When I first started refereeing football, the pre-snap responsibilities nearly overwhelmed me. As a line judge, there are so many things to check before the ball is even snapped: making sure the right ball is in play and properly spotted, checking that the down marker matches, counting the defense and signaling my back judge, verifying the receiver’s alignment, ensuring the right number of players are on the line, and watching for false starts or offsides. It’s a lot.

When you’re new, it feels like the world will end if you miss something. And sometimes the temptation is to let a few things slide, assuming someone else will cover it. Truth is, most missed details don’t change the outcome of the game—but they can. And when you nail the procedures consistently, you send a quiet message to players and coaches alike: this official knows what he’s doing, even on the bigger calls like holding, interference, or late hits.

I think life works much the same way. People tend to trust those who demonstrate order and reliability in the small things. If someone shows up late to a meeting with crumpled notes or missing papers, how much weight are you going to give their judgment on the big decisions?

By God’s grace, I usually have a good sense of the big-picture questions—what’s right, what’s wrong, where I should and shouldn’t go. But I’ll admit, the smaller details of organization aren’t always my strength. And when I let those slide, it undermines the credibility I need for the larger things.

So the area I most need to pay more attention to? The details. The little steps of order and discipline that may not always change the game in themselves, but that build the foundation, trust and confidence for when the big calls come.

Copyright © 2025 Doug DeBolt.