It's in the cards

Lots of fun from the Mile High pitches of Colorado.

• I issued my first red card!  It was at a "C" HS game (i.e. frosh/soph).  For those of you who've read my blog, you know we generally work a 2 whistle system for sub-varsity games.  That means anyone can issue a card.  (Well, that's true for our Varsity games too).  My counterpart issued a kid on the white team a yellow for UB in a scrum that I did not call a foul (he did).  Well later in the 2nd half the same kid commits a late challenge from behind, not coming close to the ball.  I blow the whistle, tell him "come here."  He knew it.  So I issue the Yellow, check my book, and voila - he already has a Yellow!  So now he has a Red.  Never tell me I don't issue Red cards. :)

• Another Varsity game.  I'm Side Ref.  First half, clean but physical game.  One Yellow issued to the visitors for a late challenge.  No complaints.  At half we're commenting on how well coached both teams are, etc.  Well...2nd half the home team managed to get 5 yellows.  Since one kid got 2 yellows, that equals a red.  What happened is the game was 2-0, then it became 2-1.  I think that is the WORST score possible.  Now the losing team throws all caution to the wind, the winning team gets nervous if not tentative, dissent rises, fouls increase, and there you go.  After the game we were wondering what we could've done better.  Our conclusion:  not much - just one of those games.

• I managed to Center a 6-0 Varsity game w/o any cards.  I'd like to credit my outstanding game management skills, but in reality I got lucky.  That and I probably missed a Persistent Infringement, which is clearly something I need to improve.  I tend to focus on the players that committed the initial fouls, when in reality it's the players who foul later in the game that will more often than not be the problem children.

• College Club.  I've had 5 AR games at the College Club level, 3 for Women and 2 for Men.  The Women's games are incredibly tame.  Less than 10 total fouls to call each game, not even a threat of a card.  Unbelievable.  The men?  Well...to me they are, in a word, ornery.  Whine whine whine.  Plenty of dissent.  They seem to test the CR - what is allowed, what isn't, then they push the boundary.  Oh and occasionally play soccer too.  Not as fun, but when I decide to run CR, it will certainly test me out.

That's it for now.