The Ref Stop

Course Passed - First Game this Weekend!

L

LukeD

New Member
Hi all.

I have been a long time lurker around the site using as it as a valuable resource for advice and information. However, I decided to finally take the plunge and complete the Referees course at my local county FA and I passed around two weeks ago now.

I have finally after contacting a number of local leagues in my area been accepted by one and allocated an U12's game for this saturday. Both trainers on my course suggested that I should start at junior level before trying to referee open age games.

I received my kit this week and I am excited about taking charge of my first game this weekend, but I am also slightly nervous. If anyone has any advice or 'top tips' for my first couple of games (or is it just a baptism of fire for the first few?) they would be greatly received :).
 
The Ref Stop
What county are you with Luke? (just curiosity)

I'd say just try and enjoy it! If possible you could always go down to another amateur game which might have kicked off earlier and talk to the referee there and ask him to explain some things that he has done to you. Or, if you have been assigned a mentor, as them to go down and watch! As far as what to look out for, for your first game, I'd just try and recognise all of the offences rather than trying to get the correct position. That'll come in the next couple of games!

Have fun, and good luck!
 
As Charlie said, just go out and enjoy it! Things like positioning come with time, so don't worry about that and just focus on getting as many decisions right as possible. Oh, and it helps to remember that everything's your fault, even if you've had a brilliant game! :D

Good luck and enjoy, Luke! :)
 
Yip +1 for get out there and enjoy it.

And one tip from my first match - make sure to start your watch at kick off! It helps! :)
 
Charlie Im with Liverpool County FA.

Thanks for the warm welcome and advice guys. It must seem that my league have taken a liking to me as I've now been allocated to an U13 game for sunday as well (or is that them just throwing me in at the deep end? :p).

Also refereeing at these age levels (U12 & U13) what would be the best approach regarding issuing cards to players?
 
personally, I try to avoid cards at all costs in kids games up to u13s generally, but don't be afraid to use them for serious offences or as a last resort should a player not be taking advice on board. I haven't done kids games for a couple of seasons now, but provided you are getting assistance from the coach/manager and kids are sensible, I see no good reason for cautioning players, instead trying to educate. The laws of the game are the same, but try to manage and talk to youngsters as much as hammering the laws home. Violent conduct, handball off the line, spitting, proper offinabus using cheat or the other C word or abuse directed at you, send them off no questions asked. With tackles that you might caution in open age, I give an extra chance providing the player is receptive to a warning, listens and corrects his behaviour. I also speak to the coach with something like, "No7 is on the brink of becoming a problem coach, that was very late and we need him to settle down. Could you have a word or give him a rest perhaps please?" This usually works. If the coach is a knob and resents your suggestion, or if the player still tackles poorly, then get a card out.

But above all at this age; be confident, be polite, be professional, wear a smile and above all else; enjoy.
 
@JimmyT I disagree, if you let kids off lower down they think it's acceptable higher up as well. Start them off they way they should carry on
 
Well, congratulations. As for the first one, I wouldn't over-think it. Go out and enjoy it and try to apply the things you've learned and been developing. Recognise fouls and correct restarts and you're most of the way there. Next comes positioning. As long as you're close enough to play without getting mixed up in it, that'll come with experience so don't sweat it.

Enjoy it, don't fear making a "mistake", if you're honest and confident you'll have no problems.

Let us know how it all goes!
 
Good luck Luke, they say you'll never forget your first game (I haven't, although to be fair it was only in February!). Relax, enjoy it and put into practice what you've learnt from the course. You'll develop a style that suits you and away you go.

Let us know how you get on.
 
Thanks for all the advice and encouragement it really is appreciated. We have had quite a bit of rain recently so I am hoping that I don't have to call my first game off due to a waterlogged pitch! I will be sure to report back to you all how the first game goes tomorrow.
 
So the game I think on the whole went well. Despite one team having one less player it was quite an end to end game which however, wasn't reflected in the scoreline (8-0 to away team). I had to give words of advice to one player from each team about going in aggressively due to them getting wound up about decisions not going their way, but luckily for me they listened and I kept my cards in my pocket. There was only two incidents in the game where I would like advice on if what I did was the correct thing to do.

First incident really simple, player goes to take throw in and doesn't place ball behind head, instead it just holds it above and sort of just drops it onto the FOP to which I blew for foul throw and awarded it to the other team - I think I got this one right.

Second one was striker of the green team clean through on goal with white defenders chasing. Keeper comes out and makes a good challenge for the ball on the green striker, however takes a knee to the head in the process and stays down - at this time ball has broken back to green team midfielder on edge of box. I blew to stop play straight away but was initially unsure on how to correctly restart play. I opted for a drop ball and got the white defender to play the ball all the way back to green teams goalkeeper and continued from there.

Apart from that both teams were well behaved and gave no back chat to any of my decisions - most of that came from parents on the sidelines. Positioning definitely needs work as at times I found myself too close to some play but I guess that will come with more experience of 'reading the game'. Looking forward to my next fixture tomorrow :).
 
Sounds like you had a good game, controlled it well and let them play football. There is a danger of newbie refs trying to 'make their mark'. First incident sounds like a foul throw. Generally, if it looks foul it probably is. Second incident - absolutely right to stop for a head injury. Assuming no foul committed (which would determine your restart) you were right to go with the drop ball. One word of advice, don't tell/persuade/advise who should go into the drop ball or what they should do if they win it. Let the teams sort it out among themselves. The next game should be fun too. Good luck.
 
So second game today and boy oh boy what a baptism of fire it was. Both teams were unbeaten so far this season and were currently 2nd and 3rd in the league. Arrived early, introduced myself and did all the pre-match checks and noticed that there was approximately 30 parents in total on the two sidelines. I knew what was coming and for the full game all I heard was parents shouting for decisions and making their displeasure known when I gave the decision against their team. This initially spread onto the pitch with players starting to question my decisions and giving me backchat which I soon stopped by pulling the first offender out and made it known that anymore dissent would result in a booking. Que the next offender with "A you blind ref, that was f**king offside' pulled him up and booked him which then silenced the two teams at least - not the parents however.

There was only really three incidents which I would like help/advice on.

First I awarded a free kick to the reds after the ball bounced to a red player who chested it and with ball still at chest height the blue defender challenges for it and wins the ball but kicks the red attacker in the chest the ball wasn't far away from red players chest and was still at chest height when blue player made the challenge - I blow for free kick under my understanding for dangerous play?

Second on the resulting free kick the ball is played in and is headed out - blue defence moves forward and leaves two reds in the middle clearly offside. However when the ball is played in it is played to a red attacker on the left side of the goal area who is onside who receives the ball takes a touch and shoots which hits the post before going in. I award the goal here for my understanding of players in middle where in an offside position however they weren't gaining any advantage by doing so and the ball wasn't played to them and they never received it - I have a feeling that with my uncertainty I may have dropped a bollock with this one.

Lastly both managers kept standing on the field of play during the game to which I had to stop and tell them a number of times to step off the pitch - could I/should I done anything different here? For example after telling them 2/3 times asked them to leave?

Overall I think I did okay to control the game and not let it turn ugly due to the influence of the parents.

Advice and comments much appreciated. :)
 
Sounds like a good start to your reffing career! Nice introduction to it anyway!

1. By the sounds of it right giving the free kick, IDFK if no contact is made for dangerous play (e.g. known as high foot from players coaches and parents), and if contact is made DFK for kicking.

2. Sounds like you did the right thing. If not active in play then no offside.

3. This is a trickier one. Warn them, maybe then tell them to move back, warn them you will ask them to leave/suspend game until they understand they have to move back. I would stop when the ball had gone out or play had stopped, and go over whilst everyone is looking and tell them to move however many yards back, so everyone knows you've asked them. Then no one can moan if you do have to take more action.

Well done by the way for cautioning the player, and it obviously worked! Did the same for me last season - works a treat with youth football!

What was the score?

Hope you are enjoying it, and keep enjoying it. :)
 
Welcome to the world of kids football! :D Sometimes, no matter what you do, the parents will shout and disagree with you! Well done for not letting it get to you and for preventing it spilling over onto the field! In that situation, a booking is often the best thing, the majority will realise that you're not going to stand for dissent and shut up.

Onto your questions:

1) Spot on. As a general rule, I give the FK as soon as the foot goes above waist height.

2) Again, it sounds like you got were spot on.

3) Managers standing on the pitch is a difficult one. As Jojo says above, warn them and then escalate from there if they continue to stand on the pitch. Most won't even have realised what they are doing and a quick word will do the trick.

As with yesterday, it seems like you got everything right. Well done and keep enjoying it! :)
 
For the first one, as he actually kicked him, it is a direct free kick for a careless kick. Dangerous play is for no contact challenges etc and results in an indirect free kick.

Second one sounds correct. The scoring player is onside and as long as the offside position team mates did not interfere with the line of sight of the goal keeper, goal stands.

With the managers, if they are encroaching onto the pitch a clear polite warning to remain off the pitch first, follow it up with a please remain off the pitch or I shall be considering sending you away from the field of play. Lastly if it happens again add a this is the final warning, if I have to come over one more time I will be sending you away from the field of play and reporting you to he county FA.

Sounds like you did well in a tricky match.

With parents, don't be afraid to ask team officials to have a word if it goes over the top. The club is responsible for it's supporters behavior.

Edit: You guys posted while I was typing! We all say the same thing though, which is good!
 
All sounds pretty good, welcome to the world of the whistle!

The guys are right (as were you).

Only thing I'd add is RE the management/coaches. If they're really starting to get on your nerves by blatantly not listening, halt play and make a big deal out of it. Call both sets of management together and tell them that in no uncertain terms you won't tolerate it (whatever it is they're doing) and you will be forced to abandon the match if they continue (which is a load of bull, but they don't need to know that!).

If/when they choose to not listen, you've warned them, with the other management in attendance, and you send them away. If they don't leave, you can then abandon.

This only applies to youth footba generally, as the higher you go, there is dug-outs/technical areas etc.


All very positive mate, glad you're enjoying your start!
 
sounds to me like you've made an excellent start; well done. All your decisions seem correct in law and sensible. As I suggested in my earlier post, I like to TRY and educate kids, who as you have now witnessed first hand, often get very little help or education from their parents with regards to the correct laws of the game or spirit of the game. If they are not willing to be helped, then that's what your cards are for pal; well done on issuing that caution and seeing the benefit of it. Once a kid makes a comment like that including a nice swear, fire a card at him, he has no cause to complain whatsoever. And don't be afraid to give him another if he repeats the offence later. You will soon get used to idiot parents at youth games. My advice here is to simply ignore them unless you hear something outrageous, then deal with it by removing them. The managers issue is tricky and I echo the advice of other posters; try and deal with it, but very hard indeed.

Well done again. Did you enjoy the first or second game more?
 
Thanks for all the advice and comments from all of you - it is much appreciated! I knew before the game started that I would be getting every parent on the sidelines voicing their opinion but none of it was threatening/insulting towards me and I didn't hear anyone swearing so I simply ignored them.

Regarding the managers I did stop the game and go over to ask them both individually to remain off the pitch and I made a point at stoppages in play of ensuring they was off the pitch before restarting and by the second half they kept off completely. In future I will adopt the approach given in the advice and take a much firmer approach in dealing with managers.

@jojo The match finished 2-1 to the team who scored from the freekick which I awarded to them with 4 minutes left to play - suffice to say the manager was more than unhappy, especially as it was a local derby match for these two teams I later found out explaining the high numbers of spectators.

@JimmyT - I enjoyed the second game more because both teams were playing similar standards of football and they both wanted to win it resulting in a high tempo end to end game. I felt this tested me a little and even though I am only two games in felt I have already learnt quite a lot which I will implement in my next games in order to improve.
 
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