Ironman

No I am not participating in any triathlon.  I'm not a runner. :)

In my context, "Ironman" is what we call running a JV / Level 3 game all by yourself.  For those games, we generally run dual refs, but for some reason we were really short on HS refs last week.  I was surprised we were so short on HS refs considering there have been very few weather related cancellations.  I could understand if the schedules stacked up due to a lot of makeups due to rain or snow outs, but that hasn't happened this Spring.

NOTE:  We never run Varsity as an "Ironman."  At worst case, we'll run dual refs as opposed to double dual (i.e. 3 refs).

Tax Day

Well it's Tax Day.  Which reminds me that my 1040 will be more complicated next year due to all the different organizations paying me to ref soccer.

I had 5 games this weekend not including my usual parent volunteer AR for my son's home games.  Three of them were back in the State Cup, although they were for U12 girls (good), all of which were already eliminated from playoffs (not so good).  I worked with a good crew at the State Cup, so it was fun and I learned a few things.   So after technically being 1/4 of the way to working enough games for USSF Grade 7 qualification, here's my progress report.

Offside or not offside. That is the question.

Monday:  First, I'm going to whine about my knees.  OUCH.  They are killing me.  I am a mtn biker and skier, not a runner.  I have not had a good chance to train my legs since my cold in early March and the subsequent Spring Cup.  So I go week to week with some ailment.  Today, both my knees are killing me.  I hobbled through Continental's Houston hub today, which I think requires the most walking of any major airport in the US and has the least amount of moving walkways.  Maybe except for O'Hare, if you ever have the fortune of going from gate C23 to F11.

OK Soccer!  I had two HS games (one JV, one Level 3) and 3 President's Cup games this week.

Seeing Yellow

This weekend we had typical early April weather along the Colorado Front Range.  Namely, a record setting high temperature day (Saturday) followed by snow the next day (Sunday).  Welcome back Spring, we missed you.

This being a soccer blog and not a weather blog, let me summarize this weekend's trials and tribulations:

1. Worked a U-17 Div 2 Boys game on a turf field on Saturday as AR2.  Late in the first half, Team A's player has the ball near the penalty area, I look away to reset my offside, and out of my peripheral vision I see Team B (defender) take a good fall.  No call from me, no call from the CR, and lo and behold, GOAL.  Uh oh.  Parents are not pleased.  Literally 2 min later it is halftime.  So obviously we talk about the 'foul.'  I glanced away, so I saw the effect but not the cause.  CR was in a trailing behind position, so he didn't see an obvious push.  Trail AR said there 'could' be a foul.  Offside is my primary responsibility, but my lesson at the higher levels is to take a better angle or learn to count 'one' then reset.  This is so I can give better information to the CR.

Hi. I'm here to assess you.

Highlights from the State Cup.

• It took me 5 min in my first game (CR for U-13 girls) to realize this is the real deal.  The players are more talented, faster, and the game experience varies widely.  The only thing in common with the other games I've worked?  Each parent believes they know the Laws better than you.  Sigh.
• It is great experience working with other refs (including Grade 7 refs).  You learn things.  You see how they handle situations.  I ran my first CR game too much like I run my Option 1 games.  I did so much better on Sunday.
• Blowout games are not fun.  The parents and players vent their frustration.  I was 2nd AR on a 7-1 game.  All 7 goals were scored in the 1st half on my side.  There were 2 offside calls that I did not make (meaning they were not offside).  One was close.  The other was clearly not offside.  Shot hits off the crossbar, rebounds to an attacker, easy goal.  Keeper goes berserk.  I had a real good CR who gave the Keeper a good 'ol chewing out.  No card though.  CR and I review the play at half and we both saw the exact same thing - the attacker was onside when the shot was taken, so of course he is still onside on the rebound.

Meat Loaf

The "Meat Loaf" reference is to his song "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad."  This past weekend, I had two great games.  The third (which was my first)...well...

The first game was a CYS Option 1 U13 F game.  The particular home club for this game only supplies a CR.  So we ask for and get parent 'volunteer' ARs.  Sometimes you get a fully certified USSF ref, sometimes you get a parent who has "done this before."  At any rate, the rule is that we cannot consult the 'volunteer' ARs on fouls - just throw ins, GKs, corner kicks, and offside if they know the rule.  The U13 game went well for the first 65 minutes.  Nice flow, just a few fouls.  THEN came minute 66.  Team A, which was winning 1-0 had a breakaway.  I am trailing the play.  There was a collision in the penalty area for Team B.  The girls went down in a heap.  From my trailing viewpoint, I saw a fair challenge.  Play on.  Then it was obvious the girls were hurt, so I stopped play.

Back in High School

As I mentioned, I had my first two HS games this past Tuesday.  The games were JV and Grade 3 (generally frosh/soph) games.  So I get to the HS and the first thing I notice is, damn I am old.  OK more seriously, I notice the home team is wearing Gold and the visitors Black, which, coincidentally, is the only shirt colors I have.  The other Side Ref (that's what we're called in the Dual system) happens to be the same dude that was an AR in my first USSF game.  That's way cool because he is a HS coach and has run HS games, so he knows the ropes and, more importantly, helped me with expectations.  Also, he had an extra red jersey.  So on went the red jerseys - problem solved.