The Ref Stop

First Open Age Game this weekend - what's your #1 piece of advice?

snap_RL

snap_RL

New Member
As a recently qualified, shiny new Level 7, and with all my limited experience so far being at Youth level, I've got my first open age match this weekend. It's a pre-season friendly, so plenty of scope for some rustiness all around, I reckon. ;)

What's your #1 piece of advice for how to approach my first open age game.
 
The Ref Stop
snap_RL said:
As a recently qualified, shiny new Level 7, and with all my limited experience so far being at Youth level, I've got my first open age match this weekend. It's a pre-season friendly, so plenty of scope for some rustiness all around, I reckon. ;)

What's your #1 piece of advice for how to approach my first open age game.
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Enjoy it, and encourage the players to do likewise.
 
When it comes to fouls/misconduct/sanctions - Don't be influenced in any way by the word "friendly". Referee it strictly as per the LOTG. 😉
 
Kes said:
When it comes to fouls/misconduct/sanctions - Don't be influenced in any way by the word "friendly". Referee it strictly as per the LOTG. 😉
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This. 100% this. Call it as you see it and treat it like you would a competitive game.

Fell into that trap post lockdown last summer. First open age game for 4 years and first of any kind for 6 months; let too much go and totally lost control of the game.
 
Matthew said:
This. 100% this. Call it as you see it and treat it like you would a competitive game.

Fell into that trap post lockdown last summer. First open age game for 4 years and first of any kind for 6 months; let too much go and totally lost control of the game.
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Thanks Matthew (and Kes), this is really helpful. Will report back!
 
If you are genuinely not sure about a throw in or GK / Corner decision (hopefully only a couple of times in the game!) then pause for half a second to see if player reaction will inform you ... if not, then favour the defending team :)
 
Know in advance where you are going and aim to be there in time
Relax, stay calm, enjoy
hydrate
be humble, show empathy
Dont try to complicate things, keep things simple, dont take chances, esp in defensive situations where teams lose a goal.
enjoy
 
Have fun….

Take your time to make decisions and talk to players.

Even if it is a friendly, if you need to, use the tools at your disposal.

Best of luck and enjoy yourself!
 
I did my first OA game on Saturday. It was a good challenge and I enjoyed the experience. It did feel very different to a Youth game – in terms of ability obviously, tempo of the game and the amount of chat. All normal “c’mon ref” vs “yeah, thanks ref” stuff, but almost continuous which I wasn’t used to at Youth level.

I was pleased that I kept up with the game for 90 minutes, didn’t shirk the decision to award a penalty (soft-ish, but still contact) and managed to keep the conversation going with the players when it was needed. No cards needed. One little flashpoint, but quickly diffused.

I think I could have done better with my foul recognition. At some points, it was at a different level to the expectations of the players. I was letting more go than they would have liked… so I tried to adjust that over the course of the game. Some of my positioning was suspect, especially when play was in the middle of the pitch, I wasn’t anticipating enough as to how the play would develop.

Good fun though. I'll be back for more. Thanks to everyone who gave me advice last week.
 
I just did my first "adult" game this evening, it was pretty horrible. Whinging I didn't give fouls, whining when I did. Three baddish tackles which on reflection I should've carded, a soft shout for a pen I didn't give but put the whistle to my mouth whilst contemplating. Lessons to learn along with getting the fee upfront rather than pissing about post match.
Subs as AR's are bloody shocking too
 
Two things.

The first call needs to be right and with confidence. Breathe, take the moment, and make the call.

At the beginning of the second half, the first ball out of play, name the team before making the signal.

Sometimes we all laugh when we signal, name the team, and realize our hand signal is using first half sides, but we got the right team called for the restart.
 
ben_white161 said:
I just did my first "adult" game this evening, it was pretty horrible. Whinging I didn't give fouls, whining when I did. Three baddish tackles which on reflection I should've carded, a soft shout for a pen I didn't give but put the whistle to my mouth whilst contemplating. Lessons to learn along with getting the fee upfront rather than pissing about post match.
Subs as AR's are bloody shocking too
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Hi Ben, the Referee's Training Course is obviously essential, but you don't really begin your apprenticeship until taking to the FOP (field of play)
During your first season, you're learning the basic technicalities of Refereeing, whilst wrestling with aspects of communication you couldn't realistically foresee. By 'communication', I'm referring to so much more than what is spoken. From the moment you get out the car, eyes are on you. Your demeanour and routing before KO, how you're dressed, the way you 'carry yourself' during the game, your signalling (body language, accuracy of arm signals, but also whistle technique) and that's before we even get onto what the participants are saying and how you handle that verbally yourself!
And we never stop wrestling with these challenges because the arena in which we Referee gradually evolves as we progress through promotion

So my advice would be to focus on the foundations;
  • Pre-match routine... reflection on lesson's learnt, preparation before leaving the house, thorough pre-match checks (teamsheets, colours, jewellery, pitch, balls, warmup etc.). Figure out how to get the best from your Club Assistant R's. You must form some sort of effective relationship with them both before and during the game. If the CAR changes mid-game, take the time to go over to them and do the same again. Speak to them
  • Figure out ways of avoiding squabbles during the game. Dialogue with everyone has to be kept as short as possible. There are no arguments you can win by entering into protracted discussion
  • Focus on managing dissent. This is protestation that perpetuates beyond what is acceptable to you. Identify the problem players early in the game. Stop the game briefly, give the Captain the opportunity to sort them muppets out (when it's reasonable to do so). Any subsequent Sin Bin will fix your Match Control and won't detract from it. Ignoring dissent in your early days is fatal, as is squabbling with 'everyone'
Improve on these things; and you'll afford yourself the space in which to learn other aspects of Refereeing, rather than being mentally overloaded
 
ben_white161 said:
I just did my first "adult" game this evening, it was pretty horrible. Whinging I didn't give fouls, whining when I did. Three baddish tackles which on reflection I should've carded, a soft shout for a pen I didn't give but put the whistle to my mouth whilst contemplating. Lessons to learn along with getting the fee upfront rather than pissing about post match.
Subs as AR's are bloody shocking too
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Players whine all the time during the game. I've lost count of the number of games I've done where players have moaned and whined about every decision against them, then at the end of the game given me a handshake and said "really good today ref, enjoyed that" (and have genuinely not been taking the Mickey).

On fouls, as you get more experience you'll find you will more easily recognise which offences need what sanction. That's not to say there won't be grey areas, but for 90% of offences you'll be more instinctive about whether to card or not.

On Club Assistants - yep you get a mixed bag, don't sweat it, work with what you've got and enjoy it when you get a decent one who can at least keep up with play. Don't be afraid to over rule them if needed.

Finally - every referee has games that they've had that have been really hard and would love to have back with the benefit of hindsight and experience. Personally I'd love to have my second ever game back, it was awful and I thought long and hard about giving up, looking back 8 years on, I'd love to do that game again and to be honest it probably wouldn't even register as being a memorable game, based on what I've learned.

Keep your head up and think about 1 or 2 things you could do a little better next time and work on those and I guarantee your game will come on leaps and bounds.
 
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Oh yeh... and I forgot... don't fret too much about positioning, except;
  • Get side-on to tackles & challenges; that will improve foul recognition
Honestly, if we add more than what's already been listed, you're then back in the realms of being mentally overloaded
Besides, what's been said so far takes years to practice ;)
You're Level 5 by the time you get top grips with this stuff
 
Don't worry about the whinging. Common theme on here with new refs is the difficulty with players whinging. They just want to win and will seek every advantage they can to try to influence decisions from the ref. I did it throughout my time as a player without ever going too far and getting a yellow. Expect it and manage it using the stepped approach and the sin bin (first time you use it is a big deal but once you get in the swing of it you realise how useful it is). But dint worry about it, it's just part of the game in many adult football matches, it certainly isn't personal to you.
 
Ben448844 said:
Don't worry about the whinging. Common theme on here with new refs is the difficulty with players whinging. They just want to win and will seek every advantage they can to try to influence decisions from the ref. I did it throughout my time as a player without ever going too far and getting a yellow. Expect it and manage it using the stepped approach and the sin bin (first time you use it is a big deal but once you get in the swing of it you realise how useful it is). But dint worry about it, it's just part of the game in many adult football matches, it certainly isn't personal to you.
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That was my biggest shock last weekend for my first adult game. Just the fact that the chat towards me seemed continuous for 90 minutes - nothing ever nasty or nearing dissent. Just loads of stuff like "in the back, Ref", "we'll take that one Ref", "how is that not a foul ref?" - but all done with a view to influencing me for future decisions. I'd not experienced anything like that in the Youth games I'd been involved with beforehand. And handshakes all around at the end, so I can't have done too badly 🤞
 
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