Use the standard mechanics and signals for the level of play at which you re working. Don t anticipate the call, anticipate the play. That sounds like a contradiction, but it s not. Good umpires know when to expect a squeeze play. Top basketball referees recognize the times a team is going to apply full-court pressure or change its defense.
Football officials know when to expect a deep pass or a quarterback sneak.
All of those things help you anticipate the play, not the call. Good officials read the rulebook often. The more often you read it, the more ingrained the rules will be in your mind. Attending camps and clinics allows you to keep up with changes in philosophies and mechanics. Sometimes it s less a matter of what you say than how you say it.