What You'll Do

  • Officiate at sporting events, games, or competitions, to maintain standards of play and to ensure that game rules are observed.
  • Judge performances in sporting competitions to award points, impose scoring penalties, and determine results.
  • Signal participants or other officials to make them aware of infractions or to otherwise regulate play or competition.
  • Inspect sporting equipment or examine participants to ensure compliance with event and safety regulations.
  • Keep track of event times, including race times and elapsed time during game segments, starting or stopping play when necessary.
  • Start races and competitions.
  • Resolve claims of rule infractions or complaints by participants and assess any necessary penalties, according to regulations.
  • Verify scoring calculations before competition winners are announced.
  • Direct participants to assigned areas, such as starting blocks or penalty areas.
  • Report to regulating organizations regarding sporting activities, complaints made, and actions taken or needed, such as fines or other disciplinary actions.

Essential Skills

Speaking 3.62/5
Critical Thinking 3.38/5
Active Listening 3.25/5
Judgment and Decision Making 3.25/5
Monitoring 3.12/5
Reading Comprehension 3.0/5
Active Learning 3.0/5
Learning Strategies 3.0/5
Social Perceptiveness 3.0/5
Coordination 3.0/5
Complex Problem Solving 3.0/5
Instructing 2.88/5

Career Fit Overview

Use this summary to understand the kind of profile this role rewards. It helps you judge whether this career looks like a stronger match than your current role, a nearby move worth exploring, or a broader path to compare more seriously.

Top passions

  • Leader: Taking charge and moving ideas forward motivates you.
  • Organizer: Bringing order to data and processes satisfies you.
  • Maker: Building and fixing energizes you. You like tangible results and practical tools.

Common styles

Integrity, Self-Control, Dependability, Stress Tolerance, Self-Confidence

Want a personal read on fit? Take the free assessment and compare this career to your current role, nearby alternatives, and broader stronger-fit options.

Key Abilities

This career demands strong capabilities in the following areas:

Oral Expression 3.88/5
Far Vision 3.88/5
Oral Comprehension 3.75/5
Near Vision 3.75/5
Problem Sensitivity 3.62/5
Speech Clarity 3.62/5
Deductive Reasoning 3.25/5
Speech Recognition 3.25/5

Technologies & Tools

Adobe Acrobat Database software Email software Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Outlook Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft Word Video editing software Web browser software Word processing software

Work Environment & Strengths

Common Strengths for This Career

  • Integrity (High importance: 4.93/5)
  • Self-Control (High importance: 4.75/5)
  • Dependability (High importance: 4.73/5)
  • Stress Tolerance (High importance: 4.62/5)
  • Self-Confidence (High importance: 4.57/5)

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How to Become One

Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful but is usually not required. Training is often provided on the job.

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Also Known As

This career is known by many different job titles across industries. Here are all the variations:

Athletic Events Scorer Baseball Umpire Basketball Manager Basketball Referee Basketball Scorekeeper Clerk of Scales Clocker Dance Critic Diving Judge Dressage Judge Equestrian Events Judge Flag Football Referee Football Referee Handicapper Harness Racing Handicapper Hoof and Shoe Inspector Horse Identifier Horse Race Starter Horse Race Timer Horse Show Judge Intramural Sports Official League Coordinator Major League Baseball Umpire (MLB Umpire) Marshal Paddock Judge Patrol Judge Pit Steward Placing Judge Presiding Steward Race Starter Racetrack Steward Racing Secretary Referee Scoreboard Operator Scorekeeper Scorer Soccer Official Soccer Referee Softball Umpire Sports Activities Foul Judge Sports Official Starter State Referee Stewardess Test Scorer Ultimate Hoops Referee Umpire Volleyball Official Volleyball Referee Youth Soccer Referee Youth Sports Official

Career Fit FAQs

Is this career a good fit for me

This page shows the role itself. To see personal fit, use the assessment to compare your interests, motivations, and strengths against this career and against the role you are in now.

Can this help if I want to stay in my field

Yes. Many people use career pages like this to compare nearby roles in the same field and see whether they need a full switch or a better-fit version of the work they already know.

What should I compare first

Start with the daily tasks, the preparation level, and the work-style signals on this page. Then use the assessment to see whether this role looks like a stronger fit than your current role or just a different title.