 scrambles and is across the line of scrimmage when he throws a forward pass.

Eligible receiver A2 is at team B’s 10 yardline when he leaps for the pass. While airborne and before touching the pass, B3 interferes with A2 and he cannot make the catch. Ruling: Pass interference is not possible when an illegal forward pass is thrown. The penalty for A1’s illegal forward pass is five yards from the spot of the foul and loss of down (NFHS 7-5-7; NCAA 7-3-2e).

Foul After Loose Ball Play: Third and 22 for team K on its own 12 yardline. K1’s quick kick is blocked and does not cross the line. The ball rolls to team K’s three yardline, where K2 recovers and starts to run.

During the run, K3 clips at his own six yardline. K2 is downed at team K’s 16 yardline. Ruling: In NFHS, because the foul occurred behind the basic spot, it is enforced half the distance from the spot of the foul. If the penalty is accepted, it would be third and 31 for team K on its own three yardline. Declining the penalty would result in fourth and 18 from team K’s 16 yardline.

Under NCAA rules, penalties for illegal blocks occurring behind the neutral zone are enforced from the previous spot. If team R accepts the penalty, it would be enforced half the distance from the previous spot, resulting in third and 28 from team K’s six yardline. Declining the penalty would result in fourth and 18 from team K’s 16 yardline (NFHS 10-4-4; NCAA 10-2-2e-4).

In Penalty Enforcement, Accuracy Trumps Pace

By Jon Bible

T

here has been a lot of emphasis the last few years on keeping games moving and cutting out dead time. At the major college level, TV and its attendant media timeouts are largely responsible for games running longer, but there has also been resistance from coaches toward anything the rulesmakers do that might cut down on the number of offensive plays.

The NCAA adopted a 40/25 second play clock and has the game clock start when the ball is spotted, not on the next snap, when a runner or pass receiver goes out of bounds with more than 1:59 to play in each half. Data indicates the changes were effective: Time was saved but not at the expense of plays.

Moving games along is a great goal. But expediency can easily come at the expense of accuracy and efficiency.

Crew communication cannot be compromised despite the pace of the game. For instance, the referee must confirm the down with the head linesman as he always did in the past. A wise crew would develop a system that allows the confirmation to be done in routine fashion without affecting mechanics or preventing the referee from getting off the ball and back to his position. For those who remember or have heard of the infamous Colorado-Missouri “fifth down” game in 1990, which is still a huge deal, perhaps you can understand.

Problems can ensue when officials try to report a foul too quickly. Officials with flags down can get discombobulated in reporting their fouls to the referee, contradicting themselves and generally causing confusion. That can be a direct result of trying to report the foul too quickly in an effort to keep the game moving.

At the pro and collegiate level officials who throw a flag will give a visual signal as they run toward the referee, a mechanic not endorsed for high school officials in all states.

Those signals (e.g. false start, pass interference, holding, etc.) allow the referee to know what is coming. But there still needs to be some dialog between that official and the referee.

When the calling official is all over the map in his statement, a referee can easily get messed up.

In one game, the referee flagged a block in the back on a kickoff return, but the umpire, linesman and referee did not properly communicate regarding the foul and spot of enforcement. As a result, the umpire spotted, respotted and then re-respotted the ball, creating the impression they had no clue what they were doing. In such cases, no matter how sound a crew and its individual members may be, they will come across as not ready for prime time when they run around like chickens with their heads cut off.

The bottom line is that, while keeping the game moving is important because of the overall tone it sets, the primary concern has to be ensuring that the game is administered efficiently by all crewmembers. Officials need to take their time in processing and reporting fouls, monitoring the game clock, checking penalty enforcements, confirming downs and all the other things that can result in getting bit in the backside if they are not handled properly.

In that respect, with the exception of media timeouts, there is no difference among the pro, college, high school and Pop Warner game. Expediency at the price of care can be a killer at all levels.

Jon Bible is a replay official in the Southeastern Conference. A resident of Austin, Texas, he formerly officiated collegiate and pro football. £

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STATE OF OFFICIATIN E

very high school governing body concerns itself with officiating issues. But the ties to the officiating industry are particularly strong in North Dakota, where two of the nine fulltime staffers with the North Dakota High School Activities Association (NDHSAA) are active officials and another is a former official.

It’s especially rare to find a state executive director actively involved in officiating, but Matt Fetsch is an exception. He doesn’t work high school baseball, citing conflict-ofinterest issues, but he still umpires at other amateur levels, including American Legion games. Assistant Director Kevin Morast works volleyball and has worked football,

basketball and baseball in the past.

When he was a high school athletic director, Assistant Director Justin Fletschock used to officiate junior high football and basketball, and umpire plenty of summer baseball.

All three consider their officiating backgrounds an asset.

“We deal with officials,” Morast said, “and we’re in their shoes. It also helps us deal with coaches, because when coaches ask for changes, we want to know how officials are going to react or if officials can do it. I can at least give an educated (viewpoint), being an official.”

Morast continues to officiate high school matches when time allows. He doesn’t seek out assignments from NDHSAA schools; he only fills in

when needed, but he gets plenty of work since the state is experiencing a shortage of volleyball officials.

“The best thing is (officiating) gives me a different perspective than just sitting in the office and not understanding what’s going on,” he said. “When you’re out there on the front lines, you can give them a different perspective.” Morast provides that perspective when the inevitable questions or complaints come in to the state office. “I have that experience so maybe it gives me a little credibility,” he said. “I can speak on behalf of officials, being one.”

Fletschock has been with the NDHSAA since 2012 and oversees a number of sports, including baseball, softball, basketball and football, and

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F ING

One-third of the full-time staff of the North Dakota High School Activities Association — including the current executive director — has current or past ties to officiating. Those with officiating backgrounds consider them an asset as they approach the task of overseeing high school sports and activities in the Geographic center of north america.

BY RICK WOELFEL

Among those with an officiating background at the North Dakota High School Activities Association is Executive Director Matt Fetsch, who is pictured in his baseball umpire uniform holding his son and for a NDHSAA portrait.

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STATE OF OFFICIATING works with rulebook interpretations.

He said that the rule and game knowledge from past officiating was helpful. “In a bigger way, though, when I was officiating, there was a push for ‘preventive officiating,’ working with coaches and players to make sure everyone is on the same page, trying to cut off problems before they happen,” Fletschock said. “That is a big part of my job now — working with administration, coaches, officials, trying to get everyone to work together to make sure things run smoothly.”

Fetsch is in his seventh year with the NDHSAA and his third as executive director. Before assuming the executive director’s post, he oversaw the officiating program. Now, much of his focus is on student-athlete eligibility issues. He points out that traits that benefit an official on the field or court are also an asset in his day job.

“In reality, eligibility applies blackand-white rules to situations that are often gray. Virtually every decision made correlates closely to what officials do anytime they take the field or the ice or whatever. The stronger, the more well-versed they are in the rulebook and casebook, the easier (a rule) it is to apply. It’s really no different dealing with the constitution and bylaws, eligibility, etc.”

Having a staffer with an officiating background is nothing new for the NDHSAA. Former Assistant Directors Dave Carlsrud (basketball and football) and Sheryl Solberg (volleyball) are among the former staffers who have officiating backgrounds. Both continue to officiate today.

Fetsch believes that having two working officials and a past official on the association staff is an asset to the state’s officiating community as a whole.

“It’s huge for officials,” he said.

“Some former employees have great officiating careers, and still officiate after retiring from the state office and are very highly regarded around the

Assistant Director Kevin Morast officiates volleyball, and has past experience calling football, basketball and baseball games.

Those within the NDHSAA office with officiating ties consider those backgrounds an asset.

The NDHSAA occupies a one-story building in Valley City, N.D.

state. That was huge for the rapport with the officiating pool.”

As is the case elsewhere, the NDHSAA employs various strategies to recruit new officials. The organization sponsors 24 sports and oversees non-athletic activities as well, such as drama and speech.

More than 1,100 registered officials serve 183 schools and an estimated population of just less than 758,000 spread across 70,698 square miles.

At present, the organization is experiencing shortages in a number of sports, including wrestling, softball and soccer.

Officials who have worked high school contests in the state but are now working in the college and professional ranks have recorded PSAs for the organization, and some athletic administrators have launched recruiting efforts in their communities.

In January 2014, the organization launched a new program to get more officials into the pipeline. “We started a sub-varsity officials program,” Morast said. “It’s kind of a streamlined process where they don’t have to go through the entire process to become a varsity official. It makes it much easier on

them. We’re just trying to give them the basics of the sport that they’re going to enter into and … insurance.

They can officiate anything other than varsity from seventh grade through JV.” Morast said the state now has certified more than 150 officials at the sub-varsity level over the past three years. “It’s been pretty successful for us,” he said. “Now we’re tracking to see how many, after a few years, will actually become varsity officials.”

Although their use is recommended, the NDHSAA does not mandate the use of certified officials for junior high school games. With that in mind, the state allows high school seniors to register with the state and become certified to work those contests. The high schools cover the costs for their students to become certified.

“We have a lot of high school seniors doing some of the junior high officiating to try to get their foot in the door,” Morast said. “So when they graduate and go on to college, they’ll have an income source as well as some experience.”

In addition to increasing numbers, Fetsch would like to see enhanced training/instructional opportunities offered to the state’s officials.

“I don’t think (the official shortage) will ever go away,” he said, “nor do I necessarily think there’s ever not been a shortage of officials. But going forward the shift may come to increasing training opportunities, etc., and focusing more on giving them tools to improve.”

Rick Woelfel, Willow Grove, Pa., works various levels of softball and in the past has officiated baseball, basketball and football. *

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ALL SPORTS

EDITOR: JEFFREY STERN

jstern@referee.com

FOR ALL SPORTS, ALL LEVELS

Good positioning, judgment and mechanics will help Jamie Robinson, Cary, N.C., climb to the next level.

PEEK TO PEAK

By Stephen A. Mintz

Y

ears ago while foolishly involved in a “multi-level marketing” program, I was offered many cassette tapes (told you it was long ago) for motivational purposes. One such tape was titled “Peek to Peak,” and it changed my life for the better.

The essence was this — you have many mountain peaks in your life to climb, each one bigger than the last. As one tape noted, you can’t

possibly climb Mt. Everest in one quick trip tomorrow morning. So it recommended climbing one peak at a time, all while peeking at the next peak in front of you.

Kind of like moving up the officiating ladder.

First you want to earn a spot on the officiating roster. Then you want some games. Any games. Your next peak is working a high school varsity schedule. Then junior college, D-II and D-I. And finally the holy grail,

working professionally. Even once you reach the pros, you move peak to peak, working the minor leagues or D-League on your way to the show.

So you get on a roster. Peak achieved. Next peak? Working actual games. You don’t instinctively know how to get there. Around you are other rookies who might each have an opinion on what to do to get those games.

Instead, wise owl, you listen to the person who actually knows — the

CARIN GOODALL-GOSNELL

You Just Might See Forever From There

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BILL NICHOLS

assigner. You also learn from those who are already working games and making some money doing so. And if making some extra money is your goal, great. Work as hard as you can for the money and enjoy yourself.

But some get those first games and are peeking at the next level: varsity.

How do you get there? Listening to those officials at your level, your best friend or someone who worked 30 years ago might be nice, but why not take advice from those who can get you there — those already on that peak?

Get a mentor, listen to the assigner and evaluators and work your games like the varsity officials do. Eventually, the mountain becomes an easy hike and you’re there, peeking at the next level: playoffs.

Work your varsity games like you see the playoff officials do it, always hustling and making consistent calls, masters of their signals and mechanics, fully versed in the rules and casebook. Sure, there might be some officials at the top who’ve been there for eons who have sat on the mountaintop too long. But you aren’t them, so don’t emulate the air of entitlement and arrogance they display. You haven’t been there, so you have to learn your way around the snowcaps.

From playoffs to state, from state to junior college, onward and upward. But some folks like to skip levels, trying to bypass those lower peaks and just tackle the big stuff.

Sometimes you don’t get a choice.

Some assigner saw you and put you at the junior college level before you even had a full varsity schedule. If you can control it, it’s better to move one step upward at a time. That is true of your offseason preparation as well.

So many officials like to attend the big camps, or camps where they know they’ll be seen by big assigners a few peaks away from their next level. That can be a mistake, even if the camp is an excellent instructional situation with a great staff. You don’t really want to be considered for D-II ball when you’re still a new high school varsity official. You don’t want that assigner’s first impression of you to

•May_Magazine.indb 75

be a struggling young referee, even if you have great potential.

What’s best for you is to work on your peak, the level you have already achieved. Sure, peek at the next level.

Work on learning those mechanics and rules and find someone whose game is already at the next level and emulate them. Pick their brains, sit in on their pregames (without being a pest) and join them for rules study sessions. If you are invited to the study group, avoid tossing in your own two cents like you’re already up there with them. You want to be someone they want to work with, not a know-it-all.

Work the camp that will train you for your next peak. If you aren’t sure, ask your mentor. If you don’t have a mentor, get one. Ask your assigner what local camps they recommend for you at your level. Put your pride in your pocket and accept their suggestion. They might be sending you, a seemingly accomplished varsity official, to a remedial camp for firstto third-year officials. What they’re telling you is simple: You need work on your fundamentals.

Find out where the junior college assigners visit and attend that camp.

College game doing OK, but you’re peeking at D-II ball? There’s a camp for that, and you still have mentors, right? Listen to them and continue to work the level you’re hoping to work.

If you work junior college ball and high school varsity, you may face some challenges. There are rule differences and different mechanics.

Taking a junior college game might mean you will lose out on a high school playoff game, but your next peak is D-II contests.

And while you’re at that next peak, remember to enjoy the view and thank those who helped you on the way. And reach down to those whose climb has just begun. Give them the benefit of your experience. It’s called giving back.

It was a long journey and sometimes you’ll ask yourself, Why did I climb it? You know the answer: Because it was there.

Stephen A. Mintz, Fresno, Calif., is an award-winning writer. He officiated basketball for 30 years and now is a collegiate evaluator and instructor. *

DID YOU KNOW? The International Football Association Board (IFAB) is one of the oldest rulemaking bodies in the history of sports. IFAB, the guardian of soccer’s Laws of the Game, was formed June 2, 1886.

It was originally comprised of two representatives from football associations of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

QUICKTIP If a player or coach makes an inappropriate comment to you, ask him or her to repeat the comment (“I’m sorry. What did you say?”). If it was inappropriate, he or she will likely not repeat it. If he or she does, there is no doubt that you must respond with the appropriate penalty.

THEY SAID IT “Fear prevents us from acting, from doing things. Unfortunately, by not doing things we fail to gain experience in doing things over and over. Officiating in all sports is about redundancy, it’s about doing things over and over so that you’re prepared to make those decisions when they’re presented to you. If you never get the experience, you’re not ever going to feel like you had the ability to be successful in your particular sport.”

— NFL referee Walt Anderson, on the fear of failure

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ALL SPORTS

Put a Premium on Your Pregame

By Jeff Adler

O

Although it’s nice to have a room all to ourselves, officials know that makeshift accommodations are more common. Washington state umpires Tom VanDuzer, Mukilteo (top), and Rich Johnson, Edmonds, conduct their pregame meeting in the relative peace of the parking lot.

If any of the officials has already worked games with either of the teams, it’s an opportunity to share information about team tendencies and style of play. Use your discretion so that information doesn’t influence objectivity and independence.

To ensure consistency, review the philosophy the crew should follow when making calls on contentious or close plays, such as pass interference in football and block/charge in basketball. Emphasize safety and discuss interactions with coaches and players.

Once you take the court or field, check the playing surface to ensure it’s safe to play on, properly marked and complies with applicable league standards and safety requirements.

Identify valid medical personnel, scoreboard operators, timers, auxiliary personnel and administrative staff.

Ensure all electronic and mechanical devices are in working order.

When required by the rules of your sport, conduct discussions with coaches to ensure all players are legally and properly equipped.

Get descriptions of trick or unusual plays, player injury and equipment or uniform issues, etc. Mention to the coaches the continued emphasis on safety and sportsmanship.

The more games you log and the more experience you gain, you will probably come to realize that the spontaneity and unpredictability of the game are key factors that stoke your fire and passion for officiating, and it’s what prevents the game from becoming routine and boring. In a sense, the pregame is an opposing but complementary force to what generates your love of officiating, but one that is interconnected and interdependent.

Jeff Adler, Foster City, Calif., has umpired baseball at the youth and high school levels for more than 20 years. He’s also a high school football official. *

DALE GARVEY

n game day, players, fans and coaches can’t wait for the action to start. You and your partner(s) are also eager to put the pedal to the metal. But hold on.

Before the contest begins, officials will arrive at their workplace and the first thing they do will help ensure the game goes smoothly, without unnecessary delays and awkward moments. A crew chief’s well-planned and efficiently conducted pregame can be as important as the game itself because it establishes a sound foundation on which to play the game.

As an analogy, I recently had my house painted. The painters spent the first two days doing preparatory work (washing, patching, scraping, sanding and priming) before a single drop of paint was applied. The actual house painting only took a day. The painters’ prep work (their pregame) allowed the actual painting to go smoothly and without a hitch.

Actually, a pregame begins before you hit the locker room. In the days leading up to the game, the crew chief contacts his or her partner(s) a day or two before to coordinate where to park cars, which uniform to wear (umpires and soccer officials in particular have many different colors and types of shirts) and communicate when the onsite pregame meeting will begin.

Complete your film study. Review mechanics and responsibilities and be prepared to discuss them with your crew.

For outdoor sports venues without lights, check the Internet or newspaper to find the time the sun will set.

That will come in handy if you have to consult with the coaches about shutting down the game due to lack of sunlight. Likewise, the crew chief should check the weather forecast.

Rain or snow could become a factor, not only regarding the game but in terms of officials’ travel plans.

On game day the officials should discuss rule changes, individual mechanics and anything pertinent to the teams playing one another.

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FOR THE RECORD AWARDS, ROSTERS, NOTABLES

POSTSEASON ASSIGNMENTS

COLLEGE • The following officials worked the 2016 NCAA men’s soccer championships: Division I — Stanford defeated Clemson, 0-0 (5-4 PK), in Houston. Mark Kadlecik was the referee, along with Brian Dunn and Cameron Blanchard as the assistant referees. John McCloskey was the fourth official. Division II — Wingate defeated Charleston (W.Va.), 2-0, in Kansas City, Mo. Sorin Stoica was the referee. Tim Ford and Matt Jackson were the assistant referees and Nima Saghafi was the fourth official.

Division III — Tufts University defeated Calvin College, 1-0 (2OT), in Salem, Va. Mike Lavergne was the referee. Eric Weisbrod and Matt Mercier were the assistant referees and Ashlie Santolla was the fourth official.

• The following officials worked the 2016 NCAA women’s soccer championship: Division I — USC defeated West Virginia, 3-1, in San Jose, Calif. Corey Rockwell was the referee, along with Jennifer Garner and Felisha Mariscal as the assistant referees.

Shane Butler was the fourth official. Division II — West Washington defeated Grand Valley State, 2-0, in Kansas City, Mo. Randy Cook was the referee. Sarah Cortez and Bruno Mozzo were the assistant referees and Reyna Fonseca was the fourth official.

Division III — Messiah College defeated Washington-St. Louis, 1-1 (5-4 PK), in Salem, Va. Elvis Mahmutovic was the referee.

Jasmine Peralta and Rebekah Friedrich were the assistant referees and Rebecca Pagan was the fourth official.

POSTSEASON ASSIGNMENTS

HIGH SCHOOL • The following officials worked the 2016 Michigan High School Athletic Association fall championships: Boys’ soccer — Simon Blackwell, Bridgman; David Cammenga, Zeeland; Dena Conine, Leslie; Daniel Corp,

Livonia; Rex Decker, Standish; Jeffrey Dornseifer, New Hudson; Chris Haack, Arden; Andrew Johnson, Muskegon; Raymond Llewellyn, Hudsonville; Pietro Loria, Sterling Heights; Dennis Ott, Bridgman; Shemek Pryszczewski, Fraser; Duncan Purvis, Rockford; Robert Scudder, St Joseph; Joseph Suchoski, Shelby Township; Ronald Thomas, Grand Blanc. Girls’ volleyball — Kenneth Bertin, West Bloomfield; Chris Calkins, Muskegon; Kathi Frank, Onsted; Dana Fuller, Ann Arbor; Lisa Harry, Kingsford; Kelli Hart, Williamston; Debby Karabees-Betts, Livonia; Ross Martin, Portland. 8-Man Football — Blaine Barabas, Marquette; John Carideo, Akron; Dee Jay Paquette, Munising; Mark Pieniozek, Bay City; David Radke, Auburn. 11-Man Football — Christopher Adams, Allen; Edward Angeli, Marquette; Alexander Bade, Howell; Errol Baty, Kentwood; Craig Bauer, Bay City; Hershell Bell Jr., Detroit; Brad Brookens, Mt Pleasant; Bradley Brunet, Wyoming; John Burke, Ishpeming; Michael Burns, Sterling Heights; DaCory Cooper, Detroit; Michael Craig, Plymouth; Vincent Duckworth, Holland; Tom Fitzsimmons, Livonia; Randy Freed, Sheridan; Michael Gentry, Shelby Township; Wade Gorinac, Marysville; Tyon Harris, Holt; Frank Hendrickson, Colon; Bryan Henry, Dowagiac; Andrew Hill Jr., Detroit; James Hinojosa, Romulus; Randy Hoenes, Jackson; John Irwin, Traverse City; Thomas Jablonski, Bay City; Curt Johnson, Byron Center; Joel Jolink, Marshall; Stephen Kamin, Midland; Daniel Kellogg, Sterling Heights; Quay Knox, Flint; Mike Lauraine, Portage; David Leyton, Flint; Michael Long, Gobles; Peter Long, Pontiac; Frank Mar, Davison; Mark Meyering, Kalamazoo; Bruce Moss, Alma; Aaron Porter, Williamston; Nicole Randolph, Farmington Hills; Thomas Rau, Owosso; Timothy Rich, Comstock Park; Mark Richer, Waterford; Joseph Rozell, Huntington Woods; Jason Smith, Jackson; Reginald

Smith, Southgate; David Stein, Flat Rock; Michael Sturm, Byron Center; Eric Towe, Trenton; Martin Trudgeon, Negaunee; Willie Watson, Kalamazoo; Brian Weaver, Bay City; Craig Weirich, Muskegon; Scott Wieman, Norton Shores; Dennis Wildey, Saginaw; Paul Wills, Dimondale; Stanley Wright, Detroit.

• The following officials worked the state basketball championships for the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. Boys — Nathan Fern, Maplewood; Jeff Fern, Baldwin; Jared Fern, Hammond; Jed Durni, Eau Claire; Tyler Moy, Mondovi; Jeremy Laehn, Eleva; Tim Bassett, Rice Lake; Mike Breed, Cameron; Steven Schultz, Rice Lake; Thad Hilliard, Milwaukee; Stephen Johnson, Milwaukee; Ellis Miles Jr., Milwaukee; Justin Marien, South Milwaukee; Vince Diplaris, Waukesha; Matt Seigel, Mequon; Chuck Morning IV, Menomonie; Ryan Nelson, Eau Claire; Tyler Nelson, Eau Claire; Todd Mangin, Reedsville; Jason Mangin, Appleton; Jason Fisch, Suamico; Charles Coyle, DeForest; Dan Wipperfurth, Verona; Jon Hegge, Evansville; Ted Ford, Milwaukee; Erik Aellig, Milwaukee; Tim Sajdowitz, Milwaukee; Bryant Johnson, Brown Deer; Gerald Frei, Brookfield; Claude Williams Jr., Brown Deer; Jeff Dorschner, Crivitz; Robert LeCaptain, Wrightstown; Michael Tust, Luxemburg; Tim Jorgensen, New Franklin; Mark Jandrin, Luxemburg; Dan Yagodinski, Luxemburg; Jason Dahl, Hartland; Eric Butalla, East Troy; Andre Gosch, Waukesha; Ken Koester, Wauwatosa; Andy Gallion, Wauwatosa; Jeff Lewis, Franklin; John McGinley, New Richmond; Josh Klinger, New Richmond; Adam Swanepoel, Glenwood City. Girls — Jack Schlevensky, Kenosha; Rocco LaMacchia Jr., Kenosha; Steven Nelson, Somers; Don Klein, New Richmond; Kevin Hanusa, Cameron; Christopher Nelson, Balsam Lake; Chad Osmanski, Pewaukee; Jack Fleming, New

Berlin; Sam Plumeri, Franklin; Tom Sowinski, Hartford; Jeff Zawicki, Muskego; Jerry Reinke, South Milwaukee; Doug Stampfli, Fitchburg; Wade Boegli, Brodhead; Chad Schultz, Middleton; Tammy Hutchison, Mount Pleasant; Denita Johnson, Milwaukee; Erin Rickard, Port Washington; Andy Krautkramer, Marathon; Randy Rasmussen, Marathon; Larry Buchberger, Wausau; Kent Holmquist, Madison; Jeb Loth, Elkhorn; Adam Crowley, McFarland; John Wenig, Oshkosh; Al Wenig, Oshkosh; Tony Giombetti, Appleton; Andy Hansen, Elkhart Lake; Scott Stauss, Howards Grove; Terry VerStraate, Kiel; Charles Hardrick, Milwaukee; Wes Porter, Milwaukee; Pam Alexander, Milwaukee; Shelley Dietz, New Franklin; Casey Pivonka, De Pere; Tom Schmidt, De Pere; Kathy Cox, Verona; Sue Caldwell, Lodi; Bruce Kaufmann, Beaver Dam; Joseph Lawrence, Milwaukee; Rodney Matthews, Milwaukee; Larry Beatty, Milwaukee; Ryan Bakken, Oregon; Jonathan DeVillers, Cottage Grove; Alex DeVillers, Whitefish Bay.

ALL-STAR • The West AllStars defeated the East All-Stars, 192-182, on Feb. 19 in the NBA AllStar Game. Officials were Ken Mauer, Tom Washington and Ed Malloy.

Team World defeated Team USA, 150-141, in the NBA Rising Star Challenge. Officials were Courtney Kirkland, Tony Brown and Mark Ayotte. The East All-Stars defeated the West All-Stars, 105-100, in the NBA D-League All-Star Game.

Officials were Ray Acosta, Jonathan Sterling and Vladimir Yoyard-Tadal. All the games were played in New Orleans.

AWARDS & HONORS • The NFHS recognized Sharon Hughes of Wayne, N.J., for her contributions to the NFHS and state high school associations in volleyball officiating with an NFHS Citation. She is a member of the NFHS Officials Association, and a volleyball officials’ and state

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volleyball rules interpreter.

• Paul Ehrman of Batesville, Ind., was elected to the Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in January in Indianapolis. He was a baseball and softball umpire for more than 40 years, working numerous high school state championships and was named District Umpire of the Year multiple times.

• Doug Huldin of Victoria, British Columbia, was part of the newest class to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame. Huldin was a youth league umpire in British Columbia for 39 years, working the Canadian Little League championship five times.

He was the first non-American to umpire the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa. • The New York State Baseball Umpires Association

presented Dick Lindamer of Olean, N.Y., with the Tony DeVivo Umpire of the Year Award for his more than 45 years of service and his involvement with the state association.

• The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) named the Officials of the Year who will be recognized at a banquet during the 2017 IHSA Officials conference on July 22 in East Peoria. They include: boys’ soccer – John Martelin; girls’ soccer – Richard Geati; football – Kevin McMurray; boys’ basketball – William DePue; girls’ basketball – Robert Brendel; baseball – Keith Medema; softball – Rick Howarth; girls’ volleyball – Ruth Holliday; boys’ volleyball – Stan Wiedeman.

OBITUARIES • Michael Mazur, of Ann Arbor, Mich., died on Dec. 24, 2016, at the age of 61. He officiated both collegiate and high school softball, baseball and volleyball as well as high school field hockey. He umpired 12 NCAA Division I softball regional championships, two softball super regionals, the National Pro Fastpitch national championship, three International Softball Congress men’s world tournaments and the 2003 and 2004 NCAA Division I Women’s Softball College World Series, working the plate for the 2004 national championship game.

• David Kaiktsian, of Virginia Beach, Va., died on Jan. 12 at the age of 58. He was an official for multiple baseball

and basketball leagues in the Hampton area.

• Lou Moser, Wilmington, Del., died on Jan. 14 at the age of 89. He officiated basketball from more than 30 years from the youth leagues to the NBA. He was selected to work the 1981 NCAA men’s championship game between Indiana and North Carolina. In addition to working the NBA, he worked the ABA and FIBA. He received IAABO honorary membership in 1992, and was selected to the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame in 1996 and the Delaware Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007.

SOURCES: NFHS, MHSAA, WIAA, IHSA, MLB, NBA, NBA D-LEAGUE, THASPORTSJUNKIES101.COM, BATESVILLE HERALD TRIBUNE, OLEAN TIMES HERALD, LEGACY.COM, TRIBUTE.COM.

Do you have any rosters, assignments or awards that warrant mention?

Send info to us at ForTheRecord@referee.com

ROSTERS Major League Baseball The 2017 MLB umpire roster is listed by crew. The umpire’s uniform number precedes his name. Following is each umpire’s hometown and first year of full-time service. Crew chiefs are listed first in each group.

12 Gerry Davis Appleton, Wis., 1985 11 Tony Randazzo Las Cruces, N.M., 1999 30 Rob Drake Phoenix, 2010 31 Pat Hoberg Urbandale, Iowa, 2017

38 Gary Cederstrom Minot, N.D., 1997 56 Eric Cooper Des Moines, Iowa, 1999 80 Adrian Johnson Houston, 2010 47 Gabe Morales Livermore, Calif., 2017

20 Tom Hallion Louisville, Ky., 1986 10 Phil Cuzzi Nutley, N.J., 1999 19 Vic Carapazza Palm Harbor, Fla., 2013 90 Mark Ripperger Carlsbad, Calif., 2015

45 Jeff Nelson Orlando, Fla., 1999 63 Laz Diaz Orlando, Fla., 1999 88 Doug Eddings Las Cruces, N.M., 1999 89 Cory Blaser Westminster, Colo., 2014

32 Dana DeMuth Gilbert, Ariz., 1985 39 Paul Nauert Lawrenceville, Ga., 1999 68 Chris Guccione Brighton, Colo., 2009 37 Carlos Torres Acarigua Portuguesa, Venezuela, 2017

24 Jerry Layne Winter Haven, Fla., 1989 51 Marvin Hudson Washington, Ga., 1999 2 Dan Bellino Crystal Lake, Ill., 2010 83 Mike Estabrook Boynton Beach, Fla., 2014

33 Mike Winters Carlsbad, Calif., 1990 14 Mark Wegner Plant City, Fla., 1999 60 Marty Foster Beloit, Wis., 1999 76 Mike Muchlinski Bothell, Wash., 2014

26 Bill Miller Aptos, Calif., 1999 44 Kerwin Danley Chandler, Ariz., 1998 13 Todd Tichenor Holcomb, Kan., 2012 78 Adam Hamari Denver, 2017

9 Brian Gorman Camarillo, Calif., 1993 58 Dan Iassogna Marietta, Ga., 2004 16 Mike DiMuro Denver, 1999 73 Tripp Gibson Marysville, Wash., 2015

25 Fieldin Culbreth Spartanburg, S.C., 1999 6 Mark Carlson Joliet, Ill., 1999 54 CB Bucknor Brooklyn, N.Y., 1999 79 Manny Gonzalez Valencia-Carabobo, Venezuela, 2013

41 Jerry Meals Salem, Ore., 1998 46 Ron Kulpa Maryland Heights, Mo., 1999 15 Ed Hickox Port Orange, Fla., 1999 98 Chris Conroy North Adams, Mass., 2013

5 Dale Scott Portland, Ore., 1986 77 Jim Reynolds Osprey, Fla., 1999 91 Brian Knight Roseville, Calif., 2009 94 Lance Barrett Fort Worth, Texas, 2014 22 Joe West Weston, Fla., 1978 21 Hunter Wendelstedt Madisonville, La., 1999 49 Andy Fletcher Olive Branch, Miss., 1999 64 Alan Porter Warminster, Pa., 2013

8 Jeff Kellogg Mattawan, Mich., 1993 95 Tim Timmons Ft. Myers, Fla., 2001 92 James Hoye Cleveland, 2010 93 Will Little Fall Branch, Tenn., 2015

65 Ted Barrett Higley, Ariz., 1999 55 Angel Hernandez Loxahatchee, Fla., 1993 23 Lance Barksdale Terry, Miss., 2007 74 John Tumpane Burr Ridge, Ill., 2016

27 Larry Vanover Nashville, Tenn., 1993 72 Alfonso Marquez Gilbert, Ariz., 1999 4 Chad Fairchild Bradenton, Fla., 2010 86 David Rackley Matthews, N.C., 2014

57 Mike Everitt Des Moines, Iowa, 1999 52 Bill Welke Marshall, Mich., 1999 1 Bruce Dreckman Marcus, Iowa, 1997 71 Jordan Baker Shawnee, Okla., 2014 50 Paul Emmel Bradenton, Fla., 1999 7 Brian O’Nora Canfield, Ohio, 1999 87 Scott Barry Quincy, Mich., 2009 81 Quinn Wolcott Puyallup, Wash., 2015 34 Sam Holbrook Lexington, Ky., 1998 53 Greg Gibson Catlettsburg, Ky., 1999 28 Jim Wolf Ahwatukee, Ariz., 2004 70 D.J. Reyburn Franklin, Tenn., 2014

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LAW

ISSUES AFFECTING OFFICIALS

Electronic Payments: Whys and Wherefores

By Keith Vincent Do you remember the first time you showed up to officiate a game and the coach or game administrator handed you a form and said, “Fill this out if you want to get paid”? I’m sure the look on your face was similar to thousands of other officials who wondered if their hearing was going bad.

If you have officiated long enough you have seen payment methods go from cash to direct deposit into your bank account or debit card. With the changes have come an increase in concern over privacy and identity theft. What are the reasons behind the changes? What are the positives and negatives of electronic payments?

Schools and assigners are moving toward electronic payments for ease of payment and record

It certainly isn’t as nice as getting paid in cash after the game, but those days are mostly long gone. keeping. By funneling payments from many different schools through one payment system, the burden of keeping track of all of those payments is simplified. And paying electronically can be done with a few clicks on the computer versus writing many checks.

Despite the news stories about identity theft, it appears that your private information is more secure now than it was a few years ago.

It wasn’t that far in the past that officials filled out paper forms with name, address, date of birth and social security number. Those forms sat on a coach’s desk — or worse, on a table out in the lobby of the gym.

With electronic payment systems, that information is now stored in the cloud. While the chance for identity

theft still exists, it takes a more sophisticated effort than lifting a piece of paper off of a desk.

As for the actual payment of game fees, I have found that I appreciate being able to go to one source for getting paid. I have the option of having my game fees deposited directly to my bank account, receiving a check in the mail or having the fees loaded onto a personal debit card. I typically get my fees paid much quicker than in the past.

Some officials might look at that as a negative. You do have to have an Internet connection and spend a few minutes logging into your payment system. It certainly isn’t as nice as getting paid in cash after the game, but those days are mostly long gone.

One of the biggest controversies of electronic payment and bundling of game fees concerns the financial reporting. If you are getting paid by several schools, chances are you get few, if any, Form 1099-MISC. Officials who are glad they don’t receive the form are either mistaken in thinking they don’t have to report income if they don’t receive the form, or they recognize it is harder for the IRS to determine how much income the official actually made. I report every dollar I earn (not just because I want to, but as a CPA I know the consequences of not reporting correctly). Getting only one or two 1099 forms makes it easier for me to keep track of my income.

Whether you are a fan of electronic payment systems or not, they are here to stay. Reporting requirements will only get more stringent and cloud systems will become more prevalent.

Keith Vincent, CPA, CITP has been officiating high school and NCAA basketball for 29 years. He is a member of the American Institute of CPAs, the Florida Institute of CPAs and the South Carolina Association of CPAs. This material is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. £

Be Prepared to Avoid Liability Liability exists when a duty is breached and that breach causes an injury. Officials have a duty to carry out their responsibilities attentively and sensibly. The degree of duty owed may not be the same, however. For example, the duty owed to a player might be greater than the duty owed to a bystander. But the official owes a duty of some kind to participants and passersby alike, and a breach of those duties can lead to liability.

Generally speaking, being prepared mentally and physically to carry out the rules is the best way to inoculate yourself from liability. Officials’ “prime directive” is to keep the game safe and fair, while administering the rules in a consistent manner. Do not allow safety or similarly prudent concerns to convince you to deviate from the rules.

Hands Off Best Approach During Melee, Injury Officials might intentionally put their hands on a player when they respond to fights or injuries. But the question of when — if ever — an official should put his or her hands on a player or coach is not a simple one.

A standard is almost entirely dependent on the facts of each individual case. For instance, what’s reasonable in a U-9 soccer match might not be reasonable in a junior college baseball game.

There is no perfect answer, other than to act reasonably under the circumstances, and that’s not much help. Nevertheless, the wiser approach may be to error on the side of keeping your hands to yourself. The only exception would be when, by waiting for a certified athletic trainer to run out onto the floor or field to tend to an injury, or for a coach or teammate to help break up a fight, you would be endangering a player.

But that scenario is remote and most officials will never see it.

Officials do not have the responsibility of playing EMT and moving an injured player.

PRESENTED BY

Go to www.naso.org and click on member benefits for more on MICP.

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CLASSIFIEDS CAMPS/CLINICS/ SCHOOLS

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LEADERSHIP RESOURCES

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MISCELLANEOUS

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QUIZ ANSWERS FOOTBALL 1 — NFHS – b, c (7-5-2e Pen., 7.5.2B); NCAA – a (7-3-2f) 2 — NFHS – a, c (3-4-3a, 10-6); NCAA – b, d (3-3-2d-2, 9-3-3) 3 — NFHS – c (8-4-3; 8.4.3); NCAA – b (10-2-5d, AR 10-2-5 VI) 4 — NFHS – b (3-6-1); NCAA – a, d (3-2-4c-13) BASKETBALL 1 — All – c (NFHS 4-36-1, 4-36-3, 7-4-3, 7.5.3; NCAA Men 4-27.1.d, 7-4.11, 7-5.1.a, 7-5.1.d, AR 90; NCAA Women 4-28.1.d, 7-4.11, 7-5.1.a, 7-5.1.d, AR 92) 2 — All – b (NFHS 7-5-2a, 9-3-1; NCAA 7-4.1, 9-2.1) 3 — All – a (NFHS 4-36-1, 4-36-2a; NCAA Men 4-20, 4-27.1.a, 7-4.17; NCAA Women 4-21, 4-28.1.a, 7-4.18) 4 — All – c (NFHS 6-4-3c ,9-1-3a, 9-1-3d Pen. 4b; NCAA 6-4.1.c 8-1.1.a, 8-1.1.e Pen. d.2) 5 — NFHS – b (4-12-3a, 4-12-5, 10-7 Pen. 3a); NCAA Men – b (4-9.4.d, 10-1 Pen. c); NCAA Women – c (4-10.4.d, 10-1 Pen. c.1) BASEBALL 1 — NFHS – a, d (5-1-1k), NCAA, pro b, c (NCAA 9-3 Pen. 1 AR; pro 6.02a)

2 — All – c (NFHS 8-3-3c2, NCAA 8-3o3, pro 5.06b4G) 3 — All – a, d (NFHS 2-19, Interp.; NCAA 2-48, Interp.; pro 2.00 Infield Fly Definition, Interp.)

4 — All – a, c (NFHS 8-2-6, 9-11; NCAA 5-6c, 8-6a1; pro 5.09a, 5.09c)

SOFTBALL 1 — USA Softball, NCAA – b, e (USA Softball 8-5F Effect; NCAA 9.5.3 Effect; NFHS – b, d (8-4-3e Pen.); USSSA FP – b (10-2, No specific rules provision other than ball is delayed-dead) 2 — USA Softball, NFHS, NCAA – b, d (USA Softball 8-5F Effect; NFHS 8-4-3e Pen.; NCAA 9.5.3 Effect); USSSA FP – b (10-2, No specific rule provision other than ball is delayed-dead) 3 — USA Softball, NFHS, USSSFP – a (8-6C; NFHS 8-2-6 Pen.; USSSA FP 3-Interference); NCAA – b (12.19 Effect) 4 — USA Softball, NFHS, NCAA, USSSA FP – b (USA Softball 8-5G Effect, Exc. 1; NFHS 8-4-3f Pen., Exc.; NCAA 9.11.1 Effect, Exc.; USSSA FP 8.15D-2); USSSA SP – c (8-7F Effect) 5 — USA Softball – a (USA Softball 3-6; NFHS 3.2.10 Sit. A; NCAA – b

(3.8.5, 3.10.4; NFHS, USSSA FP, USSSA SP – c (NFHS 3-2-6; 3.2.1; USSSA FP 2-8; USSSA SP 2-11)

SOCCER 1 — IFAB/FIFA, NCAA – a (IFAB/ FIFA 10, 13; NCAA 10.1, 13.1.1); NFHS – c (5-1-2, 5-3-2g, 10-1-2b, 12-8-1 Pen., 13-1-1) 2 — All – c (IFAB/FIFA 14; NFHS 14-1-5; NCAA 14.2, AR 14.2.e) 3 — All – a (IFAB/FIFA 5, 12; NFHS 5-1-2, 5-4-1b, 12-8-2; NCAA 5.4.2, 6.4.3, 12.5) 4 — IFAB/ FIFA, NCAA – b (IFAB/ FIFA 5, 8, 9; NCAA 9.2.2, 9.3.2); NFHS – b, c (9-1-2c, 9.2.1 Sit. B, 9-3) VOLLEYBALL 1 — NCAA – a (10.1.1.1); NFHS/ USAV – b (NFHS 7.2; USAV 7.3.2) 2 — NFHS – b (4-2-1a-3); USAV/ NCAA – a (USAV 4.3; NCAA 7.1.1.3) 3 — NFHS/NCAA – a (NFHS 10-36b; NCAA 11.3.6.1.3); USAV – b (15.7) 4 — NFHS – b (9-9-1k); NCAA/ USAV – c (NCAA 6.2.2.8; USAV 15.11.1.4) 5 — All – c (NFHS 7-1-2; NCAA 11.3.3.1; USAV 15.3.2, 7.3.5.3)

MISSION Referee is a magazine written from an officiating perspective, blending editorial credibility and business viability.

It educates, challenges and inspires officials at the youth, recreational, high school, collegiate and professional levels in all sports, with emphasis on baseball, basketball, football, soccer, softball and volleyball. Referee is the journal of record for officiating and takes informed positions on selected issues. The magazine provides a forum for its readers, facilitates the flow of information, raises public consciousness about officials’ roles and serves as a catalyst for improved officiating worldwide.

MAY

FLASHBACK 40 YEARS AGO…

1977

• For the first time in league history, NBA referees go on strike. The NBA front office doesn’t recognize the officials’ association as the legal bargaining agent for the referees. The NBA officials’ group attorney, Richie Phillips of Philadelphia, presented the NBA with a package from the officials that contained fringe benefits, salaries for the 82 regular season games, playoff money and the use of arbitration in certain disputed dismissal cases.

30 YEARS AGO…

1987

• Providence University head basketball coach Rick Pitino apologizes for berating Big East Conference officials Tim Higgins, Tom Fraim and Tom Scott following his team’s loss to Boston College.

20 YEARS AGO…

1997

• NHL linesman Ray Scapinello becomes the first official in league history to work his 2,000th regular-season game. He also worked 315 playoff games and 35 Stanley Cup Finals games.

10 YEARS AGO…

2007

• U.S. Soccer hires four full-time referees to enhance high-level performance, training and development opportunities. The four referees were Jair Marrufo, Ricardo Salazar, Baldomero Toledo and Terry Vaughn.

• Rick Hartzell, Division I men’s basketball official and director of athletics for the University of Northern Iowa, is appointed to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Rules Committee. It marked the first time an active official was named to the rules committee.

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LAST CALL

A PERSONAL STORY BY RICH RIPLEY

Wise Guy I officiate high school basketball and baseball in the state of Iowa.

Like every other referee that has worked games, I’ve heard my fair share of comments coming from the cheap seats and sidelines. I shared my thoughts on Facebook this past January and was dumbfounded at the response. At the time of this writing, I had close to 3,000 “likes” and “shares” for that post. That’s nuts! I wrote it as a passing thought — being a wise guy — and posted it. The Des Moines Register did an article about it. I heard from referees from all over the

I shared my thoughts on Facebook ... and was dumbfounded at the response.

Worrying about eligibility. I feel ya.

8. Players. I’m your biggest fan.

Just play within the rules, hustle and for goodness sake, have fun. It’s a game. This will be over with before you know it. Relish it. One more thing: We need you. Come join the officiating ranks. It’s a great way to stay in the game and we don’t tell this to just anyone, but being an official is a BLAST! 9. To the cheerleaders. You’re adorable. You really are. I need that baseline. I’m super sweaty and sometimes run into you as I work the game. You have to look out for me because I’m not looking at you (for realsies).

10. To the players. When was the last time that you thanked your coach for all that they do for you?

For designing an offense that isn’t too confusing? For giving up their free time to teach you this wonderful game? For putting up with your teenaged nonsense? For taking you to summer camps to improve your game? For caring? Take five seconds and thank them. They may not show it, but your coach cares.

11. To the volunteers. Two words.

YOU ROCK! 12. To the pep band. If you had told me back in the ’80s that I’d be listening to a high school pep band belt out Ozzy Ozbourne’s Crazy Train and TOTALLY NAILING IT, I’d have thought you to be crazy yourself. You brighten my night with your music.

Thank you.

13. To the parents of the players.

Thank you for letting your kids play, doing their laundry and paying the school fees. You rock, too!

I love officiating. My hope is that everyone’s having as much fun as I am.

Rich Ripley, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, officiates high school basketball and baseball and USSSA baseball. He writes a blog at richripley.wordpress.com and can be found on Facebook.

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country. It was shared overseas. (I was a solid C- student in high school. What would my English teacher think of me now? God rest his soul.) Regardless, I obviously hit upon a nerve — more than 500 comments, most of them in support of what I wrote. The following is a summary of what I’d like to say to the fans, coaches and players of the game: 1. ONE! TWO! THREE! THREE SECONDS! I hear ya big man.

Sitting up there in the top row of the bleachers, camo-seed-corn cap atop your head, veins bulging. Your counting skills are amazing! Perhaps

you’ll master the numbers four and (wait for it …) FIVE someday. You’re probably a NASA rocket scientist or certified public accountant, but trust me, my bellicose buddy, a team has to have team control of the ball in order for there to be a three-second count.

We got this. Go have another walking taco from the concession stand; they need your money.

2. THAT’S A REACH! Of course it was a reach. It just wasn’t a foul. This is gonna blow your mind, but there’s A LOT of reaching in basketball that isn’t a foul. True story.

3. OVER THE BACK! Have you ever noticed that the teams with the least athletic kids are usually the ones protesting the most about this? Two words, my friends. Box. Out. 4. GET HER OFF! I hear this when one team’s main ballhandler can only dribble with her dominant hand, then picks up her dribble in the backcourt while a frenzied defensive doubleteam swarms the prone ballholder like sharks on a bloodied seal. Don’t we all wish we could pause the game and look at the mother of the player and say, “If you really want to keep little Madison from getting into this predicament, then teach her how to dribble with her non-dominant hand this offseason and to stop picking up her dribble in the backcourt.”

5. CALL IT BOTH WAYS! This one really gets under my skin. There’s nothing quite like busting your butt, hustling up and down the court chasing teenagers clustered around the ball only to have someone question your integrity. Do we miss stuff?

Absolutely. Do we mean to? Hell no.

6. Players … Don’t roll your eyes when you’re charged with a foul. You get FIVE. Play on.

7. Coaches … Thank you for what you do. You’ve got the toughest job in the community. Trying to win with the kids that you’re given. Keeping everyone happy. Wondering if your injured/sick player will be back in time to play. Parents (‘nuff said). Road trips on school nights. Working a full-time job while coaching. Giving up family time for practice time.

Send your story or queries to lastcall@referee.com

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