I refereed my first two games today (after 3 weeks back to back of postponements due to weather).
First game was an U11 girls game. It passed by almost without incident, behaviour was fine and it was a competitive match. I don't think I blew for a single foul in the whole 60 minute game. I generally expected not to have to interfere much as I've seen that players at that age are generally better behaved and, to be honest, were playing cautiously for their own sakes. No problems here.
Second game was an U16 girls game. This is where I began to question myself a bit - outside of throws, corners, the odd offside, I only recall blowing for four or five fouls.
One was a clear pull from an attacker to try and beat their defender, another was a handball in the middle of the park used to control the ball, and a third was an attacker getting body-blocked preparing to make a run onto the ball near the halfway line (1v3 so no promising attack prevented in my opinion).
The fourth was a brain fart on my part, attacker had the ball and as they struck it the defender got a touch and the keeper gathered - I heard a call behind me from attacking team's manager and I incorrectly awarded an indirect free kick, interpreting it as a pass-back when it was simply a deflection. Players were confused but I stuck to my decision (I only concluded it was incorrect a few minutes later upon reflection). The IDFK came to nothing and the team awarded it were losing 7-0 at the time, so it had no impact on the game at least.
There were no calls for fouls that I waved off, but I can't help but feel like I didn't interfere much, and with my inexperience it makes me wonder if I had been too lenient? I'm mostly just thinking out loud here and reflecting on what occurred. I made a complete mess of my arm signals (pointing the right way for the decision is much harder than it looks as I found!) but was able to clarify each time. I was also giving verbal calls such as blue throw, which meant the correct team usually took the throw even if my arm said differently.
Another thing I identified was reliance on the CARs for throws and sometimes corner kicks. I felt myself on many occasions blindly following their signal as I struggled to tell myself - in one occasion, I pointed for a goal kick but every player and the CAR were convinced it was a corner, so I allowed myself to be overruled by the CAR.
I know a lot of this is just lack of experience talking, and these things will come, but it helps to get this out loud and it would help if anybody had tips for the next few games to steady myself.
Overall - thoroughly enjoyed it, wish I'd have been able to officiate over the last few weeks as I feel a bit rusty after a month since completing my course.
First game was an U11 girls game. It passed by almost without incident, behaviour was fine and it was a competitive match. I don't think I blew for a single foul in the whole 60 minute game. I generally expected not to have to interfere much as I've seen that players at that age are generally better behaved and, to be honest, were playing cautiously for their own sakes. No problems here.
Second game was an U16 girls game. This is where I began to question myself a bit - outside of throws, corners, the odd offside, I only recall blowing for four or five fouls.
One was a clear pull from an attacker to try and beat their defender, another was a handball in the middle of the park used to control the ball, and a third was an attacker getting body-blocked preparing to make a run onto the ball near the halfway line (1v3 so no promising attack prevented in my opinion).
The fourth was a brain fart on my part, attacker had the ball and as they struck it the defender got a touch and the keeper gathered - I heard a call behind me from attacking team's manager and I incorrectly awarded an indirect free kick, interpreting it as a pass-back when it was simply a deflection. Players were confused but I stuck to my decision (I only concluded it was incorrect a few minutes later upon reflection). The IDFK came to nothing and the team awarded it were losing 7-0 at the time, so it had no impact on the game at least.
There were no calls for fouls that I waved off, but I can't help but feel like I didn't interfere much, and with my inexperience it makes me wonder if I had been too lenient? I'm mostly just thinking out loud here and reflecting on what occurred. I made a complete mess of my arm signals (pointing the right way for the decision is much harder than it looks as I found!) but was able to clarify each time. I was also giving verbal calls such as blue throw, which meant the correct team usually took the throw even if my arm said differently.
Another thing I identified was reliance on the CARs for throws and sometimes corner kicks. I felt myself on many occasions blindly following their signal as I struggled to tell myself - in one occasion, I pointed for a goal kick but every player and the CAR were convinced it was a corner, so I allowed myself to be overruled by the CAR.
I know a lot of this is just lack of experience talking, and these things will come, but it helps to get this out loud and it would help if anybody had tips for the next few games to steady myself.
Overall - thoroughly enjoyed it, wish I'd have been able to officiate over the last few weeks as I feel a bit rusty after a month since completing my course.