The new season is just days ahead and just like players, referees need to start preparing (ideally in a professional way) themselves in all aspects of their game, namely physically, technically and psychologically. The development of a successful referee does not begin when the same referee goes to his first training meeting or seminar.
For many, the preparation begins even during childhood by taking responsibility for any actions taken. Others develop later in life. All successful referees share a quality of mental toughness that helps them make the tough decisions. However mental toughness is not always enough.
Other strategies are needed to help the referee overcome the pressure situations. For example, what is really happening when coaches, players and/or supporters are coming down on the referee and the latter becomes flustered and loses concentration? Simple, the referee is doubting his abilities and losing his self-confidence. Thus the ambitious referee should learn to regain, or better still, never lose his composure and concentration.
One way is for the referee to prepare completely and know the rules and mechanics of his sport. If the referee can be where he is supposed to be to see the play going on, the same referee will be more confident. When the referee is prepared, he will definitely know when, for example in basketball, a coach does not have a clue what he is talking about and when the same coach does have a clue.
My opinion on the way a referee should prepare himself is to study and work as many games as possible especially in the first years of the career. The more plays the referee sees and experiences, the better prepared the referee will be for his next appointment.
Despite all the preparation, every referee will do mistakes and there will always be a chance that a coach or a player could be occasionally right when commenting on some decision taken by the referee. During the game, the referee should put any such call behind him and rid himself of doubts so that the same referee would be ready for the next decision.
In my university days I still recall a quote, which I believe is relevant in such situations, by Professor Jeffrey Kottler, “embrace failure as potential good. Think of failure as constructive feedback telling you that something you tried did not work”. In this context, as I have stated many times in the past, a good self-evaluation after a game will help each referee.
The referee should also be prepared for any hostilities by supporters or protests by players and coaches. This is easier said than done and often new referees do not come to grips with such situations and end quitting their job.
In all honesty I cannot say I learnt to cope with protests immediately on my first day as a referee. However certain logic I assumed and learned through my ever-present interactions with fellow highly-experienced referees abroad helped me overcome most situations.
One lesson I learnt was that the referee should remember how he himself acted when he played and/or watched sports as a supporter. Like most players and supporters, he did not know the referee personally and, with very few and rare exceptions, he surely yelled or protested.
However, this yelling or protesting was generally directed at the uniform and not the person (this has been analysed a number of times in previous articles). Having grasped this idea, the referee can then build a thicker skin and concentrate more on the game.
The emotional level is the most difficult aspect of the game that the referee can control. However, if the referee commits himself to block out the jeers and criticisms and concentrate on the play that is going on, he will be a better referee. It really sounds simple but surely needs a lot of practice.
As stated by top experts in refereeing, a strong belief system, personal confidence and a feeling of self-esteem are requisites to reach the top refereeing spots.
Rule changes in basketball
The FIBA Central Board, the highest executive body of the International Basketball Federation, has decided to make slight amendments to the official FIBA Basketball rules.
The following rules amendments have been adopted:
1. If the request for a time-out or a substitution is made before the ball is at the disposal of a player for a throw-in following the free throw (s), the time out or the substitution shall be granted for both teams if the last or only free throw is successful.
2. If a free throw(s) is followed by a throw-in at the centre line extended, opposite the scorer’s table, the time-out or the substitution shall be granted after the last free throw for both teams whether the last free throw is successful or not.
3. During the last two (2) minutes of the fourth (4th) period or each extra-period, if a time out is granted:
to the non-scoring team after the valid field goal,
to the team that has been awarded the possession of the ball in its back court, the throw-in, following the time-out, shall be administrated at the centre line extended, opposite the scorer’s table. The player taking the throw-in shall be entitled to pass the ball to a team-mate at any place on the playing court.
These rule amendments become effective as of 1 October.
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