Umpires, referees and other sports officials observe various sports and enforce penalties for rules infractions. They position themselves to see the action and anticipate play. They assess a situation and determine the next steps or violations. Some sports officials work independently, while others work in groups.
Other duties that umpires, referees and other sports officials perform include judging performances in sporting competitions in order to award points, impose scoring penalties and determine results. They also inspect sporting equipment and examine participants in order to comply with event and safety regulations. They keep track of event times, including race times and elapsed time during game segments. They start or stop play whenever necessary.
Summary
- Umpires, referees and other sports officials detect infractions of rules and decide penalties according to established regulations.
- Experience for these jobs is usually acquired through years of working at lower levels.
- Job opportunities are best for umpires, referees and sports officials in high schools, sports clubs and other sports settings.
Work Environment for Umpires, Referees and Other Sports Officials
Umpires, referees and other sports officials often work irregular work hours. They typically work weekends, evenings and holidays. Sports officials who participate in competitions that are held outdoors may be exposed to a variety of weather conditions depending on the season. Some sports officials frequently travel to sporting events.
The job of umpires, referees and other sports officials is highly stressful, as they are typically required to make split-second decisions, sometimes resulting in arguments between competitors, coaches and spectators. Sports officials regularly encounter verbal abuse and also face possible physical assault. Increasingly, they are involved in lawsuits brought on by athletes injured because of their officiating decisions.
Education, Training and Licensing
Those seeking employment as an umpire, referee or other sports official need to have extensive knowledge of the way the sport is played, and the rules, regulations and strategies of the sport. Most umpires and sports officials gain their training by actually playing the sport for several years.
Umpires, referees and other sports officials often begin their careers and gain needed experience by volunteering for community, intramural and recreational league competitions. They usually attend training courses or programs at an academy. To officiate at the high school level, umpires, referees and other officials must pass an exam and register with the state agency that oversees high school athletics. For employment as a college referee, applicants must be certified by an officiating school and be evaluated during a probationary period. Some officials might be required to have certification or live within the conference boundaries.
Employment Figures, Projections, Outlook and Earnings
Umpires, referees and other sports officials held 14,860 jobs in May 2009, according to research published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Some positions in these fields include commissioner of officials, horse show judge, major league baseball umpire, softball umpire, supervisor of officials, basketball referee and director of officiating.
The BLS expects employment in this field to increase 23% from 2008 to 2018, which is much faster than the average growth for occupations. Opportunities are best for those seeking part-time high school umpire, referee and other sports official positions.
BLS reports indicate that the median annual wage for salaried umpires, referees and other sports officials was $22,880 in May 2009. The middle 50% earned between $17,820 and $32,710. While the lowest 10% had an annual income at or below $15,880, the top 10% earned upwards of $48,080 per year.