Post by connors on Oct 9, 2018 7:22:59 GMT
NO this is not a rant about the men in grey but rather an open question as to how we get more people to referee our sport.
I was prompted to write this by yet another story in the news about refs leaving the game of football due to abuse (physical and verbal) in local league matches around the country.
In my long experience whilst refs do get some stick occasionally from players it is more of the moaning variety and quickly forgotten. However it still, for me at least, remains a thankless task in the main.
We are not football though. Even though apparently refs are quitting that sport in huge numbers the infrastructure and popularity will mean it can be sustained for now.
Our sport though is different. We struggle for participation, in comparison to football, in the fun part - playing! The more challenging bits of officiating.......
Two out of my 3 games this season neither ref showed up. There are so few of them in our league that the slightest hiccup, emergency of miscommunication means no games. Games regularly take place with coaches having to ref or players from within the clubs competing reffing.
I coach, I table I do not ref. I do not want to. I hate even doing it at kids practice.......but I am considering doing the course because I see no alternative. What sort of ref will I make... a poor one I suspect!
What I think is that we in the sport and our so called "governing bodies" need to stimulate interest in doing this. Free courses for refs for a start. Pay them more (make it attractive as a potential part time gig for retired players or students). Hammer clubs and players who are guilty of abusing refs. Support them with free kit.
The best refereed league I recall was a central venue adults league. The league was run by a ref. They were well paid and the league organised them. I knew a student who gave up a part time job in a DIY store as refereeing was more fun and lucrative. It can be managed but it needs attention in my opinion.
Last but not lease for all of us still playing and/or coaching remember this when you have your next game. Bad calls are frustrating but nothing compared to the frustration of turning up to a game abandoned due to no officials.
I was prompted to write this by yet another story in the news about refs leaving the game of football due to abuse (physical and verbal) in local league matches around the country.
In my long experience whilst refs do get some stick occasionally from players it is more of the moaning variety and quickly forgotten. However it still, for me at least, remains a thankless task in the main.
We are not football though. Even though apparently refs are quitting that sport in huge numbers the infrastructure and popularity will mean it can be sustained for now.
Our sport though is different. We struggle for participation, in comparison to football, in the fun part - playing! The more challenging bits of officiating.......
Two out of my 3 games this season neither ref showed up. There are so few of them in our league that the slightest hiccup, emergency of miscommunication means no games. Games regularly take place with coaches having to ref or players from within the clubs competing reffing.
I coach, I table I do not ref. I do not want to. I hate even doing it at kids practice.......but I am considering doing the course because I see no alternative. What sort of ref will I make... a poor one I suspect!
What I think is that we in the sport and our so called "governing bodies" need to stimulate interest in doing this. Free courses for refs for a start. Pay them more (make it attractive as a potential part time gig for retired players or students). Hammer clubs and players who are guilty of abusing refs. Support them with free kit.
The best refereed league I recall was a central venue adults league. The league was run by a ref. They were well paid and the league organised them. I knew a student who gave up a part time job in a DIY store as refereeing was more fun and lucrative. It can be managed but it needs attention in my opinion.
Last but not lease for all of us still playing and/or coaching remember this when you have your next game. Bad calls are frustrating but nothing compared to the frustration of turning up to a game abandoned due to no officials.
