Consistency

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What is it, why is it important, and how do we achieve it?

Consistency

What is Consistency?

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“acting or doing something the same way over time, especially so as to be fair or accurate.”

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Consistency

What is Consistency?

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“acting or doing something the same way over time, especially so as to be fair or accurate.”

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Consistency

What is Consistency?

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“acting or doing something the same way over time, especially so as to be fair or accurate.”

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Consistency

Consistency in Officiating

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• Equal Treatment of Participants
• Using the Same Mechanics
• Uniform Application of Rules
• Matching Judgement Calls
• Predictable Behavior

Consistency

Why is Consistency Important

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• Fairness of competition
• Reduced agitation of participants
• Minimize of Criticism

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Consistency signals Competence

Consistency

Communications with Coaches

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Keep it even

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• If you spend 10 minutes in pre-game with one, you better figure out how to do it with both
• Count on someone paying attention to the time spent with both coaches

Consistency

Communications with Coaches

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• You know one coach? Call him “coach” and keep professional distance at the game
• Joking it up will raise the opposing coach’s antennae

Consistency

Communications with Coaches

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Coach wants to discuss a call? Make sure other coach has opportunity to listen in

• Challenging between periods when one may be occupied

Consistency

Communications with Coaches

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Don’t get button-holed during the game and slow it down

• A quick question is fine. A full-on discussion is not.
• If the coach is insistent, ask him if he wants to call a timeout

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You are not obligated to halt a game to appease a worked-up coach, nor should you.

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Consistency

Consistency in Mechanics

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Don’t modify your mechanics!!

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• More experienced people than us have crafted them.
• Much of our on-field activity becomes automatic over time.
• Freewheeling adds confusion to newer officials
• Have to concentrate on things that should be automatic
• Changing responsibilities sets crew up for missing things

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Consistency

Consistency in Mechanics

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• Advancing/Clearing Counts
• Coaches pay attention to who has the count
• Faceoffs
• Limit verbal adjustments to early in the game
• Why we have pre-game meeting w/FOGOs
• They will adjust quickly if you call violations

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Consistency

How is the Game Called Today?

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• Every game is a little bit different
• Composition of the crew
• Level of play
• Each team’s skill level
• Physicality
• History or rivalry between the teams
• Mood/Behavior of every individual on the field
• Spectators

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These items all affect the way we officiate!

Consistency

Get On the Same Page

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• We have different perceptions of what is a foul
• Experience influences judgment
• The Rules and the Reality
• Pre-game is important for getting on the same page
• Crew discussion during game stoppages

Coaches don’t care that there are 3 individuals in a crew. They just want all calls to be the same, regardless of team or official.

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Consistency

Setting the Bar

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• First flag/call sets the bar for that game
• We need to “store” that and apply it the rest of the game EVEN IF IT IS NOT WHAT WE WOULD ORDINARILY CALL!
• Matching play ==> Matching call
• Once a call is made for a particular type of foul, that becomes the baseline (until a tighter call is made)

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Consistency

Are You Sure It’s A Foul?

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• Make sure the first flag is EARNED
• A ticky-tack, 50/50 call affects the whole game
• A low threshold = lots of flags + a longer game ( and unhappy people)
• Was it a lacrosse move? (Skill)
• Did the defender have reasonable access to the ball?
• Did physicality go beyond skill to control it?
• Was the action just unnecessary?

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Consistency

Do we have any leeway once the bar is set?

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• 50/50 calls
• This is why you don’t want to set the bar here
• Advantage / Disadvantage
• Technical fouls only
• In the scrimmage area?
• Fast break or settled offense?

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Consistency

Consistency is not:

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• Equalizing the number of calls on both teams
• If we are consistent, coaches/teams can adjust to how we are calling the game
• Going easier on one team because they aren’t as good
• Possible exception: 50/50 calls
• Personal foul calls must remain the same for both teams!

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Consistency

Sportsmanship

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• Ignoring bad behavior will make it persistent.
• We must be brave enough to make the calls.
• “Thick Skin” is ultimately a disservice.
• Don’t leave issues for future crews
• Impact on recruitment / retention

Consistency

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Consistency is our goal�– not a rule –

and requires conscious effort to achieve.

Consistency