Comments after game (story)

[LaxRef]

So, I do a quarterfinal game the other night, not the best game ever, but I think we did a pretty good job. After the game, this kid (not a player), about 13 years old, comes up to me, probably at the losing team's behest. He says, "I just wanted to let you know I thought you did a really bad job of officiating. You need to call more slashing."

I think for a second--remembering something Steve Martin said about criticizing things you don't understand--and ask the kid, "Have you read the rulebook?" He says that he has.

I say, "Can you explain the simultaneous foul rule?" He says, "What are those?"

I tell him, "That's what I thought. Get away from me."

If I can track him down, I'm going to go to his school, stand next to his desk, and say things like, "I think you did a really bad job multiplying those numbers!" :chuckle:

[kryptic]

haha, thats good..

[roycegracie47]

I think you should throw a flag everytime he answers a question wrong, assessing time for how far off from the answer he was.

[RockStar]

^^I like it, Royce.
If I ever do get an argument about rules, where I know I'm right, I'd love to do just that with the arguing coach/captain:

-Impromptu rules quiz. Right answer overturns my call, wrong answer gets you a delay of game penalty!

(I only do under 13s in houseleague games. Mercifully, it's a fairly new association, the coaches, parents and players don't know the game or the rules very well. As such, I don't get a lot of yap from any of them).

[3rdPersonPlural]

Don't tell little kids to get lost, LR. Tell him to go ask whoever told him your calls were inaccurate to explain the Simultaneous rule as well as the Federation definition of a slash (word for word, please) and get back to you.

[zak]

Take off your shirt, whistle, hat and flags and hand them to him.

I saw a ref do that at my friends soccer game once. THe fans were horrible, he just straight up left.

[OGND]

After the game, this kid (not a player), about 13 years old, comes up to me, probably at the losing team's behest. He says, "I just wanted to let you know I thought you did a really bad job of officiating. You need to call more slashing."
Take off your shirt, whistle, hat and flags and hand them to him.
Lately, I've been trying to turn similar encounters into a recruiting drive, in slightly different fashion than Zak witnessed. I'll ask the offender to join our ranks if he thinks he can do a better job. (We've even started a Junior Officiating Program here to put high schoolers on the field for youth games, so it could work on teenagers, too.)

Unfortunately, I can't always stomach a civilized response to a verbal assault, and sometimes come up with nothing but a glare. :nofear:

When I was a high school player, I would never have imagined abusing an official after a game, even if I thought he sucked. :chuckle: But kids these days don't even respect themselves or each other, much less an older authority figure.

If I can track him down, I'm going to go to his school, stand next to his desk, and say things like, "I think you did a really bad job multiplying those numbers!"
I'd love to see that!

I always say that after I retire from officiating, I'm going to watch games of some of my favorite :naughty: coaches and jeer at them from the stands. "About time you called a time-out, Coach. Why didn't you wait till after the game was over?"

[laxref39]

The most boistrous fans tend to be the least informed of the rules! While I agree telling a 13 year old to get lost is not a great idea, we do have to wonder about respecting your elders and when I hear youth coaches telling there players to never argue with the official I feel there are some adults/guys who get it! Hopefully they counter balance the bad ones although I'm not so sure.

[laxfan25]

I don't think we gain anything, and we lose a certain amount of respect if we respond in an antagonistic fashion. We've got to be above the fray. I have suggested in a calm manner that they refer to the rule book if they question a call. Other times I patiently explain the call and the appropriate rule. As long as they ar civil in their question, I will respond in kind. That said, I have used the conduct or USC call if they're not quite so civil!
Since we are constantly looking for new officials, I have thought that it would be nice to have a card to hand out after the game explaining that we are always looking for refs, with a contact number or e-mail if they are interested. I have had occasional fans in the stands who, while loud, seem to have a pretty good grasp of the game.
In my state they also have a Legacy program under which HS Juniors can be recruited as middle school or JV refs. They are assigned a mentor to train them, and the mentor has to either work the games with them or be in attendance.

[zebra618]

I heard a great story from a senior official in our organization -
He's doing a middle school game as a single, the coach is bellering about who was closest to the end line or something at or near the goal. Here's the great part:

Our official calls time-out.
Walks over to the table
Sits down on a spare chair.
Says "Wow, you really can see better from here."
Raises his arm, blows his whistle and starts play.
Everyone, including the players freeze in disbelief.
The coach says, "What are you doing!?"
Our official says - "You can see better from here, I thought I would just call the game from this chair."
*pause*
Coach says "Sorry...."
Official blows his whistle to stop play and returns to the field to restart the game.

[LAXINonTHEred22]

So, I do a quarterfinal game the other night, not the best game ever, but I think we did a pretty good job. After the game, this kid (not a player), about 13 years old, comes up to me, probably at the losing team's behest. He says, "I just wanted to let you know I thought you did a really bad job of officiating. You need to call more slashing."

I think for a second--remembering something Steve Martin said about criticizing things you don't understand--and ask the kid, "Have you read the rulebook?" He says that he has.

I say, "Can you explain the simultaneous foul rule?" He says, "What are those?"

I tell him, "That's what I thought. Get away from me."

If I can track him down, I'm going to go to his school, stand next to his desk, and say things like, "I think you did a really bad job multiplying those numbers!" :chuckle:

thats total bull..........i would have told that kid the exact same thing.......