First game with a mentor

[PinnerPaul]

Try and not say, “in your own time’ or ‘sometime today please’. I preferred ‘It’s your time you’re wasting, I’m adding this on’ or ‘hurry up please, or my dinner will be in the dog!

Try and not say, “in your own time’ or ‘sometime today please’. I preferred ‘It’s your time you’re wasting, I’m adding this on’ or ‘hurry up please, or my dinner will be in the dog!

I thought I had misheard this but then reset my brain and said well it IS Guy Mowbray

Said during Newport v Leicester cup tie when Newport were taking their time (understandably) 'Its their time, they can do what they want with it'

Never ceased to be amazed by the idiotic things these 'professionals' say, but, nevertheless, this one is in my top 5 now!

 

[BCMilan]

On that note, I stopped using "when you are ready" a long time ago after a crafty player taking advantage of me giving him the option of not taking the kick straight away to waste time. My go to phrase is "let's go" now. It's not as friendly but it doesn't give them an option of not taking it because "he is not ready yet".

Nice tip ! Cheers mate

 

[JoeMaloney5]

Ahh so my mentor said that today would be his last day mentoring me (2 games he has watched me) he gave me some good tips but I would've liked him a bit longer if I'm honest. His last thing he said to me is that he will recommend to county that I not partake in promotion next year as he feels I should have at least 2 seasons of OA refereeing experience first however he can't guarantee that I will get my money back unfortunately.

 

[Big Cat]

Ahh so my mentor said that today would be his last day mentoring me (2 games he has watched me) he gave me some good tips but I would've liked him a bit longer if I'm honest. His last thing he said to me is that he will recommend to county that I not partake in promotion next year as he feels I should have at least 2 seasons of OA refereeing experience first however he can't guarantee that I will get my money back unfortunately.

I would recommend two years at L7 for most refs, not least as that's what I chose to do
TBH, I wasn't happy with my own game last February, so why would anyone else have been enthralled
I wouldn't be disheartened, this must be sound advice to anyone your age. Get your game in good shape as being a decent L7 is a challenge in itself

 

[JoeMaloney5]

I would recommend two years at L7 for most refs, not least as that's what I chose to do
TBH, I wasn't happy with my own game last February, so why would anyone else have been enthralled
I wouldn't be disheartened, this must be sound advice to anyone your age. Get your game in good shape as being a decent L7 is a challenge in itself

Yeah thanks was down heartened at first but after thinking about I see the point about experience

 

[santa sangria]

Ahh so my mentor said that today would be his last day mentoring me (2 games he has watched me) he gave me some good tips but I would've liked him a bit longer if I'm honest.

You've got a great attitude. Have done some AR work yet?

 

[JoeMaloney5]

You've got a great attitude. Have done some AR work yet?

Yes done a few and got a semi final in 2 weeks

 

[RustyRef]

I would recommend two years at L7 for most refs

Can't say I agree with that, as you have nothing to lose in going for promotion. If you aren't ready you will still be a better referee by the end of it as you will have been observed three times and received lots of (hopefully) good feedback. You will also get to attend in-service training events, can't speak for other counties but in London they are run by level 2A, 2B and 3 referees, so you can't really fail to learn from them.

 

[one]

Ahh so my mentor said that today would be his last day mentoring me (2 games he has watched me) he gave me some good tips but I would've liked him a bit longer if I'm honest. His last thing he said to me is that he will recommend to county that I not partake in promotion next year as he feels I should have at least 2 seasons of OA refereeing experience first however he can't guarantee that I will get my money back unfortunately.

The great thing about this forum is you can get second opinion for free and a third one, and a forth one...

 

[Sheffields Finest]

Lets just say an average man / women aged say 20, passed the exam today, (and for arguments sake was the next big thing in refereeing), what's the quickest possible way / time frame to get from level 7 to the EPL theoretically???

 

[RustyRef]

Best case scenario is ...

2018/19 Normal season
2019/20 Successful in 7 to 5 and get nominated for 4 (not all counties offer this)
2020/21 Promoted from 4 to 3
2021/22 Promoted from 3 to 2B
2022/23 Promoted from 2B to 2A
2023/24 Promoted from 2A to 1
2024/25 Promoted from 1 to SG2
2025/26 Promoted from SG2 to SG1

Realistically though no one has ever managed to do that or even come close to it.

 

[one]

No different to any promotion ladder in life, like becoming a CEO or getting university degree. It depends on your skill, ability, knowledge of the subject matter, how hard you work, a bit of luck, and of course "who you know"

 

[Big Cat]

Can't say I agree with that, as you have nothing to lose in going for promotion. If you aren't ready you will still be a better referee by the end of it as you will have been observed three times and received lots of (hopefully) good feedback. You will also get to attend in-service training events, can't speak for other counties but in London they are run by level 2A, 2B and 3 referees, so you can't really fail to learn from them.

People don't sit their driving test before their lessons have yet to leave the car park, just to be told they're a danger to other road users!
I have a golfing colleague who went 7-5 at the first opportunity and is now doing well at L4
However, I intuitively felt I wasn't ready and @JoeMaloney5 has been advised not to rush, so it depends on the individual

 

[Justylove]

People don't sit their driving test before their lessons have yet to leave the car park, just to be told they're a danger to other road users!
I have a golfing colleague who went 7-5 at the first opportunity and is now doing well at L4
However, I intuitively felt I wasn't ready and @JoeMaloney5 has been advised not to rush, so it depends on the individual

Also think of the confidence factor. If you ignore your mentor and go for it, then don't reach the required standard and "fail" that's potentially more crippling than waiting a year.

You'll also get a slightly higher standard of game, which means if you are not ready, the gaps in ability have more chance of getting exposed.

My advice, take this year, continue to learn your craft, work on the gaps in your game and longer term you'll be a better referee for it!

 

[JamesL]

My tuppence worth on this is I did a whole season doing juniour before moving in to open age. I would really reccomend that path to anyone. I had successive promotions 7-6 then 6-5 and the only thing that scuppered my first 5-4 attempt was my availability issues. I sorted those and was promoted.
There are some folk who'll go into OA and fly staright away, but for those folk, for whatever reason, arent ready for it are gunna struggle big time as OA games are considerably more unforgiving than juniour.
There is also a clear pathway to OA with the varying age groups up to u18 before hitting the adults.
Sounds like Joe is straight in to adults nd may have benefitted, still might, from learning on kids games 1st.

 

[RustyRef]

People don't sit their driving test before their lessons have yet to leave the car park, just to be told they're a danger to other road users!
I have a golfing colleague who went 7-5 at the first opportunity and is now doing well at L4
However, I intuitively felt I wasn't ready and @JoeMaloney5 has been advised not to rush, so it depends on the individual

That's different though, they aren't allowed to leave the cark park on their own until they have passed the test. Whereas a referee will be out there refereeing the game anyway, so nothing changes. Why not get some advice to help you improve?

 

[zarathustra]

If a referee is already doing OA football I would always recommend going for promotion, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain from it.

I went straight into open age, and applied for 7-6 at the end of my first season. It made me a much better referee. Yes, you get development sessions etc which are really informative and you get to learn from more experienced referees, but, you also get observations.

I probably learnt the most from my observations that season, simply because I had an impartial observer there who could point out things I needed to work on, positioning etc, and also point out things I was doing well, which is a massive boost for your confidence.

Of course, if a referee has only done youth games then I would recommend working up to OA football, rather than just diving in.

 

[JoeMaloney5]

If a referee is already doing OA football I would always recommend going for promotion, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain from it.

I went straight into open age, and applied for 7-6 at the end of my first season. It made me a much better referee. Yes, you get development sessions etc which are really informative and you get to learn from more experienced referees, but, you also get observations.

I probably learnt the most from my observations that season, simply because I had an impartial observer there who could point out things I needed to work on, positioning etc, and also point out things I was doing well, which is a massive boost for your confidence.

Of course, if a referee has only done youth games then I would recommend working up to OA football, rather than just diving in.

Yeah I started OA this season which is my second season as a ref and next season will be my second doing OA and 3rd overall

 

[Tino Best]

In my third season my first 3 months only youth but senior youth I now do both. I have only just felt ready and experienced to go for 6. But if my RDO said wait another season I would.

 

[Ben448844]

2nd season, 80 games in total (although did the original level 3 course and perhaps 30 games 19 years ago and a few ad hoc in the interim period). I only do u18, u21 and OA.

I've just emailed my application for promotion. I'm 35 and played all my life and I feel comfortable refereeing any match. However, I'm fully aware that as well as doing things right (I often get good comments about being "the best ref we've had" etc) there will be loads that I'm doing completely wrong, I've just never had anyone to tell me and therefore, my promotion application is more about needing that constructive criticism as opposed to needing a confidence boost or needing to climb the ladder. I often read things on here and that prompts me to think about what I could do differently which is great but I've no idea about whether my positioning is good or dreadful! There won't be many refs fitter than me but sometimes I think that I'm being a 'busy fool' as I'm usually faster than most of the players so can keep up both ways but that doesn't mean my positioning is good.

I just want some direction towards becoming a better referee I suppose. As a level 7 (adult) i do feel a bit like I'd just be left to float around the Sunday Leagues forever with nobody knowing what I look like never mind if I'm any good or not. I found getting games impossible from the FA I qualified with, i had to switch counties and find games off my own back. A bit of direction and someone to tell me where I can improve would do wonders for me.