Here are some traits to look for in good officials: They know the rules and understand the game. They are consistent, fair, honest, and willing to acknowledge their mistakes. They constantly search for favorable viewing angles as the action unfolds on the court or playing field. They have a sense of humor, enjoy their association with the game, and seldom lose their self-control.
Referees to beware of: A few bad referees can make all officials look bad by doing such things as
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- Speeding up slow games by ignoring violations that would stop the clock
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- Overlooking minor infractions or violations by a team that is hopelessly behind in order to keep the game score respectable
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- Trying to call an equal number of fouls against each basketball team as evidence of their impartiality
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- Letting the home crowd influence their calls
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- Holding long-standing grudges against coaches they've had trouble with in the past
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- Abusing their power by looking for opportunities to penalize a particular coach or team.
Recommendation: Here is what you can and can't do: You can't correct an official's incompetence, but you can report instances of incompetence (e.g., ignorance of the rules) to the state high school association, conference office, or professional league office. You can arrange with your officials' association to have certain officials barred from calling your games. Be aware that officials have long memories, and you're likely to face those same officials at some point down the road. You can also keep files on individual referees until you get to know them, including such information as temperament, game control, mobility, consistency, fairness to visiting teams, limits of allowable incidental contact, accessibility to coaches, and so on.
P.S. A good way to ensure objectivity in your assessments is to watch the officials while you're on the road scouting.
