To prepare for writing this article, the NFL graciously allowed me to interview and observe two NFL officiating crews, those of Ed Hochuli and Walt Anderson, during pre-season games. I interviewed members of each crew about their individual preparation during game week and on game day. I also observed how the crews prepared together to get everyone on the same page. The officials on both crews provided excellent guidance and advice for this article. For that, I am extremely grateful to them.
Game Day Preparation
Preparation doesn’t stop when we get to the field. Just as the players don’t just arrive and start playing, neither should officials just arrive at the field and start officiating. First, make sure that you have the proper hydration and energy for the game. Many officials eat a banana or an energy bar. You need to do what works for you. Also be sure to stretch. It is too easy to pull a muscle or suffer injury without proper stretching. Obviously, make sure that all of your equipment is clean and in working order. You will be judged by how you look.
When good officials get out on the field, they continue preparing for the game. Mark Hittner, a 10-year NFL veteran with three Super Bowls, provides an excellent example of how to use this time. Hittner watches the teams from his initial Head Linesman position on the line of scrimmage and goes through his pre-snap routine. He lines up with the team, makes an initial read, and watches his key. He moves downfield just as he would in a game. In his mind, he rules in the play. Then he lines up for the next play. Byron Boston, the 12-year NFL veteran Line Judge on Walt Anderson’s crew, prepares similarly to Hittner.
Downfield officials should also prepare during warm-ups. Tom Sifferman, a 21-year NFL veteran on Hochuli’s crew, lines up at this initial position downfield. He, too, goes through his pre-snap routine, picks up his key and starts back peddling. He pays close attention to the catch, visualizing a sideline or endline right where the receiver’s feet come down. Was it a catch? Did the receiver get his feet in? All officials will need to make tight calls. Preparing yourself physically and mentally for those tight calls during warm-ups will help you make the right call during the game.
Don’t waste the preparation opportunities that come during pre-game warm-ups. The players are preparing for the game and so should you. Prepare in the same way as the players – practice the mechanics and the calls you will make during the game. Use this time to focus, get into your pre-snap routines, and get your mind ready for gametime.
Post-Game Review/ Conclusion
As Alexander Graham Bell said, “preparation is the key to success.” For officials that want to be at their best, call a great game, or even advance through the ranks, preparation is an absolute necessity. This article focused on what individual officials can do to prepare during the week and on game day. Spending some time every day working on your game will pay dividends. You will see the difference in no time. However, it doesn’t stop with individual preparation. In many associations and conferences, officials work in crews. As with any other team environment, officiating crews need to be on the same page. The next part in this series will focus on what crews can do to prepare together – to ensure they are working as a team. Only when officials prepare both individually and as a crew can they be at their best on game day.
RELATED ARTICLES:
Part I: When to Prepare and the Film Review during the Week.
Part II: Types of Film, Rules Study, and Casebook Study during the Week
Part III: Mechanics and Enforcement
Part IV: Game Day Preparation and the Post-Game Review