RefBlog

Add another reason I don't like high school

2010-02-02T17:22:00-06:00

Gads - I don't even have to be reffing high school to find another thing that bugs me. Recently, the sectional playoffs for high school soccer ended, and teams have won the right to play in the actual high school tournament. I've reffed it a few times, as I've mentioned in the past, and it's fun and interesting, and exposes some more hypocrisy of (at least this state's) high school sports governing body.

This year's thing isn't huge, and really isn't an injustice, but merely shows how vastly unappreciated the referees are in high school sports. So, the high school association holds a big to-do for the athletes and parents/guardians who make the tournament - cool, nothing wrong with that. But the scope is... out of proportion. They rent an arena used for mid-sized to major concerts (5800 seats, according to the website) for the banquet for maybe a few hundred people. Did I mention the upper deck wasn't used? Umm, hello? I understand you wanting a place that's big enough to have the event - but I know that there are plenty of places big enough (anyone looking for wedding reception sites could tell you that), let alone one that is going to be monstrously more expensive than any of the alternatives. Plus it's a catered event. I don't know for certain, but I'm pretty sure this is indirectly paid for via taxpayers.

Now as for the gripe of referee treatment - nobody expects refs to get the same treatment, although for many of us this is just as big a deal as if we were a player (I mean, there are damn few players who play high school sports that get this far - maybe they do it as a ref?), and rightly treat it as the pinnacle of their career. Ok, so no catered event in a gigantic area - but we don't even get freakin' Subway sandwiches at our ref meeting.

The USSF referee committee, at least in this state, does better for their refs - even on a smaller, non-taxpayer funded budget. Feh.

Differences between sports

2010-01-16T16:32:00-06:00

No, the blog's not dead - it's just winter. I decided against doing a "Best Of" this year for reasons of time and number of entries for 2009.

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I've mentioned it a few times, but for the most part of left this item of my reffing life out of this blog, but I'm officiating roller derby now. The quick-and-dirty story is that another referee friend of mine got me out to watch a bout, and despite my preconceptions, I enjoyed watching it immensely. Three years later, with the realization that getting my State badge would take a lot longer than I planned, I took my first step into becoming a multi-sport official. Fortunately, soccer is a 3-4 month summer endeavor in this state, so there's plenty of time to indulge in other activities, especially since I stopped doing indoor soccer (short-sided and wall-ball) several years ago.

Now, I can't speak for how other sports work, but I thought it might be interesting to compare my experiences with derby with my experiences in soccer. There's a lot of (especially in foul recognition), but some major differences in philosophy.

First, some background (if you want something more in-depth, there's a pretty decent article in Wikipedia): while the roller derby most of us grew up with was a pre-determined entertainment, that became more and more like professional wrestling, the current iteration, is pure sport; there are fishnets and fake names (although a lot of that is for security purposes - it seems each league has their own list of icky people to keep an eye out for), but the action on the track is real. In 2004 the Women's Flat Track Derby Association was formed, and put out a standardized set of rules, which has been evolving in great leaps and bounds (we're currently on the fourth major rules update). There are currently 455 active roller derby leagues worldwide, according to Derby Roster, which keeps track of them. Some of these are just single teams, playing travel; some have "A" and "B" teams; some have a collection of "home teams" playing a local league; and some have a mix of all three. The vast majority of leagues are owned and operated by the skaters (making a huge departure from the old leagues, where were owned and operated by a promoter) - many have league rules that incorporate public service as a requirement for playing, and most donate any revenues they make that exceed their operational expenses (which may not be much, but hey).

Officially speaking, roller derby is much more complicated than soccer. While in soccer you have (ideally) three referees and a fourth official for administrative purposes; roller derby can have four to seven skating officials, and a bevy of non-skating officials, manning the penalty box, tracking penalties and scorekeeping.

Philosophy is where things differ a lot. First because derby, and I'm referring to the current real sport iteration, is so new, there's no old boys network that I'm aware of. I remember a few years back when there were people marveling on SocRef that the center referee in the NCAA College Cup had facial hair. Now, can you picture this guy reffing a high-level soccer match (pic: http://newyork.metromix.com/content_image/full/638866/560/370)? He's probably one of of the most respected referees in the WFTDA. The tats and the hair aren't a big deal in derby (I'm probably one of the stranger ones for not having a tattoo) - and he takes his job as seriously as any USSF referee holding a National or FIFA badge. In fact, when I was at a conference where he did a lot of the instructing was no different than any other advanced re-certification class I took with the USSF. Likewise, the pre-game meetings are no different than any quality, Gil Weber-style pre-game. In other words, it's just as serious, even if it's look would drive some people crazy at Referee Magazine.

The biggest difference in how things are officiated is soccer's emphasis on man-management, which derby sees as coaching. Part of that is the difference in the games, of course. Soccer runs more-or-less freely for 45 minutes each half - the referee only stopping things when necessary (be it justice, injury, or goal scored). In derby each half is broken down into much smaller parts, called jams, which are no longer than two minutes each. There's also a desire in the WFTDA that every official calls the game the same way, nation- (and now world) wide; we know very well that in soccer the style of the referee has a major impact in how the game is run. In soccer, if a referee can get a player to not commit a foul, that's considered a good thing because the flow of the game can continue unimpeded; in derby that's thought of giving one team an unfair advantage; likewise, what's derided as "gotcha" officiating in soccer is standard practice in roller derby.

I don't know if this qualifies as philosophy, but as soccer referees we know that most of the players and coaches have never read the rules. And as coaches get higher and better licenses (from the entry level, to the "A" license which lets you coach professional teams), there's still no requirement to read or know the Laws of the Game. You have to give WFTDA credit: in order to play in their leagues, players have to pass a written rules test, along with the physical and skill requirements. Does any other league in any other sport do that?

I recently had a conversation with our league's assistant head referee, and apparently there's some discussion about a book by a NBA referee about how they try to massage a game to keep star players in. We know this happens in the MLS as well - it's also been a major impediment when MLS players play in international competitions, as they're not used to the game being called straight-up anymore, and they can't get away with what they can in this country. Roller derby has always had sex appeal driving ticket sales; I can't recall the name, but a big player in the 50s-70s referred to her chest as "tickets"; and while travel teams are looking more and more professional, fishnets, makeup, and (when they're honest) T&A are still part of what drives in people to watch - but the officiating is never modified to make things more entertaining. As I said, the philosophies vary greatly.

Winning team's burden

2009-11-01T10:33:00-06:00

As mentioned before, I'm skipping the high school season; in this case because I've got other regularly occuring activies that happen the same days as high school games - and frankly sometimes I just need a year away (see many many rants about high school soccer). But I am working games at the same sport-centered school I've been fortunate enough to work for the last two winters. As a quick recap, they've got players on the youth national teams, and always work you physically, even if it's not a close game.

One of the interesting things I've noticed, and as a realization that I'm getting old, is that I'm recognzing players on the U18 boys teams from when they played on U13. At U13 you could see this one player's potential, but also see a big temper issue - given that he's also a good six inches taller than the next tallest player, it makes him easy to remember.

It also makes it easy to remember how frustrated a losing team can become, if they're getting blown-out - even moreso if they've traveled five hours to do it. Tack on more when the game is expected the be close; when you're the top youth team on your club and you play in the USL's Super-Y League. But it wasn't close, and early on you could see that it wasn't going to be close. And although the game was very clean for 85 minutes, when you're down 7-0 it won't take much to set people off.

In this case, I think I was on top of things, even though I issued three yellow cards in the final five minutes. As I said earlier, the game was very clearly a blowout, and but not terribly physical for a U18 boys game. There was one guy on the visiting side that talked trash in the first few minutes that I had some words with (once the first goal was scored he shut up), but after that things were pretty smooth. Then with about five minute left came the first cynical foul; two players banged into each other and fell down, and instead of just getting up, the visiting player jutted out his foot further to purposefully trip up his opponent. Now, yellow cards don't mean much on these games - there's no league or yellow card points to enforce sanctions, but since the teams are almost always pretty disciplined it's unlike like the "Wild West Days" that were the adult co-ed indoor leagues that I wrote about for the first few years on this blog; meaning they're usually taken with the proper intent, and usually play like it could mean something later (and that, and pay attention because it's me saying this, is probably because of good and respectful coaching). And truth be told, that player didn't do anything else, but a teammate did another cynical foul, and even though my whistle was blazing and my yellow card was already out, the home player retailiated.

When it comes to retialiation, I have a pretty simple guideline I follow (assuming the retialitaion isn't worse than the origional action): if it comes before I blow the whistle, I might give them some slack - I leave the option open for me. If, however, I've already blown my, "There will be plastic" whistle and there's retialiation, I don't forgive. Added in this scenario that I was also charging in and was only a few feet away, with yellow card already drawn, when the player decided to shove (hard) the guy who fouled him, I knew I was going to book both players. I briefly considered red for the retialiator, but pretty quickly dismissed it as I checked my back pocket (which is why it's there, to give you that second to think while you fiddle with the pocket flap).

People like to talk about the referee losing control of the game, and while I think that can be true, I also think it's an incredibly over-used assessment and incorrect at least every nine our of ten occurences. As referees, we have two primary tools and two secondary tools at our disposal: The primary are the whistle and the cards; the secondard are our ability to talk to players (but only if they're willing to listen), and the ability to slow a game down at free kicks. About the only time the later can be used is after a booking, as you really don't want to take away a legitimate quick-kick scenario. Sometimes, the players have to see that you will use the book, and use it to protect both teams, which is what I hope came across when I booked both players in that second action.

But ultiamtely, it's the winning team, not the referee, that has to deal with frustration fouls; it's the winning team's burden. More and more, especially in the older youth and in adult games, when things have become clear that you can't win by skill, the tactic changes to winning by prodding the other people into getting themselves ejected. Now, I don't think that's what happened in this case (I just think they were frustration fouls, without going into the very cynical territory that I see in adult games) - but they have to deal with it the same way.

Teams that are blowing their opponents away need to understand that they may be feeding that frustation by their own perfectly legal actions. The second game, where I was AR2, was even a bigger blowout than the first. Same two teams, but different ages (U17 boys instead of U18). But where the first game finished 7-0, the halftime score of the second was 8-0; and every goal, up to their 15th was met by players running toward the goal-scored, celebrating, hugging, and generally making a big deal out of things. Now, scoring a goal is a big deal, especially if you don't score many - I can count on one hand the number of goals I've scored as a player, but when it was at the expense of a blowout, I knew enough to keep outwardly mellow and I jogged back into position. Again, I have to applaud the (warning: this may cause long time readers to be short of breath, because I'm about to compliment a coach again) visiting coach in keeping his team so well disciplined - I know I wouldn't have, hell - I know I haven't, been that calm in their situation.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who smiles

2010-01-16T16:22:00-06:00

What a bummer: all set to be a national; assessments in-hand and doing the physical (which are not located anywhere near this state) you yank a hamstring. That, ladies and gentlemen, is a pretty good definition of sucks. But he's a great referee, who on more than one occasion has helped me out (including one big ass saving), both on the field and off; I hope he'll get another chance next year.

I've mentioned earlier this year that I think I've found a pattern is most of our men's league games: when one team realizes that they cannot win by skill, they resort to both intimidation and whining. Elbows will be thrown, shoulders will be lowered and momentum will not be halted; combined with that really nasty cocktail is whining about every little touch they get in return. Any one of those is bad enough, both is an inditement upon their honor. That it's happens with regularlity is a sad reflection of how we treat sports in this country.

The game was handled extremely well, as you would expect on a division three men's game by a National Candidate. I did stop by and tell him after the game, that, referring to a spot when a player is complaining about a ball out-of-play that didn't go his direction (a blindingly obvious call that the player was trying to scam), that I'm glad I'm not the only one who starts smiling when they try to pull that stuff.

Knee? Not too bad

2009-10-07T08:49:00-06:00

If the 3rd division women's game was the warm up, the 2nd division men's was the test. And while there were no flying colors, the knee held up pretty well. I could definitely tell I had some issues, being I'm at beginning of season form, and the teams are in the final third - but there were no cock-ups, and I held up pretty-well with play. I had one moment late in the first half when I felt it really go ping - but I didn't come up lame and it quickly went away. Furthermore, there's been no next day side-effects. I'm not sure I'm ready yet for lines on 1st division men's games yet (which I did a lot of these last few years), but I'm happy to be doing games again. The next test will be a center.

The game was pretty good - pretty clean, pretty mellow, two beautiful goals scored, and one ugly game winner. The first goal was off a free kick, to the inside of the wall and just into the net. The second, to tie it up, was an off-balance, tight-angle shot from seven or eight yards away that squeaked past the keeper into the far side's side-netting. But less than five minutes later, the other goalkeeper let a low ball through his hands; that one ended up being the game-winner.

Overall, I'm pretty happy with how I did - I know I can do better, but all things considered I'm pretty satisfied. Too bad the season is almost over - although there will be some fall games in a women's league I'll be able to referee (I've decided to forgo High School this year, as I'm learning to referee another sport, which has practices on the same day as most high school matches, and because it has its own hand signals I'm working on learning - and trying to work with both sets at the same time will just be a pain)..

Updated Reading of the LOTG

2008-03-17T20:06:00-06:00

I've updated the audio-recording of the Laws of the Game. It's still not a professional recording, there's still bound to be little mistakes (and maybe even big ones - did I mention it's not a professional recording?). If you're like me, and spend a lot of the time in the car (or someplace else where reading isn't practical, but listening is), maybe this will help you.

No update to the ATR yet - the last couple years has seen the USSF tighten up on it's copyright; and although I can't see this as a threat to them, I haven't decided if the greater good is worth more than the possible financial hit.

You can download the updated reading here (44.5 MB).

The New USSF Sock: This End Up

2008-03-25T22:53:00-06:00

OSI is gradually pushing out the pieces of the new uniform, and recently I obtained the final piece of the revamp - the socks. I try to be very honest about the good and the bad about OSI (see this article for a review of the new jerseys), but I've always loved the fit of their socks; and with the revamp of the new socks, the fit of the stockings haven't changed, but the styling has.

Let's be perfectly clear: 90% or more of referees in this country do not need these socks.The standard three stripes along the top will do just fine (or, as OSI/USSF put it, to keep Adidas at bay, "two stripes with a white top"). If you never used the logo socks, you probably won't need these, although these look a whole lot better than the logo socks did. Click here to view the old Logo Socks.

Speaking of logo socks, let's review some of the nicknames I've seen associated with them: logos, smiles, pumpkins, ovals, those *&#! ugly things. Even in it's debut, the logo still came out oval, and even after shrinking the logo, to keep it from stretching as much - it just didn't work on anyone with any type of calf muscle - and c'mon people, were soccer referees! We're going to have calf muscles! So, the best news out of this is that OSI is no longer selling the logo socks, but just like the old uniforms, they can still be worn.

Gone along with the logo is anything along the top. The design, which mirrors the new jersey in that it has two stripes, one thin and one fat, is located below the bottom of the calf muscle, on the lower half of the sock; between the stripes is the OSI logo. If I were to hazard a guess, the black top, in addition to being what's becoming a standard look on the international scene, rids us of looking sloppy if the tip of the sock starts to slide down, or if someone wears a different make of sock.

Different make of sock? There's no logo on this sock, so could other companies make the same design (sans Official Sports logo)? Maybe. Would there be a market for it - that's up to the people who have to put up the money.

The strangest thing about the sock, however, is the foot. On the upper portion of the foot, where you'd lace up your boots, are the words "US Soccer Referee". Why? Text isn't enough here - picture my hands up next to my head looking really perplexed, "Why???" I have only one possible thought to this, and it goes back to the logo socks again. I found that most people did not put on their logo socks correctly: they'd just slap them on, and the logos would be cockeyed or at the front-and-back, instead of at the sides - I even saw it happen at a professional game. So, given that problem, OSI must have put those words there as a polite way of saying "This End Up" - if the words aren't centered, neither is the logo. This theory fell apart on my first time trying on the socks, but who knows, maybe it'll help.

So will the socks become popular? It will by the people who either have to, or want to, buy anything new that comes down the pike for referee gear. Should you buy it? I'd say the socks, like the jerseys, should get bought for the same I cut my hair short for regionals, as it was told to me several years ago: "You don't have to cut your hair, but they don't have to give you games." If you want those games, get the socks - if you don't care, then don't.

Here are some pictures of the new sock (total of four).

Product Summary:
U.S. Soccer Referee Sock
$12.95

Positives: Far better looking than the old Logo socks. Since there's no visible logo, you could use it, if approved, in high school soccer or other leagues. Same quality as OSI's Pro Socks (which feel better than any this reviewer has tried).

Negatives: Yet another expense that's necessity is highly questionable. Without approval, it can't be used outside of the USSF. Costs $2 more per pair than the same sock with three stripes.

Refblog.com OS X Dashboard Widget

2007-12-22T20:44:00-06:00

OK, so I'm a geek: aside from the owner, I'm the only one in the company I work for that doesn't have kids, so I'm stucking working all week (except for Tuesday), so instead of going elsewhere to visit family, I'm here playing around with utilities in the latest version of OS X, in this case, DashCode.

So, with little fanfare, I submit a Dashboard Widget for you Mac users that brings up this humble little blog. I have no graphical abilities, so I won't claim it's pretty, but it does work, using this existing RSS feed. You can download it here.

The following is required by Apple to have the widget listed on this site:

Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger is required. If you�re using Safari, click the download link. When the widget download is complete, show Dashboard, click the Plus sign to display the Widget Bar and click the widget�s icon in the Widget Bar to open it. If you�re using a browser other than Safari, click the download link. When the widget download is complete, unarchive it and place it in /Library/Widgets/ in your home folder. show Dashboard, click the Plus sign to display the Widget Bar and click the widget�s icon in the Widget Bar to open it.

First Look: The 2008 OSI/USSF Uniform

2008-02-11T20:37:00-06:00

Note: When you click the (more) link to view the entire article, you'll want to increase, if not maximize, the screen to see both the text and pictures.

I won't kid you about buying the jerseys so I can review them on the site - no, I bought them because I want to do Regionals again, I want to do semi-pro games again - I want to do good games. Before the first time I went to Regionals (and what a neat thing it is to say that), I was told by one of the assessors who was going with us, the equivalent of, "Good, you have Official Sports jerseys - that's what you're supposed to have"; he then went on to say that since Regionals is a USSF sponsored tournament, and OSI is a USSF sponsor, you should wear OSI gear.

I'm sure OSI loves to hear that, because even with holiday "specials" going on, you're going to shell out over $500 if you decide to refit your entire wardrobe.

This review won't go into the shorts - aside from the new logo, there's no change (you can see the original review here); it'll also pass on the socks, because I don't have them yet. Another thing this review won't cover is how well they work while actually reffing in them; partially this is because I haven't worn them (except for in front of a mirror), and partially because it looks like the same fabrics as the previous jerseys. That's probably my biggest disappointment; I would have gladly shelled out half-a-g if I wasn't going to be as uncomfortable during hot and muggy days, like kits from Adidas or Diadora, but that's not the case.

So what's left? The look and fit. Since the fit may be the only tangible positive to this review, let's go to the look, where I'll stay as neutral as possible.

A few days after MLS Cup, where the new jerseys were announced, the USSF said that both old and new jerseys could be worn on matches together. I don't know if this is a bone thrown out to all the people who were unhappy about purchasing new gear, or because third-party manufacturers (like Law 5 and Olympus) won't have time to update their lines before the start of many of the country's seasons, but clearly the two styles, while not a match, won't be awful looking, like some of the combinations you see at USA Cup. The big changes, of course, are the change in stripe patterns (nicknames to differentiate the new jersey from the pure pinstripe version on the right, such as "fatties" have already taken hold on SocRef), the number of them, and the stripes on the sleeves. Both shirts have 12 stripes, although in the new one, six are the thick variety, and six thin.

One thing to notice are the stripes between the pockets: on the old jersey there are two, and on the new one, there are none. This really isn't a big deal aesthetically until you see the new black. The picture doesn't really do it justice, but when you put it on, the furthest stripes both left and right are really on your side, and it looks like you have instead a large black stripe going across your chest, where advertising would go if we were wearing a professional player's jersey. Perhaps the inclusion of a badge will lessen this, but since the predominant color of the badge is black (except for those few wearing white), I don't think it'll help much. Even though all five colors have the same design, it took the contrasts of the black jersey to see this rather odd configuration, and to my eyes (of what colors I've seen), only the black seems to suffer for it.

Now to the fit. After showing these to my wife, who makes Renaissance Faire costumes, she pointed out one potential positive to the new jerseys: the sleeves. Now, if you ask her, she will tell you that fitted sleeves, like on the old jerseys, look better than raglan sleeves; but the problem is that, in the cookie cutter world that is uniforms, not everyone looks good in fitted sleeves, and I have to admit seeing a lot of jerseys with the sleeve well off the shoulder and past the armpit. The nice thing about raglan sleeves is that you don't have this problem, and for those of us who are not as broad-shouldered as OSI's models will see an improvement in fit.

Raglan sleeves are also much easier to make, it's just a simple straight cut of fabric to sew on, rather than on a curve. Except that OSI did something a bit odd to my wife's eyes. To the left is a good example of a typical raglan sleeve, with the seem going straight up the arm to the collar. Now look at OSI's which has an s-curve to it. One of the things she noticed (that I didn't) was they they seem to bunch around the armpit. A positive for the women, is that she thinks they may look better on women because of it.

The most important thing I can say about these shirts is that unless you're in a similar boat as myself, do not feel obligated to buy these shirts. The USSF has yet to announce when the classic pinstripe jerseys will be retired, and even when they do, I'd give it at least a few years.

Product Summary:
USSF Stripe Pro Shirt
$46.95 - $47.95 depending on size, economy versions range from $24.95 to $25.95

Positives: A possible better fit for women and men with narrower shoulders. The new design does not clash with the old one (like the stripes did with the fuschia jerseys).

Negatives: No improvement in material, some questionable design choices, a full kit is obscenely expensive.

Regionals Diary 2007

2008-01-28T00:24:00-06:00

I was privileged enough to be invited back to participate in the US Youth Soccer regional tournament; all those who won their respective State Cups, or got in from winning the Regional League come here to fight for a berth to the national championship. It's tremendous soccer, and plenty of the joy of victory and the agony of defeat for referees as well.

Diary entries from 2007. Simply click to read:

Day One: Travel, Rain, and Lightning

Day Two: Rain, Mud and Saved Asses

Day Three: Close Games

Day Four: Out of Gas

Day Five: Semis

Day Six: Final thoughts

Diary entries from 2004:

Day One: Travel

Day Two: Training Day

Day Three: Let the Games Begin!

Day Four: I'd Like to Package That and Bring It Home

Day Five: My Last Games?

Day Six: Spectator

Day Seven: Finals

10 Best of 2006, The List

2007-11-10T01:17:00-06:00

Below are my totally subjective list of the best entries I wrote in 2006. I've also tossed in, just in case you want to want to see how things have changed, added the "Best Of" lists for 2005, 2004, and 2003 ..

Best of 2006:

I didn't have to mock him (USA Cup Diary)

My own playing paradox

Why the ref just won't believe you

A terrible way to end a game

Why it's difficult for us to card dives

Some pondering on red cards

More adults behaving badly

Following through on a threat

More reasons I hate the NFHS

A cop already? (USA Cup Diary)

Best of 2005:

soccerisnotlife.com commercials

Is there anything more tense than a 1-0 playoff game?

USA Cup 2005 Day 4: Incident reports

Revenge! Revenge! Revenge!

USA Cup 2005 Day 7: Almost my turn

Week of the living wingnuts

Referees make the worst players, and now it's my turn

Simple rule of soccer: if you want to keep playing, don't say "Fuck You" to the ref

Overconfidence?

One call out of a hundred

Best of 2004

How to Complain About Referees

Refs We've Lost

The John Runk Saga

The consistency myth (aka boo freakin' hoo)

Just keep makin' up the rules, Monkey Boy

Why refs slag on coaches

If Refs Were Sportscasters

Three drug-induced events

The Economics of "Referee Capital"

On foul throws, coaches, and red cards

Best of 2003

What if refs evaluated coaches?

When is a red card not a red card?

The High School Rules Meeting

The call I blew

The stupid things parents say... made stupider!

The Ref Vents Upon Other Refs

Why are fans so lazy?

I don't know a ref who likes this venue

Fictionalized Laws

Can you see it? Yup, the ugly train's on its way

Review of the Timex O.V.A. (Optimum Viewing Angle) Watch

2007-04-20T17:57:00-06:00

Reffing, like soccer itself, is pretty simple in its requirements: you need to be there, know the Laws of the Game, and have the instruments to enforce it. The bare essentials of the later requirement are a whistle (to get people�s attention), cards (to administer misconduct, and in some places that can be flexible), a place to write down important facts about the game (including the score), and a watch (to keep track of the amount of time in the game).

I�m pretty picky about watches, although my requirements are few:I want them to be comfortable, and I want to be able to read them easily. I�ve gone through several watches over the course of my days as an official, and a variation of the old standby is proving to be quite interesting.

The watch I�d love to wear is the OptimumTime Football Watch. This watch was designed for refereed: the watch face is huge, there�s a button for added time, and the default countdown time is 45 minutes. And if you get the cloth band like I did (I had to ask about for it � the normal band is the typical rubber you see everywhere), it�s very comfortable too. The downside, and I�ve verified this with two other people I know who either have or have had the watch, is it breaks down a lot. I went through a couple in less than a year, and even though it was under warranty I couldn�t trust it enough and it went into the bin.

For the last several years I�ve used a combination of Timex Ironman on my left wrist (also with a Velcro/fabric band), and an Addidas watch that apparently wasn�t supposed to be sold in the United States � how I found it in a now out-of-business sporting goods chain? I have no idea. But it�s been my favorite watch for years, because it was comfortable on my right hand.

The problem is, the watch bands are wearing out, and even after multiple washings, I�ll be nice, they reek. I�ve never had any watch last as long as the fabric bands, let alone with the type of abuse they get, but there you go. Unfortunately, you can�t get them any more because, as I said, they tend to smell horribly over time (and that time is pretty short). So, when I saw an article about the Ironman OVA watch, I was intrigued and purchased a watch.

Here�s the OVA�s gimmick: Instead of sitting on the top of your wrist, like a regular watch, it sits on the inside side of your wrist. The idea is that you cut out one of the two motions to view the time on your watch; instead of raising your arm and then turning your wrist and/or elbow, you just raise the arm and look at the time.

And it works. Moreover, it�s awfully comfortable sitting there, on either wrist. I found myself, after wearing it during training for an hour or two a day, getting annoyed with my regular day-to-day watch. I�m impressed.

The face of the watch is almost identical to the standard Timex Ironman. The two differences is the Start/Lap button is on top of the watch, instead of the bottom (strangely enough, it takes some getting used to), and the numbers are slightly slanted from left-to-right. The idea behind the slant is that it makes the watch more readable on your left wrist (which is where most people wear their watches); if you want a straight number, you don�t have to turn your arm � just bring it straight up. This, of course, means if you�re a referee who wears two watches, one on each arm, that the numbers are actually turned slightly away from you on your right arm. If you use your right-watch as your primary timekeeping device, this watch probably isn�t for you, but in my case, the right watch has always been my backup, so the comfort took a higher priority; the angle is not so much that it makes the watch unreadable, or even difficult � I really couldn�t tell you if it even helps.

What will help is when you�re running lines: when wanting to check the time on the watch, one need simply look down instead of look and then crook the flag.

There are two downsides to this watch: the first is the lack of a cloth band. I find cloth bands with velcro attachments much more comfortable, especially on hot days when swelling of certain areas (such as your wrists) is an inevitability. I�ve also found that rubber tends to chafe on those already uncomfortable days; Timex seems to have heavily vented this band, so we�ll just have to see what happens come the dog days of August. The other downside is the size of the face � because of the smaller surface area on the side of your wrist, the numbers are smaller (smaller than the standard Ironman); I haven�t noticed any issues either while training or in the few games I�ve used it on, but if you live on large faces, you may want to pass this one by.

Like all the stuff I�ve reviewed on this site, I�ve worn it, and will continue to, and if things change for me mid-season, I�ll alter this review as necessary. But for right now, I plan on wearing two watch that face each other when my arms go straight out.

Timex Ironman Triathlot O.V.A. Watch
Retail Price: $70.00, but you can find them for $45-60 at various online locations.
Pros: Comfortable, convenient, small learning curve in retraining where to look on your arm.
Cons: Smaller face, angled numbers may be a problem for people who wear it on the right wrist, molded wristband only.

A small cavalcade of watches:
The Coleman stopwatch from Target, which I bought this when I first started, probably for $20. Once I decided I liked reffing, it went into my bag as an emergency spare. Since then, it's only come out at Regionals when my OptimumTime Football Watch died.

The Timex Ironman Triathalon - if there's a standard stopwatch, this is it. It's comfortable, although the cloth band has really started to smell, despite washing it. The backlight broke early on, but I decided to turn it into a feature: if I can't read the watch, it's too dark to play.

I don't know how this Addidas watch made it to a U.S. sporting goods store, but it did, and I'm happy for it. Until now, this has been the most comfortable watch I've used on my right wrist. I've searched many times for a matching pair, but they all include shipping charges from Europe. The face is very big and readable, but on hot days it tends to turn black making it unreadable.

This is the new O.V.A. watch, from it's front (meaning your side) and here is the same watch from its side, or the place you normally look for the watch face.. You can see how it requires a little bit of readjusting your expectations on where the watch should be.

Here is the Ironman and the Ironman O.V.A. side-by-side. This picture shows the differences in the designs: you can see the slight tilt in the numbers on the O.V.A. watch, and the Start/Lap button on the top rather than the bottom of the face and the smaller numbers. And if it looks like the button is angled away, you're right, the watch face forms a "L" to stay on the top of your wrist.

How to Become a Better Referee

2007-10-31T07:45:00-06:00

As I was editing How to Become a Referee, several things came to mind on things that you can do to become a better referee. This is my all means not an exhaustive list, but something I've pick up over the years, after I decided that I wanted to keep blowing the whistle, and that I wanted to become better at it. Feel free to add suggestions.The first few items on this list will be things to read - I'll venture to say they'll be necessities if you want to advance.

There is no first and foremost, but there are two things that should be on your must-read list if you want to become a better referee. The better you want to be, the more often you should read them. The first is the USSF's Advice to Referees - while the Laws are pretty simple, after a year or two you realize there are a lot of grey areas, this is where the ATR comes in.
Buy For the Good of the Game by Robert Evans and Edward Bellion. You will learn a ton more about the ins-and-outs of being a good referee and how to improve yourself. If the ATR gets you up-to-speed on the Laws, this gets you up to speed on being a referee. I cannot recommend this book any higher. You must buy it - must, I tell you. BTW - overseas this is knows as The Art of Refereeing - if you have trouble getting For the Good of the Game in the U.S. (I'm told it's out of print), try the other title on a Europeans book seller's site. The content is exactly the same.
Subscribe to Referee Magazine - better yet, join the National Association of Sports Officials and get a little extra insurance while you're at it; it's included with the membership, and it's tax deductible.
Find a way to vent. Some people hang out with other refs and tell war stories, I write - in any event, it's something to keep you sane.
Start pushing up the ladder: If you're not getting the kind of games you want, ask for better ones. You'll frequently be on the lines to begin with, but that'll change over time, if you're ready.
Start pushing up the ladder: Work at your State Tournament and/or State Cup. In this state, the top level teams have a tournament to see who can play in the national tournaments. the lower level teams have another one to see who can be promoted to the next division. Work them, work hard, you will be noticed.
Work the USA Cup: you'll be exposed to a number of different playing and refereeing styles. Yes, the pay sucks, but it's an experience like no other.
Start dressing up: When you first started reffing, you bought the minimum, now complete the set. Again, you don't have to buy Official Sports (although if you get noticed and start working invitation-only tournaments, you'd be, for better or worse, well advised to get them), but buy that blue jersey. Get long-sleeves for you're entire set, too (it's nice on those cold days).
Play like Imelda Marcos (aka: get a shoe collection): Get different shoes for different conditions: flats, turfs, and cleats - maybe more than one pair for bad weather (or a shoe dryer).
Get more socks: Or, specifically, the USSF logo sock. If you want my opinion, it's poorly designed (I don't think the USSF logo looks good in oval, which it what it ends up being on most men's calves), but some officials in higher-level games like them. Assignors frequently ask their senior officials about newer referees if they're ready to be pushed up a notch - and no the socks, jerseys, or shorts affect your performance on the field, but it does tell us how serious you are.
Work High School: Make the jump from junior-varsity to varsity. No, it's not USSF, but most high school referees also work USSF. I've met USSF assignors though high school games that have helped me go up notches on the totem pole, and they've certainly given me lessons to learn. If nothing else, it expands the number of games you work, and people you meet.
Get a trainer: If you're like me, you're not blessed with a naturally athletic body. I've had people who tell me that they don't need to do anything about the upgrade physicals, which just ticks me off, because I have to work my butt off for it. I'll tell you this, even if it's just for the off season, a personal trainer helps - it's their job to make you better physically (even if not prettier). As for how you select one, I have no idea - I just signed up for one at the YMCA, and found that I liked the one I drew.
Upgrade: Nothing spells commitment like upgrading. The games you get from existing assignors may not be all that different, but considering how few referees (about 2%) go beyond Grade 8, it will get your name out there. Pick a goal: mine is to get a State Badge (Grade 6) - mostly to prove that I can, and for when I retire from the whistle, I can stay in the game and assess. However, if you want to be the best darn Grade 8 you can, more power to you.

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but in my own humble experience, it's helped people notice me, in a good way, as a referee. I'll never claim to be a good referee, because I have a long way to improve; but I will claim to be a referee that gives a damn, and the above steps help make that claim more than mere rhetoric.

How to Become a Referee

2007-03-07T15:16:00-06:00

Becoming a referee is not a terribly difficult process - but let's be totally honest here - staying one is. Not having a ton of experience, I can't help a whole lot with the later, but here's a quick summary of what to do for the former (OK, and a little of what I've learned - take with salt).Different states have different ways of administrating referees: some have regional associations, some are assigned by individual clubs, some, for all I know, are organized by Elvis. But if you want to become a ref, probably the easiest thing to do is to contact a soccer club and ask if they have any information. There's a chronic referee shortage, so if the person who you talk to doesn't have information available immediately, it's very likely s/he'll have information on who to talk to. Should the club have more referees than they know what to do with, contact the USSF, CSA, or whatever your national governing body is ASAP so they can share their secret - if they're just clueless (more likely), you can try searching the web for the state SRA or SRC (State Referee Administrator, Association and/or Committee); if they don't have a list of clinic times and locations, they'll certainly provide one via email.

Myself, I found a flyer at an indoor soccer facility over the winter and called. But I've never seen any others before or after. Hmmmmmmm.

One thing I should mention is that there are two major youth soccer organizations in the US (this, making the assumption that you live in the US - your own country may vary): US Youth Soccer, which is broken down into State or region (for those big states) organizations, and the American Youth Soccer Organization, or AYSO. The AYSO is, theoretically, less competitive than US Youth Soccer, with an "everybody plays" atttiude. I also understand that the refs don't get paid - which is fine until you get your very first hellish game (then you realize why refs get paid even for the easy games). I don't know the formal process for becoming a ref in the AYSO; it seems most areas are either one of the other, so much so that the USSF now allows cross-certification. High and Middle Schools are another matter altogether - contact a school and get information from them.

When you first become a referee, you have to have a 16 hour class, usually split over two days in a single weekend, followed by a test. I don't know if all the tests are the same, but it's pretty basic, and if you've read the Laws of the Game with some degree of concentration, you should be just fine. Following that, you have a 5-8 hour clinic each year, and very possibly the same test forever onward. Do yourself a favor, sign up for the grade 8 (entry level) referee course, rather than the linesman - you don't have to do games you're not comfortable with, and you won't have to re-take the full course just to become an eight.

Ta daa! You're a referee - now what?

At my clinic, there was an assignor just waiting to pick up the newly minted referees - this was a very smart woman. Unfortuantely, it doesn't always work out this way, so sometimes people are left with their new badge, wondering what the heck to do now. My suggestion is, if you remember it, ask the instructor(s) before they leave the room; it's possible the clinic was sponsored by a local club to make sure their local pool of referees will contine to whistle. If you forget, go back to that club you initially talked to and find out who their assignor is (the club may not have their own assignor, but they definately deal with one - again, this goes back to how things are assigned in your area). Otherwise, hit the internet and talk to a bunch of clubs, one will be able to help you. Still having problems? Remember that referee association we talked about four paragraphs up? They'll often have a list of assignors on their website - if not, email them - it's their job to help out in referee issues, and getting work is one of them.

If you're serious about refereeing - and I mean, "I want to be a good referee" which can include, but is not synonymous with, "I want to referee MLS games or the World Cup", you'll notice quickly that the Laws of the Game are vastly different than the rules we're used to with other "American" sports, which are pretty compendious tomes full of sections, paragraphs, sub-paragraphs, and so on. Soccer's Laws are pretty simple, deceptively so, and you'll find out pretty quickly that refereeing is more art than science. There are some additional books you should read, and things to do, and need to do, if you want to take it seriously: In the USSF's website, in the Referee section, go to the Referee Development link. You'll see, among other usefull stuff, the USSF's a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) for New Referees. Also check out FIFA's Questions and Answers to the Laws of the Game.

Secondly, join SOCREF: it's a huge number of referees, that argue and bicker about nits, discuss trends, provide wonderful insights, and, especially when you're new, help you understand that you're not alone. There's also some high-level referees and instructors on the list. It's massively helpful.

Third, go to the USA Cup. I have a problem with most tournaments, but there are exceptions. This is a big exception. Yes, it's in Minnesota, yes, it's an entire week, and no, they don't pay well - but it's the best darn experience you can get as a new referee. You get a chance to work with refs from all over the world who really care about the game, as well as with teams from all over the country, and occasionally, the world, too. I'm not kidding - it's extremely rare to have a totally local officiating team (or, as likely in your case, two from Minnesota and you) - and pretty darn common to get at least one from another country. Brand spankin' new refs are often paired with FIFAs. I know of many refs who look foward to this all year long, and I'm one of them.

On a practical side, what do you need to buy for this job? Keeping in mind that this might turn out to be a short-term deal, you don't want to spend a lot of money, so here's what I consider a minimum list of equipment:

Jerseys: buy three jerseys, a yellow, a black, and a red. Many people just tell you to get yellow and black, and if you're working in-house games where the assignor works for, and knows all the teams, that's fine. But if you work travel leagues, please do the rest of us a favor and get a red jersey, too; a good many of us hate wearing black, especially when it's warm out - and it's becoming very common for teams and goalkeepers to wear those colors as well - officially they're supposed to change before us, but if that was the case, the USSF wouldn't have four jersey colors, would they? You may well be saying, what about blue? Unless your assignor recommends it, skip it until you decide you really want to keep reffing. As for the make of jersey, it really doesn't matter, but make sure you get one with flaps over the pockets - so if you get jerseys from Official Sports, get the good ones, otherwise get Olympus jerseys. They're just as good, they're cheaper, and you don't have to worry about looking like a dork because the contents of your pocket just scattered all over the field. There is a time and a place for getting the full Official Sports kit, but this isn't it.
Shorts: Go to a soccer store and try some on - most of the styles are exactly the same, so it'll depend on the fabric you like. Official Sports has some sportier and lighter shorts that I really like, but because I couldn't find a vendor that had them in-stock, I had to take a chance, bought one to try it out, then bought a bunch of others when I decided I like (some don't, so don't take my word on it). Some vendors make referee shorts specifically for women, too.
Socks: Don't go cheap. In fact, I will recommend a specific brand: get The Ref Sock from Official Sports. Now. Here's the URL if you don't believe me: http://officialsports.com/socks.htm. All of the store-branded referee socks I've tried have sucked, but these are cushy, comfortable, and stay up. Keep at least one spare pair in your bag at all times, for when you do multiple games, or if the weather is bad. You don't need to USSF Logo Sock, and ignore the striped socks in colors other than white (they're used in college games).
Shoes: Go with something comfortable. If it's in your budget, have a second pair in case the weather is bad, and you have games the next day. Keep in mind that referees in the center don't need the torque that players do, so you don't need cleats unless the field is very soft - I usually use flat-soled shoes (used in indoor soccer, when on astroturf) in the middle, and turf shoes (the ones with 50 or so little nubs on the bottom) on the line. Keep in mind that turf shoes can be real pains to break in.
Whistles: Whistles are cheap, get a bunch of them. OK, get two at least. Fox 40's are incredibly popular because they're very very loud. However, if there are games going on next to you, keep in mind that they're very very popular, and you want the players on your field to be able to tell the difference between your whistle, and the one from the field next to yours. Most soccer stores that also have referee gear will let you try them out, too.
Cards: They're plastic, they're cheap, get some spares in case you misplace them. Get yourself some write-on cards, too. You may not care for them for day-to-day use (I don''), but they work better than paper when it's raining out. I would recommend against any write-on cards that require a pen to use - they get messy, and not just on the card, on your shirt. I love these write-on cards from Custom Cards which uses a pencil instead.
Pencils or Pens? Pencils. No ink blotches on your shirt, and if you accidentally transpose which team scored a goal, it's more easily corrected. Keep two on your person, a few more in your bag.
Watches: Get something that's comfortable, and keep two. Most of us hard-core people wear both, but some put their second in their pocket. Avoid stopwatches that hang around your neck - it looks stupid when you run with them.
Flipping coins: Use something unique or impressive. Quarters or pennies look dorky and unprofessional (seriously - if the captains think you don't care, they will communicate it to the rest of the team) - go to the bank and get a 50-cent piece: it's big, easy to see, and most of the kids haven't seen them. Foreign currency is good - and flipping coins are a common give-away at certain tournaments.
Flags: Go cheap, but not über-cheap. You'll appreciate something that swivels on windy days, as opposed to something that was stapled to a dowel (that only lasted me one game).

A few things not to do

There are a few things that you really should avoid doing. The good news is that this list is small - we've all made mistakes, and chances are we've all made, or will make, the same ones at one time or another. But if you heed these, you'll save yourself some trouble, and some injuries, and some real headaches (and most of these are from my experience).

First, be aware that assignors are often desperate for officials; some are better than others, and most won't have you do more than back-to-back games (two total); beware anyone who wants more. If you like doing weekend tournaments, really really really beware those. It's not that they're bad, but almost all tournaments I've run will try to milk you for 5-6 games or more. Don't do it! It does a disservice to players and fans, cause you to injure yourself, and maybe burn out of the game. The assignor will beg, saying they don't have enough officials to go around - this is not your problem - this is the problem of those who abuse officials, and the 80-90% attrition rate (per two years). I suggest this: limit yourself to no more than two games, and be firm about it. If you can do more, then next time do a little more - but remember that the goal of a good referee is to work his or her butt off in service to the game. I tell assignors that I'll do no more than three hours work - if that's three hours of U8, that's fine; if it's U17 or higher than it's two games, either way I'll be bushed. If you're still not convinced: think if the weather turns really crappy (like when I worked five games in my second year in near freezing weather, and didn't realize I pulled a ligament in my foot until the next day, when it thawed out and I woke up screaming in agony and unable to walk), you can do your job and go home; if the weather is not crappy, and still feel up for something else, I bet they'll find one for you.

Second, don't do varsity high school on your first year. Hopefully you'll have someone to tell you this - I didn't, so just in case nobody else does, I will: don't do varsity high school on your first year of reffing, even if they'll take you. It'll be hideous, trust me. The rules are different, the attitudes are very different, and the level, style of play, and expectations are very different. If you want to do high school, contact your nearest high school, and ask about reffing their junior-varsity squads for the season. Trust me, I wish somebody told me this - I'd have one less police escort in my life, and I'd never have to tell a reporter who ran onto the field, "No comment." Am I getting through?

Third, turn down games you're not comfortable with - but do it to your assignor if at all possible. It'll make their life easier, and your life easier. If you can't reach your assignor, and you surrender your middle to another official for the good of the game, then tell your assignor later. I once lined a game for a center referee who said he turned down almost all his high school middles that year, because he wasn't comfortable doing them, but decided to keep the playoff center because the assignor asked him to. My guess is that the assignor didn't know he had barely done any middles. That would be the second time I'd had a police escort after a game (by the way, if you poo-poohed the last paragraph, please note both times I've had police escorts were at high school games).

What all three of these really come down to is, don't overreach yourself. The goal of your first couple years of reffing is to get out onto the field, and decide if you really like doing this thing. If you do, then start pushing outward - trust me, there's a demand for good, experienced officials, if you put the effort into it, you'll be noticed.

Mostly, have fun, ask questions and for advice - don't let the coaches get to you.

Originally written in July 2003, updated January 2007.

USA Cup Diary 2006

2007-09-03T15:04:00-06:00

Even with some flaws this year, it's still the best run, and one of the most memorable, if not the most optimistic, tournaments in the nation. As usual, the good, the bad, and the ugly - with the ugly being more spread out this year, but not quite as intense as last

.

Day One: Like you thought it wouldn't be hot

Day Two: A cop already?

(there were no games on days three and four)

Day Five: a farce of a game

Day Six: Obnoxious coach, almost like a normal day

Day Seven: Some inherent injustice

Day Eight: I didn't have to mock him

Day Nine: More adults behaving badly

10 Best of 2005, The List

2006-12-31T15:18:00-06:00

Below are my totally subjective list of the best entries I wrote in 2005. I've also tossed in, just in case you want to want to see how things have changed, added the "Best Of" lists for 2004 and 2003.

Best of 2005:

soccerisnotlife.com commercials

Is there anything more tense than a 1-0 playoff game?

USA Cup 2005 Day 4: Incident reports

Revenge! Revenge! Revenge!

USA Cup 2005 Day 7: Almost my turn

Week of the living wingnuts

Referees make the worst players, and now it's my turn

Simple rule of soccer: if you want to keep playing, don't say "Fuck You" to the ref

Overconfidence?

One call out of a hundred

Best of 2004