It's that time again to count up the numbers and figure out what and where all of it went. The season was a busy one, with some weeknight matches with the high-school kids and all the weekend work. In total I did 60 matches this season, the most I have done so far. I do not see myself getting to this number any time soon due to the fact that Sunday is when most of the matches are played and now both of my children are in travel, my son playing U11 and my daughter U9. Finding time to ref in between all that is going to be a challenge for me and for my assignor(s). My estimates are that my weekend work is going to come down dramatically, especially when both of my kids are playing away games.
Still, for this season there were 35 centers and 25 ARs. I include the two-man centers in the regular centers (there were three of those). I recall handing out about 10 yellow cards, and I recall 2 red cards (both in the same match, more on that in my next post as it was in the last match of the season). I should have had more matches but I was forced to miss this past weekend's tournament due to travel for my regular job. Still, 60 matches is not something to scoff at and it will be my personal best for some time to come given the reduced time that I will have for the foreseeable future.
I have been asked by a couple of you out there that are thinking about turning this into something more than just an occasional thing, and the possibility is there. You have to be willing to take some of the junk assignments at the beginning or come to the aid of a desperate assignor even when it is not convenient for you, just to get your foot in the door. I did that at the beginning of this season, where I traveled 45 miles out of my way, just to do one match as an AR. Normally, I would have not taken such as assignment, but I guessed that the assignor would notice, realize and be appreciative of the such a sacrifice. I believe it paid off because I was offered more high school matches than I would have thought were normally given to first year refs.
In the end, it all comes down to how much dedication and time you can give. The more you give, the more you get. And even if you do not know your assignor from Adam, it is possible that they notice and reward you for helping them out, or hanging in there, or for being that last gasp help that they so desperately need.
More on my last match and the World Cup in some of my future postings, since there is a break on the local stuff for a couple of months. Till the next time.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
How much running does a ref do?
I read an interesting article stating that a referee doing a 90 minute match is capable of running up to 12 miles in a match, on average. And that is about 5 miles more than what the average field player does in the same amount of time. That is certainly fascinating.
Here is the article:
http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/06/04/world.cup.referees.fitness/index.html?hpt=C1
Regardless, if you were to tell me that I had to run 5 miles, I would look at you like you had two heads. I do not think I would enjoy it at all, but if you think of it in reffing terms, I am sure that I run that much during some of my 80 minute matches, or at least I am close to that. I do not realize I have run that much because of the fact that my mind is not pondering that, it is preoccupied about where the play is going, how much time is left, can the blue team sub on a corner, is that kid hurt, what is my AR trying to tell me, is that a studs up tackle and many other questions to preoccupy my mind.
I had never thought I covered that much ground. I plan to make it official though at some moment. I want to buy one of those Garmin GPS devices that runners use to track my field coverage and to determine how much running I actually do. If I find one that can double as a countdown watch, then I think we will be in business. If anyone has any suggestions, I would love to hear them.
Here is the article:
http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/06/04/world.cup.referees.fitness/index.html?hpt=C1
Regardless, if you were to tell me that I had to run 5 miles, I would look at you like you had two heads. I do not think I would enjoy it at all, but if you think of it in reffing terms, I am sure that I run that much during some of my 80 minute matches, or at least I am close to that. I do not realize I have run that much because of the fact that my mind is not pondering that, it is preoccupied about where the play is going, how much time is left, can the blue team sub on a corner, is that kid hurt, what is my AR trying to tell me, is that a studs up tackle and many other questions to preoccupy my mind.
I had never thought I covered that much ground. I plan to make it official though at some moment. I want to buy one of those Garmin GPS devices that runners use to track my field coverage and to determine how much running I actually do. If I find one that can double as a countdown watch, then I think we will be in business. If anyone has any suggestions, I would love to hear them.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Redemption Match
I worked a tournament here over the Memorial Day weekend and it was a good time, with many matches. In all I worked 8 matches, with the two most interesting ones going to the U16 boys that I had on Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday, it was an interesting match because it started out with problems and just never let up. Before the match started, both teams were in white, and the team required to change did not have enough red shirts as some of their players forgot them. I spoke with the other coach who offered to go to blue instead. Ok, so that worked.
But that nice coach that offered to move then turned into Mr. Hyde and was just a beast. He immediately started working me and not liking any call. While his team was more aggressive, if you heard him, their boys were being slaughtered instead of them being the aggressors. On top of it, they were dominating and were just having a hard time punching it in. The keeper kept the other team in for longer than they could be. Finally, they got their first goal with 10 minutes left in the first half on a PK (handling in the box). The play itself was funny because it was a soft lob that floated to a defender who did the worst clearance and it ricocheted off of a couple of body before rolling down the arm of another defender. Ironically, I was one of the only people that saw it (fortunately!).
Two minutes later, an interesting play where white is attacking and there is a pass to a streaking attacker and a defender in hot pursuit. The defender makes a challenge on the attacking player but the ball is 2-3 feet ahead of the challenge. The attacker stumbles but tries to continue, so I allow a play on (but in my head, it was a yellow card because of it being a professional foul). When the keeper scoops the ball up a second later, I call back to the point of the foul, and issue a card to the defender. The coach goes ape nuts over this (and on top of it, all of their parents do too). I guess it is contagious when a coach gets away with it. I went over and explained it to him since he did not seem to grasp the advantage concept too well but then in the second half we had a ton more issues. And it was so hot, I actually started thinking to myself, am I getting it all wrong? Is this guy right and my calls stink? The two ARs backed me up but it shook my confidence. And the team ended up winning by 6, so it was mostly him just being nasty for nastiness sake.
Then on Sunday, I had another U16 boys match that was a potential for a title, if the white team won (not the same white team as Saturday) they would go to the a tiebreaker with another team. One of the ARs after that match asked me if I was a 6 or a 7 because I had done so well with my foul recognition. When I told him I was an 8 he immediately said that I should be looking to upgrade. It certainly helped boost my confidence. Even before the match I was thinking to myself if I was way over my head. Glad to be able to now say that the coach from Saturday was just full of it.
But that nice coach that offered to move then turned into Mr. Hyde and was just a beast. He immediately started working me and not liking any call. While his team was more aggressive, if you heard him, their boys were being slaughtered instead of them being the aggressors. On top of it, they were dominating and were just having a hard time punching it in. The keeper kept the other team in for longer than they could be. Finally, they got their first goal with 10 minutes left in the first half on a PK (handling in the box). The play itself was funny because it was a soft lob that floated to a defender who did the worst clearance and it ricocheted off of a couple of body before rolling down the arm of another defender. Ironically, I was one of the only people that saw it (fortunately!).
Two minutes later, an interesting play where white is attacking and there is a pass to a streaking attacker and a defender in hot pursuit. The defender makes a challenge on the attacking player but the ball is 2-3 feet ahead of the challenge. The attacker stumbles but tries to continue, so I allow a play on (but in my head, it was a yellow card because of it being a professional foul). When the keeper scoops the ball up a second later, I call back to the point of the foul, and issue a card to the defender. The coach goes ape nuts over this (and on top of it, all of their parents do too). I guess it is contagious when a coach gets away with it. I went over and explained it to him since he did not seem to grasp the advantage concept too well but then in the second half we had a ton more issues. And it was so hot, I actually started thinking to myself, am I getting it all wrong? Is this guy right and my calls stink? The two ARs backed me up but it shook my confidence. And the team ended up winning by 6, so it was mostly him just being nasty for nastiness sake.
Then on Sunday, I had another U16 boys match that was a potential for a title, if the white team won (not the same white team as Saturday) they would go to the a tiebreaker with another team. One of the ARs after that match asked me if I was a 6 or a 7 because I had done so well with my foul recognition. When I told him I was an 8 he immediately said that I should be looking to upgrade. It certainly helped boost my confidence. Even before the match I was thinking to myself if I was way over my head. Glad to be able to now say that the coach from Saturday was just full of it.
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