For every quality rating system there are quality observers. Most observers are veteran officials whose eyes of experience are used to mold younger officials into better officials. Observers may or may not currently officiate, but all must be up-to-date with current techniques and rules.
There are key elements to look for when rating officials: consistency, signaling, positioning and no-calls.
A good observer looks for consistency in routine calls. Spotters looking for consistency in once-in-a-lifetime plays get distracted from the task at hand: making each official better than he or she was the day before. Though strange plays are important to discuss, looking for them does not allow for concentration on key elements. When looking for consistency, do not second-guess judgment. Look for patterns in play situations and evaluate accordingly. If a pattern of poor judgment is noticed, discuss it with the official.
Signals are the voice of every official. The way an official tells the players, the crowd and his partner what is going on is as important as the call itself. Sharp signals reduce the possibility of unnecessary confusion.
Observers have an advantage watching others. They may use bleachers above the court or field to their advantage. A bird’s eye view is helpful when looking at angles and positioning. Observers need to be close enough to the action to get a feel of what is going on. They should be within listening distance of the officials to hear vocal calls and bench communication. Generally, a qualified observer gets a good idea of the game tone by looking for body language and gestures. They can discuss what was said later on.
Observers should watch for no-calls. There may be situations when a no-call would have been better than a call or vice versa. That is not second-guessing the official; it is simply offering guidelines as a means to growth. Many associations have more than one observer and it is possible that advice will conflict. Comments made to officials are suggestions. Look for the official who takes and uses pertinent advice without damaging his or her style. Do not force young officials to be clones of the observers. When groups use more than one observer, make sure they are all current on rule changes and association interpretations. Make them take the annual test and achieve a higher minimum score than officials.
Observers should talk to the officials after the contest. That is the best time to discuss game situations because everything is fresh in everyone’s mind. A good observer will have notes and go over them carefully. If an observed official questions the observer and he or she is not best suited to answer the question, don’t have the observer offer an opinion. Maybe it’s a rule he or she is not certain about. Don’t guess. Have them find out from another source. Better to do some research and get it right than offer a quick answer and get it wrong.
Remember, a rating system is only as good as the person doing the rating.
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