Sport officials' strategies for managing interactions with players: Face-work on the front-stage

Abstract

10Communication is central to managing perceptions of fairness and performance in sport officiating. Most of the 11 few studies that focus on sport official communication have been limited to 'one-way' impressions and decision 12 communication and tend to neglect more dynamic, dialogic interactions with players. This study explored sport 13 officials' identity concerns and motivations and ways officials adapt and accommodate 'face' in interactions with 14 players. Design: Qualitative methodology Method: Video elicitation interviews using an allo-confrontation 15 approach were conducted with 8 male and 6 female sport officials from 7 different team sports representing 16 novice to professional levels. Goffman's (1959; 1967) dramaturgical sociology of interaction was used to frame 17 identity projections and context in officials' communication management strategies. Findings: Analysis of 18 interview transcripts revealed three distinct ways officials' face concerns emerge and are managed in 19 interactions with players including (1) anticipating players' reactions and modifying presentation of self, (2) 20 asserting and preserving the officials' own face, and (3) giving and restoring players' face. When incompatible 21 interactional exchanges occur in sport matches, officials use different defensive and corrective face-work 22 strategies to assert, re-establish, or appropriate face statuses for themselves and players. Conclusions: The 23 findings highlight the importance of dynamics and context in sport official communication. They also emphasise 24 the need to maintain relationships, preserve and protect identities, whilst being strategic in interactions with 25 players. We conclude that new conceptualisations are needed in sport official communication to build on 26 current 'one-way' concepts that dominate officiating research and training.27 28

Training and development in sport officials: A systematic review

“…Individual differences in communication capacities weigh on sport official evaluation, selection, and development, 93 and sometimes improving these skills are said to happen through more implicit processes 38,40 . Effective body language and decision communication techniques such as [rule] explanation giving, 38,94 and higher‐order interactive skills such as active listening, 8,95 social monitoring skills, 17,96 and conflict management style 33 or behavioral management 97 are identified areas for development. Also, sport official teamwork processes could be improved through enhancing group cohesion, 98 shared team mental models, 19 and coordination preoccupations between central and assistant officials 20 .…”

United States Soccer Referees’ Preferences for Continuing Education

“…All referees agreed that player management would be the most helpful topic in regard to continuing education. Cunningham, Simmons, and Mascarenhas (2018) noted that in order to be successful, referees must learn how to encourage perceptions of fairness and convince athletes to act in cooperation and compliance when not receiving their desired decision. The ability to do so is in large part due to the ability to communicate with athletes (Fruchart & Carton, 2012;Mellick, Bull, Laugharne, & Fleming, 2005;Simmons, 2011) yet the difficulty of doing so would be compounded by players preferring referees when they are unobtrusive and do not interrupt the flow of the game (Mascarenhas, O'Hare, Plessner, & Button, 2006).…”

“…Nikbakhsh, Alam, and Monazami (2013) highlighted the need for heightened emotional intelligence in order to best address players' temperaments and personalities. Cunningham, Simmons, and Mascarenhas (2018) interviewed officials following the viewing of sport situations. They found three main themes regarding how referees interact with athletes: (a) anticipating players' reactions and modifying presentation of self; (b) asserting and preserving officials' face, and (c) giving and restoring players' face.…”

“…However, it is important to note that while differences did exist, all referees noted the importance of managing players' personalities; for example, referees noted that having greater familiarity with athletes helps to improve the interaction by understanding boundaries. In these instances, referees might experiment with different ranges of emotions including humor or sarcasm (Cunningham, Simmons, & Mascarenhas, 2018). Due to the complexity of this topic, it makes sense that all referees agreed on its importance.…”

The Analysis of Interpersonal Communication in Sport From Mixed Methods Strategy: The Integration of Qualitative-Quantitative Elements Using Systematic Observation

“…Communication and the relationships it generates are central in managing the perceptions of the various actors who have an active part in sport (athletes, coaches, managers, family members, doctors, physiotherapists, journalists, etc.) and taking into account the interrelation with one of the fundamental aspects, which is performance (Cunningham et al, 2018 ). According to Kassing and Matthews ( 2017 ), athletes are motivated by two-way communication, which is sometimes informal, and the results obtained show that their motivation is greater when the coaches give them support and take them into account.…”