RefBlog

Day two of the new season

Day two of the regional league games - and another U14 center (I was supposed to run lines on the canceled games last week, hence the two centers). No coach issues this game - no serious issues at all, really. But had a couple things that I thought twice about after the chance at correcting them was long gone.

The field, while mostly intact, was really wet, really soft, and it felt like running on marshmallows. I have no idea how it looked for everyone else, but I felt like I ran like crap - although I think that's more to do with the mud than myself (or at least I hope so). First half, a blatant two-handed shirt-pull at the half-way line just as the pull-ee was about to break out; it allowed two defenders to catch up and it was an obvious yellow card. No complaints, but my senior AR (who's been to regionals a couple of times himself now) thought I blew the whistle too soon - to me it looks like there was no way he was going to break out, and even if he did, any advantage he had from his speed was long gone; I'd been yelling at players a bit already about hands, and I wanted everyone to know what he was being booked for - still, a good point - and extra second or two wouldn't have hurt.

Like state cup games, I let a lot go in regional league, and as time wore down, everyone wanted the calls, although I never heard anything from the coaches.

I'm definitely liking the one game and out routine. I know I'll be doing a lot of double-headers when State Cup comes around (which is soon); they're good games, but I really don't care to have to ration my energy. Maybe I'm just getting old. (more)

05 May '08 - 07:59 - - default| Only one comment - § ¶