The Ref Stop

Junior/Youth Brain fog after half time.

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failed xc racer

failed xc racer

New Member
Level 7 Referee
Hi folks. I'm about 10 games into my refereeing journey. It's been a rocky road so far..........

There's been a few games where I feel I've had a really solid first half but then completely lose focus for the first 10-20 minutes of the second half. Kinda like brain fog.

Looking for tips to maintain my focus for the full match.

Cheers
 
The Ref Stop
If it were me and I’d just been starting out, I would really be trying to focus on the very basics throughout.

Try not to worry about anything other than getting in a good position to see a foul and giving it or not. Sell your decisions. If you don’t give a foul after a collision - great, shout no foul etc so everyone is clear. Go from one decision to the next and don’t get caught up.

Good luck.
 
failed xc racer said:
Hi folks. I'm about 10 games into my refereeing journey. It's been a rocky road so far..........

There's been a few games where I feel I've had a really solid first half but then completely lose focus for the first 10-20 minutes of the second half. Kinda like brain fog.

Looking for tips to maintain my focus for the full match.

Cheers
Click to expand...

The second half of games are more heated. Might just be players taking their frustration out on you more in the second half when they realise they are beat. So you might just be getting gaslighted into thinking you are performing poorer in the second half.
 
When you are a new referee even one half of football takes a lot of mental energy. It is perhaps not surprising that you might struggle early in the second half, particularly when you are also dealing with a change of ends and players running in opposite directions. As others have said it is a good idea to focus on a few simple things in those first 25 games. Also, remember to intentionally reset at half time. Review the first half and what you want to focus on H2, remind yourself who is running in which direction, and start the second half the way you intend to referee the rest of the game. A more relaxed approach with a better appreciation of what you need to focus on in each half will come to you over time… it just takes practice and experience. In the mean time be ready to go and up for the game as soon as you blow that whistle to start again. It is great that you have identified this a challenge for you… because if you see it you can address it.
 
A very experienced colleague of mine, when he ARs for developing referees, often greets them at half time with “congratulations! You made it through the first half with no problems . . . But remember that anyone can referee the first half.” Similar to what is alluded to above, it may not be so much your fog, but that it is harder to manage the second half. It is experience that will help,you with that.
 
This is something that will only be fixed with experience. I'm just over 2 years in now and still have to remind myself to switch arms etc in the second half. Keep going at it, you'll get there!
 
I still do silly things at the start of the second half and that's after nearly 30 years. Usually I'll forget which team is kicking which direction and point the wrong way for a throw-in, so I shout the colour of the team getting the throw-in, e.g. blue ball, so if I signal the wrong way I at least only partially confuse everyone.
 
RustyRef said:
I still do silly things at the start of the second half and that's after nearly 30 years. Usually I'll forget which team is kicking which direction and point the wrong way for a throw-in, so I shout the colour of the team getting the throw-in, e.g. blue ball, so if I signal the wrong way I at least only partially confuse everyone.
Click to expand...
This is me too!! If I'm on my own, I just tend to shout "red ball" "blue ball" etc at throw ins rather than using my arms to point. If I'm on the line, I have to really concentrate in the first 5-10 minutes of the second half and even talk to myself to remind me which team is kicking which way!! :-/
 
If I read it right, the actual problems is you lose focus early first hlaf. Your thought process kind of drifts away. As though the hlaf time break has broken your concentration on the game.

Simple solution to try. At hlaf time put a elastic band on your wrist, after kick off and ever minute or so snap it on your wrist and quietly say to yourself "focus".

Let me know if your try it and if it works. 😊
 
Ross said:
I find myself talking to myself. Particularly when on the line. I just keep repeating things like “red attacking” or something similar. Works for me
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I do the same. Basically commentate in my head for the first few mins of the half. Usually do it when there's the possibility of the ball going out for a throw, so im on top of it. Same as in the 1st half. Its a reset.

Ive done 100s of lines and I do the same in the first few mins of both halves too. It genuinely helps
 
I proactively make myself focus by saying what I’m seeing in my head. “Ball off red”, “fair tackle”, but also lots of talking to make sure players know you’re there - arms down, let go of him, play on etc.

It’s a good way to force the initiative.
 
You get so focused on reffing the game with the teams playing in one direction, that when they switch round it can throw you. It still happens to me after many years. I now constantly say to myself at the start of the 2nd half things like "reds playing towards the clubhouse"...or "blues playing downhill" to remind myself
 
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