How to Become a College Football Referee
You may have always dreamed of becoming a college football player, but just never had the kind of talent it takes or been given the opportunity. There are other ways, however, that you can get personally involved in the game you love. You can choose to become a football referee, which makes you one of the most important and powerful components of any game. You supervise games and have the ultimate say on rulings and calls.
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Instructions
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Make sure you are physically capable of performing your duties as a referee. You have to stand, walk and run through the duration of each game, so being fit is a necessity.
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Have an exceptional knowledge of the game of football. Since your job will involve having to make judgment calls that may often affect the results of a game, you must know everything about the basic rules of football, to avoid making incorrect decisions. Get a rule book and study it frequently.
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Know what your duties encompass. They include explaining and announcing penalties, observing to see if any illegal blocks or hits have been made on the quarterback, or deciding on passes and fumbles. Your responsibility is to make certain that the proper rules are always enforced.
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Look for an officials' association in your area and join it. You can meet more experienced referees who can offer training and advice, as well as answer any questions you have about specific rules related to officiating football games. Belonging to an association will provide you with support, knowledge and resources helpful to your career.
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Purchase the appropriate clothes you are required to wear as a referee. Your uniform includes a black cap, a black-and-white striped shirt with a collar, a pair of white knickers, a pair of striped socks, a pair of durable black cleats and a black belt.
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Get the equipment that is essential to your job, such a bean bag, data cards, pencils, whistle, down indicator, a good watch that has a timer and flags.
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Learn how to deal with criticism. You can expect to have very vocal complaints from the coach and players from the opposing team, as well as from fans and sports announcers, who may disagree with your rulings. You need to be able to endure negative remarks, name calling and ridicule without letting it affect your performance as a referee.
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Get experience as a referee for middle school, high school and youth league football games. This will help you get used to handling the responsibilities involved with being a referee and improve your skills. To advance to a college position, you should contact college football coaches or other game officials who are within the conference you desire to referee in and ask about available positions.
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Find out if you meet the qualifications for refereeing on the college level. Some college conferences require you to be certified, to have a number of years of refereeing at the high school and smaller college level and to establish residency. The larger the college, the more requirements they may set.
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Attend clinics and camps that provide you with additional training. These are great places to do some networking with other referees who may have information about job openings on the college level.
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