A&H

Kit or no kit

Zimmyman

Well-Known Member
My boy as ask me to do a friendly for him tommotow under 12s does one wear there refs kit ir because it’s unofficial just turn up in track suit !! ?? It’s me doing him a favour as no one will ref his games but I don’t want to
Look like mr silly just for a Saturday morning unofficial game advice please
 
The Referee Store
Only difference i ever make is on the rare occasion that I do very young age groups, I'll wear a tracksuit top. It's the FA one from A&H and it's says referee on it and is black etc. I think at u10s, u11s, u12s etc I do so little running that is rather have the tracksuit top on. Older age groups and adults I wear a kit.

For a friendly, they'll just be happy to have a ref and if you turned up in a tracksuit nobody would give a stuff
 
My boy as ask me to do a friendly for him tommotow under 12s does one wear there refs kit ir because it’s unofficial just turn up in track suit !! ?? It’s me doing him a favour as no one will ref his games but I don’t want to
Look like mr silly just for a Saturday morning unofficial game advice please
It's also a rehearsal for you - so do as you would normally. Wear the gear, have your pen(s), cards, watch(es), whistle(s).
 
Full kit
Or maybe an FAMOA badged training top if you have one

What is your opinion on wearing the jacket to OA matches. I've always just worn a standard kit but when it's peeing down,like it's going to tomorrow, would anyone else wear one?
 
What is your opinion on wearing the jacket to OA matches. I've always just worn a standard kit but when it's peeing down,like it's going to tomorrow, would anyone else wear one?
I own a training top and fleece (both FAMOA)
I don't have an equivalent rain jacket. I like being cold (& wet), so the thought of donning a jacket hadn't crossed my mind
My RDO has expressed the guidance: if the players can't wear it, not can you!
 
The kids will love it if you are in “proper” ref’s kit - makes them feel important, special and professional.

As a bit of an aside, I write the away team/school name on the changing room door when teams come to play my school. I still remember, a couple of years ago, an U14 (year 9) team came to play our Y9 B team. They were made up to see “Grange Hill FC U14” on the changinging room door. The game was nothing special, just an inter-school friendly at a pretty bog standard level, but those boys are far more likely to remember that afternoon than any lesson on Pythagoras’ theorem I may teach them.

Childhood is short enough, do all that you can to make it special for them. Wear your refs kit, the kids & parents will love it.
 
I'm interested in your views on this guys, as I am often in two minds. On the one hand I don't like to wear a full kit, because they expect you to be brilliant and follow every decision to the letter of the law...unless it's their kid, in which case it's "but it's only a friendly ref !". On the other hand, I've just worn a black tracksuit for an U10's friendly that got very heated, and I was actually accosted afterwards. In that instance, I wish I had my full kit on as i'm not sure the accused would have been so aggressive if he had realised I was a qualified ref.
 
Imagine what's the worst that can happen? Will you be able to deal with it and earn respect dressed in trackie bottoms and a fleece?
And what exactly does unofficial mean? Unsanctioned, perhaps? As a parent I'd be asking my son's coach these questions. As a referee ... well, I'll let you choose on the risks you want to take. After all it's only U12s and nothing untoward ever, ever happens at that age, does it?
 
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