RegalRef
Politically Incorrect
Had a game this morning, taught a lesson that's easy to forget - trust your instincts.
Game at a place I'm a regular, Community Football Centre very close to me where they have about 10 real good quality pitches, mixture of full size and various smaller pitches for various age groups of kids.
Because of the first class facilities a lot of teams in most of the leagues I referee in play there, so I'm there quite a lot.
Anyway, 20 minutes into a game this morning, player chases a ball down to the edge of the pitch, momentum carries him out of the FOP and as he tries to stop before he hits the rope barrier separating the edge of the pitch he slips and falls over, much to the hilarity of his team mates, subs, manager etc who were all close by.
As I signal the goal kick and he gets up looking embarrassed I get ready to run to my position for the restart. I glance back and he looks distracted so I tell the keeper to hold it and check he's ok. I must admit I did think twice about doing so, I didn't want to make it worse for the lad after his team mates had basically taken the piss out of him for it.
As I got closer and asked him if he was ok he said yes, but I noticed he had a really nasty rope burn on his neck. Turns out when he slipped his neck landed on the nylon type yarn that separates the pitches, that blue stuff about 1/4" thick.
I told him about it and he said he was ok, but as he couldn't see the severity I told him to go off for a minute and at least put some water on it. Just after the restart I looked over to wave him back on and see him sat on the floor with others around him, now looking a bit concerned.
Turns out straight after he had a mild asthma attack. Could have been coincidence, could have been because of the embarrassment factor, but as he was next to his inhaler already off the pitch he was straight on it.
He made a full recovery and even came back on for the last 15 minutes. He shook my hand at the end and said thanks for ordering him off, he knew something wasn't right but wouldn't have gone of his own accord if I hadn't gone over.
So lesson learnt - trust your instincts!
Game at a place I'm a regular, Community Football Centre very close to me where they have about 10 real good quality pitches, mixture of full size and various smaller pitches for various age groups of kids.
Because of the first class facilities a lot of teams in most of the leagues I referee in play there, so I'm there quite a lot.
Anyway, 20 minutes into a game this morning, player chases a ball down to the edge of the pitch, momentum carries him out of the FOP and as he tries to stop before he hits the rope barrier separating the edge of the pitch he slips and falls over, much to the hilarity of his team mates, subs, manager etc who were all close by.
As I signal the goal kick and he gets up looking embarrassed I get ready to run to my position for the restart. I glance back and he looks distracted so I tell the keeper to hold it and check he's ok. I must admit I did think twice about doing so, I didn't want to make it worse for the lad after his team mates had basically taken the piss out of him for it.
As I got closer and asked him if he was ok he said yes, but I noticed he had a really nasty rope burn on his neck. Turns out when he slipped his neck landed on the nylon type yarn that separates the pitches, that blue stuff about 1/4" thick.
I told him about it and he said he was ok, but as he couldn't see the severity I told him to go off for a minute and at least put some water on it. Just after the restart I looked over to wave him back on and see him sat on the floor with others around him, now looking a bit concerned.
Turns out straight after he had a mild asthma attack. Could have been coincidence, could have been because of the embarrassment factor, but as he was next to his inhaler already off the pitch he was straight on it.
He made a full recovery and even came back on for the last 15 minutes. He shook my hand at the end and said thanks for ordering him off, he knew something wasn't right but wouldn't have gone of his own accord if I hadn't gone over.
So lesson learnt - trust your instincts!