Control Yourself

In the book “The Obstacle Is the Way,” author Ryan Holiday explains when the first astronauts were trained to enter into space, one skill was emphasized more than any other—to not panic…to control emotions.

Scared, nervous, agitated, panicked, afraid, overreacting—all words that describe when we are not in control of our emotions.  When we panic, we often stray away from our plans, we ignore policies, procedures, and rules.  Then, what happens...MISTAKES.  Our thinking becomes cloudy, and we do not react how we would like or want to.  So, how do we control emotions?

In officiating and as with many aspects of our lives, we plan to the smallest detail.  However, even in our best preparation, something (maybe many things) will happen that does NOT go according to plan—ball boys do not listen and perform as they should, coaches complain about leaving the field in the wrong order, weather causes a delay, clock operators don’t show up on time, etc.  Even if we have the best plans, we have to be prepared to adjust.

How did NASA prepare astronauts to stay calm?  Panic was “trained out” of them.  NASA re-created the launch day as it should go.  The astronauts would go thru these mock launch days over-and-over again with no mistakes.  But, then, NASA introduced various problems to train the panic out the astronauts and to help remove uncertainty.

Much should be the same for officials.  The more we can prepare and train by learning from our mistakes and the mistakes of others --grader evaluations, rules study, video review, pregame crew meetings, and watching other officials-- the more we can remove uncertainty and panic--or, at least, stay calm when it happens. 

Ecclesiastes 10:4:  If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your place, for calmness will lay great offenses to rest.

In the face of obstacles, the writer of Ecclesiastes challenges us to stand firm, stay calm, and put to rest the obstacle we are facing.  Fight the urge to panic and focus on what we can change with the task we are facing.  Obstacles make us emotional.  So, the key to overcoming obstacles is to keep emotions in-check—staying steady no matter the situation.

Focus energy on solving problems, defeat emotions with logic—reasoning.

                                                                             Credit:  “The Obstacle Is the Way”, Ryan Holiday

What Do You Do?

 

Over the last couple of football seasons, as our officiating crew left the locker room to go out onto the field for the opening kick-off, one of our crew members would yell out “Do What We Do!”  It’s a jokingly rally cry similar to ones other ball teams use as they head out onto the field.  This expression has often left me contemplating “what do we do as officials?”

Let us break-down officiating into 3 areas of “what we do”:

1)    Prepare

2)    Perform

3)    Evaluate

Prepare: Our preparation includes being physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually ready. Preparation looks different for each crew member and includes both individual and crew preparation. Our preparation includes rule study, video review, physical fitness, and mental focus.  In addition, taking care of our families is a critical part of preparation each week.

Perform: Once we have prepared, we can then perform. Our performance is not just when toe meets the leather for opening kick-off until the clock hits 0:00 in the 4^th quarter. Instead, performance includes our individual preparation during the week, crew meetings, and travel and hotel interactions. It also includes communication with clock operators, Red Hats, Sideline Replay, university staff, along with pregame, on-field, and post-game responsibilities. And do not forget, performance includes our interactions after the game.

Evaluate: Personal and crew evaluation of all aspects of our game performance—pregame, during game, and post-game. We review all parts of our performance to determine what was done well, what can be done better, and where the individual official and crew need the most help and improvement. Examples of evaluation include penalties/fouls called, mechanics, and communication with players and coaches.

Galatians 6: 3-4:  3 For if a man thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.  4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.

In verse 3, Paul, the writer of Galatians, instructs us to avoid being conceited or prideful.  Pride is a great danger and always comes before a fall. Then in verse 4, Paul further instructs us to examine our own work instead of comparing ourselves against others. We can certainly review and learn from others, but not in an attitude of how much better or worse someone else is compared to me.  Our achievements are for our own personal or crew rejoicing, not to “show-boat” against others.

Looking at our crew’s rally cry “Do What We Do”, it’s a never-ending, inter-related cycle to Prepare, Perform, and Evaluate.  When we DO those things, we can most often rejoice in the results as Paul stated in Galatians 6: 4.

Without proper self-evaluation, failure is inevitable.

John Wooden