Games 34-35, 2019-20
"Communication is the most important aspect of refereeing." It's an old guy, leaning on the surround barrier of the field where I've just reffed. We're watching the game following mine. I don't know if he's making a general comment, or if the comment's specifically aimed at me. Either way, I spent a lot of Sunday's game talking with players, right from the moment I arrived at the club house. Here are some of the different ways that an amateur referee verbally communicates with the two teams over the course of the three hours spanning our arrival to an occasionally embittered departure.
PRE-GAME
1. Introduce yourself. On arrival seek out both coaches, shake their hands and smile. Greet players just arriving or already warming up, strike up a conversation if the chance arises. No one wants an aloof authoritarian in charge of their game. As a player, I hated refs who thought they were too good for Sunday league. Let the teams know you'd very much like their team line-ups confirmed online 30 minutes before kick-off. If they're having problems, especially before evening kick-offs when many players are rushing to arrive from work, show that you're flexible, but start to look less flexible as kick-off approaches.
2. Make known your expectations. Chat with the players about what you expect from today's game as they line up to run out on to the field. You are naturally anticipating a fair and sporting encounter...
Want to read more? Click here to order Reffing Hell: Stuck In The Middle Of A Game Gone Wrong by Ian Plenderleith (Halcyon Publishing), published on August 8, 2022.
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