When you’re in the middle of a match, you might get upset if a judge calls you out on a bad play. Even worse, though, is when the judge calls you out on a bad play that you didn’t make. If your line judges are making bad calls, just read this to learn about how to deal with common struggles.

Stay Calm

It’s not fair to the other player and to your judge to start yelling as soon as one bad call is made. Instead, keep quiet and continue to play the game. One bad call isn’t the end of the world, and if you get too upset at just one, it makes you look like a bad guy. It’s easier to plead your case when you’ve been calm and collected throughout the match, and it makes you more sympathetic to your referee. When your line judge makes a bad call, always remember to stay calm and don’t take it personally.

Ask Politely About the Call

If your line judge is repeatedly making calls against you, for actions you didn’t make, politely ask them what they saw. It may be that your judge isn’t actually seeing your plays, or even just made a mistake in the rules. Never start yelling at your judge or your opponents, because that’s unsportsmanlike and can anger the people around you. If you want to make your points heard, always be calm and polite when speaking to the people around you.

If Worst Comes to Worst

If worst comes to worst and the judge has made too many bad calls to ignore, it’s okay to talk to your referee. Your referee may be able to provide a second opinion in the form of an umpire to watch the match as well. This may not be able to do anything for the bad calls already made, but it can prevent future ones from happening.

Taking A Poor Call Like A Good Player

It’s always the best option to be polite when faced with a bad line judge. Whether the issue is you, them, or even your opponent, be calm and polite while questioning their judgments and never get angry. If too many bad calls are being made for you to keep ignoring them, speak politely with your referee to see what can be done.