AR Assessment

Upgrade assessments as an AR don't typically occur until you're at a relatively high level when you've gone through many assessments in the past. I'm surprised you're being assessed for upgrade as an AR and you've never been assessed as an AR previously.

In any case, make sure you have solid fitness in order to stay even with 2LD at all times. Be certain to make eye contact with the referee when the ball is out of play. Follow the ball all the way to the goal line. Keep the flag in the correct hand at all times. Support the referee with your assistance, but if he's about to mess up a match-critical incident, you need to make sure he gets it right. Just do everything you've been taught to be a good AR -- show the assessor you're at the level you're trying to get to.

 

This is USSF, yes? if so, here is a list of expectations for referees and assistants - http://bit.ly/1chwFKK

Navigate to the Assessment Resources folder (1 of the 8 that are there), then look for Assessment Criteria Form. This document is slightly older, however it spells out the expectations. Fulful them and wave merrily thereafter!

In practical terms, go with the flow that the whistler has set for that game. Standard mechanics*, nothing spectacular. Recall that s/he is counting on you assisting in very critical decisions, goal/no-goal, goal kick/corner kick, whose throw in. Before signalling for a foul, that you know (not believe, or think) the referee would have called, look at her/him. In a rare situation you would assist in calling the foul, and then the whistler decides to play advantage. Run like blazes, down the line of course.

The wait and see approach you will require to fine tune in the pre-match conference. Similar clearance from the whistler in mass confrontation situation - should I enter field if combat area close? If so, what do you want me to do? If not, then what?

And recall, there are more throw-in situations than substitutions, and since the ball is out of play, look first at the whistler to verify is s/he also agrees before raising flag. You have enough time to signal correctly and from the proper position. This is standard stuff, right? Aim to provide maximum playing time, that is what the teams are there for, the same with spectators, they are there to see more action. So everytime substitution opportunity if your actions give them that 3 to 5 seconds, well, you can take credit. The corollary is that the team leading a goal or two may slow the rhythm. Well, that is when the officials turn the screw on them to get the ball moving.

When the action is close by your patrol line, move back from the touchline; this will give you a wider angle of view. And remember, as the match progresses, so does fatigue. If the referee becomes incapacitated, keep an eye for what is happening until next stoppage; always keep your whistle and cards. Positioning affects decisions, so the whistler may rely on your assistance more as time progresses in the second half. Read this study - http://bit.ly/19Csy4T to get an idea.

* always face field, occassional side glance to see technical areaa are behaving, goal keeper is upright and in proper position (not hanging off the cross bar, or dazed/cramped/...), record goals/cards but not at the expense of what is happening on the field, when raising flag, be stationary, not moving, goal-kick /corner kick signals always at the goal line, ...

 

Make sure your game documentation mechanics are sorted out pregame so that someone is always watching field/players... ie: all refs watch field for 3-4 seconds after goal/incident to ensure no escalation of issues. Then AR makes his notes while CR watches field and when your done then you watch field while CR makes his notes.

Ensure you have a preset signal for your inital flag on close corner v goal kick issues... ie: while your running to flag you swtich flag to right hand and hold left hand level and facing field for goal kick. Then as you arrive you can look at CR and make sure your on same page BEFORE your flag an potential confusion.

Do not ball watch. Make sure you are watching trial play after CR has moved on to next play.

At EVERY stoppage make sure you look at CR, even if he is not looking at you.

 

Side step about 4 times as much as you think you should then side step some more - basically unless you are sprinting to keep up with play, square up to the field. Supposed to anyway but easy to get lazy on this one especially when play is far in the other end.

 

In Ohio South to get a 7, you need 1 AR and 2 middles on a U16 40 minute half or higher match. There were a couple of other ways to pass, but that was the traditional.

 

Just do the job you always do! You are being assessed to see if you are ready for something, or to improve, so do what you normally do. A good assessor can tell if you are changing things. Besides if you are worried about doing things different, you will lose focus at a key point and blow an offside call

They will look at mechanics, movement, 2ld tracking and your calls

 

If you change what you do because there is an assessor there
1. you are admitting that you aren't doing the job correctly most of the time
2. the assessor can't help you improve, which is far more important than an upgrade.

 

I've actually been assessed on the line 4 times in the past week. This is great advice. And try not to question yourself just because an assessor is there. I had a game the other night where not only were we getting assessed, there were about 15 referees present watching us. This included three more assessors, several regional and provincial referees, as well as a former national from another country. Add to that all the player assessors present and it was quite a crew watching our U18 Boys match. I didn't get anything major wrong (all the calls correct, fitness and positioning good), but I screwed up a few mechanics because I kept seeing all these people watching the match. The one that made me laugh was in the 90th minute. I'd just sprinted all out from halfway to the corner flag as the leading team was taking the ball to the corner to try and kill some time. As they were jockeying in the corner, the leading team player was fouled with a good shove in the back right in front of me. I look at the center, flag goes up and wiggles. And then I hesitate and think "crap, did I go up in the correct hand" — something I normally am confident about in a typical game. I started to lower the flag for a split second (just a half a foot or so), then thought "nope, I was right" and the flag went right back up, wiggled, and then pointed direction. Of course the assessor saw this and asked about it afterwards. Mental cramp + 90th minute of second game of the day + sprint to the line + tons of referees and assessors watching = error.

So just relax. The assessor isn't there to beat you up. We had a good laugh about it. I'm sure the note in the report will be to be a little more patient with the flag so I'm not second guessing once it's up in the air. And I've run into similar situations this weekend and that extra split second of hesitation keeps you from the weird mechanic I did Saturday.

 

The first time I became an assessor (long story, not worth repeating, doesn't reflect well on a certain administrator), the game we were to assess, in order to show that we had some clue, was a PDL game. Very poorly attended by the public. In fact, there were more (would be) assessors in the stands than there were non-assessors. The PA announcer noted our presence and then intoned, "Never have so few been assessed by so many."

Late in the game, the referee made a decision that a home team supporter didn't like. Clear as a bell, we could hear the supporter yell, "Ref, we'll see you in the parking lot after the game!" He'd obviously forgotten how many referees/assessors were in the stands. I could see the headline now. "Officials beat up crowd."

 

I echo Law5's comment to do your normal match (recognizing that you will do normal "better" because an assessor is watching).

It took some time before I realized that my real benefit from an assessment is not that I "passed" (particularly when I didn't) but was that someone saw what I really did and not what I thought I did. Armed with brutal truth, they then would give me one or two good options on how to do it better. (The great assessments also gave me a few ideas that didn't work for me, but were worthy of trying.)

I thought I always stayed with the 2LD. The assessor saw when I didn't, and had the experience to show me when and why. (Hint: fitness and focus) The assessor saw how I cheated when the wings were fast and gave me better ways to adjust. They can best do their job when they see what you really do, not what you are doing just because they are there.

But, I can give you a few ideas on how to do your normal game "better:" (or to become part of your new normal): (1) Prepare. Whose playing, what is their record, have they played each other before; does this game matter to them in a way that you help you prepare. Almost all of those answers are an internet search away; (2) Arrive 10 minutes earlier than you usually do. It can help you relax to have more time than normal for pregame activities; (3) Consider this a performance and that you are on stage from the moment you exit your car. How are you dressed? How do you project yourself. Appearances and attitude affect performance. (4) Show you care when there is nothing to do. Your flag signals can be great! But, do you look bored when the ball is in the other half? Stay focused on the game and the players. Be ready (on your toes not your heels) to move. (5) Hustle. A great work rate is a joy to watch.

In the post-match briefing, the assessor may ask you what you think you did right and what you did wrong. Tell the truth. She already knows. But, it is very impressive when you know too.

Finally, there is a chance the assessor will have advice with which you disagree. My experience is that all assessors are 100 percent right in what they see, and less than 100% in "best" practices. He might tell you to do things that might once have been correct, but not what you were trained. No good comes from arguing with an assessor. Thank them. Consider what they said. Use what works. When the second assessor tells you the same thing, however, start doing what they said and keep doing it until it works. (For me, its hard to give up what worked for me in the past; but, darn, the assessors usually were right that their way was better.)

 

Umm no, just no.

You only need to be square to the field when an offside decision is imminent or close to needing to be made. Otherwise save your energy. Wasting energy by side stepping unnecessarily makes no sense. Your advice is literally the exact opposite of what FIFA ARs and National instructors are teaching. Why would you be side stepping when the ball is 70 yards away in the opposite corner of the field? You can stay perfectly even without side stepping.

 

Exactly. Sometimes we over do the side-stepping.

I think it was Alfred who gave me some advice on a DA game: "Relax, save some energy when you can. When the ball is on the other side of the pitch, take just a half second to relax, look around, reset."

We get so focused on being focused we can lose focus. Side stepping is absolutely required when the situation calls for it, but it can be over done.

 

Nirvana is knowing what the assessor is going to tell the referee before the debrief. The best assessor I've ever had was a former FIFA referee from Italy. He actually cost me an upgrade from a PDL game, not because of anything I did. He simply couldn't write the report in English, so he never did it. In the long run, it didn't matter. You always learned something new when Gino assessed you. It was also great to have him assess you on a pro game. After the debrief and shower, you went to his restaurant for dinner. He would see that they stayed open until we got there, and he would not charge us. He died about seven years ago and I still miss him.

 

He's alive!!!! Celeste, what grade are you upgrading to these days?

 

I've found that all the side stepping I do has conditioned my muscles to the point that I can do it for essentially the entire match. I actually do the side stepping motion in lieu of backpedaling before goal kicks and some other situations where some would probably run backwards, as THAT motion is the one that typically hurts my knees after a while.

 

Three days a week, I'm in a work out class with a trainer. She frequently has us do side stepping for 50 yards, then turn and side step 50 yards facing the other way. I'm the oldest person in the class but I'm the fastest at side stepping.

 

That is a good point: sidestepping does use one's muscular structure differently than backpedalling or typical running; I've often found when I do one of my marathon AR stints that I'll start side-stepping more just to vary up the stress on my body (much like hill running varies your stride pattern and therefore which muscle fibers are being recruited).

Stupid trick but it keeps me in practice for when I need it and helps when I'm out on the fields too long otherwise for my current conditioning level.