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An Official’s Guide To Controlling Pressure Situations

by: Rex Lardner
Editor American Football Monthly
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Dr. John Laurie has been a high school teacher and administrator for over 45 years and has also been a high school and college football official for 40 years. He has officiated Kansas state high school football and basketball as well as serving as a referee in the Big 8 for 13 years and 11 years in the Big XII. Dr. Laurie also has officiated in 11 different bowl games and been, over the last decade, a regular contributor to American Football Monthly.

His new book, Managing the Game: An Official’s Guide To Controlling Pressure Situations is the product of lessons learned during that near half century of both teaching and officiating. Dr. Laurie combines the worlds of management and sports through quotations that are applicable to both coaches and officials alike.

Dr. Laurie and I spoke recently about his four decades as an official. In his view, these are the most important elements an official must possess:

• “I really believe in the official’s ability to be decisive.”

• “You must be yourself as an official and not pretend to be someone else.”

• “The best officials know what to overlook. Others get caught up in mechanics and become self-centered in finding a foul that they can find in the rule book but forget that’s not the reason they’re out there.”

• “I think effective interaction with other officials, coaches and players is extremely important. That is, to appropriately communicate, especially in heated situations.”

• “Another quality I feel is important is field presence. There’s a presence that officials should have that indicates they’re in control of themselves and the game and that those observing the game know they are in control and it’s being properly administrated.”

• “There’s no question that good character is important.”

• “I feel a passion for learning is important. The best officials I know don’t try to get into the Big XII; they find ways once they get into the Big XII to become better officials.”

• “The ability to accept criticism. There are good people – like in business – that fly when everything is smooth but are not able to accept suggestions that will make them a better official.”

• “Don’t be arrogant or aloof. Often good officials have an attitude that they’re above the game.”

And what would you expect out of a coach during the course of a game? “What I look for are really good questions. That is, sincere questions about the interpretation of the rules and not arguing about a point. So, instead of a coach screaming ‘Holding, Holding,’ if a coach approaches me and asks, for example ‘…I don’t know who’s watching the tight ends but they’re not able to get out on their patterns. Could you find out on your crew who’s assigned to the tight ends and tell him we’re not able to get out in their patterns?’ With that kind of question, all of a sudden you’re listening. It’s the way they ask questions and the way they communicate.”

Food for thought. We hope you enjoy this issue of American Football Monthly.

Respectfully,

Rex Lardner
AFM Managing Editor
rlardner@lcclark.com
561-355-5068 (x 329)

Managing the Game:An Official’s Guide To Controlling Pressure Situations is available through www.leatherpublishing.com. You can also write directly to Dr. Laurie at P.O. Box 23208, Overland Park, KS 66283.






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