Whistle Shy? First game(s) reflection

[ChrisBLD]

I refereed my first two games today (after 3 weeks back to back of postponements due to weather).

First game was an U11 girls game. It passed by almost without incident, behaviour was fine and it was a competitive match. I don't think I blew for a single foul in the whole 60 minute game. I generally expected not to have to interfere much as I've seen that players at that age are generally better behaved and, to be honest, were playing cautiously for their own sakes. No problems here.

Second game was an U16 girls game. This is where I began to question myself a bit - outside of throws, corners, the odd offside, I only recall blowing for four or five fouls.
One was a clear pull from an attacker to try and beat their defender, another was a handball in the middle of the park used to control the ball, and a third was an attacker getting body-blocked preparing to make a run onto the ball near the halfway line (1v3 so no promising attack prevented in my opinion).

The fourth was a brain fart on my part, attacker had the ball and as they struck it the defender got a touch and the keeper gathered - I heard a call behind me from attacking team's manager and I incorrectly awarded an indirect free kick, interpreting it as a pass-back when it was simply a deflection. Players were confused but I stuck to my decision (I only concluded it was incorrect a few minutes later upon reflection). The IDFK came to nothing and the team awarded it were losing 7-0 at the time, so it had no impact on the game at least.

There were no calls for fouls that I waved off, but I can't help but feel like I didn't interfere much, and with my inexperience it makes me wonder if I had been too lenient? I'm mostly just thinking out loud here and reflecting on what occurred. I made a complete mess of my arm signals (pointing the right way for the decision is much harder than it looks as I found!) but was able to clarify each time. I was also giving verbal calls such as blue throw, which meant the correct team usually took the throw even if my arm said differently.

Another thing I identified was reliance on the CARs for throws and sometimes corner kicks. I felt myself on many occasions blindly following their signal as I struggled to tell myself - in one occasion, I pointed for a goal kick but every player and the CAR were convinced it was a corner, so I allowed myself to be overruled by the CAR.

I know a lot of this is just lack of experience talking, and these things will come, but it helps to get this out loud and it would help if anybody had tips for the next few games to steady myself.

Overall - thoroughly enjoyed it, wish I'd have been able to officiate over the last few weeks as I feel a bit rusty after a month since completing my course.

 

[OldNavyRef]

Well done mate. First two games over the line.

There is 101 things to get figured out in the first few games. Just keep at it. You at this point are just finding your feet.

Overall you enjoyed it and that is the most important part.

 

[socal lurker]

First, congrats on your first game. A few thoughts to consider:

• On TI and CK/GK in your AR‘s area, be patient. Wait for them to signal unless you see something particular, such as a deflection right after a ball was played. There’s no need to rush and perhaps put yourself on an island.
• not being there, it’s impossible for us to say if you were right to have that few fouls. But it’s absolutely possible tha. G16 game would have that few fouls—it’s also possible for it to have a lot of fouls.
• On whistling, you mention TIs. Not sure if you meant you were regularly whistling for a throw in. If you are, you are whistling too much. The only time you need to whistle on a TI/GK/CK is when there is a reason such as the players not knowing the ball left play, a squabble over whose ball it is, or to tell a player they are in the wrong spot. Otherwise just point and skip the whistle. The less we whistle, the better impact when we do. So try not to whistle when the ball leaves play on its own unless you really need to. (An aside story. I saw a ref who took this advice much too much to heart, I was watching a 10u game where a R called a foul with his voice. At a breakI went out and offered him a whistle and he said he didn’t need it as he had his in his pocket! He missed the basic concept: a whistle is always needed if it is the R stopping play; it is not needed if play has already stopped because the ball left the field.)

 

[ChrisBLD]

Well done mate. First two games over the line.

There is 101 things to get figured out in the first few games. Just keep at it. You at this point are just finding your feet.

Overall you enjoyed it and that is the most important part.

Thank you, hopefully after Christmas the weather is kinder because I should be 5 games in by now!

First, congrats on your first game. A few thoughts to consider:

• On TI and CK/GK in your AR‘s area, be patient. Wait for them to signal unless you see something particular, such as a deflection right after a ball was played. There’s no need to rush and perhaps put yourself on an island.
• not being there, it’s impossible for us to say if you were right to have that few fouls. But it’s absolutely possible tha. G16 game would have that few fouls—it’s also possible for it to have a lot of fouls.
• On whistling, you mention TIs. Not sure if you meant you were regularly whistling for a throw in. If you are, you are whistling too much. The only time you need to whistle on a TI/GK/CK is when there is a reason such as the players not knowing the ball left play, a squabble over whose ball it is, or to tell a player they are in the wrong spot. Otherwise just point and skip the whistle. The less we whistle, the better impact when we do. So try not to whistle when the ball leaves play on its own unless you really need to. (An aside story. I saw a ref who took this advice much too much to heart, I was watching a 10u game where a R called a foul with his voice. At a breakI went out and offered him a whistle and he said he didn’t need it as he had his in his pocket! He missed the basic concept: a whistle is always needed if it is the R stopping play; it is not needed if play has already stopped because the ball left the field.)

Are you largely relying on CARs for signals? Or are you usually making your own mind up and checking to make sure your CAR agrees? We had it quite hammered into us about the importance of making our own decisions and recognising potential CAR bias on the course, so I felt like I hadn't been as independent with these decisions as I should've been. I was signaling immediately when I knew the direction but going with their judgement on ones I was unsure on. If this is correct, I'll keep doing it. Seems sensible enough given their position relative to mine.

From what I could tell about both sides, there seemed to be more of a hesitance with going in for the ball "no matter what" than I had expected (probably from watching professional football!) so nothing really deliberate or hard. No player went to ground for a challenge for the entire game, for example. And given the scoreline, it seemed conclusive enough without playing hurling themselves around trying to affect the outcome.

I'm not whistling for throw ins no haha! Poor wording on my part. I meant outside of giving those decisions.

Thank you for your response also!

 

[socal lurker]

Are you largely relying on CARs for signals? Or are you usually making your own mind up and checking to make sure your CAR agrees? We had it quite hammered into us about the importance of making our own decisions and recognising potential CAR bias on the course, so I felt like I hadn't been as independent with these decisions as I should've been. I was signaling immediately when I knew the direction but going with their judgement on ones I was unsure on. If this is correct, I'll keep doing it. Seems sensible enough given their position relative to mine.

In fairness, I don’t ref with CARs (and in the US the instruction is that CARs cannot signal direction). What I’m suggesting you consider is that if you are having CARs signal direction at all, pause before making a signal yourself. If they signal and the players accept it as correct, no need for you to get in the mix. It saves the scenario you had of backtracking. But that doesn’t mean don’t make your own decision. If the CAR has red, and it is clearly blue, just overrule quickly. If it’s close the CAR has red, you have blue, and blue isn’t accepting The CAR signal, quick tweet-tweet, “red had a touch after blue, blue throw.” (And consider slowing the restart to make sure red is kit disadvantaged by the initial signal.

And, as with all advice here or elsewhere,if it’s helpful use it, and if it isn’t, ignore it!

 

[santa sangria]

Girls matches, right to the highest levels, can be challenging as there can be very little to do - so concentration and foul tolerance can be tricky.

In the end, no one wants “water polo” - football is a contact sport, not all contact is a foul etc. Takes time to learn. Trifling contact doesn’t need to be a foul. But hacks away from the ball and careless challenges that mean loss of possession- these are easy to whistle.

In the end it’s also how you sell it. Take your time. Wait for the players’ reactions at CK/GK as they might help, and also tell them your non-decisions - “I’ve seen it, carry on”, “go on”, “ keep going”… this can make you feel like you are in the game and gets the players and coaches to trust you.

 

[DazN]

I did my first girls game this weekend (U12 cup game) and only gave two fouls. Game was played in good spirits, but there just wasn’t the same level of aggression that I get with boys the same age. I really enjoyed it and it was a nice change to see a lot more mutual respect from everyone on the field.