In a previous Ready for Play article, we talked about focusing on what we can control—our Circle of Influence. That article was about mindset. This one is about action.
In his “3-2-1 Thursday”, published on Jan 8, 2026, James Clear put it this way:
“You can’t make time go faster or success come sooner. The only thing you can control is the next action.”
That sentence is both freeing and convicting. We can’t control our schedule, our assignments, or how quickly we improve. We can control what we do next. And when it comes to high school football officiating, progress is almost always the result of small, intentional actions repeated over time.
Clear follows that idea with another helpful framing:
“There are two ways to grow: by adding or by shedding. Do you need to add something or do you need to shed something?”
As the season approaches, that’s a question worth considering.
Habits Worth Adding
Most officials don’t need a complete overhaul. They need a few simple habits added consistently.
Add short, regular study, not marathon sessions. Fifteen minutes with the rulebook, a case play, or a mechanics manual done three or four times a week beats a frantic cram session prior to taking a test or walking onto the field for the first game.
Add film study. Watching clips—especially ones that make you uncomfortable—sharpens judgment. You don’t need hours. One or two plays a day keeps your eye disciplined.
Add conversation. Talking through plays with a mentor or trusted official accelerates learning. It forces you to articulate what you saw and why you ruled the way you did.
Add intentional fitness. You don’t need to become a triathlete, but showing up physically prepared to move matters. Fatigue erodes mechanics, judgment, and confidence.
Add service. Volunteer to help with training, mentor a newer official, or lead a short discussion at a meeting. Teaching clarifies your own understanding.
None of these are dramatic. That’s the point. Small additions compound.
Habits Worth Shedding
Growth also requires subtraction. If we’re honest, most of us don’t lack time—we misallocate it.
Shed passive cell phone screen time during the season. Mindless scrolling steals energy and attention that could go toward staying connected to the game.
For the months of August through November, shed a few activities that conflict with improving as a high school football official. More on that concept in the next Ready for Play article.
Shed mental excuses. “I’ve always done it this way” or “That’s just how it is” quietly shut down growth.
Shed reactive habits that leave you rushed, frustrated, or unprepared on Friday nights.
Making room is just as important as filling space.
The Point Isn’t Perfection
This isn’t about doing everything. It’s about doing something—and doing it on purpose.
You can’t make success arrive faster. You can’t control outcomes. But you can control the next action: one page, one clip, one conversation, one workout, one habit added or one habit shed.
That’s how seasons are built long before the opening kickoff.
As the fall approaches, ask yourself two simple questions:
- What’s one habit I should add?
- What’s one habit I need to shed?
Then act on the answer.
Quiz
Read the quiz stem and then choose the best answer. (Choose all that apply.)
Free kick from the K-40. The loose ball is rolling slowly on the ground near the sideline at the R-5. To keep Team K from recovering it, R15 bats the ball at the R-2 where it goes out of bounds.
a. Team K may elect to enforce the foul from the R-2. Team R would next snap the ball from the R-1
b. Team K may elect to enforce the foul from the K-40. Team K would next kick the ball from midfield
c. Team K may elect to decline the penalty for R15’s foul. Team R would next snap the ball from the R-2
Review Rules 6-1-10, 9-7-2, 10-4-2b