I don't live too far from Richmond myself and know that it has quite a few bad areas with high crime rates. Interestingly, it is also where one of our FIFA referees, Ricardo Valenzuela, lives and teaches. I am not sure what I find more depressing -- the fact that attacks like this happen at the U10 level, or that I am no longer surprised to hear of them.
Crowdie I am amazed that I live in a country where we have more murders in a single city then you have in your entire country but the focus immediately shifts to YOU when you point out the obvious.......We all drone on and on about how violent our society has become but we refuse to look at the reasons why or to accept blame. Thank you for inserting some perspective.
One more peep, at all, and you are banned for good. With regard to baseball, there is a history of argument between coach and umpire, bench jockeys (needling from the bench), and so forth. However, I think it is also due to the fact that we live in an increasingly impolite society, where the focus is on ME to the exclusion of all others. THAT is the base reason for the NBA brawl - the players cannot be shown disrespect by another player or a fan - egos run wild. So I do my best to contribute what little bit I can to make the game a fun one. It's not about me, or the game, but the kids (that's why I have begun coaching high school in the fall instead of refereeing then - I can impact 20+ kids over a solid 3-months).
While some may dispute this, I find soccer parents relatively tame compared to baseball, basketball and hockey. Most parents don't know the game and therefore are more unsure of themselves. Baseball has history, basketball parents are also bad, but NOTHING compares to hockey parents, who are the MOST obnoxious of all. Fortunately, there is glass and a wall between the parents and the game for that sport.
At some point you have to saw enough is enough * Supporters/officials/players bringing weapons of any kind to a game is not acceptable. * Verbal abuse of officials is not acceptable. * Verbal abuse of players is not acceptable. * Threats of violence against officials is not acceptable. * Threats of violence against players is not acceptable. * Racism, in all forms, in not acceptable. As referees we have to stop this type of behaviour: * To protect ourselves * To protect the players on the field * To protect the junior referee who has to officate next week with these idiots By accepting this type of behaviour you condone it so don't accept it.
U/10 match? That's 1 better than me - I had a spectator telling me he was going to slit my throat when I was AR at an U/11 match!!
How much of an issue it is on your side of the pond? On our side we get the usual grief from players and that is easy to deal with. The biggest problem we seem to get is from parents who believe the sun shines out of their child's arse.
I'd say it's probably as much of an issue here as anywhere else. You hear the odd stories about referees being attacked or chased from fields, or confronted by parents - but it's usually youre typical ignorant parents mass dissenting from the sideline every time little johnny gets bumped. Parents definitely cause bigger problems than youth players, and the teams with the worst behaved parents also have the worst behaved youth players
Well I know in a couple of amateur league matches I've had some brawls in where the cops have been called. 2nd generation Mexicans playing Russian and Armenian immigrants can get pretty ugly.
Have to say that I think its a toss up between jamaicans and peruvians for me this year. It doesnt help that the league mixes in a few irish teams that play COMPLETELY different styles of football.
What's the difference? As a referee, you do your job and file the report. The rest of it is up to the competition. If they need your help, they'll call. Otherwise, why get worked up over what happens?
Because you are trying to protect the next referee who is unlucky enough to draw those teams. If the teams are playing at a level where they only get experienced referees then you don't worry about it but if they are playing at a level where they may get an inexperienced or junior referee then what harm is there in spending ten minutes of your time checking?
At least a dozen years ago, my Men's team arrived for the game and were not able to get on the field due to yellow tape marking it as a crimescene. Seems that during an altercation in the previous game, a player retrieved a gun from his car. There was a freaking chalk outline drawn on the field.............
Now is it just me or does some of this sound like people who shouldn't be playing football.... Now what would have happened if the altercation had involved the referee in that game