This article appears in the April edition of USA Lacrosse Magazine. Join our momentum. Marty Joyner is the manager of men’s officials development at USA Lacrosse and a veteran youth and high school referee.
Everyone has seen the controversial defensive holding call in the Super Bowl that ultimately made a difference at the end of the game. Were the officials correct? Yes. When you get a chance to look at the replay 100 times from 100 different angles, the call is easy.
Lacrosse officials don’t have that luxury. We make these calls in a split second on the field using our experience, judgment and vision to get them right.
Coming out of a long stretch of offseason tournaments, modified games and standards that are different than what’s expected in the spring, accountability becomes more of an issue for officials. Why? Because now the games really count. State and national championships are at stake. One of the great things about lacrosse is that the scholastic season is still the most important. But what does that mean for officials?
If we do our job, we put ourselves in the best position to make the correct call in every situation. Does that always happen? Of course not. Just like a coach or a player never plays a perfect game, officials miss calls.
Officiating is based in judgment. The principle of advantage disadvantage, or TPOAD, applies in many technical foul situations. In these cases, officials must determine in an instant, “Did the foul actually cause an advantage or disadvantage to the player?”
This is difficult to teach. You can show examples and discuss the situation, but ultimately, there is no substitute for game experience.
What should happen when you make a mistake? Personal accountability is the most effective form of accountability for any official.
PRE-GAME ACCOUNTABILITY
Nothing helps prepare you like a good pregame.
In college lacrosse, the preparation starts the week of the game with a two-hour in-person meeting at the game site. Officials review video, penalty histories and other technical data. At the high school level and below, many officials are just trying to get to the game in time after work. A pre-game routine may be only 5-10 minutes. Use this time to get your mind in the right space. Talk to your partner(s) about tough situations, when you will do stick checks and other pertinent game information.
Know the meaning of the game. Is it a rivalry, a playoff or an elimination game? Much of this work can be done in the days leading up to the game.