I've noticed a pattern of 2nd halves getting antsy so thought I'd share my reflections and invite others. When I say antsy, it's more the bickering and complaining about fouls not given- both players, coaches and to a degree, spectators. I have learnt here that if the players aren't allowing a game to flow then one approach is to show them the alternative is worse with lowering the threshold and whistling more. My experience has been that feels really unsatisfying ("Why's that a foul now?") and I struggle then to transition back to the earlier flowing game.
I officiate in my county-wide U13 to U18 league so the standard is reasonable.
Referee factors:
1) Am I working hard enough in the 2nd half physically to make good decisions? I have worked on this and think I am pretty consistent between both halves.
2) I try to be proactive in verbaliaing that challenges are clean or to keep going from the get-go so teams get a feel for the foul threshold - am I assuming too early they have worked it out and am I going too quiet in the 2nd half? This was happening a little and I addressed it.
3) Am I actually making more significant errors and if so, why?!
Team factors:
4) Are they making more errors and questioning decisions more due to stress and fatigue?
5) Are the coaches transferring their stress to the players and referee by dissenting more?
6) What else, hive-mind?!
Obvs, the temptation is to blame it on non-ref factors but I would be interested to hear if this 2nd vs 1st half difference had been noted by others and any thoughts on what might help.
I officiate in my county-wide U13 to U18 league so the standard is reasonable.
Referee factors:
1) Am I working hard enough in the 2nd half physically to make good decisions? I have worked on this and think I am pretty consistent between both halves.
2) I try to be proactive in verbaliaing that challenges are clean or to keep going from the get-go so teams get a feel for the foul threshold - am I assuming too early they have worked it out and am I going too quiet in the 2nd half? This was happening a little and I addressed it.
3) Am I actually making more significant errors and if so, why?!
Team factors:
4) Are they making more errors and questioning decisions more due to stress and fatigue?
5) Are the coaches transferring their stress to the players and referee by dissenting more?
6) What else, hive-mind?!
Obvs, the temptation is to blame it on non-ref factors but I would be interested to hear if this 2nd vs 1st half difference had been noted by others and any thoughts on what might help.