All about the Angles

Had just one CR assignment this weekend for a U-13 F Premier-1 (i.e. best of the U13 girls in CO) game.  It was a decent morning (finally was comfortable enough to wear ref shorts!) but the wind was blowing.  Which of course means positioning on GKs and keeper 'punts' is challenging.  I had two notable non-calls in the 1st half of said game related to my positioning and angle to the play:

1. I was in perfect position to watch a 2 handed push during a header challenge on a punt.  I was only 4 yards away!  And...and...and...my whistle never met my mouth.  My Senior AR asked me at half about that saying "well did you see..." and I finished "oh the 2 handed push that for some reason I didn't call?"  He laughed and said "well, at least you saw it, and yes, that's happened to me too."
I hate when that happens. :(


2. The 2nd non-call.  Normally when there's a GK or 'punt' I take position based on USSF guidelines adjusting for actual physical ability and tendencies.  I try to catch the initial kick contact out of the corner of my eye to make sure there's not a short kick or something crazy and then of course I focus on the field since the player movement will bring me to the ball.  Well this kick the wind caught the ball and was bringing it right at me.  So I got out of the way as quickly as possible but that left me parallel to the play.  So I saw a challenge that to me appeared OK.  Well...if I was where I *should* have been and had a more perpendicular angle, I would've seen one girl more or less climb over the other girl which would've been an easy charging foul call.  Bad angle!

Fortunately, I was much better in the 2nd half.  My SAR even said "you got all the calls right."  Well at least according to him. :)

In other news...

• HS JV game #1.  Our game is adjacent to the Varsity game.  In HS, we use a countdown clock.  We're supposed to stop the clock for goals scored, injuries, and at our discretion.  The dirty secret in JV is that we generally let the clock run and don't stop it (outside of a bad injury of course).  Well unfortunately the home coach decided I ran the clock too fast as he complained "how can we be done when we started at most 1 minute ahead of the Varsity (their clock was still showing 3+ min left)?!"  That caught me so off guard that I practically shoved my watch in his face and said "Sir!  Look!  We're past 40 minutes!"  Not my best reaction of course - and I get to see him real soon.  Oh well.  If he brings it up I will calmly explain myself, but also remind him my watch is far more official than the one on another field.


• HS JV game #2 - assessment game.  Easily passed it.  But Assessors have to find something wrong.  So he did.  In fairness, he provided great feedback.  Namely, never ever ever turn your back on the game, especially when a goal was scored.  Obviously JV girls are likely not going to have a fisticuffs over a goal, but in a heated boys game...you never know.  He also gave me some positioning tips (really only applies to JV games), and encouraged us to occasionally positively engage the players.

I understand what he's saying about positively engaging the players, but I think you have to a) be fair about it and b) use it wisely.  So fellow refs, what do you do?  Do you quietly say "nice pass" or "great ball" or "good tackle" to players while the game is going on?  Does that tool help manage the game temperature?

Until next time...