You Don’t Rise to the Occasion
“You don’t rise to the occasion. You sink to the level of your training.”— Archilochus That quote has been used in military, medical, and athletic settings for decades because it captures a…
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What Are You Willing to Shed?
In previous articles, we talked about focusing on what we can control and taking ownership of the next action. That naturally leads to a harder conversation: what are we willing to give…
Control the Next Action
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…
The “Editorial” Change That Changed Penalty Enforcement: Rule 8-2 and the Succeeding Spot
In the world of officiating, we are taught that every word in the rulebook matters. For the 2026 season, a seemingly minor “editorial” change was made to Rule 8-2 (Articles 2, 3,…
Focus on Things You Can Control
As we begin another football season, it’s worth revisiting a simple idea that has enormous implications for our performance, mindset, and long-term growth as officials: focus on what you can control. Stephen…
Ready for Play #55; the final article of the 2025 season
Note: Please do not unsubscribe from the Ready for Play articles during the off-season. When a large number of people unsubscribe from a mailing list, email providers may flag the sender as…
Set Goals for the 2026 Season
The off-season isn’t just downtime — it’s prep time. Use it to set clear, attainable goals that will make you a better official next year. Here are a few ideas: Rules Study…
One Task at a Time
As I’ve confessed in previous Ready for Play articles, I like to share life tips that make me stop and think. This quote from writer Scott H. Young may not have a…