After reading some of the excerpts from previous posts I had to join. Some of the comments are right on and some are not. I played soccer at the Div II level for the University of Tampa, I have coached at a school that has won two OHSAA state championships, and now I am a referee. I became a referee soley because there were to many officials that "couldn't keep up".
I thought that being a referee would be easy since I had the experience of being a player and then coaching at the high school level. I WAS WRONG!! Being an official is one of the hardest, but most enjoyable, jobs that I have ever had. Note that I said job. I look at being a referee as a job. I want to be the best or strive to be. Am I going to make mistakes in the eyes of the coaches, fans, etc.? You bet. The one thing that I have learned since being an official is that consistency is very, very important. The players and coaches need to adjust their thinking to the way the game is being called.
Some officials call a game very close and others let it become rugby. I try to stay in the middle, unless I have had the teams previously and they have demonstrated to me that they can't handle a game that is officiated loosely.
In any sport, it is always in the opinion of the referee. It happens in basketball, football, and soccer. Coaches and players know when an official shows up what kind of game they can expect to be called.
I will touch on one more subject and then quit until further posts. The OHSAA is big on respecting the game. We as officials are required to read a card about sportsmanship before every game and are required to check shinquards and other things. The sportsmanship card is, to me, a big joke. Once the players reach the sideline after the pregame speech, sportsmanship usually goes out the window. Respecting the game is about respecting all aspects of the game. Players, Coaching, and Officials, and the Laws of the Game. I knew when I became an official that being yelled at is part of the job. However, I do not need to be made an example of, or be shown up. If any player or coach asks me in a "respectful" manner, I will do my best to give him an answer. The problem is that when I give a player or coach the answer and they don't like it they continue to scream and be beligerent. When it comes to judgement calls it is all up to the discretion of the center official. If a CR doesn't know the rule or is giving the wrong interpretation to a coach or player than the official should be "coached" as well. Just because I am an official doesn't give the green light to all that are in attendance to scream and yell for the entire game. I have never seen an official change a call because a coach said he should. I have seen a call changed after conferring with the other official or officials involved in the game.
The last point and then I will quit. The shinguard rule. It in my opinion that this is absurd. If a kid wants to wear a shinguard that only covers a portion of his shin, then so be it. However, I as an official I work for the OHSAA not the schools, players, and coaches. If my boss tells me to enforce one of the rules, than I will. The problem again is consistency. Some games players will be made to change and others they will not. If you continually do something that you boss tells you not to do, you will eventually get fired.
As an official, I strive to be the best. I am glad this is posted and have read the comments, both good and bad, and will take them accordingly. It is easy to complain and be angry, but remember until you are a referee and have walked in those shoes it is hard to judge fairly.
