Just when you think you can no longer learn new things at one's craft, things take a turn for the better. Over the last two weekends, two senior referees gave me the same piece of advice. Essentially, don't talk so much during certain parts of the game.
In the first instance, this was a senior referee who did very high levels and was stepping down, essentially, to do a U18 girls game. First, his threshold of fouls was essentially no blood no foul. When we spoke about the levels of competition, he stated that most people's threshold was a little lower and he was fine with that. I can see a lot of injuries coming from his games if man-management is not in the cards for him.
Still, he said that when he ARed my game (which was a U16 girls game) he thought I spoke too much, like when there was a throw in, and I would sometimes say, red throw or white throw, he said to never do that. The players have been trained to look at your hand signals so no need to give them verbal instructions or to say it out loud. I can see where that makes sense.
Then this last weekend, in a U12 match, I had another AR who I respected quite well tell me the same thing. Don't say it, let them figure it out, look at your signals instead. Get them to look at you instead of hearing your voice.
I guess the problem is that I do too many different age groups. That would never fly at the U10 level, even in travel and would certainly not fly in Rec at all, since most of them still need help figuring things out. But for the older age groups, it makes sense.
So on Sunday, my daughter played and her center was a State Referee. I paid attention to how much he spoke with the girls. Zero. I don't think he spoke a word to them. He would let his whistle do the communicating. Foul, whistle. Substitution, two short tweets. I want you to take 3 steps back, whistle.
I don't think I can do it quite like that, but I will focus on making more of my presence known through the whistle and less with chatting. Don't know how it will work out, because it is in essence, not who I am, but let's see how this goes.
5 comments:
Interesting post. I find myself saying "red throw" or "white throw" in the first few minutes of the 2nd half while my mind is still acclimating to the fact the teams switched sides. I'll use my voice also if no one is obviously moving to take the throw to avoid dealing with claims of time wasting "let's go, red throw." The third situation is when there's a challenge at the touch line and a subsequent whistle since the ball left play to clarify "throw" vs "on the ground (foul)". I agree the whistle is your "voice" but your voice communicates personality - especially in a boys game.
I agree. I also agree about how signals are important so even though I may find it necessary to say "no, it's a foul" when teams expected a throw in I still signal and use a tone that says I am signaling in this direction, please watch my signals. There seems to be 2 camps about being "chatty" and it can get risky but if it works for you and your personality that you bring to the game I say go with it. I think making a point of a player Never hearing your voice is a bit much. Especially when they really need to hear you say something to them, even privately. I also agree with Brian with boys but also girls sometimes need to hear from us also.
Thank you both for adding to the discussion. I am going to do 10 games this tournament weekend and will be more aware of how I use my voice. I do see myself as a chattier referee, but I do not normally joke on the field with the players or compliment them with a "nice shot" or anything of the sort. But let's see how it goes this weekend and I will update the post or follow up.
great info and discussion... I agree that being "chatty" can get you in trouble (no one is there to see or hear from the referee), but we can use verbal communication to be authoritative and excercise control. It's a great idea to be aware of ourselves and how we communicate and even better to have another experienced official give feedback and advice. Have a great tournament, 10 games in a weekend will no doubt result in some "interesting" situations.
I'm a chatty ref (and a chatty AR). It fits my game and I also think it's the way to go... no matter how far I go in this business. Let me define "chatty": within reasonable hearing distance of me, say 10-15' of me.
If I don't speak, then the players only have my whistle or lack thereof. The entire game, they would be gravitating between silence and fouls. They'll keep pushing the limits till I whistle.
Conversely, if I'm talking, they know exactly where they are on the scale of silence to whistle. The things like "no more", "arms down", "play the ball"; I also quietly say the color of throw to myself to double check myself; and I let skilled players know when I've seen them constantly being fouled by lesser skilled opponents as I don't want a retaliation foul.
I'm realistic. At my age, I'm too old to ever make the MLS. Maybe I'll do college one day... maybe. So for me, for my game, at the levels I will do, being chatty is just right. I have to go with my game and be comfortable.
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