So the best story of the week is that I'm not doing any more games this year. It's in the 40's and raining. There was a "showcase" tournament last weekend and I declined to self assign into their games. They had a particularly hard time filling games starting after 6 p.m., temperature in the low 40's/high 30's and raining. Surprise! I have compiled my statistics for this year: total games 94, exactly the same as 2017. USSF games 37 (2 D1 Referee, 29 other adult Referee, 5 other adult AR, 1 U-19 AR) High school 42 (7 varsity R, 4 varsity duals, 1 sub-varsity R, 16 sub-varsity duals, 14 varsity AR) College 15 (2 R, 13 AR) Cautions: Unsporting Behavior-player 17, Unsporting Behavior - coach 1 (jewelry), Dissent-player 3, Dissent-coach 2 (1 varsity boys, 1 JV girls), Delaying the Restart 2, Persistent Infringement 1. Total cautions 26, average 0.426 per center. Most cautions in a game: 4 Send offs: Violent Conduct 1 Assessed: 1 time, grade maintenance Games not played after arriving at game site: 1 (high school girls JV, visitors no show) Goals: 443 average 4.71 per game Most goals in a single game: 11 (1st division adult co-ed 8-3, girls varsity 0-11) 0-0 games: 2 Overtime games: 2
In High School, we ask the head coach if the players are, "legally and properly equipped." After they indicate they are or will be, then the coach gets the first yellow card when a player is found to be wearing jewelry. I've been an official with yellow cards for bracelets, watches, necklaces, and earrings.
I had a VB a couple years ago where a sub came on in the 79th minute with a chain around his neck bearing a 4" metal cross, outside his jersey. He was incredulous when I walked him over to card the coach. "But it's a cross!" And me thinking I was going to get out of that game without having to write a report.
I once was doing a high school girls' varsity game on a cool-ish day and the players were all wearing sweats during warmups. I saw someone with ear rings on so I, discreetly I thought, came up to her from the side and said, "You'll need to take off the ear rings before we get started." She turned to me, with an absolute death glare and said, "No I don't. I'm the coach." Whoa! You're upset that I mistook you for a player? I decided that she needed some space and got out of the vicinity. I don't remember any problems with her during the game, however.
I distinctly remember the first time I showed up to do a high school game and thought that the kids looked younger than the year before. And I'm not even very old!
Even worse is when you realizing you are refereeing the kids of players you refereed a generation before!
I know I am getting older when I stop checking out college players and start checking out the assistant coaches and athletic trainers....
When the girls are smiling at you, it isn't because they think you're cute. It's because you remind them of their grandfather.
Today is my 34th wedding anniversary, and I wanted to take this happy time to thank you all for a year of great stories. Salute! <o