This post is a continuation from the previous post titled Crew Chief Qualities based on some of my summer presentations.  This is a topic I find so interesting because I believe great crew chiefs are always looking to perfect their leadership in pregame, heated situations, and post game.  In the last post we discussed how great crew chiefs create a safe environment.  Today, I will explore two more crew chief qualities that I find invaluable.

Great crew chiefs:

• Inspire and motivate

and

• Display integrity and honesty

I believe great crew chiefs who exemplify the aforementioned characteristics are the best of the best.   I love when I am in a pre-game with a referee who believes the game is bigger than us, the kids deserve our best, and the coaches have a job to do that we should respect and understand. When a crew chief expects us to serve the game our very best attention, rules application, and mental focus, we are all better and do a better job . I worked a game with a crew chief last year who began the game by saying, “tonight may not be the #1 and #2 of the conference but it is the most important game of the night for these two teams.”  That set the stage for us to give the game our very best!  We should be so challenged every game – every night!

What is one of those comments a crew chief makes in the pregame that just inspires you or motivates you?

Another key quality of a great chief is one who can be trusted to be honest and of high integrity.  We all know officials who we wouldn’t trust as far as we could throw them, right?  But what I have found over my 20 years of officiating is that those officials who are less-than-honorable don’t stay long.  I think back to the officials who were caught cheating the systems a few years ago and how their careers came to a screeching halt.  Once people find out you cannot be trusted they no longer want to work with you.  Assignors don’t want to hire officials whom they cannot trust.  Coaches don’t want an official who lies or cheats the game of their best.

Integrity is demonstrated long before you are hired.  Last weekend a man who had been working for years asked me he could get his break at the next level.  I told him what I tell all officials who ask me this question.  “Just keep doing the right things and hope the right person sees you at the right time.”  The truth is that many times we get our break when we least expect it, and we are being watched when we least expect it.  That is what integrity is all about.  This idea dates back to the early 1900’s with C. S. Lewis when he said, “Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.”

Summer camps have come to an end, so what will you be doing for the remaining weeks / months until we are on the court again?  What will you do to become a better crew chief?  What are you doing to better your game, even while no one is watching?

If you have a story of “getting a break” when you thought no one was looking, please share below.  I would love to share your story.