5
The Officials
They’re the people on the court or ice rink or field in black-and-white stripes, or the ones in black with large pads covering their chests behind home plate. They are often loved by one side and loathed by the other, or vice versa, at any point in the game. They are heckled, jeered at, argued with, screamed at, and ridiculed. Nevertheless, they are critical to a successful, effective intramural game. Why? Officials are often the only ones working on the front lines to ensure safety and fun in a competition. As intramural directors, then, it will be your job to attract competent officials to your program, and then keep them. This chapter will help you do just that.
Chapter Objectives
>	Explore different ways to create an official-friendly program.
>	Understand the key components of officiating.
>	Learn how to attract, manage, and evaluate intramural officials.
The Role of Officials
Think back to your own intramural experiences. Do you remember pick-up and other informal games on the grade school playground or in the high school or college gym? They probably worked fine without a referee. Games like these are meant to be a playful game, emphasizing the spirit of play and fun, and that’s how participants probably played it. Indeed, if all players cooperate, that’s how intramural games should be played.
Intramural pick-up games of basketball, recreational volleyball, and Ping-Pong should work without referees. In fact, students calling their own games develops honesty, cooperation, and personal responsibility. Sometimes, the presence of officials simply places the responsibility for adhering to the rules on someone else’s shoulders, and it seems to encourage arguing about calls. Besides, officials cost money, and organizing and training them takes time. So if intramural participation is about fun, why not have all games self-officiated? Because in practice, games do not always work well without officials.
Many games, even playground games, break down when no one is enforcing the rules. Children get nasty and aggressive toward each other. Players new to the game or sport are often less familiar with the rules. Spirits and adrenaline run high when more is at stake, such as in play-off and championship games. When bodies are bumping into each other, players are quick to anger. Sometimes equipment is used improperly, resulting in damage to the equipment or injury to participants. In other words, officials play a key role in intramural games, particularly competitive sport and athletic games. They not only protect the safety of the participants but also ensure a fair and enjoyable experience for all.
Officials also benefit by participating in intramurals. Officiating provides the opportunity to make new friends. It develops such leadership qualities as patience, self-confidence, and the ability to deal with stressful situations, make tough decisions, and deal with criticism. These skills are helpful not only in one’s career but also in life. By participating in intramurals, officials also benefit physically, especially in sports such as ice hockey and soccer, which provide an excellent opportunity to stay in shape. Not only that, but they get the best seats in the house, so to speak, enjoying a close-up view of the game and getting to feel the excitement of the players. For those who love the sport they are officiating, these benefits alone would be enough. But officiating provides other important opportunities—namely, the opportunity to give something back to a sport or an organization they love, earn partial course credits for refereeing (if they are students), and earn some pocket money.
There are a variety of officials in intramurals. A league convener oversees the entire league, including the officiating. The officials include the referees (in sports like basketball and soccer) or the umpires (in sports like baseball) who ensure that the game is played by the rules. If a league has many referees or umpires, the convener may select a head official or head umpire to oversee the officiating. Referees and umpires serve as major officials , and those that assist by keeping score or watching the lines serve as minor officials. The major focus of this chapter is to assist major officials in doing their jobs well.
As described at the beginning of this chapter, refereeing isn’t always easy. Public critiques of an official’s work can be harsh: “What?! Are you blind?” “Read the rulebook, why don’t you!” and “Are you in a hurry to go home?” Public scrutiny alone can impel some officials to quit, and often not even to try it. But there are other reasons. The top three complaints from referees are:
>	verbal abuse from participants,
>	little reward for hard work, and
>	lack of support from the administration.

The Role of Competent Officiating in an Intramural Program
Mr. Arbiter ran an intramural basketball program, but participation numbers had steadily decreased over the last few years. As he sat in the gymnasium watching two intramural games on separate courts, he wondered why. His thought process was interrupted when one of the games stopped.
Two players began shouting about what did and did not constitute a foul. Soon several teammates stepped in to stop the fight that was about to erupt. Mr. Arbiter walked over to the players, calmed them down, and explained the type of foul in question. Play resumed after a two-minute interruption.
As he went back to his seat, Mr. Arbiter resumed his thought process. Maybe a lack of advertising had decreased participation, or maybe it was just that students were not interested in basketball anymore. He had just sat down when the same group of players stopped play again. Frustration high and tempers flaring, they were trying to resolve another difference of opinion. At that point, Mr. Arbiter decided to referee the rest of that game. Some of the players disagreed with a few calls, but for the most part, the rest of the game went smoothly. At the end of the game, several players asked Mr. Arbiter if he could referee their next game.
As he was driving home, he went through the evening in his mind. He recalled how frustrated the players were before he stepped in. He thought to himself, “There is no way I would want to play in a game like that.” Then he remembered how much the players enjoyed the game after he started to referee. “Aha!” It dawned on him why participation numbers might be down.
The next day at school, Mr. Arbiter found a couple of referee shirts. He asked a few players from the advanced league if they would like to be referees. He told the students that he would train them and, if they got good enough, hire them to be scorekeepers for varsity games. Several students accepted his offer. After some basic training in officiating, these students officiated the intramural basketball games, and ended up making some extra money as varsity scorekeepers.
Mr. Arbiter attended several of the officiated basketball games and noticed that the spirit of competition improved significantly when officials were inserted onto the basketball court. Players were happier, there were fewer stoppages in play, and everyone enjoyed the game. It was too early to tell, but Mr. Arbiter was convinced that with this new climate on the court, more people would get excited about intramural basketball. He anticipated that his participation numbers would begin to climb again. Even if the numbers didn’t improve, however, Mr. Arbiter took comfort in knowing that the experience for the participants would be much better than it had been.
Reprinted by permission of the Canadian Intramural Recreation Association. From M. Boyles, 1996, “On officials, fair play, and otherwise sunny days,” CIRA Bulletin 22 (3):3-5.

Creating an Official-Friendly Program
The good news is, as intramural directors, you can do a lot to make the experience of officiating more positive. For starters, ongoing training does much to make officials feel more competent and comfortable on the court, field, or rink. In fact, training will likely reduce the number of bad calls they make and, subsequently, the verbal abuse they suffer. Supporting officials is also important, in terms of providing professional uniforms and acknowledging and rewarding their contributions. Many officials participate in intramurals for the love of sport. But even in these situations, it is wise to reward them. In addition to formal compensation, rewards can include such incentives as participation points, a pizza party at the end of a season, an officials club, free access to the gym or a monthly “officials gym time,” special awards at annual banquets, certificates of participation, gift certificates for local restaurants or theaters, discount tickets to local events, and so on.
Training
Whether you use volunteer student officials or hire professionals, all officiated activities and games—not to mention your intramural program—will benefit if you offer training in officiating. Training will help officials competently and prudently enforce the rules while maintaining a fun, rewarding experience for all participants. Having two or more officials at all intramural events will best enable the officials to make the best calls. To teach referees how to work well together, consider offering clinics and instructional seminars on such topics as common courtesy to fellow officials, effective positioning, and individual responsibilities when working on a team. In addition, the basic standards of officiating should be taught to all officials when they join your program and throughout their tenure.
What are the essential ingredients of officiating training? The following criteria are generally considered to be most important. Officials must
>	know the rules;
>	be confident in their decision making;
>	be consistent;
>	be decisive in their calls;
>	position themselves effectively on the court, rink, or field;
>	use proper and authoritative signals when making a call;
>	be objective; and
>	maintain a professional appearance.
Know the Rules
To be effective, officials must know the rules. As explained in chapter 1, rules define a competitive game. Thus, officials need to know the rules if the game is to be played as it is intended. Intramural directors can help officials in this regard by
>	keeping the rules simple;
>	providing a copy of game rules to each official prior to a game;
>	explaining and demonstrating rules to officials;
>	posting official rules prominently in or near the playing area (a central intramural bulletin board is also an ideal location for prominent posting of official game rules);
>	distributing copies of the rules to team captains at the start of each season; and
>	testing officials on and off the court.
This last suggestion—testing officials on their knowledge of the rules—should be part of an overall training or official-certification program. If they do not pass, they do not officiate.
Be Confident
Referees need to be poised and confident in their decision making. If aggressive or overly tense players excite an official, consistency and calmness are unlikely to occur. This situation only adds to the tension of a competitive game. As the game heats up, officials must stay cool. When officials “lose their heads,” their judgment is blurred and their calls will be questioned or criticized more often. Officials who fly into a rage will lose respect from players and negatively affect the game. You, as intramural directors, can assist your officials by encouraging them to
>	enforce penalties calmly and with confidence;
>	give players a warning and then penalize them for unsportsmanlike behavior (e.g., foul language, taunting, and threatening with violence); and
>	use positive self-talk.
Be Consistent
Consistency is something players value highly in officials. Players need to know where the referee “draws the line,” both figuratively and literally. For example, the size of the strike zone in baseball typically varies from official to official. It cannot, however, vary from player to player. If the strike zone is four inches above and below one batter’s shoulders and waist, it cannot be eight inches above and below the next batter’s shoulders and waist. Likewise, if an umpire puts up with abuse from one player or team captain, team morale and players’ attitudes will likely plummet if the same type of language results in another player’s being thrown out of the game.
As intramural directors, you can help your officials to be consistent in their calls by encouraging them to
>	think about the rules before the start of game;
>	defining ahead of time what they will and will not tolerate;
>	apply their decisions fairly and evenly; and
>	remain focused and relaxed.
Be Decisive
Being decisive is another important criteria for an official. An official who hesitates is lost. A delayed or indecisive call makes a referee appear uncertain. In fact, hesitation usually increases the number of infractions and results in an official losing control of the game. Officials must make the calls on time. On the other hand, being too hasty can also lead to problems. For example, in baseball it may appear that a runner is out, a call is hastily made when the ball contacts the glove, but the ball falls out of the glove, making the runner safe.
Likewise, changing a call based on jeers or cheers of participants and spectators is never a good idea. A referee’s credibility is completely shot if he does not “call it as he sees it.” If spectators and players realize they can sway a referee’s decision, they will be more boisterous and make the task of officiating even more difficult.
As intramural directors, you can assist your officials in being decisive by encouraging them to
>	be quick but not hasty in their calls;
>	use authority without grandstanding; and
>	learn the rules of the game so they are confident in their decisions.
Position Effectively
Effective positioning is an official’s best bet for making accurate calls. If there is a close call at first base and the official was approximately 3 meters from the bag, for example, players will be less likely to question the call than if the official were 5 meters away and didn’t hustle to get into a better position. You, as intramural directors, can assist your officials to position effectively by encouraging them to
>	practice positioning on their own or during team practices;
>	hustle throughout the game;
>	anticipate where the play is going but not anticipate the call; and
>	when they are in position to do so, call them as they see them.
Use Proper and Authoritative Signals
An official should signal calls with authority but not with pomposity. Signals can be made with a whistle, voice, gesture, or a combination of the three. Signals should be sharp, unhesitating, and unhurried. For example, a crisply blown whistle gives the perception that the official meant the call, not that the call was a guess. As intramural directors, you can assist your officials in using signals properly and authoritatively by encouraging them to
>	learn the signals;
>	practice voice projection so that a call is firm and loud enough to be heard (but not obnoxiously so); and
>	build self-confidence so that they are certain about their calls and, thus, authoritative when they make them.
Be Objective
Officials must be objective. Officials must not be influenced or be perceived as being influenced by factors other than the way the game is being played. Officials are human beings. Their objectivity can be affected by such things as personal relationships with players or a personal stake in a game, grudges or memories of bad experiences with certain players or teams, and even personal crises or circumstances in their own lives. You, as intramural directors, can help your officials remain objective by
>	not assigning them to games in which their objectivity might be compromised (e.g., refereeing an interdepartmental game between colleagues);
>	not discriminating against players on the basis of race, gender, or other personal characteristics;
>	encouraging them to call the game as it is played, not as they think it should be played or want it to be played;
>	getting to know them and being sensitive to what is going on in their personal lives; and
>	offering stress-management classes or training so that they are not affected by the score, the time remaining, or players’ reactions and behavior.
Maintain a Professional Appearance
The saying that perception is reality holds true in most of life’s settings and circumstances. Intramural competitions are no different. An official’s appearance will influence participants’ opinions of the official, the event or game, and even the intramural program itself. As intramural directors, you can assist your officials in maintaining a professional appearance by
>	providing professional uniforms;
>	enforcing dress codes and standards of appearance (i.e., hair length, jewelry, appropriate attire in addition to the uniform provided, and so on); and
>	modeling a professional appearance yourself , thereby reinforcing the importance of positive image to the clients.
People Skills
You may recall past intramural experiences when a referee knew the rules but did not have good people skills, or the opposite, of a referee with good people skills not knowing the rules. In both cases, the result is participant frustration.
Some officials may be technically knowledgeable and proficient at officiating a sport, but if they lack interpersonal skills, they will run into many difficulties. Indeed, according to Jason Geiger, the intramural and recreational assistant director at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, “Customer relations are probably the most important role of the official” (Geiger 1997, 13).
A good official knows how to relate to players, team captains, spectators, and fellow officials. In addition to providing training in these areas, intramural directors can also help officials to improve their people skills in general. Talk to them about showing respect by being amiable, cooperative, patient, and understanding in an emotional environment such as a competitive game. Teach them to be wise and diplomatic. The following areas should be discussed often with officials. Better yet, incorporate these skills into your officiating training program. Officials should
>	answer reasonable questions before, during, and after a game (this means that some questions do not have to be answered). They should be approachable and receptive to such questions but not let unnecessary or questions designed to stall a game bog down the action.
>	be diplomatic when tensions rise and the game heats up. If players become irritated, as will often be the case in a competitive or aggressive game, or when there is a lot at stake, officials must avoid adding fuel to the fire.
>	maintain a professional distance from players. Officials must avoid getting into arguments at all costs, both to stay calm themselves and to keep the game moving.
>	not tolerate any form of abuse. A certain amount of anger is healthy, as long as it is expressed respectfully. Empower officials to nip unsportsmanlike conduct in the bud by ejecting players immediately.
>	be patient with, or ignore, spectators. Remind officials that spectators do not always know the official game rules, may be biased toward (or against) a team or invested in the outcome of a game, and may even delight in antagonizing officials. Teach them stress and anger management as well as conflict resolution to deal with these situations.
Minorities
In terms of being objective, a referee cannot allow a person’s gender, skin color, or any other factor affect her officiating. The official cannot allow herself to harass or discriminate against anyone for any of the above reasons, and not allow the players to do so either. Any players, coaches, or spectators who harass anyone on account of such things as gender or skin color should be removed from the playing area and a report written up about the nature of the harassment.
Compensation
As mentioned in chapter 4, people will continue to do something if the benefits outweigh the costs. For officials, the benefits include getting to participate in a sport they love, being involved in a physically active hobby, forming new friendships, and so on. Nevertheless, some institutions pay their officials, particularly at the collegiate level. Most universities use a graduated pay scale for officials, with pay depending on their experience, the number of training clinics they have attended (some of these clinics are mandatory for intramural officials, and some intramural programs pay officials to attend these clinics), and official certification. Other institutions use a different pay scale for each sport, with compensation depending on the potential for injury, necessary preparation, length of games, physical requirements of the game, time between games (in the case of a tournament), skills required (such as skating in ice hockey), and evaluation ratings (discussed later in this chapter). Some institutions also offer bonuses at the end of a season, usually based on participants’ evaluations. Finally, many institutions provide a travel allowance for off-campus games.
The compensation you offer to officials will depend on your intramural budget, of course, but it’s important that you plan for this ahead of time. It is wise to establish a pay scale that is consistently applied to everyone based on their certifications, experience, and the type of sport being officiated. Having higher pay for those who are certified officials and have more experience encourages those who do not have their certification to acquire it, and for those who have experience to continue to referee. The benefit of this pay scheme is that it provides incentives for referees to improve themselves. The benefit to the program is that participants should experience better officiating.
Official Duties
Before we discuss the specifics of where to find officials, how to recruit them, and specific official evaluation techniques, it’s best to get an idea of what an official does. The following sections explain an official’s duties in detail, including specifics of ensuring safety, dealing with players during the heat of a game, and handling overly aggressive or abusive players.
Safety Management
First and foremost, officials are on hand to protect the safety of participants. It is therefore important for intramural directors to help officials understand their role in preventing injuries and help effectively deal with injuries should they occur. For a more detailed look at developing safety policies, see chapter 7.
To prevent injuries, officials should do a quick check before each game to make sure that the playing area is safe. This includes looking for such hazards as potholes and broken glass on an outdoor field, large bumps or cracks in the ice, obstructions or debris on the court or field, and so on. Ensuring that adequate protective padding is provided, such as on volleyball poles and soccer nets, is also part of a pre-game safety check. Should an official deem the site unsafe, they must be empowered to delay the game until all hazards have been removed.
Officials should also observe the players before a game. If any players are under the influence of drugs or alcohol, they should not be allowed to compete. Likewise, mandatory safety equipment should be checked before a game, including shin guards, body padding, helmets, and proper footwear. Players should be asked to remove any jewelry that could potentially injure someone, including necklaces, watches, dangling earrings, hair combs, and so on. Rule 4 Section 2 Article 4 of the National Federation of State High School Associations 1999-2000 Rule Book for Soccer states: “Players shall not wear jewelry with the exception of medical bracelets or medical metals. Metal medals and medical bracelets must be taped to the body with medical data visible” (Flanery 1999, 15). The NCAA Soccer Rulebook is even more specific, disallowing any and all “jewelry such as earrings, chains, charms, and hairclips” (National Collegiate Athletic Association 1999, 27).
Weather can also be a safety risk. Thus, officials should stop an outdoor game when the threat of lightning or other severe weather is imminent (see chapter 7 for more detail on lightning policies). Even in the case of heavy rain, an official may need to make a judgment call to stop the game because the water is making the contest unsafe. Indoor playing areas also carry the potential for player injury. When participants fall and leave sweat on the floor, or when water is spilled, for example, these areas should be wiped up before play resumes.
During the game, of course, officials must be on constant watch for potential hazards and unsafe play. They also need to use the whistle efficiently to stop play immediately. If a whistle is not blown soon enough, injuries may occur. To use and example from ice hockey, a player may be clearly off-sides and sees the referee making the call, she lets up a little in anticipation of the call only to receive an unsuspected body check from an opposing player who is playing till the whistle blows. Officials should also control rough play. Players may be so focused on the contest or may be so inexperienced at competing in the game that they unintentionally play dangerously. Stopping play and calming everyone down or imposing minor penalties may solve the problem. Intentional unsafe or unsportsmanlike behavior, however, should be immediately penalized. If continued, the offending player should be ejected from the game. When training your officials in safety management, teach them to err on the side of safety.
Of course, safety management also includes officials watching out for themselves. Before games such as soccer, floor hockey, and basketball, which require a lot of running, officials should warm up by stretching before the game. Wearing suitable footwear is also advisable. When officiating in such sports as ice hockey, officials should wear a protective helmet. When officiating in a warm environment, officials should ensure that they eat a low-fat, high-protein meal a couple hours before game time, wear cotton or other breathable clothing, and consume adequate amounts of water before and during the game. When officiating in the sun, officials should wear a hat and sunscreen, and perhaps sunglasses, and in breaks in the action, officials should seek out shade. Effective positioning during a game will also ensure their personal safety. Most important, perhaps, officials should be encouraged to take care of themselves physically by undergoing physical conditioning and stress-reduction training.
Even with all these preventative measures, injuries will still occur. As intramural directors, it will be your responsibility to train your officials in emergency first aid and procedures. While officials should not be expected to be medical experts, providing basic training in first aid is helpful. Likewise, equip them with bandages and proper medical supplies so that they are prepared. An important part of basic medical training is crisis training. When under acute stress, as would be the case in the event of serious injury, for example, it is not uncommon to panic, hyperventilate, feel dizzy or faint, experience tunnel vision, and even lose touch with reality. Officials should be educated about these symptoms and be told how to regain their composure. In many cases, simply breathing into your cupped hands for a moment, which increases the level of carbon dioxide in the blood, is enough.
A medical training program is beyond the scope of this book, of course. Instead, plan and incorporate basic medical training into your officiating training. You might contact a local clinic or hospital about conducting a monthly or semi-annual seminar for officials. At the very least, should a participant be injured in a contest, an official’s first responsibility is to stop play immediately to prevent further injury. Then, officials must contact properly trained medical personnel immediately. Because time can be critical in certain injuries, it is extremely important that officials be trained in basic emergency response and know the location of the nearest telephone. Then, officials should be prepared to do the following.
>	Ensure that the injured person is safe and comfortable.
>	Do not move the injured participant until the injury has been diagnosed and medical personnel are sure that moving the participant will not aggravate the injury.
>	Although it is not their responsibility to apply first aid, if no one else is available, officials should administer first aid to the best of their ability (this ability will be improved with training).
>	If an injury is life threatening, ensure adequate breathing and apply direct pressure to the bleeding area. Then get help, stay calm, and think clearly. If possible, appoint someone else to call or go for help.
>	Delay or cancel the game if necessary.
>	Create space around an injured participant and prevent others from crowding the victim.
After the incident (once the injured party has been attended to) or after the game (if it is continued after an injury), officials should complete an accident report form like the one shown in figure 5.1 and return it to the intramural office. Outlining all necessary information should problems develop later, this form provides space to describe the accident and the injury, record actions taken, and provide relevant information about the injured party and any witnesses present.

Accident/Incident Report Form
(In the case of accident or injury, please complete and submit within 24 hours to Human Resources)
Name: 		Date of Birth (M/D/Y): ___/____/____
Current Address: 		Telephone: (H) 	
		(W) 	
Check all applicable:
Staff/Faculty ____  Guest/Member ____  Student ____    Male ____  Female ____
Check off the type of activity you were engaged in when the injury took place
Recreational (includes squash, weights, aerobics, general gym) _____	Varsity _____
Intramurals _____	Club _____
Date of the incident (M/D/Y): ____/____/____	 Time of the incident: _________ am/pm
Location of the incident: 	
Describe the nature of the incident/injury and exactly how it occurred:

	
Were you taken to the hospital?	Yes _____	No _____
If Yes, which hospital? 	
Is follow-up care/treatment required?	Yes _____	No _____
If Yes, please describe: 	
Witness name: 		Recreation staff on duty: 	
Telephone: 		Signature: 	
Signature: 	
			
Signature of individual filling in report	Date
Figure 5.1  Sample form to report accidents or injuries.

Dealing With Inappropriate Behavior
One of the best ways to prevent injury, of course, is stopping inappropriate behavior before it escalates into a hazardous situation. It is your job, as intramural directors, to help your officials reduce the potential for violence in a game and also help them to deal with violence should it occur. The first step is creating a positive, nonconfrontational atmosphere by officiating effectively, fairly, consistently, and so on. Officials must listen to players. If a player reports that another player is “elbowing me all the time,” and the official responds, “I’m here to call the game, not baby-sit,” the official will be inviting players to take “the law into their own hands.”
Officials should observe players and immediately warn or penalize players who are taunting other players. This includes observing body language, gestures, glaring or other aggressive stares, and overly excited or sporadic movement. If certain players are determined to cause trouble, an official may be able to defuse the situation with diplomatic humor, a firm warning, a minor penalty, a cooling-off period, and perhaps a yellow warning card. Officials should not provoke players or look for reasons to issue such a card, however. Ultimately, if the players persist in obnoxious behavior, officials should not hesitate to issue a red card and eject the offending players from the game.
If a game starts to get rough, officials can also stop the game and talk to the team captains. Team captains can be warned that the game will be stopped unless their players calm down and can be given up to a minute to talk to their teams. The game can be restarted if the official feels the participants have sufficiently calmed down. If the game starts to get out of control again, the official may need to call the game and report the incident to the person in charge (i.e., a convener or the intramural director). In such situations, officials should not make any statements to players other than declaring that the game has been called and the decision of the game is in the hands of the convener.
If there is a fight, officials should eject offending players immediately. If officials are close enough to the offending players just before a fight erupts, a sudden whistle or a loud “Cool it!” may provide sufficient time for the officials to get between players before any fists are thrown. Once a fight has begun, however, officials should not try to step in and get between fighting players. Instead, officials should first isolate the fight by having all other players go back to their benches. Then it may be helpful to enlist the team captains to separate the players (always approaching them from behind and pulling their arms back). After a fight, offending players should be escorted from the playing area one at a time.
Player Abuse
In the case of fights, hostility or tension, and aggression between players, officials often become the target. At best, they are likely to be called names; at worst, officials could be attacked physically. Indeed, one of the major reasons officials quit is that they have suffered player abuse. Such abuse typically evolves out of a game that gets out of control, which usually evolves out of ineffective or lack of officiating training. One of the best ways to protect officials from player abuse, then, is to strictly adhere to disciplinary standards for the program (Geiger 1997, 14).
What can officials do to dissuade unsportsmanlike behavior that oftentimes escalates into player abuse? According to Mike Boyles (1996), there are four steps.
	Step 1: Educate. Offer your officiating staff instructional clinics and training about interpersonal skills during the game. For example, teach them to first recognize problem situations and deal with them before they become a larger problem. Then teach them techniques for dealing with a difficult situation or an abusive participant. Shouting back at a participant will not help alleviate the situation. Likewise, educate officials about respect: As Doc Rivers, veteran player of the Los Angeles Clippers and current coach of the Miami Magic, says, “A referee who shows respect gets respect.”
	Step 2: Advocate. Develop a program that advocates fair play and sportsmanlike conduct. The University of Calgary, for example, rewards sportsmanship and fair play instead of winning. Rather than award prizes for winning a league, the “best sports” get prizes. In fact, the program is called Fair Play. Throughout the season, teams are rated according to how well they adhere to Fair Play standards, which are posted prominently and communicated to all participants at the start of each season. Teams with a fair play rating of at least 3.25 (out of a possible 5), for example, are eligible for play-offs regardless of their standing in the league. To ensure consistent results, team captains and officials determine Fair Play points after each game. (See chapter 6 for a complete discussion of fair play.)
Step 3: Discipline. Along with advocating sportsmanship and fair play in your program goes the task of discouraging and disciplining bad sportsmanship and inappropriate behavior. To do that, you must have disciplinary policies and procedures in place. Disciplinary procedures must be documented and consistently followed. Of course, disciplinary policies must also allow the flexibility for officials to use discretion. For example, removing a hothead for a portion of a game is preferable to ejecting that player at the first sign of frustration. Likewise, developing a rapport with players will help to alleviate animosity during the game.
Disciplinary procedures should be progressive. For example, if players on a particular team habitually engage in unsportsmanlike conduct, it may be necessary to suspend them, or their team captain, for a portion of the season. Such consequences are sure to get players’ attention. It is also wise to incorporate a formal appeals process into disciplinary policies. Players should not feel victimized or that they have been singled out unfairly. (See chapter 13 for a full discussion of suspensions, including the appeals process.)
Step 4: Reward. In any competitive setting, participants are working toward a goal. In the case of intramural competitions, that goal is usually the championship trophy. As explained in step 2, the University of Calgary rewards teams for sportsmanship and fair play—not winning. This reward system lets players know at the outset what they should be striving to achieve. Rewards can include such items as intramural T-shirts, plaques, discount tickets, and so on.
Officiating and the Law
Officials have a legal responsibility to provide a safe game for participants, which is outlined in chapter 7, Policy II: Safety. They also have certain rights. For example, officials have the right to wear a beard, even if your dress code or standards of professional appearance discourage the practice. In certain cases, officials have been awarded monetary damages for defamatory comments made by a participant or physical injury they suffered while officiating. The details and considerations of these legalities are beyond the scope of this book. Thus, it is a good idea to get the advice of legal counsel in planning the officiating component of your intramural program. It may also be helpful to draw up a contract between officials and your institution.
Official Recruitment
Now that the roles and general responsibilities of an intramural official are understood, it’s time to figure out how to recruit competent officials to your program. As explained in chapter 4, students often volunteer to officiate their favorite sports. In addition, however, you will need other places to recruit officials. Some schools ask that each team provide an official. The risk with this approach is that the officials may not be of the highest caliber. In sports such as ice hockey, a weak official may contribute to players getting injured. Having teams provide their own officials needs to be used with considerable discretion. Other schools form an officiating club to attract and train potential student officials. Some schools cannot get enough competent officials from within the school system and turn to state and provincial referee associations. These associations provide certified officials and will probably provide the safest conditions for players, but they will usually cost more to hire than students.
As explained at the beginning of this chapter, creating an official-friendly program is a surefire way to recruit competent, eager officials. That may not be enough, however. To attract competent officials, you’ll need to promote your program. Advertise in local sports clubs, throughout the school, in student and local newspapers, and so on. Word-of-mouth advertising is also extremely helpful. Officials talk to one another. Hearing about what a great program you have will likely bring qualified officials to your door. (See chapter 8 for a complete discussion of promoting an intramural program.)
Providing incentives and rewards also helps to attract competent officials. If you are using a house system, for example, you could award a participation point each time a house member officiates a game. Select an “official of the week” (or month or year) and publicly thank or recognize that official’s effort on an intramural bulletin board or other display case located centrally in the school. Statements of thanks in the school newspaper and at the awards banquet also provide incentive for officials.
When hiring officials, be sure they are made aware of the mission statement for your intramural program. This will help them officiate in a manner that supports the goals of the program. Provide them with pre-game and post-game checklists (figures 5.2 and 5.3) and review the contents with the new officials. Give the officials other relevant paperwork including such items as an officiating schedule, compensation schedules, and any relevant rulebooks. Inform them who is supervising their work should they need to speak to someone about concerns they have with their work or the intramural program.

Pregame Checklist
Responsibility	Action/Consideration	3
Arrive early usually desired.	Depends on the game, but 15 minutes early is 
Check facility	Is playing area safe?
	Are there any special rules? (If the team does not meet intramural standards [e.g. if the team does not have enough women for a co-ed game], the official must cancel the game and award a forfeit to the offending team.)
	Is all necessary equipment on hand?
Observe participants.	Are participants competing at  the same level? Observe for different levels and ensure everyone’s safety by your calls (sometimes stopping play even when there is no foul in order to avoid injury).
	How important is the game (play-off, championship, etc.)?
	Have players adequately warmed up?
	Are team lists (score sheets, etc.) in order?
Define officiating responsibilities.	If more than one referee will be officiating, have
 responsibilities been clearly defined?
Meet with team captains.	Review game rules.
	Explain consequences of unsportsmanlike behavior.
	Tell them how much time is left until game time.
Figure 5.2  Sample referee pre-game checklist.

Post-Game Checklist
Responsibility	Action/Consideration	3
Ensure spirit of intramural program.	Encourage participants to shake hands, but remember that  players may be volatile after an intense game.
	Be available for handshakes with team captains and/or participants.
Complete necessary paperwork.	Complete score card, adding comments if necessary.
	Complete accident or injury report if necessary.
	If a player was ejected from a game, write a brief report summarizing the cause of the ejection.
Review and evaluate.	Meet with other referees to discuss what went well and what, if any, mistakes were made.
	Celebrate successes and learn from mistakes.
Figure 5.3  Sample referee post-game checklist.

When officials are assisted in doing their jobs well, they are more likely to stay on as officials. Conveners or head officials should train officials as outlined in the preceding part of this chapter. They should also be helped in setting personal goals to improve their officiating skills and given opportunities for professional growth through attending officiating clinics. If possible, it is helpful to encourage officials to dialogue with each other. Creating a listserv just for officials may be one way to do this. Perhaps of greater importance to officials than regular employees is instruction in conflict resolution. Chapter 4 provides several important suggestions that should be stressed with officials. Be sure to recognize the general contributions that officials make as well as the exceptional contributions that some officials make (most games refereed in the season, top official as rated by the participants, or the official that took the most training in a season).
Official Positions
Officiating entails more than standing on a court and blowing a whistle. Officials need to get things ready before a game, accomplish certain functions during the game, and perform several duties after a game. These responsibilities vary by the type of official and are identified in the next two sections by position: major officials and minor officials.
Major Officials
Major officials such as referees and umpires do not begin their responsibilities at the first whistle nor end at the final whistle. Rather, referees are usually responsible for such things as checking that the playing site is safe and that everything is ready to start the game on time and in a positive manner. To help referees understand and accomplish their specific duties, it is helpful to provide them with checklists like those shown in figures 5.2 and 5.3. These forms outline each responsibility and action required to accomplish it.
Minor Officials—Timers and Scorekeepers
Timers and scorekeepers also contribute to the overall success of an intramural competition. Typically one person can carry out the timing and scorekeeping responsibilities for an intramural contest. Such a person’s responsibilities, outlined in figure 5.4, include gathering necessary equipment before the game, keeping track of the score, handing in equipment after a game, completing the game sheet (see figure 13.3), distributing official evaluation forms to players, and turning in the results of the game to the appropriate intramural staff.

Timer and Scorer Responsibility Checklist
Responsibility	3
Pick up pencil, clipboard, and game sheet from the intramural office 15 minutes before the game.
Ask team captains to have team members print their full names (and uniform numbers, if applicable) on the game sheet.
Compare the number of participants with the sheet. If a discrepancy exists, rectify the situation.
Sign out and set up the clock if required.
Assign pinnies and other equipment as necessary.
Run the clock according to game requirements.
Record penalties as reported by the referee (player name, number, offense, time of penalty, and penalty expiration time).
Inform offending player of penalty expiration time.
At the second offense, warn players that a third penalty will result in game misconduct.
Inform referees of any player accumulating three minor penalties in a game.
Record goals and assists (including player name, number, and time of goal).
At the end of the game, summarize any difficulties or game highlights.
Give team captains official evaluation forms.
Sign the game sheet and have the referee do the same.
Return the game sheet and equipment to the intramural office.
Figure 5.4  Sample checklist for intramural scorers and timekeepers.

Code of Ethics
Regardless of official position, there is a standard of conduct for all officials. Published by the U.S. National Association of Sports Officials, the code of ethics shown in figure 5.5 provides some important guidelines for officials. As intramural directors, it will be your job to communicate these standards and ensure that your officials follow them. It would probably be a good idea to provide a copy of this code to all official hirees. To increase accountability and reinforce your commitment to these standards, you may also want to have all officials sign a statement that they’ve read and will adhere to this code.

Code of Ethics: National Association of Sports Officials
Article I	Sports officials must be free of obligation to any interest other than the impartial and fair judging of sports competitions. Without equivocation, game decisions which are slanted by personal bias are dishonest and unacceptable.
Article II	Sports officials recognize that anything which may lead to a conflict of interest, either real or apparent, must be avoided. Gifts, favors, special treatment, privileges, employment or a personal relationship with a school or team which can compromise the perceived impartiality of officiating must be avoided.
Article III	Sports officials have an obligation to treat other officials with professional dignity and courtesy and recognize that it is inappropriate to criticize other officials publicly.
Article IV	Sports officials have a responsibility to continuously seek self-improvement through study of the game, rules, mechanics and the techniques of game management. They have a responsibility to accurately represent their qualifications and abilities when requesting or accepting officiating assignments.
Article V	Sports officials shall protect the public (fans, administrators, coaches, players, et al) From inappropriate conduct and shall attempt to eliminate from the officiating avocation/profession all practices which bring discredit to it.
Article VI	Sports officials shall not be party to actions designed to unfairly limit or restrain access to officiating, officiating assignments or association membership. This includes selection for positions of leadership based upon economic factors, race, creed, color, age, sex, physical handicap, country or national origin.
Figure 5.5  Sport officials ethical codes.
Reprinted with permission from the National Association of Sports Officials. For membership information contact NASO, 2017 Lathrop Ave, Racine, WI 53405; phone 22-632-5448; www.naso.org.

Official Evaluation
As discussed in chapter 4, formative evaluation improves both the program and intramural staff, offering them the opportunity to develop leadership skills and improve job performance. The same is true with officials. Constructive evaluation provides feedback on their performance and gives them the opportunity to improve. Because players are the ones to interact with officials, it’s usually helpful to get their input when evaluating officials. League and tournament conveners and other officials should also complete an evaluation to add peer review to the process.
A sample official evaluation form is shown on figure 5.6. A representative from each team should complete it after each game. The process of filling out these forms will not only increase participants’ sense of ownership and involvement with the program but also reinforce the multidimensional aspect of officiating. In addition, having players evaluate officials will communicate the message that officiating is treated seriously by your organization.

Intramural Official Evaluation
1 = Unsatisfactory, 2 = Satisfactory, 3 = Good, 4 = Excellent
Official names	Official #1___________________	Official #2 _________________
Overall performance	1  2  3  4	1  2  3  4
Decisiveness	1  2  3  4	1  2  3  4
Knowledge of rules	1  2  3  4	1  2  3  4
Court or field positioning	1  2  3  4	1  2  3  4
Effective use of whistle and signals	1  2  3  4	1  2  3  4
Demeanor	1  2  3  4	1  2  3  4
Consistency	1  2  3  4	1  2  3  4
Integrity	1  2  3  4	1  2  3  4
Hustle	1  2  3  4	1  2  3  4
Attire and appearance	1  2  3  4	1  2  3  4
Interaction with participants	1  2  3  4	1  2  3  4
Comments: 	
	
Evaluator name: ______________________________________________
Team name: ____________________________________________________________
Team played against: ____________________________________________________
Date: _______________
Figure 5.6  Sample official evaluation form.

Note: If teams submit these forms only when they wish to criticize an official, you should discard them. Above all, you want a fair, comprehensive critique.
If there are concerns about certain officials being insufficiently sensitive to inclusion issues you may wish to have several people, representing the affected group, complete the evaluation form.
The criteria to be evaluated include those identified throughout this chapter as the characteristics of an effective official (consistency, proper positioning, knowledge of the rules, and so on). The overall evaluation is probably the most important criteria on the evaluation form, but the other characteristics provide focus for evaluating the official’s strength and weaknesses. The scale (1 to 4), ranging from unsatisfactory to excellent, enables evaluators to be precise. At the bottom of the evaluation form is a place for evaluators to provide their names and information about the game or event. This information is important because an official’s supervisor may have questions about the evaluation.
If players fear retribution or other consequences of completing an honest evaluation of officials, you may want to provide an evaluation box in the intramural office where players can turn in their evaluations after the game. Some schools offer on-line evaluation of officials. This type of evaluation is more anonymous than completing an evaluation form under the watchful eye of an official (although participants must identify themselves to submit the form), certainly, but it may not be representative of all participants. To view examples of on-line evaluation forms, visit the following two Web sites: www.indiana.edu/~recsport/forms/offeval.html and www4.gvsu.edu/hrw/intramurals/official_evaluation.htm.
Chapter Summary Exercises
Well-trained, competent officials can benefit your intramural program enormously. In addition to providing a safe arena in which to compete, they can help keep the game moving, which increases the enjoyment for all. Answer the following questions to ascertain the role officials will play in your intramural program.
	1.	In your past intramural experiences, did some games work better with an official and other games not work with an official? What made the difference?
	2.	Envision two referees officiating an intramural play-off game of basketball. All of a sudden, two players collide. One referee blows the whistle to stop play. One of the players complains that she can’t feel her feet and is experiencing sharp, shooting pains in her knees. The other referee tells the team captain to move this player off the court so that play can resume. Based on the guidelines in this chapter, what should the first official do?
	3.	Outline the components of a comprehensive officiating program. Be sure to start with your program mission, and then include such areas as training, safety, and evaluation.
References
Boyles, M. 1996. On officials, fair play, and otherwise sunny days. CIRA Bulletin 22 (3): 3-5.
Flanery, T., ed. 1999. National Federation of State High School Associations 1999-2000 rule book for soccer. Indianapolis: National Federation of State High School Associations Publications.
Geiger, J. 1997. “Count it!” Officials that don’t miss the call. NIRSA Journal 21 (3): 12-14.
National Collegiate Athletic Association. 1999. NCAA soccer rulebook. Indianapolis: National Collegiate Athletic Association.
Resources
National Association of Sports Officials (NASO)
2017 Lathrop Avenue
Racine, WI 53405
Phone: 262-632-5448
Web site: www.referee.com
An excellent source on officiating, offering helpful sport quizzes, newsletters, and other information. “Favorite official links” on the Web site contains many helpful organizations and sources of information on a wide variety of sports.
Yahoo
520 North Bridge Road
#05-01 Wisma, Alsagoff
Singapore, 188742
Web site: asia.yahoo.com/Recreation/Sports/Officiating
Offers information about officiating specific sports.
About.com
1440 Broadway
New York, NY 10018
Phone: 212-204-4000
Web site:volleyball.about.com/sports/volleyball/msubofficialr.htm
Web site: ussoccer.about.com/sports/ussoccer/msub17.htm?once=true&
Offers information about officiating volleyball and soccer.