5 Common mistakes made by hockey umpires

Umpiring is not for everyone and it requires a set of skills that go beyond the knowledge of the rulebook. Here we present common mistakes made by umpires, if you can think of another one, just leave your thoughts at the bottom:

1. Bad Field positioning

An umpire who is out of position will always be in disadvantage for making a strong decision based on the evidence therefore, being in the right place at the right time is a priority.

2. Not anticipating what can happen

An umpire should not only be properly placed but he or she must be able to “go to where the ball will be and not where it was”. Visualising the near future can help the umpire to have a clearer idea of certain situation.

3. Trying to impose their authority

EHL umpires talk firmly but calmly and respectfully to the players because there is nothing worse than showing an abuse of authority. If you want respect you need to show that you are a person that can be respected instead of a person who tries to intimidate the players.

4. Not accepting their own mistakes

Being stubborn to recognise a bad call and revert the decision in a firm way. Umpires make mistakes but they can also change their mind if they see that they are fairly wrong.

5. Falling to the pressure

Nothing worse than watching an umpire who totally lost control of the game, the players, the crowd and his own mind while crumbling to the stress of the game. Remaining calm under high pressure situations can make a difference between a good performance and a bad one.