Yesterday was the first day of our Football season (in Australia we run April till Sept/Oct). I was scheduled for two Ladies' games, first a division six match and afterwards a division three. These are open age games with most of the ladies being in early twenties.
Over both games combined I probably only gave about ten free kicks. Each game had one team running away with match, but the spirit was good. I had generally good games, and all four CARs were honest and fair, and ranged from good to excellent. I made a decision over a foul in first match which I was questioned about severally by a player from each team. But this was not even a hint of dissent, they listened to my answer and clearly had actually asked to find out!
In the second match the teams played with very good humour. I turned down a deliberate handling call against the home side who were winning by several goals. To my call of "accidental" one of the away team said laughing "I know...but we're losing by so many, you could have given it to us...". I felt excellent respect towards me throughout both games. I actually felt like all four teams wanted to enjoy a game of football, and I was just there to settle any niggley grey areas. At the close of each game many handshakes and thank-you's from the players. The whole afternoon was a pure pleasure.
So why am I recounting all this on a website that usually deals with problems of Law or discipline? Well, I have found this site (and a few other similar ones) very useful in honing knowledge and ideas of how to referee. But the impression all this must give new young refs, is that refereeing is one long battle between officials and players at best, and a kind of mini-war zone at worst. And quite often the replies are jaded and cynical in the extreme. I am not denying the problems that can arise (I have suffered a fair few), but I just think, for the sake of fairness, every now and then the other side of the coin needs to be acknowledged.
Thank you.
Over both games combined I probably only gave about ten free kicks. Each game had one team running away with match, but the spirit was good. I had generally good games, and all four CARs were honest and fair, and ranged from good to excellent. I made a decision over a foul in first match which I was questioned about severally by a player from each team. But this was not even a hint of dissent, they listened to my answer and clearly had actually asked to find out!
In the second match the teams played with very good humour. I turned down a deliberate handling call against the home side who were winning by several goals. To my call of "accidental" one of the away team said laughing "I know...but we're losing by so many, you could have given it to us...". I felt excellent respect towards me throughout both games. I actually felt like all four teams wanted to enjoy a game of football, and I was just there to settle any niggley grey areas. At the close of each game many handshakes and thank-you's from the players. The whole afternoon was a pure pleasure.
So why am I recounting all this on a website that usually deals with problems of Law or discipline? Well, I have found this site (and a few other similar ones) very useful in honing knowledge and ideas of how to referee. But the impression all this must give new young refs, is that refereeing is one long battle between officials and players at best, and a kind of mini-war zone at worst. And quite often the replies are jaded and cynical in the extreme. I am not denying the problems that can arise (I have suffered a fair few), but I just think, for the sake of fairness, every now and then the other side of the coin needs to be acknowledged.
Thank you.