Are WE Ready for Some Futbol—Football? Brad Allen, NFL Referee #122 July 26, 2015

 Core Values – Integrity, Respect, Resiliency, Commitment to “Team”  “You don’t win without good people and we are going to have good people.” --- Toronto Maple Leafs Head Coach Mike Babcock

 The essential elements of athletics – teamwork, planning, motivation, sportsmanship, fitness – have served in both vocation and avocation;  Resiliency reveals itself through the ability to multi-task;  President/Executive Director of North Carolina Senior Games, Inc., NFL Referee and Crew Chief, NCHSAA Official and Supervisor, Father, Husband, etc..

 The concept of “family” or “team” provides valuable support: ◦ Effective teamwork begins at home, ◦ Leaders need full cooperation by members of their staff/volunteers/team/crew, ◦ Performance evaluation = The most honest feedback comes from mentors and/or peers.

 Know rules and regulations “inside and out” and how to administer them effectively: ◦ It is inexcusable to make a mistake in the application of a rule, ◦ There are many myths about certain rules, but only one final authority, ◦ Common sense and advantage/disadvantage should always aide enforcement.

 Achieving success requires a GREAT deal of time and effort: ◦ Physical preparation, ◦ Off-season work, ◦ Mentoring and peer review, ◦ Expert assessment, ◦ Self-confidence in the face of social media, ◦ Separating the “good” from the “best.”

 We must EARN Respect!  There is no substitute for experience: ◦ Neither coaches, players, A.D.s nor officials are formed in a laboratory, ◦ Everyone has to “pay their dues,” ◦ The higher profile of “the game,” the greater the scrutiny and the expectations for performance, ◦ Confidence is gained when you “act like you’ve been there before.”

 “The Game” will always keep you HUMBLE: ◦ Working with the Public -- “Fan” is short for “fanatic” – some real-world examples, ◦ Father Kelly – “May God have mercy upon his soul!” ◦ NEVER allow a missed call to define you! ◦ Reveal personal Integrity and Resiliency by recognizing errors and making them “teachable moments”

◦ You Never Know Who’s Watching…….. ◦ EVERY game is a BIG game! ◦ Always remember your Grandmother’s Birthday! ◦ How R U?