A&H

First ever game

R

RefManDan

New Member
Level 7 Referee
Hello All,

I am down to referee my first ever game tomorrow. I am extremely nervous but also excited for the challenge.

Does anyone have any tips, tricks or advice?

Thanks in advance,
 
The Referee Store
Enjoy it! Embrace the moment! And keep calm no matter the situation.

Good luck! Let us know how it goes
 
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You have more time than you think when making a decision.

and, enjoy it. Smile. Welcome to the madhouse!
 
Smile.
When you get out to the centre circle make your first whistle to call the captains in loud. That will help settle your nerves.
Take your time to make decisions. There’s no prizes for blowing quickly.
When there’s a foul and you’re going to caution but there are several players in the area saying the player’s number out loud will help cement it in your mind so you don’t forget it.
Don’t tell them it’s your first game.
When players are getting on at you then smile. They hate it!
Enjoy the game.
However many mistakes you make, the players will make more.
When you make a mistake forget it. It’s gone so don’t dwell on it.
After the game, for every thing you think you got wrong think of something you got right.
Tell us how it went.
Good luck
 
Can echo the above. If you make a mistake, move on. Honestly, don't dwell, as you won't be focused on what's going on next. They make mistakes at the high levels, so you're definitely going to get some decisions wrong at grassroots.

Players will appeal for LOADS. Stick to your guns unless it's something blatantly obvious like faded lines on the pitch and you've given a penalty when it's 10 yards outside the area. You can change your decision before a restart, but don't do it unless you know you've royally messed up.

Banter with the players where you can, but nothing OTT. If a player wants an explanation, a quick "it's a careless foul, he's tripped him, free kick player" then carry on with the game. Don't get involved in conversation that you don't need to. You'll miss something in the next phase.

Have you got club assistants?
 
Only thing I want to add is that as a referee you will meet some great people at some great clubs but unfortunately you will meet some real knobheads. Embrace the former and try to ignore the latter.
 
Throw-ins can be difficult to call so wait a micro-second as the players involved will often move to a defensive/attacking position to give you the answer.
 
Get there in plenty of time, look the part (shirt tucked in, socks up etc), introduce yourself to both managers, big blow of the whistle to get the captains together, and then enjoy yourself. You know more than you think (and certainly more than everyone else there).

Best of luck!
 
I’m also starting my referee journey today and feeling exactly the same. I keep telling myself there will be good and bad days (much like when I play competitive sport!) but I will enjoy it whatever happens. I just remember some of the best refs I’ve played under and they are always so confident with every decision. It may take us a few games/seasons to get to that level but we all have to start somewhere. Go well my friend and see you on the other side!
 
Lots of really good tips above. I'm going to repeat one that will hopefully help keep the confidence high. Players will appeal for almost EVERYTHING. Most of the time they don't even believe themselves.

Take you time. Make your call. Ignore the noise. You're doing great.
 
Can confirm after my first game that they do appeal for everything and it’s shocking how few know the basic rules. I managed to deal with the constant, foul ref, foul throw ref, offside ref by ignoring it after a while - did have to sin bin a couple of player either side of half time but they could easily have seen red. Then after a fairly innocuous foul the player penalised (not a YC just for the foul) decided to kick the player he fouled in the head. The opposing player retaliated and a fight ensued between both teams and ended with a spectator running on the field and kicking a player in the head. Gave a RC to both players from the initial fight and spectator was asked to leave immediately. Game finished after 16th mins of stoppages! Also made worse by away team manager forgetting the kit and delaying kick off
 
sanjay23 said:
Can confirm after my first game that they do appeal for everything and it’s shocking how few know the basic rules. I managed to deal with the constant, foul ref, foul throw ref, offside ref by ignoring it after a while - did have to sin bin a couple of player either side of half time but they could easily have seen red. Then after a fairly innocuous foul the player penalised (not a YC just for the foul) decided to kick the player he fouled in the head. The opposing player retaliated and a fight ensued between both teams and ended with a spectator running on the field and kicking a player in the head. Gave a RC to both players from the initial fight and spectator was asked to leave immediately. Game finished after 16th mins of stoppages! Also made worse by away team manager forgetting the kit and delaying kick off
Click to expand...

Welcome to refereeing Sanjay. Hope your feeling OK after all that.

Best advice I can give is have 5 mins to yourself tomorrow and think what you did well and what you'd do differently next time. Anything you could've done to avoid any of the issues (and the answer to that could be everything or it could be nothing). Anything you did that you know you nailed it and you're proud of yourself for? If you can take a bit of good and a bit of bad from every game you do then you'll be amazed how much you improve over a season.
 
Welcome to refereeing. Like yourself I am new to refereeing but have managed to get some games under my belt. Enjoy it. Strong whistle. strong signals. Take your time. don't be persuaded by the players! If unsure on a throw in or corner, either watch for player reactions or play it safe. I gdive defending team the benefit of the doubt. Take the advice given by the refs on the chat. They're a good source of advice. Remember refereeing won't come overnight. it is a learned skill. I try to tell myself that, but it's easier to advise something of that then actually believing myself!
 
sanjay23 said:
Can confirm after my first game that they do appeal for everything and it’s shocking how few know the basic rules. I managed to deal with the constant, foul ref, foul throw ref, offside ref by ignoring it after a while - did have to sin bin a couple of player either side of half time but they could easily have seen red. Then after a fairly innocuous foul the player penalised (not a YC just for the foul) decided to kick the player he fouled in the head. The opposing player retaliated and a fight ensued between both teams and ended with a spectator running on the field and kicking a player in the head. Gave a RC to both players from the initial fight and spectator was asked to leave immediately. Game finished after 16th mins of stoppages! Also made worse by away team manager forgetting the kit and delaying kick off
Click to expand...
Wow. That is extreme for a first game. Really take time to talk about it and work through it. Do more matches - and, if you want, ask to do youth games to build confidence. Also run the line for better refs to learn some of the craft.

The unexpected does happen - a lot - but you've had the kind of incident that we hope is a once-in-a-blue-moon thing - and we hope - it's the kind of thing that you can learn tools and techniques to mitigate. That said, remember you are not responsible - idiot players and fan/s are!
 
Wow. What an introduction. Not sure anyone knows what is right to do when someone gets kicked in the head, but I think I will be asking the victim whether they want the police called.
 
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