First Game Saturday
- Thread starter Justylove
- Start date
Yeah I have found if you pick up on the first few then they generally stop for the whole game, don't think about them too much because your first instinct is normally right.
I had my first game about 2 months ago luckily it was a friendly and ended 13-0 nothing hard.
What type of match is it? If it's a grass roots game make sure that your there fairly early, I've found about 25-30 mins is fine. Remember first impressions are everything so if you say hello to the managers first, a nice firm hand shake and I normally tell them my first name, it just shows them you know what your doing even though you might not. I think Refereeing is 60% decision making 40% acting.
I had my first game about 2 months ago luckily it was a friendly and ended 13-0 nothing hard.
What type of match is it? If it's a grass roots game make sure that your there fairly early, I've found about 25-30 mins is fine. Remember first impressions are everything so if you say hello to the managers first, a nice firm hand shake and I normally tell them my first name, it just shows them you know what your doing even though you might not. I think Refereeing is 60% decision making 40% acting.
Sorry to confuse you, but I disagree. If you don't know which way to give a throw, don't signal anything. Usually the players will just pick it up and get on with it, but if they ask you then guess and make it authoritative. Don't be afraid to get your cards out to so they know you're in charge.
SM
The avuncular one
I am going to respectfully disagree with some of the above. 
As it is your first game, go into with a positive head on, you are there to ensure the laws are upheld and the game is safe for all involved. You are also there (just like the players and spectators if there are any) to enjoy yourself! Big smile and a nice confident blow on the whistle to get the game under way. Do not worry about what could happen or needing to do his or that or feeling you have to exert authority or penalise this or that. All that negativity will make you all tense! Accept that what will happen will happen - and when and if it does you will deal it.
And you can be authoritative and control a game perfectly well without going to the pocket mercilessly. A good way to quickly lose control of your games (and build lots of resentment) is players feeling you are tossing out lemons for no real reason. Players will accept cautions when they deserve them.
As it is your first game, go into with a positive head on, you are there to ensure the laws are upheld and the game is safe for all involved. You are also there (just like the players and spectators if there are any) to enjoy yourself! Big smile and a nice confident blow on the whistle to get the game under way. Do not worry about what could happen or needing to do his or that or feeling you have to exert authority or penalise this or that. All that negativity will make you all tense! Accept that what will happen will happen - and when and if it does you will deal it.
And you can be authoritative and control a game perfectly well without going to the pocket mercilessly. A good way to quickly lose control of your games (and build lots of resentment) is players feeling you are tossing out lemons for no real reason. Players will accept cautions when they deserve them.
Justylove
RefChat Addict
Thanks all. Its an overage league match. Mid table team versus team that is second from bottom.
I'm naturally pretty confident and also being in my late 30's feel I'm definitely better equipped mentally to ref than I would have been 20 years ago.
All in all, looking forward to getting started
I'm naturally pretty confident and also being in my late 30's feel I'm definitely better equipped mentally to ref than I would have been 20 years ago.
All in all, looking forward to getting started
Justylove
RefChat Addict
Only one thing I'm a little nervous about actually.
I've got a pea whistle, but I also invested in a fox 40 eclipse. I prefer the tone of the Fox 40 as my pea whistle (acme thunderer) sounds a bit like a school yard, or a train whistle, however I'm finding the Fox very different to blow and harder to get variation of volume and length, than the acme. I find the fox also has a bit more potential to sound weak if I don't blow it right.
So advice, should I use the acme thunderer which I'm more confident with in terms of using, but don't like the sound of as much, or the fox which sounds more like a 'proper' refs whistle to me, but I'm less confident in using?
I've got a pea whistle, but I also invested in a fox 40 eclipse. I prefer the tone of the Fox 40 as my pea whistle (acme thunderer) sounds a bit like a school yard, or a train whistle, however I'm finding the Fox very different to blow and harder to get variation of volume and length, than the acme. I find the fox also has a bit more potential to sound weak if I don't blow it right.
So advice, should I use the acme thunderer which I'm more confident with in terms of using, but don't like the sound of as much, or the fox which sounds more like a 'proper' refs whistle to me, but I'm less confident in using?
SM
The avuncular one
The fox needs a bit of practise. If you're not comfortable, go with the thunderer tomorrow while you get used to the fox.
Running and blowing the whistle, plus varying tone is a skill which will come with time. You are correct, a weak blow on the fox will give a horrible noise!
Running and blowing the whistle, plus varying tone is a skill which will come with time. You are correct, a weak blow on the fox will give a horrible noise!
Gary ferris
New Member
Attach both whistles to your lanyard so you get the variety, works for me.
Justylove
RefChat Addict
Just back from the game. Went ok. Ended up 4-2 to the away side.
Pre match pitch inspection showed one of the goal nets wasn't attached properly and there were no corner flags. A friendly word and both were quickly sorted out.
Decided to use the fox 40, but the tip from @Gary ferris was perfect, I had my thunderer on the lanyard with it as a safety blanket.
Ended up with 1 caution and an injury time penalty.
On the plus side, I'd been a little worried about whether I would be match fit, however had no issues and also had the help of a very good club AR from one side who gave me a lot of confidence that he would give good and fair decisions. There was a little bit of borderline dissent from one player, I gave him a taking to, 2 minutes later he came up and apologised and I didn't hear a peep from him for the rest of the game. The secretary of the losing team told me when he paid me that he thought I had a good game, so I took that as a plus.
Loads of areas to work on:
Need to be more decisive around some decisions I could/should have given.
Positioning - need to focus more on that, the penalty I gave I had a really awful angle and distance from the incident and was lucky it was so obvious
I forgot to count the players at the start of the first half, but remembered for the start of the second
On giving the penalty, I should have cautioned the goalkeeper, but in the excitement of the injured player and giving the penalty, I completely forgot until the kick was just about to be taken!
All in all a very enjoyable first game, looking forward to the next
Pre match pitch inspection showed one of the goal nets wasn't attached properly and there were no corner flags. A friendly word and both were quickly sorted out.
Decided to use the fox 40, but the tip from @Gary ferris was perfect, I had my thunderer on the lanyard with it as a safety blanket.
Ended up with 1 caution and an injury time penalty.
On the plus side, I'd been a little worried about whether I would be match fit, however had no issues and also had the help of a very good club AR from one side who gave me a lot of confidence that he would give good and fair decisions. There was a little bit of borderline dissent from one player, I gave him a taking to, 2 minutes later he came up and apologised and I didn't hear a peep from him for the rest of the game. The secretary of the losing team told me when he paid me that he thought I had a good game, so I took that as a plus.
Loads of areas to work on:
Need to be more decisive around some decisions I could/should have given.
Positioning - need to focus more on that, the penalty I gave I had a really awful angle and distance from the incident and was lucky it was so obvious
I forgot to count the players at the start of the first half, but remembered for the start of the second
On giving the penalty, I should have cautioned the goalkeeper, but in the excitement of the injured player and giving the penalty, I completely forgot until the kick was just about to be taken!
All in all a very enjoyable first game, looking forward to the next
DanCohen17
Simply The Best
Great that you've come off this game with loads of positives in addition to self-analysing and realising that there are areas you may need to improve upon. Glad you enjoyed it too, that's the key!Just back from the game. Went ok. Ended up 4-2 to the away side.
Pre match pitch inspection showed one of the goal nets wasn't attached properly and there were no corner flags. A friendly word and both were quickly sorted out.
Decided to use the fox 40, but the tip from @Gary ferris was perfect, I had my thunderer on the lanyard with it as a safety blanket.
Ended up with 1 caution and an injury time penalty.
On the plus side, I'd been a little worried about whether I would be match fit, however had no issues and also had the help of a very good club AR from one side who gave me a lot of confidence that he would give good and fair decisions. There was a little bit of borderline dissent from one player, I gave him a taking to, 2 minutes later he came up and apologised and I didn't hear a peep from him for the rest of the game. The secretary of the losing team told me when he paid me that he thought I had a good game, so I took that as a plus.
Loads of areas to work on:
Need to be more decisive around some decisions I could/should have given.
Positioning - need to focus more on that, the penalty I gave I had a really awful angle and distance from the incident and was lucky it was so obvious
I forgot to count the players at the start of the first half, but remembered for the start of the second
On giving the penalty, I should have cautioned the goalkeeper, but in the excitement of the injured player and giving the penalty, I completely forgot until the kick was just about to be taken!
All in all a very enjoyable first game, looking forward to the next
Couldn't have put it any better myself @DanCohen17