A&H

Advice for young refs wanting to go to the top

Reffing4Life

Reffing4Life

Active Member
Level 7 Referee
Hi everyone!

I’m 19 and level 7 going for 6.

I was just wondering if anybody has anything they could share that they have only learned as they’ve got up to higher levels please?

Perhaps things that you have been told by higher-level refs or something you’ve learned as you’ve became a higher level yourself?

Please feel free to respond irrespective of age/level! You most certainly will know something that I don’t, regardless!

Thanks so much!
 
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Jacktscallaghan said:
Hi everyone!

I’m 19 and level 7 going for 6.

I was just wondering if anybody has anything they could share that they have only learned as they’ve got up to higher levels please?

Perhaps things that you have been told by higher-level refs or something you’ve learned as you’ve became a higher level yourself?

Please feel free to respond irrespective of age/level! You most certainly will know something that I don’t, regardless!

Thanks so much!
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First off, I think most of us feel that 7-to-5 (double jump that some CFA's allow) is ill advised for many Referees, particularly young folk with little prior experience. 7-to-6 focuses on you preparing for games properly, with thorough pre-match checks and basic understanding of penal offences and the management of them and their restarts. Level 6 is a stepping stone at which you build on experience in better games, before potentially tackling the more challenging 5-to-4 promotion
 
There is a noticeable difference is when you get to L4.

Up to that point, players are typically paying to play and are playing on local grounds where anyone can watch.

At L4, that's the first point (typically) where clubs have paying spectators and the players are often being paid to play.

The expectation on you as a referee at L4 and above is (rightly or wrongly) around "event management" as opposed to just applying the LOTG, this is especially relevant when it comes to dissent. At L4 and above the players are considered assets to the club, so the clubs want them protected as much as possible from challenges that can cause injury, but also don't appreciate referees who are card happy for elements like dissent, unless you've already set the player up for it OR it's so public you have to act.
 
Justylove is correct, as you move up through the levels it becomes much more than knowing the laws of the game, and more that you are managing an event. And obviously you go from refereeing on your doorstep to potentially having multi-hour journeys to get to your game.

But as a level 7 to 6 candidate you are starting out and need to focus on that. 7 to 6 is by far the easiest promotion, and you just really need to do the basics. Stop and restart the game correctly, be reasonably close to play without getting in the way, and demonstrate that you can control a game of football.

I would also strongly recommend that you join a supply league as an assistant referee as working with more experienced referees regularly will help you improve as a referee.
 
The "only shortcut" IMHO is to work as much as possible as an assistant referee.
As Rusty says, this is how to learn from refs a few levels above you.
 
Jacktscallaghan said:
Hi everyone!

I’m 19 and level 7 going for 6.

I was just wondering if anybody has anything they could share that they have only learned as they’ve got up to higher levels please?

Perhaps things that you have been told by higher-level refs or something you’ve learned as you’ve became a higher level yourself?

Please feel free to respond irrespective of age/level! You most certainly will know something that I don’t, regardless!

Thanks so much!
Click to expand...
Hi. I started refereeing at 13 and am now in my fourth season. I am just beginning to take on centres for adult football and have worked my way up through juniors at various levels. The better I get and the more I understand the more enjoyable it has become. I am not sure there are many shortcuts to success or progression. I am not the world’s greatest referee but I do try to work hard, attending training sessions and theory nights as much as possible and being as consistent and reliable as possible when it comes to appointments. I have learned a lot (almost everything) from other mature and developing referees who have taken the time to mentor me and offer helpful advice. I personally just try to take it a season at a time with one or two season goals. This year I am aiming to complete my two practical assessments for my Level 3 (Australian) Course qualification and be comfortable in the centre for lower level adult games. I am also aiming to referee higher age groups in junior NPL by the end of the season. My advice would just be to take it steady, one season at a time. When I look back over the last few years I realise how much I have learned and how time in the middle with good referee teams has helped me to improve. Of course I still have huge amounts to learn particularly about player management and being truly ready and focussed when those key decision moments happen - as they do in almost every game. Enjoy yourself, don’t put to much pressure on yourself and re-evaluate your goals every so often. That would be my advice for what it is worth.
 
RefRyanAus said:
Hi. I started refereeing at 13 and am now in my fourth season. I am just beginning to take on centres for adult football and have worked my way up through juniors at various levels. The better I get and the more I understand the more enjoyable it has become. I am not sure there are many shortcuts to success or progression. I am not the world’s greatest referee but I do try to work hard, attending training sessions and theory nights as much as possible and being as consistent and reliable as possible when it comes to appointments. I have learned a lot (almost everything) from other mature and developing referees who have taken the time to mentor me and offer helpful advice. I personally just try to take it a season at a time with one or two season goals. This year I am aiming to complete my two practical assessments for my Level 3 (Australian) Course qualification and be comfortable in the centre for lower level adult games. I am also aiming to referee higher age groups in junior NPL by the end of the season. My advice would just be to take it steady, one season at a time. When I look back over the last few years I realise how much I have learned and how time in the middle with good referee teams has helped me to improve. Of course I still have huge amounts to learn particularly about player management and being truly ready and focussed when those key decision moments happen - as they do in almost every game. Enjoy yourself, don’t put to much pressure on yourself and re-evaluate your goals every so often. That would be my advice for what it is worth.
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Good advice mate, and that's coming from a 30 year old 2-year referee at pretty much your level.

I'd probably add to that, rather than take it one season at a time, it might be better to look at it one weekend at a time. Considering you seem to be at the same level as me (Level 4 in Australia, doing the lower-age NPL and lower level adult games), you'd probably realise that any weekend can be completely different and may need a different approach. For example, this season, I'm only into my 3rd weekend this season since having my appendix out, and its gone.

Weekend 1: NPL Youth Division 1 Under13s and 14s Centre (NO ARs)
Weekend 2: NPL1 First Grade and U23s (AR both games)
Weekend 3: Took off since I got some sort of knee injury that cleared up over the week
Weekend 4: State League Division 1 (NPL3, kinda, but not officially) and Reserve grade Centre (NO ARs)

Every weekend needed a different approach due to the change in level, and age. In addition to that, did a double weekend last year that was:
Saturday: NPL Women U13 (as AR) and U17 (in the middle with one AR)
Sunday: Men's Masters Division 3 and Division 1 Centre (NO ARs)
And that was a big learning curve, because having not had anything to do with women's football since I was 17-18, I let a lot go than I probably should have in the U17s game, and by the time I was about 10-15 minutes in I didn't want to appear inconsistent and kind of had to let a lot go. On the upside, they were still very clean and didn't need to handle anything except for a striker who thought anytime anyone got near her was a free kick or a penalty, but what striker doesn't do that
 
WiisardNic said:
Good advice mate, and that's coming from a 30 year old 2-year referee at pretty much your level.

I'd probably add to that, rather than take it one season at a time, it might be better to look at it one weekend at a time. Considering you seem to be at the same level as me (Level 4 in Australia, doing the lower-age NPL and lower level adult games), you'd probably realise that any weekend can be completely different and may need a different approach. For example, this season, I'm only into my 3rd weekend this season since having my appendix out, and its gone.

Weekend 1: NPL Youth Division 1 Under13s and 14s Centre (NO ARs)
Weekend 2: NPL1 First Grade and U23s (AR both games)
Weekend 3: Took off since I got some sort of knee injury that cleared up over the week
Weekend 4: State League Division 1 (NPL3, kinda, but not officially) and Reserve grade Centre (NO ARs)

Every weekend needed a different approach due to the change in level, and age. In addition to that, did a double weekend last year that was:
Saturday: NPL Women U13 (as AR) and U17 (in the middle with one AR)
Sunday: Men's Masters Division 3 and Division 1 Centre (NO ARs)
And that was a big learning curve, because having not had anything to do with women's football since I was 17-18, I let a lot go than I probably should have in the U17s game, and by the time I was about 10-15 minutes in I didn't want to appear inconsistent and kind of had to let a lot go. On the upside, they were still very clean and didn't need to handle anything except for a striker who thought anytime anyone got near her was a free kick or a penalty, but what striker doesn't do th
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Well said Nic and nice to hear about your progress and game experience. Great advice about different levels and competition types. I am not sure I really think enough about these adjustments. To reinforce the wisdom of your point about each weekend being different I had a bit of a challenging time this weekend after feeling fantastic last weekend. Red for DOGSO in the first 5 minutes and then spent the next hour and a bit worrying about what I was going to write in the dismissal report. Lost focus, ran poor angles, missed two AR flags for OS and generally was way too affected by my earlier decision (which was absolutely the right call). Oh well. Live and learn. Will get back on my horse for next weekend. 😬
 
Justylove said:
There is a noticeable difference is when you get to L4.

Up to that point, players are typically paying to play and are playing on local grounds where anyone can watch.

At L4, that's the first point (typically) where clubs have paying spectators and the players are often being paid to play.

The expectation on you as a referee at L4 and above is (rightly or wrongly) around "event management" as opposed to just applying the LOTG, this is especially relevant when it comes to dissent. At L4 and above the players are considered assets to the club, so the clubs want them protected as much as possible from challenges that can cause injury, but also don't appreciate referees who are card happy for elements like dissent, unless you've already set the player up for it OR it's so public you have to act.
Click to expand...
Thanks so much for that! That’s really interesting!
 
RustyRef said:
Justylove is correct, as you move up through the levels it becomes much more than knowing the laws of the game, and more that you are managing an event. And obviously you go from refereeing on your doorstep to potentially having multi-hour journeys to get to your game.

But as a level 7 to 6 candidate you are starting out and need to focus on that. 7 to 6 is by far the easiest promotion, and you just really need to do the basics. Stop and restart the game correctly, be reasonably close to play without getting in the way, and demonstrate that you can control a game of football.

I would also strongly recommend that you join a supply league as an assistant referee as working with more experienced referees regularly will help you improve as a referee.
Click to expand...
I think i have those basics covered that you mentioned and I also do AR on supply leagues weekly so I’ll keep that going too! Thanks so much for your help!
 
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