Has anyone used the Write-On Cards from Official Sports or maybe from somewhere else? They seem very easy to use to keep track of the game notes/results ... do they clean well? How do you clean them off, so you have a fresh set of cards for the next game? Just some thoughts running through my head ... I'm intending on getting a set, and I'm trying to figure out if they are worth the expense. Thanks. Pitz
Clean them with nail polish remover or methylated spirits. They're OK, I have a set that I use occassionally. For league games I prefer to have a permenant record of the match so I use a pad. The main advantage is that they're waterproof, but although they don't smudge they're still near impossible to write on once the cards get wet.
I used to carry a small trial sized bottle of nail polish remover in my bag, but now I've opted for the little wipes especially made for removing nail polish. Very handy. Anything with alcohol works. I would agree that they're hard to write on once wet, and I would suggest the following as I've found that it's not the card, but usually the pen that doesn't work when wet. 1) Keep the tip dry as possible 2) use a bigger tipped pen, the fine point gets wet quickly. The fatter tip is more (while not completely) resistant to water 3) If you have a dry spot try to wipe the card dry before you write on it if it does get wet. If there's water on the card the pen will pick it up immediately and render the pen useless for a while. I also put a small strip of athletic tape at the bottom of the card during wet weather as a proactive measure. That way, if the pen wont write on the plastic card, it usually writes on the tape, especially with a the bigger tipped pen.
I've had them and used them, but I don't like to use them for keeping the match record. First, with the OSI verison of the cards, the red card is a very annoying shade of neon orange which offends my sense of aesthetics, but that's just me. Second, it's not possible to clean them between games without losing the match information you'll need for the report. They're too expensive IMO to warrant multiple sets for multiple games. The last problem I've experienced with them is that, mostly when working younger matches, when I took out the card to record a goal I was often asked who got a card and why. For that reason, I stick to a notebook.They look real good when the guys on TV use them though. I did find a decent set of cards that you can write on with a red card that is really red here: http://store.yahoo.com/satorsoccer/writeoncards.html
I've used them occasionally, but I still prefer pen and paper for all the reasons listed above: off-shade colors, confusion about displaying the card, needing to use a bulky, fat tipped, non-retractable Sharpie, losing information if you erase them before filling out the game report, yada yada yada ... I've always wondered how the English refs do it. Living in a semi-desert, I can count on one hand the games I've done in the rain where writing in the book is problematical. Fortunately (?), most of the sides around here don't know how to play in the rain either, so we usually end up at zeroes and it's not an issue.
I was just looking to pick up a set for high school/college games that I do. Those games should be one at a time, so I shouldn't have problems with the recording of the games. I agree with the post above, that they are rather pricey to have mutiple sets, and it would be rather confusing for some youth teams if the referee was pulling out a card to record goals. I think for youth ball, I would use the cards however still write in my book (as I do now). Thanks for the opinions on how the cards work ... also, I noticed you can use a Sharpie for writing on these cards. Is it possible to use the fine tip Sharpie, something that looks more like a normal pen than the big "normal" Sharpie?
I have a set of cards from a different company that you write on with pencil, pen or marker. Pen and pencil just erase with a gum eraser, marker requires "remover". www.writeoncards.com I had him make me a 2 sided white game card. I am able to keep the info from 2 back to back games. I then just carry a regular set of yellow/red cards. This eliminates the question "who got the card ref." Should you want to use paper in the rain. The Fisher Space Pen Co., www.fisherpen.com, has pens that will write even under water. I have a Fisher Cap-0-matic $10, that had been working for 3 years before I tried the white "write on cards".
I've tried using the fine tip Sharpie for writing on the cards, laminated rosters, etc., but for some reason it doesn't work as well as the regular fat Sharpie.
I have tried the cards but quit using them. My biggest problem is I cover a lot of ground during the games and sweat quite a bit. My sweat got onto the cards and/or pen and I wasn't able to write on the cards.
Fine tip Sharpie works great. Much better than the regular tipped one on the write on cards. Agreed about rain and it's effect on writing.
They clean with acetone (nail polish remover). You can make your own the way you want(!) for about $2.50 per pair. Mine are LARGE, very visible anywhere! They are great!
Our association got personalized write on cards for everyone in the association. I use them for every game. I keep a 3 ring binder notebook in my car with game reports. I fill out game reports after each game when I need them before I erase the cards for the next game. I'm going to have to ask him about the white double game report type cards. Those sound interesting.
I don't like the OSI ones, as mine seem to scratch and then basically have permanent black "scratches" from where the Sharpie ink gets in but can not be removed with nail polish remover. Perhaps I am just harder on them then most. I'll have to get some from your site ref2coach, as I have seen the pencil ones used before and would MUCH prefer those to the OSI ones.
How you store them may be your problem. Keep the cards in a small zip-lock or in some way keep metal (whistles, flip coins, pens etc) from rubbing against the finish when you store them in your bag between matches. The metal rubs the "finish" from the cards. Once the finish is damaged the next time you write on the card it penetrates and then can not be removed.
NOW you tell me . Yeah I'm sure that is it, I usually just toss them into my ref wallet looking thing with the rest of my crap. I still like the pencil idea better since I look kinda weird carrying around nail polish remover in my bag!
Well RF what do you expect, If I told you before you "foul-ed" your cards I would have been a "participant" not a ref.