We are now into 2020 leaving the previous year behind here. I started today with a UPSL playoff game that went well, although I failed to avoid a player trying to keep the ball in. My shoulder hurts quite a bit and somehow I ended up with cleat marks on my mid thigh. Oh well
I was just invited into the top level of our state’s referee development program, I’m currently observing games at a top men’s indoor league near me so that I can start refereeing there (the assignor is putting me with our SRA as my partner), I should be getting my NISOA badge within a couple of months, I’m getting looked at in April for an ECSR badge, and I’m starting men’s leagues outdoors in the spring. Life is good!
I just got my first few NFHS assignments. I know I'm only a minnow with only 4 center assignments in the 6 months I've been doing this... and honestly, I'm just happy to get U12+ assignments... hoping to get a 5th in Feb when season starts.
9 full length dual HSGV tourney games in 3 days and the knee survived. 2020 is off to a roaring start.
I got an email yesterday informing me that I've been selected for Men's State Cup February 1-2. So the next month is going to determine if I get pushed to the next level. National Fitness test on Sunday the 26h then the next week Men's State Cup games where every game is assessed and the SRC will be walking around observing.
Over the weekend, I attended an AR Academy in Nashville. Over 90 referees in attendance from several different states (Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi). Clinic was led by 4 high level ARs: Brooke Mayo (FIFA AR), Benjamin Hall-Volpenhein (MLS AR), Walt Heatherly (National AR), and Zach McWhorter (National AR). We had classroom instruction, on-field drills, and even a session with the Nashville SC strength and conditioning coach. Overall, it was a very good experience.
I'll be attempting to run 6 second sprint and run/walk 75/25 on the 15/18 seconds with the goal of getting my first USL Championship assignment. The Regional test that I passed in August was 6.4 & 17/20
I had a blast in both Birmingham and Mobile! Thanks to both of you, @gaolin and @voiceoflg for the kind words and for taking time off from your weekend to come listen to me.
I was asked to help instruct during the on-field training for a new referee class on Saturday. It was pretty good overall, especially considering we were forced to be indoors in a gym because of heavy rains. Hopefully 12 new referees learned a lot.
It was 23F when I left Iowa yesterday. I arrived in San Antonio with 78F weather. I have my first HS assignment next week. I also get to spend Friday night with my grandson (pictured 4 years ago in my avatar). Definitely a best story of the week!
ptref, would you mind sending me what you guys did as part of the on field training. as a fellow referee instructor, I am always trying to add to my library of stuff to do
I'm sure there are enough of us instructors on here that would like to hear that as well. Maybe start a new thread and all the Instructors can pile on their field sessions.
Man, it's been a long time! I meant to share a Best Story back in November, but I guess now is as good of a time as any. My local HS assignor put me on a girls 3A state quarterfinal match as AR1 with two VERY experienced referees (they both ref college). I was excited because this was my first time using headsets! In the second half, a girl on the red team shoulder charges a girl on the white team and absolutely plows her. White player falls awkwardly and seriously injures her ankle. Center gives a YC for a reckless challenge (which was absolutely the right call), and white coaches lose it, claiming it should have been a red card. This incident prompts them to moan and whine at the end of the game (which they lost 1-0) that "we should have won because we were the better team". As we leave the stadium, a parent yells out "I hope you apologized to that girl who almost got killed!" Fast forward a week, and I get assigned to one of the girls state championship games as an AR! Unfortunately, I had to decline due to a prior commitment. Since early December, I have been in the gym working to put on some muscle and get in really good shape. My season starts in less than two months, so hopefully the extra work pays off. Good luck to everyone in 2020!
But this is the 2020 thread! Great story, though. Ain't it the truth, ain't it the truth. If they win they take the credit; if they lose it's the ref's fault.
So...the ref is blamed by the loser in every match except for when it's a tie. That's when both teams blame the ref!
Ha! I remember one HS playoff game where the tie was my fault as AR -- twice! First in the last minute of regulation time I flagged the tying goal was just over the line and good, even though play had continued. Then near the end of OT I flagged what would have been the winning goal as just barely offside. So we ended up going to kicks, which as I recall went about eight deep before there was a winner. This was all in the rain, and the rest of my crew gave me just a wee bit of a hard time about it.
Watching the EPL game involving Burnley this weekend. One of their players is named "Mee." I'm imagining a whole 'who's on first?' routine. "Ref, who held him on?" "Mee." "How could you hold him on? What player held him on?" "Mee." "It has to be a player, lino! Which player was it?" "Mee."