Umpires, Referees, & Other Sports Officials
Officiate at competitive athletic or sporting events. Detect infractions of rules and decide penalties according to established regulations. Includes all sporting officials, referees, and competition judges.
Key Tasks
- 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 to award points, impose scoring penalties, and determine results.
- Inspect game sites for compliance with regulations or safety requirements.
- Resolve claims of rule infractions or complaints by participants and assess any necessary penalties, according to regulations.
- Signal participants or other officials to make them aware of infractions or to otherwise regulate play or competition.
- Verify scoring calculations before competition winners are announced.
- Teach and explain the rules and regulations governing a specific sport.
- Start races and competitions.
- Inspect sporting equipment or examine participants to ensure compliance with event and safety regulations.
- 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.
- Keep track of event times, including race times and elapsed time during game segments, starting or stopping play when necessary.
- 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 to provide information, coordinate activities, and discuss problems.
- Research and study players and teams to anticipate issues that might arise in future engagements.
Skills
Knowledge
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Abilities
Work Activities
Work Context
Freedom to Make Decisions
How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
88%
Spend Time Standing
How much does this job require standing?
75%
Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
How important is it to work with or contribute to a work group or team in this job?
75%
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?
74%
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
74%
Contact With Others
How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
73%
Work Schedules
How regular are the work schedules for this job?
73%
Physical Proximity
To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks physically close to other people?
71%
How frequently does your job require you to use E-mail?
69%
Level of Competition
To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures?
62%
Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
How often does this job require working outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions?
61%
Spend Time Walking or Running
How much does this job require walking or running?
61%
Telephone Conversations
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
61%
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
58%
Frequency of Decision Making
How often is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
57%
Conflict Situations
How frequently are there conflict situations the employee has to face in this job?
55%
Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People
How frequently does the worker have to deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous individuals as part of the job requirements?
54%
Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities
How important is it to coordinate or lead others (not as a supervisor or team leader) in accomplishing work activities in this job?
51%
Time Pressure
How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
51%
Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
How important is it to deal with external customers (as in retail sales) or the public in general (as in police work) in this job?
48%
Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
How much freedom does the worker have in determining the tasks, priorities, or goals of the job?
47%
Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working in an environment that is not environmentally controlled (like a warehouse without air conditioning)?
42%
Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures
How often does this job require working in very hot (above 90 F degrees) or very cold (below 32 F degrees) temperatures?
41%
Health and Safety of Other Workers
How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
41%
Importance of Repeating Same Tasks
How important are continuous, repetitive, physical activities (like key entry) or mental activities (like checking entries in a ledger) to performing this job?
41%
Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers
How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
41%
Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable
How often does this job require working exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable?
40%
Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions
How much does this job require making repetitive motions?
37%
Public Speaking
How frequently does your job require public speaking (one speaker with an audience)?
36%
Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
How often does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats or life-jackets?
33%
Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body
How much does this job require bending or twisting your body?
32%
Written Letters and Memos
How frequently does your job require written letters and memos?
31%
Consequence of Error
How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not easily correctable?
30%
Exposed to Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting Conditions
How often does this job require working in extremely bright or inadequate lighting conditions?
30%
Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance
How much does this job require keeping or regaining your balance?
30%
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in an environmentally controlled environment (like a warehouse with air conditioning)?
29%
Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling
How much does this job require kneeling, crouching, stooping or crawling?
28%
Spend Time Sitting
How much does this job require sitting?
28%
Dealing with Violent or Physically Aggressive People
How frequently does this job require the worker to deal with physical aggression of violent individuals?
26%
Exposed to Contaminants
How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)?
23%
Outdoors, Under Cover
How often does this job require working outdoors, under cover (like in an open shed)?
20%
Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings
How often does this job require exposure to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings?
18%
Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?
13%
Duration of Typical Work Week
Number of hours typically worked in one week.
12%
Exposed to Disease or Infections
How often does this job require exposure to disease/infections?
12%
Degree of Automation
How automated is the job?
11%
Exposed to Hazardous Equipment
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous equipment?
9%
In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment
How often does this job require working in a closed vehicle or operate enclosed equipment (like a car)?
8%
Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment
How important is it to this job that the pace is determined by the speed of equipment or machinery? (This does not refer to keeping busy at all times on this job.)
8%
Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions
How often does this job require working in cramped work spaces that requires getting into awkward positions?
6%
Exposed to Hazardous Conditions
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous conditions?
5%
Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection
How often does this job require wearing specialized protective or safety equipment such as breathing apparatus, safety harness, full protection suits, or radiation protection?
5%
Exposed to High Places
How often does this job require exposure to high places?
3%
In an Open Vehicle or Operating Equipment
How often does this job require working in an open vehicle or operating equipment (like a tractor)?
3%
Exposed to Whole Body Vibration
How often does this job require exposure to whole body vibration (like operating a jackhammer or earth moving equipment)?
1%
Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles
How much does this job require climbing ladders, scaffolds, poles, etc.?
1%
Exposed to Radiation
How often does this job require exposure to radiation?
0%
Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Less than high school diploma
Bachelor's degree
Interests
Enterprising
Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertis
Conventional
Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or hum
Realistic
Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, t
Social
Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
Investigative
Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the f
Artistic
Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts,
Work Styles
Work Values
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