Weekly Bull 8/3/16
SAN DIEGO COUNTY FOOTBALL OFFICIALS ASSOCIATION, INC.
A Federal Non Profit Tax Exempt Corporation – www.sdcfoa.org
THE WEEKLY BULL - August 3, 2016
Tonight:
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Sign in and Attendance
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The Bull
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Film Study
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Mechanics Exam
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Adjourn 8:30
Announcements:
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Crew Chief/Instructors Meeting - Even though regular/certified officials can meet at Cathedral HS or at Santana this week, we will be having an Instructor’s and Crew Chief Meeting from 6:15 to 6:45 at Santana Room 804.
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All 1st year and 2nd year officials must meet in their regular classrooms at Santana every meeting.
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Equipment/Uniform Supplier - Honigs representatives will be at the August 17th meeting to sell any and all officiating equipment. Now is the time to check the condition of your equipment and uniform! The SDCFOA does not endorse any single supplier as an official supplier but allows all interested vendors to be present for sales to our interested officials. Don’t forget to donate gently used equipment and uniforms to the 1st year class!
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San Diego County Sports Officials Hall of Fame 2016 Induction Ceremony - will take place Tuesday, September 13th at 6:00 pm. Inductees will include football officials Bob Hood and Mike Weseloh. Please join us in celebrating their contributions to football officiating. You may purchase tickets on the website at sandiegosportsofficialshof.com/2016-induction-dinner. Credit cards will be accepted on the website. Let’s fill up the room with football officials and have the kind of celebration these two deserve!
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Fitness - Scrimmages are a little more than two weeks away! You want to look good out there so keep up your fitness routine. Don’t forget your stretching routine to prevent injury.
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Keep your availability current! The number of “turnbacks” reflects on your professionalism! Update your availability, NOW! Don’t forget to block conflicts: family connections, professional connections, alma mater for recent graduates!
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San Diego CIF Tie Breaker is mandatory for all varsity games in San Diego County CIF (varsity level only!). There are no options. Any varsity game for any sized division (D1 – D5) must use the 25-yardline tiebreaker when the game ends in a tie score at the end of regulation. The result will be a win or a loss.
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Referee Clinic - Next week 8/10 will be our Crew Chief Clinic at Santana in Room 804. The presenter will be Brad Yosick who will discuss pre-season preparation and weekly preparation for crews during the season. All officials are invited to this interactive session on best practices!
Food For Thought:
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Remember that a coach’s job depends on many factors and you doing your best as an official is one of them. He prepares hard for many hours, so you should work hard in being consistent and fair. He is now transferring power to manage the game to you…understand this and work to earn his trust! Listen to him, answer his questions honestly, and provide him the respect that he deserves, within the spirit and intent of the rules, and you will reduce his anxieties about one aspect of the game that he cannot control and should not be focused on—officiating. Refereeing a game is not brain surgery, but managing people in a highly emotional environment takes constant awareness and skills. The most successful officials have these skills. Quick Tips for Communicating with Head Coaches:
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Make eye contact. A coach wants to be assured that he has you attention.
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Avoid “squaring off with the coach” rather, turn your body slightly at an angle.
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Refer to the coach as “Coach” or “Coach Jones”
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Keep your communication brief and formal.
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Avoid joking and sarcasm
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Adopt a neutral tone and avoiding any personal remarks.
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Stick to the issue at hand in a straightforward way.
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Never, never, never ignore a coach’s request. You may have to inform the coach that you will have to wait a play or two to get the information to the other officials, but never ignore!
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Ask them to help with problem players. Be sure to identify the problem in explicit terms, without making the player to be an evil person. Sometimes it’s hard to do, but it can be accomplished with a careful choice of language.
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Remember: get used to the coach having the last say. This will most likely end the conversation.
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Remain calm under all circumstances. Let coaches have their say. When a coach approaches to protest or argue, adopt an instant “listening mode” and let the aggrieved individual finish his remarks. Don’t interrupt.
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Use non-confrontational body language. To be aware of body posture, facial expression, head tilt and arm position, one must say, “I am going to appear receptive and contemplative. I can think best and measure my words that way. I am determined to not escalate the problem.”
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If you make a mistake, admit it. A simple apology is sufficient; do not elaborate or rationalize (i.e. make excuses)
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When a coach raises their voice, lower yours. A soft voice has a way of triggering a reciprocal soft reply.
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Support fellow officials. Never betray partners by showing that you doubt their judgment. Instead indicate faith in someone else’s decision by saying the partner had a better view of a more favorable angle than the responding official or partner.
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Give praises when proper, promote sportsmanship. When a coach makes a gesture of consideration for the opponents or towards the official, be sure to acknowledge it. Sometimes a smile and nod of the head are enough.
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Keep your ego under control. Often a mere glance will carry a significant message, whether it’s negative or positive, whether it is meant to curtail dialogue or to encourage it. A quizzical expression can signal a desire for additional input, whereas a frown may denote closure.
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Don’t use your hands when talking to a coach. Your gestures will reveal more than you’ll want to convey.
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