What does a sports official do?
Sports official responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real sports official resumes:
- Manage conflicts and resolutions between other umpires and coaches/parents.
- Referee of soccer, softball, basketball, volleyball and flag football CPR certify
- Execute in game promotions during collegiate football, basketball, volleyball and other events around campus.
- Coach member participants in sport activities such as basketball and volleyball to encourage both exercise and friendly competition.
- Exercise leadership skills by coaching the new officials while working in a fast-pace environment and maintaining composure under pressure.
- Attend NFL games, shadow the cameraman and assist coordinating interviews with players in the locker rooms after games.
- Develop marketing materials for professional NFL athletes.
- Utilize leadership skills as an official and mentor to less-experience officials
- Demonstrate professional characteristics when communicating with coaches, players and fellow umpires.
- Provide direction for the safety and regulation of all players according to FIFA rules.
Sports official skills and personality traits
We calculated that 49% of Sports Officials are proficient in CPR, Intramural Sports, and Conflict Resolution. They’re also known for soft skills such as Decisionmaking skills, Good vision, and Physical stamina.
We break down the percentage of Sports Officials that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- CPR, 49%
Certified in CPR and First aid.
- Intramural Sports, 6%
Officiated numerous on campus intramural sports and events
- Conflict Resolution, 4%
Strengthened my abilities in conflict resolution and management.
- Softball Games, 4%
Officiate high school football, baseball, and softball games at the Varsity and JV levels.
- Safety Regulations, 4%
Verify credentials of participants in sporting events, and make other qualifying determinations such as proper equipment and safety regulations.
- League Rules, 3%
Enforced strict Little League rules to keep order within the boundaries of the facilities.
Most sports officials use their skills in "cpr," "intramural sports," and "conflict resolution" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential sports official responsibilities here:
Good vision. Many sports official duties rely on good vision. "umpires, referees, and other sports officials must have good vision to identify violations during play," so a sports official will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways sports official responsibilities rely on good vision: "mediated volleyball games resolved game conflict and promoted good sportsmanship"
Physical stamina. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of sports officials is physical stamina. This skill is critical to many everyday sports official duties, as "many umpires, referees, and other sports officials are required to run, squat, stand, or walk for long periods during competitions." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "attended physical therapy sessions, work with high school athletes, main sports: baseball, soccer, basketball. "
Teamwork. A big part of what sports officials do relies on "teamwork." You can see how essential it is to sports official responsibilities because "because umpires, referees, and other sports officials may work in groups to officiate a game, they must be able to cooperate and come to a mutual decision." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical sports official tasks: "present goal: to enforce the rules of intramural sports with teamwork, quick decision making, and quality communication. "
Communication skills. Another crucial skill for a sports official to carry out their responsibilities is "communication skills." A big part of what sports officials relies on this skill, since "umpires, referees, and other sports officials must have good communication skills because they inform athletes on a sport's rules, discuss infractions, and settle disputes." How this skill relates to sports official duties can be seen in an example from a sports official resume snippet: "officiated intramural games, which required great communication skills. "
The three companies that hire the most sports officials are:
- South Suburban Parks and Recreation6 sports officials jobs
- City of Greeley3 sports officials jobs
- YMCA of Greater Kansas City3 sports officials jobs
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Compare different sports officials
Sports official vs. Referee
A referee is a sports official who is responsible for officiating games, sports events, or competitions. They must ensure that game rules are being followed by all players and make calls when these rules are broken. They indicate the start and end of a game and keep track of the time to determine whether a match is needed more time to complete. They settle claims of infractions or complaints by sports participants when needed. Referees also inspect sports equipment to make sure that all the organization's specifications are met.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between sports officials and referee. For instance, sports official responsibilities require skills such as "sports events," "training sessions," "basketball games," and "league play." Whereas a referee is skilled in "hockey games," "safety rules," "ref," and "leadership." This is part of what separates the two careers.
The education levels that referees earn slightly differ from sports officials. In particular, referees are 1.0% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a sports official. Additionally, they're 0.9% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Sports official vs. Receiving barn custodian
Each career also uses different skills, according to real sports official resumes. While sports official responsibilities can utilize skills like "cpr," "intramural sports," "conflict resolution," and "softball games," receiving barn custodians use skills like "floor equipment," "plumbing," "safety rules," and "cleans rugs."
Average education levels between the two professions vary. Receiving barn custodians tend to reach similar levels of education than sports officials. In fact, they're 4.6% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.9% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Sports official vs. Basketball referee
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, sports officials are more likely to have skills like "intramural sports," "conflict resolution," "softball games," and "sports events." But a basketball referee is more likely to have skills like "role model," "girls basketball," "leadership," and "soccer."
Most basketball referees achieve a similar degree level compared to sports officials. For example, they're 2.2% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.7% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Sports official vs. Umpire
Types of sports official
Updated January 8, 2025
