This second part of the ‘Sports Officiating’ class was very interesting. I learned about four other NCAA sports regulations. A few of the sports, I was not that familiar with, but was acquainted with the others. The first thing that I learned was how a basketball official needs to have a mental focus before and during a basketball game. The basketball official needs to anticipate difficult situations in order to maintain focus and keep his level of stress down. This will help with the official making correct calls. The referee should visualize the game. In order for the referee to have a good game, he or she must feel comfortable and not anxious. If a mistake or miscall happens, the official must accept it and move on. We are human and those things will happen.
Talking about human error, the second thing that I learned was about one of the most controversial calls in Major League Baseball. In the summer of 2010, an unbelievable event took place when Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga was denied a perfect game by a call of safe made by first base umpire Jim Joyce. After the replay, it was undoubtedly that he had it wrong. The uproar was startling! Jim Joyce and his family received death threats. He felt so bad about blowing that call. The next day Galarraga came out to meet with Joyce at home plate with the lineup card. It was like a peace making moment. Joyce was shedding tears and Galarraga was as if it was ok for making the mistake.
The third thing that I learned was that softball is a bit just like baseball with their rules. I grab knowledge that in softball, there are ten players in the starting lineup card. Each player’s first name and last name need to be on the lineup card to be official for the game. The bases are 60 feet apart from each other. The outfield fence must be a smooth arc and cannot be no more than 235 feet. The pitcher’s mound is 45 feet from home plate. As you read, there are similar terminology, but at a smaller scale.
The fourth thing that I learned was about the interesting sport of wrestling. This sport represents one of the oldest forms of combat. The origins of this great sport go back 15,000 years. Today, there are two forms of wrestling, Greco Roman and Freestyle wrestling. In Greco-Roman wrestling style, it is not allowed to hold the opponent below the belt to make trips and to aggressively use the legs in the execution of any action. As in Freestyle wrestling, the wrestlers are allowed to use their opponent's legs in offense and defense.
Lastly, I learned that being an official in any sport could be a very difficult job to do. The official needs to have thick skin. They will be yelled at by coaches, questioned by athletes, and ridiculed by fanatics. The officials need to have their own style. They must also have great communication with their other colleagues. They must work well in a team. The most important thing that I learned this semester is that good teamwork is the key to a well-officiated event.