Umpire and Referee

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Sports Umpires officiate at sporting events, such as netball, hockey, football, basketball, cricket, boxing and wrestling matches, by interpreting and enforcing match rules. Future Growth Very Strong

Umpires and referees oversee and control competitive athletic or sporting events to make sure the rules of the game are followed and upheld.


ANZSCO ID: 452322

Alternative names: Sports Umpire,

Knowledge, skills and attributesRed card

  • Judgment and Decision Making -- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

  • Social Perceptiveness -- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

  • Active Listening -- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

  • Coordination -- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

  • Persuasion -- Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.

  • Speaking -- Talking to others to convey information effectively.

  • Active Learning -- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

  • Reading Comprehension -- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

  • Monitoring -- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

  • Critical Thinking -- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

  • Negotiation -- Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.

  • Learning Strategies -- Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.

  • Time Management -- Managing one's own time and the time of others.

  • Instructing -- Teaching others how to do something.

  • Problem Sensitivity -- The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

  • Oral Expression -- The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

  • Speech Clarity -- The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

  • Speech Recognition -- The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

  • Oral Comprehension -- The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

  • Trunk Strength -- The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without 'giving out' or fatiguing.

  • Far Vision -- The ability to see details at a distance.

  • Stamina -- The ability to exert yourself physically over long periods of time without getting winded or out of breath.

  • Near Vision -- The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

  • Deductive Reasoning -- The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

  • Information Ordering -- The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations). Umpire before soccer game

  • Selective Attention -- The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.

  • Inductive Reasoning -- The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

  • Speed of Limb Movement -- The ability to quickly move the arms and legs.

  • Written Comprehension -- The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

  • Multilimb Coordination -- The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.

  • Perceptual Speed -- The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.

 

Duties and Tasks Time Out

  •  Officiate at sporting events, games, or competitions, to maintain standards of play and to ensure that game rules are observed.

  • Judge performances in sporting competitions in order to award points, impose scoring penalties, and determine results.

  • Signal participants or other officials to make them aware of infractions or to otherwise regulate play or competition.

  • Inspect sporting equipment and/or examine participants in order to ensure compliance with event and safety regulations.

  • Keep track of event times, including race times and elapsed time during game segments, starting or stopping play when necessary.

  • Start races and competitions.

  • Resolve claims of rule infractions or complaints by participants and assess any necessary penalties, according to regulations.

  • Verify scoring calculations before competition winners are announced.

  • Direct participants to assigned areas such as starting blocks or penalty areas.

  • Report to regulating organizations regarding sporting activities, complaints made, and actions taken or needed such as fines or other disciplinary actions.

  • Confer with other sporting officials, coaches, players, and facility managers in order to provide information, coordinate activities, and discuss problems.

  • Teach and explain the rules and regulations governing a specific sport.

  • Research and study players and teams in order to anticipate issues that might arise in future engagements.

  • Verify credentials of participants in sporting events, and make other qualifying determinations such as starting order or handicap number.

  • Compile scores and other athletic records.

  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others -- Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.

  • Performing General Physical Activities -- Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.

  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems -- Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships -- Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards -- Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

  • Getting Information -- Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

  • Developing and Building Teams -- Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.

  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge -- Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job. Tennis Umpire

  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates -- Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

  • Coaching and Developing Others -- Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.

  • Training and Teaching Others -- Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.

  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events -- Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public -- Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.

  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates -- Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.

  • Communicating with Persons Outside Organization -- Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.

  • Selling or Influencing Others -- Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.

  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others -- Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.

  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others -- Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.

Working conditions

Sports umpires or referees often work irregular hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.

More than 75% of all sports umpires or coaches in Australia are unpaid volunteers. Umpires, referees, and other sports officials work in sports stadiums, arenas and on playing fields. They work indoors and outdoors, in all types of weather.


Education and training/entrance requirements

Educational requirements for sports umpires or referees vary and are sometimes determined by the appropriate local or national sports association or governing body. Training requirements also vary by State and the level and type of sport. All sports umpires or referees, however, require extensive knowledge of the rules of the game.

Sports with national governance, and which are paid at a professional level, often run accredited courses for people wanting to work as umpires or referees.

A small number of private agencies provide paid roles for sports referees. To work with these agencies, you would need to pass a Working With Children check.

Did You Know?

A group of girls from are training to be AFL Umpires?


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