The Psychology of Officiating – Part 2: Preparation
Be prepared to create the foundation for focus and confidence
From Themes to Tools
In officiating, emotional control is one of your most valuable tools. In Part 1, we explored how staying composed under pressure separates the good referees from the great ones. But here’s the thing: emotional control doesn’t just happen—it’s built long before the game begins. It starts with preparation.
Pre-game preparation isn’t just about going through the motions or scouting the teams; it’s also about building the confidence and focus to handle anything the game throws your way. In this article, we’re diving into specific mental tools like visualization and anchoring that will help you sharpen your focus and calm your nerves before tip-off.
The Power of Preparation: Why It Matters
As referees, we’re taught the mechanics of officiating—the rules, the positioning, the signals. But the mental side of the game is often overlooked, even though it’s just as critical to success. As I said earlier, preparation isn’t just about knowing the rulebook or showing up physically ready; it’s about mentally equipping yourself to handle high-pressure moments with confidence and clarity.
Mental preparation sharpens your focus, reduces self-doubt, and helps you stay composed no matter how intense the game becomes. It’s not a one-time effort—it’s a habit that builds over time, setting the foundation for consistent, high-level performance. It requires dedicated time and effort to master.
The good news? Preparation is a skill you can develop with the right tools.
Let’s explore three proven techniques—reflection, visualization, and anchoring—that will help you step onto the court mentally ready for anything.
Step 1: Reflection—Learning from the Past
Reflection is one of the most valuable habits a referee can develop. In one of our previous posts (see below), we explored how reflecting on the past leads to long-term growth. But reflection isn’t just for the off-season—it’s also a powerful tool for pre-game preparation. By looking back at your experiences, you can anticipate challenges and step onto the court more focused and confident.
How to Reflect Effectively:
Identify Strengths and Weaknesses:
What went well in your last game?
Were there moments when you felt distracted or unsure?
What situations tested your composure?
Spot Patterns:
Are the same scenarios—like dealing with emotional coaches—challenging you repeatedly? Prepare mental rehearsals (see Step 2) for them in advance.
Track Growth with a Journal:
Write down the answers to the above questions and key takeaways after every game—what worked, what didn’t, and what you’ll focus on improving next time. Revisiting these notes before your next game helps you step onto the court with more self-awareness and confidence.
Once you’ve reflected on the past, it’s time to focus forward—this is where visualization comes in.
Step 2: Visualization—Rehearsing the Game in Your Mind
Visualization is one of the most powerful tools in a referee’s toolkit. Why? Because it allows you to mentally rehearse scenarios before they happen, essentially “training” your brain to handle them with clarity and confidence.
How Visualization Works:
Visualization activates the same neural pathways as physical performance. When you vividly imagine a situation—complete with sights, sounds, and emotions—your brain treats it like real practice. This sharpens your focus and builds mental “muscle memory.”
To make visualization effective, sport psychologists Dr. David Smith and Dr. Paul Holmes developed a framework called PETTLEP. This science-based model ensures your mental rehearsal mirrors real-world conditions, maximizing its impact. It’s an acronym for seven key elements—Physical, Environment, Task, Timing, Learning, Emotion, and Perspective—designed to make visualization as realistic and effective as possible. Research shows that following these principles helps athletes (and referees) activate the same neural pathways as physical performance, making mental practice more impactful.
How the PETTLEP Model Works:
Physical: Hold your whistle or mimic movements.
Environment: Picture the court—the sounds of shoes, the crowd’s energy.
Task: Rehearse specific challenges (e.g., calling an illegal screen).
Timing: Visualize at game pace, not in slow motion.
Learning: Incorporate lessons from reflection.
Emotion: Feel the pressure and practice staying calm.
Perspective: Imagine from a first-person view.
For example, before a game, you can find a quiet space to sit. Close your eyes, hold your whistle, and picture yourself walking onto the court. Imagine the crowd noise, the players’ movements, and the confidence you’ll carry in every call you make.
Rehearse Positives and Challenges:
Imagine yourself confidently setting the tone in the first quarter.
Visualize yourself staying calm when a coach argues a call.
Picture handling a game-deciding play with clarity and decisiveness.
Visualization prepares your mind, but what about your body? That’s where physical anchoring plays a crucial role.
Step 3: Anchoring—Grounding Yourself in the Moment
Have you ever noticed how small, familiar actions—like holding your whistle or taking a deep breath—can instantly calm your nerves? That’s the power of anchoring. Borrowed from Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), anchoring is the process of associating a physical cue with a desired mental state.
How to Create a Pre-Game Anchor:
Choose a Physical Action:
A simple gesture like holding your whistle, tapping your leg, or making a small power fist gesture.
Pair It with a Mental State:
During preparation, focus on calmness and clarity while performing the action. For example, take deep breaths, repeat a mantra like “Calm and sharp,” and grip your whistle at the same time. In my games, I always say “run, talk, adjust” in my self-talk and I do it out loud. I feel relaxed when I hear my voice more often.
Reinforce It:
Repeat the action consistently during pre-game preparation. Over time, the anchor becomes a trigger for focus and calmness.
Why Anchoring Works:
Anchors capitalize on your brain’s ability to link physical actions with emotional states. Once established, you can use your anchor to reset and refocus even in high-pressure moments during the game.
Related Read:
NLP Techiques: Basic Anchoring in 5 Simple Steps
By reflecting on the past, visualizing the future, and grounding yourself in the present, you create a foundation for focus, confidence, and adaptability.
Final Words
Pre-game preparation is about more than just calming your nerves—it’s about building the mindset to handle anything the game throws at you. By reflecting on the past, visualizing the future, and grounding yourself in the present, you create a foundation for focus, confidence, and adaptability.
But let’s be honest—even the best preparation doesn’t guarantee perfection. Mistakes and surprises are part of the game. The question isn’t whether they’ll happen—it’s what you’ll do next. In Part 3, we’ll dive into the art of resilience: how to bounce back from mistakes and keep moving forward.
Because at the highest levels, it’s not just about how you prepare—it’s about how you recover and keep going.
Was a huge proponent of visualization as a player, and still am as an umpire. I use my daily runs to “run through” scenarios, situations, conversations on the field. Good stuff