RL - High School Soccer Refereeing

[Flasch186]

So last night was my first foray into reffing High School Soccer in town and the butterflies were ever present as I made my way onto the field but that was after a few setbacks.

First I arrived in my full referee's regalia but had realized upon arrival that I only brought my Red Jersey and not my yellow. As I approached the concession area where the rest of the referee's were gathered I noticed that they were all in yellow. did I miss the memo? Apparently not but the yellow was the default option. No one told me but luckily a fellow ref had an extra yellow from last season that I could wear.

I also was informed that since we run the much maligned 3 whistle system I could put my flags back in my car. Boy did I feel like a newb.

Finally I approached my assigned field with my 2 partner ref's and one of them informed me that he'd been reffing for many years and had just come back from a few season's break. He would be CR (Center Ref) while me and the other guy would be the AR (Assistant ref). The CR runs the middle at diagonal while the AR's would run a sideline half mainly concerned with offsides rulings.

About 5 minutes into the game my assessor decided to perch himself directly behind me and chirp in my ear incessantly. Surprisingly though I liked it as he kept me on my toes and gave me good direction. For my first time I thought I did well, enough so to surprise myself.

Our review came between periods while another ref grouping took the field. My assessor seemed content to chide me about hand signals although the one's he was telling me to do were wrong but this probably was less his fault and more to do with the fact that he is a ref for 3 different associations, FHSAA, USSF, and another one, each with their own intricacies. I laughingly corrected him on some things and he said, "yeah, youre right, but...." and basically resolved himself to the fact that I needed to get the intent down better than the signal itself.

After the 2nd half of the first half I went out for my turn as CR. Holy shit am I out of shape and out of position. The first 5 minutes, I was told later, I looked like a chicken with my head cut off. I did not anticipate the direction of play and found myself often in the midst of play instead of trailing just behind it and at one point even had to step over the ball (nutmeg style) to avoid getting involved in the play. After finally settling down though I sufficiently got through the half of the half and my assessor pretty much confirmed, nicely, what I already knew and he said it would fix itself through experience.

While I was unassigned for later games, I asked if they needed anyone because I certainly needed the practice. I was assigned to a grouping that held one know-it-all newbie and one newbie who knew he knew nothing and was content to be AR and didnt feel ready to try CR. The KIA newb ran CR for the 1st half of the 1st half and things were fairly uneventful and I did a good job running AR, making 1 offsides call and one call of the ball not being out while the team's slowed their play as if it was and i quickly explained, "Play! the whole ball is not out" and some 'overseer' nodded in approval over my shoulder as I turned to run.

A new assessor gave me my review at the end of my turn at AR and basically said I did a decent job (eventhough it seemed a bit sub of what I thought I did) and said that I needed to not hunch over. I didnt even know I was doing that and he showed me that Im hunching over as if to get a closer look of the offsides positioning. Anyways, I got it and will try to make a mental note.

I took on the CR spot of the 2nd half of the 2nd half and did a much better job of being in the right place at the right time, or better yet not being in the way. One big play though as I ran my diagonal. the AR on that side was often behind the position and instead of paying attention to the gay he would run to catch up. Well unfortunately one defender took down an attacker in the box and the AR didnt make any call, no play on, no foul, no nothing eventhough I saw that it clearly was a foul. So I blew the whistle and pointed at the PK spot and the teams reacted appropriately.

I set up the PK and the goal was scored. After the game the assessor asked us how we thought we each did and I answered that I thought I did much better this time than the last. The KITA newb, when asked how he thought he did, said that I shouldve blown my whistle louder on the PK. I asked, "Are you commenting about me?" and he said, "Yeah." and I laughed and said, "Oh, I thought he asked how you thought you did."

Anyways, the assessor said that the foul call wasn't my call really and that the AR was much closer to the call. I told the Assessor that the AR was out of position and I felt that considering that I was next best person to render a decision and he turned to the AR who confirmed that he actually didnt even see the play at all since he was trying to catch up. The Assessor reluctantly "Deferred" to me since the AR wasn't able to make the call but that it was a difficult call for me to make without being closer.

Anyways, I was exhausted and my lungs hurt from the cold air and I ran more than Ive run in years. I have to now buy a black jersey and some cold weather pants. It was fun and I look forward to my next Jamboree game which is Thursday night.

[GoldenEagle]

That sounds absolutely crazy. Were these some sort of scrimmage games? I have never heard of a three whistle system or alternating officials areound the field.

I am just now getting back into reffing. I have been doing some youth and adult games for USSF.

[Flasch186]

It was jamboree so two teams of 3 refs rotated off the field for assessment. The 3 whistle system has all the old guard refs up in arms but Im a newb and dont really know any better. There was one point where my AR got the direction of a throwin wrong and we both stood there arms in different directions but i whistled him off and he coalesced. I see that this can happen often in games.

[GoldenEagle]

The major problem I see is being with an offside call. If the AR blow his white, the CR can't wave him off. With a flag, none of the players stop playing but a whistle will certainly get their attention.

[Flasch186]

Originally Posted by GoldenEagle

The major problem I see is being with an offside call. If the AR blow his white, the CR can't wave him off. With a flag, none of the players stop playing but a whistle will certainly get their attention.

yup, on offside a CR CANT wave off the AR unless you want to cause a HUGE disaster. It's theirs and theirs alone.

[Flasch186]

Second night of the Jamboree tonight and I had one game (2 halves of 2 halves) and ran as the AR (Assistant Ref) on both. It was fairly uneventful outside of the talking to I had to give one of the players after an early "Tone it down" caution. The draw on the talking to was a fairly hard 'jumping into' the back of the player with a very very slim attempt at the ball at all. Other than that nothing of not and the assessors didnt really have any further commentary for me about how I did which was probably a good sign. I certainly felt more comfortable today....and I left my flags in the car from the beginning.

[Flasch186]

Tonight was my first OFFICIAL night as a ref and I was an Asst. Ref runnig a side. The game featured the home team, Providence vs. the visiting Mandarin Christian. The Mandarin squad was completely outmatched from the start and we called the game at half due to the 8 goal differential rule. :40 minutes of work, $52. NYYYYYYYCE. BTW I didnt blow my whistle once as the dominating team was attacking away from me.

[Flasch186]

Well basically the games suck, just really poor quality. Im chaffing pretty good but making pretty decent money and im getting some exercise. Seriously though, the games are nothing to write on about. 2 games tonight, blech.

[GoldenEagle]

You get $52 for a line? Wow. What does the center get?

[Neuqua]

I just got finished passing my local IHSA basketball test so I am following along knowing I may have a similar thread up in a few weeks..

[Barkeep49]

Originally Posted by Neuqua

I just got finished passing my local IHSA basketball test so I am following along knowing I may have a similar thread up in a few weeks..

That's so funny. I'm just about to send off my IHSA basketball test myself.

[Flasch186]

Well im reffing Monday and Thursday this week and one time in the inner city at night so that should be interesting. anyways, the games are slower than I anticipated and much much less talented but that may be because of the games Im being assigned as a newb.

they pay $42 + $10travel, so 2 games in 1 night would get you $94.