Question Number: 13691

Character, Attitude and Control 9/7/2006

Bob of Charlottesville, VA USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 13644

In response to the arrogance of refs. I am a coach and grade 8 ref. I have on occasion corrected an error pointed out to me while reffing. However, I don't do it often becuase freqently it is taken as a license to correct me anytime there is a perceived blown call. I spend the rest of the match letting them know just because I corrected one call doesn't mean I will reverse every perceived error. It makes it very difficult to focus on the match and do my job. Therefore I have learned to ignore most of the comments coming from the sideline. When I look back to the matches I have reffed, most of the errors I have made have been minor, and in the end balance out.

I try to keep this in mind as I coach, and only question the more blatant and match affecting calls by letting the assignor know when a ref has (in my opinion) not followed the lotg. I also specifically tell the parents and players at the beginning of the season (and throughout the season), that they are NOT to yell at the ref. Quite often it only ticks the ref off and the players pay the price in the end.

I coached for a number of years before becoming a ref, and on occasion let the ref have an earful. But over the years I have learned that yelling at a ref rarely works and often can have a negative impact on the game. So it took me a while, but I finally arrived where I adjusted to the refs rather than yelled at them.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

The referee is a field condition, a plain and simple truth.

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

Thanks for the thoughts. Some excellent remarks here.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Well thought out statements. Thanks for input.