Mass refs...

You are a USSF referee.

Check the MYSA website (http://www.mayouthsoccer.org/) and go to the "leagues" page. Contact info and web links galore. Also, go to the MSRC site (www.massref.net) and ping the ARAs from that area.

Stay away from MAPLE if you're gonna try that ZT BS.

Seriously, PM me. I offered to come down and do an assessment. To do the MAPLE thing you need experience and/or a solid mentor. Also, a nurturing assignor.

There is a maturity level that must be achieved before doing matches in front of folks who have paid big bucks for their little darling to play and it is you that will prevent them from getting that D1 scholarship (and that's just the U11's ).

 

At nearly 60 y/o with creaky knees I cannot handle a full slate of premiere games and do them justice. Yet I find that I need to have one or so a weekend because it focuses my attention and keeps my habits good for the lower division or rec games.

I would not recommend standing clear of what MAPLE appears to be (from the website) simply because the pressure is higher. OTOH, if the league officials allow refs to be abused or do not support refs who insist upon proper behavior I'd stay away.

I read the Prof's posts on the ZTP and would agree that if you are reffing at state premiere you must be flexible and able to adjust your calls to the game across the range of issues. The parents, teams, and coaches will not take kindly to a "black and white" approach to the game. Besides, if you enforce such a policy there you will probably be markedly out of scale with the majority of other refs and while complete agreement is impossible, players should be able to count on reasonable uniformity of approach.

Jim

 

come to middlesex if youre a good ref, we seem to be lacking them a lot of the time

 

Someone has been pulling your leg. MAPLE has higher skill levels, better coaching, possibly more informed parents and a certain intensity, but not violence. It is fun. Games are challenging and exciting.

When you work MAPLE you are working with the best referees in the state. A lot is expected of you, and if you don't have what it takes, then settle for mediocrity, but don't blame it on the league. That's a cop out.

As a note, I am a MAPLE assignor. If you ever do feel that you might be up for it, I will be happy to put you in touch with the assignor for your area.

Sherman

 

The tourny season has begun.

No violence to speak of.

State Cups and a slew of MaPLe U12 matches (promo/rel games?) out at UMass this weekend (and where were you, Whipple?).

Friday night we had a pre-tourny meeting. Guest speaker was Brian Hall. Great presentation on Match Psychology (and several un-repeatable anecdotes). Then Brian stayed and hung out at the tourny for about four hours, chatting, watching refs in action, and generally soaking up the Mass. State Cup experience.

I learned that Hall is a soccer coach. Not just a run-of-the-mill soccer coach. He has three CA state championships to his credit as well as several appearances in the quarter-, semi- and final. Not only that, he played (and lost) in a state final as a goalkeeper.

 

Come on Prof Zodiac, at U12 most players are still well behaved.

I always say to up and coming referees they should welcome the challenge of more competitive matches once they have acquired a certain amount of experience. Best learning tool in my opinion.

 

Hi Nat,

I was actually doing MAPLE promo/relegation matches and State Cup round robin matches here on the South Shore, but it would have been nice to have seen Brian Hall. I had other committments which prevented this. Unfortunately all my Sunday games have been cancelled due to rain.

Sherman

 

The old saying is that the best swordsman in the world does not fear the second-best swordsman - he fears the WORST swordsman because he hasn't a clue what the guy is going to do.

In some ways higher level games are easier to ref for the same reason - in premier you can anticipate the play much more easily because you can pretty much figure that the player will make the right pass, hit the right open space, clear the ball well downfield, etc.

Jim

 

I was just thinking that myself. jacathcart. I would much rather do a top-flight amateur match than a U15-U17B Class 1 match for that exact reason. In some of those youth games everything will be going perfectly only to have a brawl break out of nowhere. The age is so volatile and the bodies so awkward that frustration levels tend to always run high. Plus none of the players want anything to do with the ref; the whole rebellion stage and whatnot. You can blow your whistle and give a yellow card, only to have the opponent STILL retaliate and get himself thrown out!

The easiest games to ref are the ones where you can guess every next move and read the play like a book. You don't run nearly as much, the fouls are clear as day, and the attitudes much more professional. Still, you have to do one of those darn kids games every now and then just to pay your dues

 

AVYSA is not an MTOC league. In general, Assabet Valley is a lower level of soccer, probably comparable to BAYS D3. I have heard that they are doing 7v7 for all games these days, too.

Why not offer availablility to neighboring BAYS towns? Also, MAYS (spring only) and Nashoba Valley YSL have a number of towns near Framingham. In fact, most AVYSA towns also play their higher division teams in NVYSL. (The NVYSL Referee Director is from Westboro. Other AV towns in NVYSL are Northboro and Hudson. Maybe Boylston?)

Amen! I still remember my first B14 match, D3. I could never get within 40 yards of the ball. I figured that I was in for a peck of trouble in a D1 match the following week. It was a piece of cake. The players did what I expected them to do instead of shanking the ball 50 yards away from me.