FHSAA Student Officials Program
Mentor Guide

Aim of the Student Officials Program
Basic to the program is the belief that properly and adequately coached from the outset, young people with an interest in officiating can develop as capable officials so that in the future they will be prepared to follow in the footsteps of their mentors. It is a goal of the program that student officials will learn the correct way to perform as an official. Designed training, we believe, will better prepare officials than any program previously attempted.

Each student official must be prepared to dedicate time to the study, practice and learning of officiating skills as well as devote time to officiate junior high and middle school contests. Learning to be an official is work. Student officials must understand the time commitment before they embark on this experience.

The mentor will be a leader. The leader will chart the course and introduce the student to the practices and procedures of officiating. The mentor will also be a teacher providing learning opportunities for the student official. Assistance with tests and clinic experiences will be a part of this responsibility. The teaching mentor will accompany the student official to FHSAA Rules Meetings.

The mentor will be a friend. It will be the mentor who will answer the tough questions, support the student official in tight situations and encourage the student in times of distress.

Finally, the mentor will be responsible for actively critiquing the student official throughout the season. Improvement rather than perfection will be the goal. Positive rather than negative evaluations will be critical to reinforcing the accomplishments of the student official.

Introduction
The student official should . . .
1. Read the FHSAA Officials Guidebook and discuss it with the Mentor.
2. Accompany the Mentor to Rules Meetings.
3. Begin reading the Rules Book, Casebook and Officials Manual.

The mentor should . . .
1. Present and discuss proper officials uniform and equipment.
2. Assist student in gathering required uniform and equipment.
3. Promote physical/mental readiness.
4. Schedule weekly discussion periods to study rules.

Beginning
The student official should . . .
1. Practice proper signals.
2. Practice making calls.
3. Study the fundamentals of the sport.
4. Study FHSAA preferred mechanics and positioning.
5. Officiate with FHSAA approved or authorized officials.
6. Officiate junior high and middle school contests.

The mentor should . . .
1. Promote punctuality.
2. Introduce the student official to officials and coaches.
3. Discuss and develop a concept of the "spirit of the rules."
4. Discuss philosophy and style in making the calls.
5. Teach FHSAA preferred mechanics and positioning.
6. Be present at all games officiated by the student official, participating as an official or observer.

Entering the Arena
The student official and mentor should . . .
1. Attend contests often to observe and study other officials.
2. Discuss advancement and career expectations.
3. Discover and discuss the ideal personality of the official.
4. Discuss and practice keys to developing an impartial attitude.
5. Explain and practice preferred professional style for an official when developing relationships with coaches.
6. Discuss "over-officiating" – what it is and how to avoid it.

The Season
The student official and mentor should . . .
1. Discuss and practice methods for dealing with dissent from coaches and players.
2. Identify and practice methods to handle dissent from spectators.
3. Discuss and establish methods and techniques useful in handling a confrontation/fight.
4. Identify and recognize contest elements which can and should be handled by officials.
5. Identify and practice techniques to maintain emotional control.
6. Prepare the student official to understand and deal with identified personal limitations.
7. Identify and practice techniques to deal with specific pressure packed situations.

Profesionnal Responsibility
The mentor should . . .
1. Promote reading of rules books, casebooks, officials manuals, guidebook and current literature.
2. Encourage and assist the student official in self-evaluation.
3. Encourage the student official to observe, talk with and "be around" veteran officials.
4. Review an evaluation and establish comfort in being evaluated.

Growth and Advancement
The mentor should . . .
1. Critique the student official during each contest.
2. Accentuate the positive. . . always.
3. Evaluate the student official monthly in writing using specified, detailed accounts.
4. Arrange for one evaluation by an accomplished sensitive official.
5. Encourage the student official to keep a log into which game notes and comments are entered. This practice will keep discussions meaningful and useful.
6. Maintain a log into which comments about the development of the student official are entered.

Mentor Moments
The mentor should . . .
1. Prepare for the eventuality that the student official doesn’t make the grade.
2. Prepare for the possibility that the student official can’t complete a contest assignment.
3. Write and discuss with the student official critiques about positive growth.
4. Personally discuss weaknesses with the student official. Written discussion of weaknesses will be avoided until the end of the season. Even then, be sensitive and positive.
5. Phone the student official regularly and maintain contact, be interested.
6. Be positive and be encouraging.
7. Officiate with/or observe the student official a minimum of once per week.

Conclusion
Serving as a mentor is not something everyone can do. There will be some disappointment, even rejection. There will undoubtedly be some outstanding moments. The pay-off is knowing that a young official was nurtured and because of that nurturing will have a better than average chance to succeed as an official.

You will be the catalyst for the growth anticipated by the FHSAA. You will likely develop a new friend and there may be excitement in watching your student mature and develop. Of course some of you will sit proudly in the stands at a contest to watch your student official work a "big game" or perhaps a state final contest sometime in the future.

The FHSAA thanks every mentor for the energy, dedication and effort that will be required to see this dream come true. One by one, each of you will contribute to the preservation of high school athletics by guaranteeing that officials will be prepared and available to carry on.

The FHSAA "Student Official Program" is proud to welcome your commitment to this important project.


Contact Information
For more information, e-mail officials@fhsaa.org.

Address
FHSAA
1801 NW 80th Blvd.
Gainesville, FL 32606
Phone: (352) 372-9551
Fax: (352) 372-9086

FHSAA Staff
Sonny Hester, Senior Director of Athletics/Supervisor of Officials, ext. 270
Carrie Hardee, Officials Registrar, ext. 290