Ref for a day
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dcu13
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The ref was a no-show at my son's U12 game on Saturday. Somehow I got voluntold to ref. A few thoughts.
- Being a ref is really hard. You've got to pay attention to everything happening on the field all at once. You can't really tune out at all. - It's the best seat in the house. So cool to be right in the middle of the action. - Every parent should have a turn, at least running the lines. Gives you more perspective and (hopefully) a little more empathy for the person in the middle. |
Arch
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OMG, right there with you. Running the lines as a fill-in was definitely difficult and not as easy as it looks--I can see how calls get missed or called incorrectly simply because you point one direction even though you meant to point in the other. I think one of the best lessons from sports is not only that not everything goes your way, but that to remember sport is just a game. The motivation of youth sport referees generally is good and not agenda-driven. We're all human. |
soccer_dc
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| I get so annoyed when I hear parents on the sideline complaining that a ref is giving all the calls to one team. As if the ref cares who wins. Of course they make many mistakes. These are not professional refs. Some mistakes go your way, some do not. No one remembers or talks about the bad calls that went their way. |
Nova2Euro
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When I got voluntold to be a ref, I was surprised by a couple of things:
1) How fun it was 2) How difficult it is (I was an AR, and trying to judge the position of a player relative to the defender at the same time the ball is played was challenging at first) 3) *How much I wanted to do a good job and get it right, regardless of the outcome for "my" team |
dmv_directkicks
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Working as a ref is quite challenging, especially when dealing with parents who "know" the rules of the game. Teams should have parents that routinely debate calls work at least one pre-season/intra-club scrimmage; they will be humbled quickly.
I recall working a game when my daughter was U11/12. I put in about 4 miles that day; I needed to be "right there" to make the call. Fortunately, both sides of parents were very understanding and kind. |
PotomacPete
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| Being a ref is not easy, but as you do it more often it does become easier. The key to being a good ref is to remember the game is not about you, or the parents, or the coaches. It is about the players only. Tune the other crap out and don’t get caught up in the petty complaining from off the field. Also, if you’ve never played before, go join an adult league so you understand the nuances of the game. |