Watch for Member Burnout

By Lawrence Tomei

“I used to love officiating — every aspect of wearing the stripes, from rules interpretation meetings to youth leagues games, to Friday night lights. I would work any scrimmage and take every assignment that was offered and still come back for more. I may not be the best official on my crew, but I have always been one of the most enthusiastic.

“Then came the pressure. I was asked to join a varsity crew and with it came new pressures to succeed. I enjoyed being on a more senior crew that had ambitions for higher-level games, better match-ups and, of course, the formerly elusive playoff games. To officiate at that level, I had to attend every rules meeting, travel to several clinics every year and, worst of all, deal with the politics of handling coaches, athletic directors and assigning commissioners, all of whom were certain they knew my position better than I did.

“During this past season, I thought about hanging up my stripes, but didn’t because I did not want to be viewed as a quitter. So, I quietly turned down the more fun assignments (youth league) and limited my game schedule to varsity and a handful of JV games.”

Sound familiar? Sound like officiating burnout to you?

Burnout is a state of emotional, mental and physical exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed and unable to meet constant demands. As the stress continues, you begin to lose the interest or motivation that led you to become an official in the first place. Burnout reduces your efficiency and saps your energy. It may cloud your judgment or make you overly sensitive to otherwise obtuse comments. It can leave you feeling increasingly cynical and resentful. Eventually, you may feel like you have nothing more to give.

If you find yourself or another official in your association described by the earlier scenarios, this article offers some ways to help recognize the symptoms, prevent burnout and, if it cannot be prevented, to overcome its effects.

Recognize your passion has turned to apathy. 

Scenario: If you no longer drive to the contest with fire in your belly, consider whether you might be suffering from burnout.

Actions: Establish personal priorities. What more do you want to get out of officiating? Which tasks are necessary to tackle first and what needs to take a back burner?

Honestly assess your situation.

Scenario: Ask yourself why you are still on the field or court. If the paycheck you receive at the end of the game has become your only driving force, evaluate if it is time to call it quits.

Actions: Take a break from the sport; teachers call it a sabbatical. It may help you make a comeback next year.

Realize you are repeatedly disappointed in your performance and results.

Scenario: It has been years since you had a playoff game. Recognition and honors are going to others on your crew while your efforts are largely ignored.

Action: Conduct a self-inventory; make a list of the situations that cause you to feel stressed, anxious, worried, frustrated and dissatisfied. Remember that officiating will always be a calling that offers little in the way of positive feedback; that must come from inside.

Just say no.

Scenario: There are five evenings during the week and you are committed to meetings every night.

Action: While you are recovering from burnout, avoid taking on any new commitments or responsibilities. If you are an officer in your chapter, a member of its board or an assigning secretary, consider giving up those positions to someone else and focus on officiating. Delegate — even if the person you are delegating to may not perform as well as you would.

Make time for yourself daily.

Scenario: Your circle of friends includes only other sports officials.

Action: Socialize outside your circle of official colleagues. Look for fresh perspectives, new ideas and opportunities to discover previously undiscovered resources. Check in with yourself throughout the day and try to respond by putting yourself first.

Try another outlet for your love of the game.

Scenario: You still want to stay involved — the sport and/or officiating is in your blood.

Action: Leave the whistle behind and become an evaluator or work the clock. Make your crew or chapter better. There’s nothing preventing you from returning next year. Plus, you might give that younger official a chance to start a varsity game.

There, now do you feel better? Most of us have days when we feel bored, overloaded or unappreciated; when the dozen balls we keep in the air aren’t noticed, let alone rewarded; when dragging ourselves out of bed requires the determination of Hercules. If you feel like that most of the time, however, you may be experiencing burnout. It happens on the job all the time. Why not on the field or court?

There’s really no point in participating in any sport, whether you are an athlete or official, unless you really enjoy it. We are all getting older and our priorities change over time. That does not make you a quitter. You enjoyed it before, but it may be time to move on. So, move on.

Officiating just because you said you would or your crew received an assignment are not good reasons. If you’re burned out and you keep it up, someone may call you on your performance and that is never good for you or the sport.

If possible, rediscover your passion. Every high-achieving official I have known had one thing in common — a passion for the game. If you’re like most victims of burnout, that passion has probably lost its meaning, leaving you feeling exhausted and emotionally depleted. Rediscovering it demands a renewed self-awareness to provide the spark you need to reignite your flame.

Lawrence Tomei is the vice provost for academic affairs at Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh. He is a longtime member of the West Penn Football Officials Association.