Officiating isn’t for everyone. You’re going to have individuals who can’t cut it on the field and court and give up the avocation. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to save an officiating career. The right approach could keep that member officiating for another year or many years. Here are a few tips for reaching out to a member who is contemplating an early exit from officiating:
- Figure out the problem
Don’t wait for the member to come to you for help; seek the individual out. Tell the official what you have heard from other members and ask the official if he or she is thinking about leaving officiating and why. There may be a variety of reasons depending on the individual. For newer officials, it sometimes comes down to not being comfortable on the field or court because of sportsmanship issues, lack of training or difficulties with other officials. You need to understand the reason to address it.
- Provide support
Just by listening you are letting the troubled official know you care about any issues. To take it a step further, you should work to provide support for the official through more educational training or by providing a mentor.
- Improve the environment
Some troubles are caused by outside factors. You can’t shield members from every complaining player, coach or fan, but your association can contact leagues to support sportsmanship efforts. If a hostile environment is the cause of a member wanting to call it quits, letting the member know you are working on the issue may help.
- Ask the member to stay
Let the official know that you want him or her to stay in the officiating ranks. Tell the official how much he or she has improved over the months or years and what a great job the official has done. Psychic income is important and might make the difference between an official staying and going.
- Keep the door open
After all your efforts, some officials may still quit. Let those officials know that just because they have decided to give up officiating right now doesn’t mean they have to leave and never come back. Maybe age will bring with it more confidence, or the individual will have more time in the coming years. By providing the invitation, you are opening the door for a return.
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