Well I am sure this board will go relatively dark for a while. Very little soccer to watch or officiate. Reading this board is part of my daily routine and I think that it is not a stretch to say that this is truly an excellent community. No surprise, as some of the best people I know are refs. I think back to 2011 when my neighborhood suffered mightily at the hands of a tornado. The first offer of help was from a fellow ref. Now, to be sure, we are faced with a difficult time. At a minimum, we will face financial impacts and physical inconveniences. The likeliest scenario is that there will be a crushing burden on health care resources. It is likely that we will all know someone who becomes critically ill from this. The strategy that gives us hope that we can weather this storm is for the cases to spread slowly enough through the country that the system is not overwhelmed. The strategy centers around social distancing. Many (most?) of us are leaders in our respective communities, workplaces. Please use your influence to encourage people to heed the current recommendations. 1. Self isolate if you are sick. Seek testing if you have symptoms suspicious of Covid https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/COVID19-symptoms.pdf Seek care only if your symptoms are severe or progressively worsening. Wear a mask if possible when going to get care. 2. Avoid: large gatherings. Touching your face or eating unless you have just washed your hands. Unnecessary travel. Going to a hospital for minor illness. 3 Do: make sure you have a decent supply of your daily meds. Have enough to eat at home for a couple of weeks in case you isolate. At work and socially, elbow bumps instead of the euro double kiss. Disinfect surfaces, phones, etc daily. Go to the grocery or your local restaurant in small groups. Cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing. If you are elderly and/or have chronic medical conditions, leave your house as little as possible. Life does not need to stop! But we all need to do our part and be responsible, and I feel like referees can be voices of guidance and reason for this as we are in other things. This will not last forever! I look forward to life as usual- in the meantime I pray for your health and safety.
If you have someone in your neighborhood that is especially vulnerable (immuno-suppressed, older) consider helping them by getting groceries or other critical needs
Goodbye Nick...all referees will miss you: https://www.newsday.com/news/health...7xUylUo-f1gMxknGGYfXw4JaaZ2K6lt_Bsp-MDwLCGCgg
Central Iowa lost a great referee, mentor, assessor, and friend. Phil Sinnwell lost his battle with pancreatic cancer and will greatly missed. https://www.ilesfuneralhomes.com/obituary/Phillip-H.-Sinnwell/Des-Moines-Iowa/1871835
May these gentlemen Rest In Peace! I pray for them, but also for their loved ones who will not be able to console each other in the way they deserve.
I thought some here in the referee forum might be interested in this, and this seems the best thread for it: a short interview on CONCACAF's website with US Soccer's Ekaterina Koroleva on working as a PA in an ER during the pandemic and how it compares to her refereeing days.
BALLSTON LAKE - Ronald P. Clark, 70, of Brier Court, sadly died Thursday, Apr 23rd, at Saratoga Hospital, after more than a month of fighting the COVID-19 virus. Born in Rensselaer, NY October 25, 1949, son of the late Elizabeth Vona Clark. Ron was educated at Queens College, SUNY Albany and Empire State College. Ron was a railroad electrician for 31 years, last working at the Amtrak facilities in Rensselaer. Ron was a well known soccer referee in the Capital District, was a member of the National Referee's Assoc for Soccer, a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, a member of Adirondack 46'ers, having conquered all 46 of the Adirondack's High Peaks, and was also an avid cyclist. Survivors include his wife of 38 years, Janis L. Clark, daughter Nicole Clark (Tyler) Travis of Clifton Park and son Griffin Clark and Agnes Sunyoung Yoon of Brooklyn. The family will be holding a Celebration of Life at a later date. They will release an announcement online and through newspapers with the date. During this extremely difficult time, please visit devito-salvadorefh.com to share condolences, photos and memories of Ron you may have, with his family.
a bit more on Ron... https://www.frontrowsoccer.com/2020...and-assignor-clark-passes-away-from-covid-19/