Are WE Ready for Some Futbol—Football?Brad Allen, NFL Referee #122

July 26, 2015

Core Values – Integrity, Respect, Resiliency, Commitment to “Team”

“You don’t win without good people and we are going to have good people.” --- Toronto Maple Leafs Head Coach Mike Babcock

Are We Ready?

No “Instant Replay” for Integrity

The essential elements of athletics – teamwork, planning, motivation, sportsmanship, fitness – have served in both vocation and avocation;

Resiliency reveals itself through the ability to multi-task;

President/Executive Director of North Carolina Senior Games, Inc., NFL Referee and Crew Chief, NCHSAA Official and Supervisor, Father, Husband, etc..

Are We Ready?

The concept of “family” or “team” provides valuable support:

◦ Effective teamwork begins at home,◦ Leaders need full cooperation by members of

their staff/volunteers/team/crew,◦ Performance evaluation = The most honest

feedback comes from mentors and/or peers.

Are We Ready?

“Paying Your Dues”

Know rules and regulations “inside and out” and how to administer them effectively:

◦ It is inexcusable to make a mistake in the application of a rule,

◦ There are many myths about certain rules, but only one final authority,

◦ Common sense and advantage/disadvantage should always aide enforcement.

Are We Ready?

Achieving success requires a GREAT deal of time and effort:

◦ Physical preparation,◦ Off-season work,◦ Mentoring and peer review, ◦ Expert assessment,◦ Self-confidence in the face of social media,◦ Separating the “good” from the “best.”

Are We Ready?

Communication is Critical!

We must EARN Respect! There is no substitute for experience:

◦ Neither coaches, players, A.D.s nor officials are formed in a laboratory,

◦ Everyone has to “pay their dues,”◦ The higher profile of “the game,” the greater the

scrutiny and the expectations for performance,◦ Confidence is gained when you “act like you’ve

been there before.”

Are We Ready?

“The Game” will always keep you HUMBLE:

◦ Working with the Public -- “Fan” is short for “fanatic” – some real-world examples,

◦ Father Kelly – “May God have mercy upon his soul!”

◦ NEVER allow a missed call to define you!

◦ Reveal personal Integrity and Resiliency by recognizing errors and making them “teachable moments”

Our Best Effort

◦ You Never Know Who’s Watching……..

◦ EVERY game is a BIG game!

◦ Always remember your Grandmother’s Birthday!

◦ How R U?

Our Best Effort

“Double Rookie” Debut

Never Forget “Where You Came From!”

Let’s Make 2015 Our Best Year!