First Game with AR's

1. Do a professional pregame: I always do a pregame and my centers hardly ever do. It reinforces that you are a team, informs them of your expectations, and makes help available to you when you need it.

2. Run your diagonal so that you keep the lead AR in sight. If you have two sets of eyes on the play you don't need to be 3 feet from the ball and you can see a lot more of what is going on.

3. At halftime give feedback and seek it. Discuss problem areas or players.

4. Make sure to introduce them when you check equipment and talk to the captains - you are a team.

5. After leaving the field ask feedback and give it.

6. Emphasize that they are assistant refs and NOT "linos" and should flag fouls that are close to them and which are not clearly within your view.

7. Blow your whistle for their OS calls unless you are very sure that the OS call should not be made. If you wave them down thank them for the flag and try to indicate why you waved it off (cleared downfield, etc).

8. Make eye contact for touchline calls to make sure you are both pointing the same way. Make sure they know how you are going to indicate that you don't have a clue and need help.

9. A game with ARs is normally much more fun than a solo - have fun and make sure they do too.

Jim

 

Prof,

Jim's advice is dead on. I would add that you should make sure you arrive that the field 30 minutes prior to the match and have internalized your Guide to Procedures... Let your AR's know that this will be your first time right up front and that you are going to need all the help you can get.

As a guide to some of the points you may want to cover in your pre-game, here is an article from the MassRef site. http://www.massref.net/ins1101b.htm

Have fun,

Sherman

 

Don't be worried about running a centre with ARs - they are your best (and sometimes only) friends on the pitch.

When you run a game within ARs you tend to just follow the ball around. With ARs you can run a diagonal line and I recommend using the same diagonal for the first couple of games with ARs (unless the weather conditions dictate otherwise). In New Zealand most CRs run a right to right diagonal (but feel free to run a left diagonal if it suits you better) - that means that you run always to the right of the defending side keeping the ball to your left. The objective is to maintain the ball between yourself and the AR. This means your positioning should always be CR -> Ball -> AR. Try to avoid getting into this position Ball <- CR ->AR as you now can't see the AR and ball at the same time.

If I was to give you one piece of advice it would be to turn slightly inwards when you are in the CR -> Ball -> AR position trying to keep reasonable eye contact with the AR. If you are running up the right touchline with the AR on the left touchline and the defending player is moving forward between both of you and he/she loses the ball you can be in trouble. The attacking player will play the ball back towards the goal line you were running from then you will lose sight of the ball and it is really slow to turn around if you are running facing the goal line in the opposing half. Murphy's Law states you as you are turning your head a reckless tackle will occur that the spectators, but not you, will all see.

I find that speaking to ARs and CRs after major games is always a great help. I am not sure how it works where you live but here most CRs and ARs are more than happy to give you help after you identify yourself as a beginner referee and buy them a beer. Nothing beats the years of experience these CRs and ARs have. Take a writing pad and scribble like there is no tomorrow

Hope That Helps.

Crowdie.

 

Re: Re: First Game with AR's

Horror story to follow:
I am in an area of the country where the skill/experience level of the local referees varies wildly. The predominate culture is a hands off policy where NOBODY says anything to each other by way of constructive criticism. I am certain this has slowed referee developement in this area.
ANYHOOOO> About two weeks ago I was a center with a SAR who has many years of reffing experience. During the pregame checkin of the first team he yelled loudly at the team to line up as we approached. I politely asked him not to hollar and let him know that I didnt want him to be so boistrous. I told the players that before the match started I wanted thier socks up etc etc....as we are walking away he loudly demands they do it right away. I quietly asked him not to countermand me.
You guessed it, I had to calm him at least twice while conducting the checkin of the second team. At half time I corrected two errors that he was habitually making: Not following the ball to the line and not signally with the flag with a straight arm. Before doing this I asked for his input into my performance and he provided none.
He eventually left the field angry after the game and has contacted our association leadership to complain about the way I treated him. His efforts have gotten more and more unprofessional and angry as it becomes more and more clear that he is losing.........advice?

 

Assuming SAR is a senior assistant referee, and not the new epidemic, I would expect many games have survived his style to date. My 99 year old grandmother, who died years ago, was fond of the aphorism that you catch more flies with honey than vinegar. My grandfather on the other side expressed it as "it is better to have the friendship than the bite of a mad dog." By either approach, you seem to have done little to reduce the confrontation aspect of the encounter with the co-equal official. Not everyone is going to instantly conform to your expectations- ref, coach, player, or fan. Perhaps a bit more patience with those set in their ways? If he has reffed that long, surely there are some redeeming qualities? I would hope.
Respectfully, new old man

 

My advice is along the same lines as that from n-o-m.

Teaching and training referees and ARs is not a matter of winning and losing. If someone "loses" then the referee team loses.

Find and commend things that he does well. (n-o-m's honey.)

Seek assistance to fill your "shortcomings". Explain how you can't get down to the line to make those tough calls along the goal line, that you really need his help down there.

I'm the last one to be handing out advice on "office politics", but understand that as new kid in town you are unknown and therefore a threat.

Honestly, could you figure out which way the guy pointed on the line? If so, then the crooked flag was merely a cosmetic thing and trivial. Why get worked up about it?

And I'm sure he thought he was being helpful by commanding the teams to do as you requested. The "imperial referee" is a dying breed, but he's not dead. Patience grasshopper, er, I mean, greyhound.

 

I am new to him but I am the vice president of our NFHS association and a trainer. I am also the Director of Officials for the youth soccer association in this area.

It was bad enough that it looked sloppy and unprofessional. A recent visit from a USSF assessor identified AR mechanics as a signifigant problem in this area.

I have had several complaints from reffs and coaches that he tries to take over games from the sideline and HATES to be AR.....
I like the idea of saying good things first and then getting into criticism. I will work on it.If you could only see the incredible things I see up here.

 

Grey,

This would be a good time to talk with the assignor. Let them know of your concerns and this should help in one or more ways.

For example, the assignor could have a few words with the referee and make him aware of those aspects of his game which need improvement.

Sometimes, you send an assessor to the next game that referee is doing.

Alternatively, it it appears that the chemistry will not work, the assignor might just make certain that you two don't get paired up again.

Finally, if all else fails, this guy, in spite of his experinece, may just stop getting assignments.

I can tell you that as an assignor, myself, I have had to take all of these steps many times over the years. In the majority of instances things work out for the best. I am able to help referees get over their bad habits and past their misunderstandings.

To bottom line is that there is very little you can or should do, yourself, in such a situation, that isn't just going to make things worse, so you do the game as best you can. Then pass it along to the assignor who is in a position to do something.

Sherman

 

I have washed my hands of this guy as he has sent me threatening email and I have referred him to our ethics and discipline committe...............did I mention I am also on our NFHS assignment committee and the only USSF assignor within 250 miles of here! Regardless I will take the sherminators advice and pass this matter on to those in positions higher then mine. Thanks for indulging me.