1. Game Management
KLOA Clinic - February 28, 2016

2. Primary Responsibilities of Officials
Keep the game:
Safe
Fair
Act professionally!

3. Introduction Officials manage games, we do not control them
Managing the game starts with the first communication with the coaches, players, table, fellow officials, etc. and continues until you leave the parking lot at the end of the game
Remember, somebody's always watching ...

4. Tip #1 - Be professional Did you
Contact the school and confirm the game time and location?
Check team websites for common opponents and outcomes.
Contact your partners and decide what to wear, where to meet and when?
Make sure your uniform looks good, all your equipment is in working order?
File copies of clearances in your bag?
Did you
Have a pregame?
Has anybody seen the teams?
What are their tendencies?
Introduce yourselves to coaches?
Conduct the pregame certification?
Conduct the coin toss when you said you would?
Did you talk to the table personnel?
Ask about national anthem, starting lineups
Inspect the field? Goals?

5. Tip #2 - Be in the right spot
Understand the appropriate mechanics for that game
2 or 3 person
Hustle to get to the right position
Coaches and players won’t understand mechanics but they’ll know when you’re in the right place to make the call
The closer you are, the less they’ll argue

6. Tip #3 - Be Focussed, Be Aware
Know your responsibilities in each position
On ball off ball.
Don’t watch the ball.
Lead - goal line and end line, crease play.
Trail - mid-field line, shooter and late hits.
Be aware of the situation
Teams crossing for timeouts
Defender and scorer having a “discussion”
When the ball is dead, officials must be “alive”
Understand the score, the time on the clock, the period
When possible communicate with your partner(s)

7. Tip #4 - Be Open Coaches and players will talk, look for an advantage
If respectful and controlled, listen
Coaches are never going to agree with every call you make. Understand that and be prepared to let them vent
Try to treat the yelling and complaining as white noise

8. Tip #5 - Be Quiet
When dealing with coaches and players, try to be quiet
Watch your tone. Just like players and coaches communicating with you, how you say it may be more important than what you say
Be loud enough to communicate but not too loud so that you intimidate or incite
When communicating with players, be careful not to cross the line - Coaching.

9. Tip #6 - Be Calm
It’s our job to be cool, calm and collected when everybody else is going crazy
Watch your tone.
Choose non-confrontational words
If you’re trying to control behavior that last thing you need to do is incite more misbehavior
Avoid sarcasm. It is too easy to misinterpret
Be careful with humor, it can also be very easy to misinterpret

10. Tip #7 - Be Brief Don’t engage in debates or long 2-way conversations
Say what needs to be said in the fewest words possible
Focus on what you need to say or do to manage the game. You can get into more trouble by saying too much more often than you get into trouble saying too little
The rule book is your friend
The goal is a safe, fair game. It is not to win arguments with players or coaches.
Never engage with spectators or fans! Call in game management.

11. Tip #8 - Be Quick Get the play going again as soon as possible
Once play starts, players get back to playing and coaches get back to coaching
If they’re doing that they aren’t having a discussion with you
Restarting play gets you away from them and officiating the game (back in position)

12. Tip #9 - Be Humble You will make a mistake
When you do, take responsibility
“Coach, I missed that one”
Fix it if you can
Move on if you can’t

13. Tip #10 - Be In Control
There will come a time when a player or coach will cross the line. Everybody’s line is different
Ramp up the response to “crossing the line”
Verbal warning
Loose ball conduct foul
Conduct Foul
Unsportsmanlike Conduct foul
Ejection
Avoid ultimatums
“Coach, the next word gets a flag”
Escalate up the “ramp” in case of
Profanity and racist comments
Questioning your (or your partner’s integrity)
Threats
“Out of control behavior”
What you allow you encourage

14. Without Officials - It’s Just Recess