A&H

Fitness as a new ref

A

Andy A

Active Member
Something that has been bothering me recently is my fitness.

I have my first game this Sunday and really don't feel my fitness is anywhere it needs to be??

My background is that I was a Goalkeeper throughout my career and as such didn't like running much in training :D

So you might well ask me, why did you choose to become a referee as there is a lot of running involved. Which is a very good question. I love the game and want to give something back to it and reffing seems the best way for me.

My take on it is that I've seen ref's at some of my games that hardly do any running, I'm pretty sure I'm more fit than them, so why can't I do it?

I know that I have to be in the best position to give any particular decision and that this will inevitably involve quite a lot of running throughout the game to achieve this on every decision.

So I don't really know what I'm asking here, but can anybody offer tips?
 
The Referee Store
Follow Sheffield's Finest's example, take up a circular patrol path no more than ten yards from the centre circle, works for both of us.......
Secret is really to read the game and anticipate play. You should have a good start being an ex player, I came from a rugby playing background and found it particularly difficult in the earlier years. Still get bolloxed when the long ball gets punted downfield though......
 
At the end of the day, you can get away with doing a barely passable job with very little movement if your eyes are OK. BUT, it's not to be encouraged and positioning yourself properly both adds to your decision making ability as well as your credibility if you have to sell a controversial decision.

I definitely feel more "match fit" if I'm refereeing towards the end of a run of games and I genuinely believe that it makes a big difference. Apart from anything else, you will have most contact with the CM's in a match. They'll know if you're sprinting past them on a regular basis or not and I think it influences their respect for your decision making abilities.

As a new referee, you'll take a few matches to develop a sense of positioning anyway - you could be the fittest person in the world and you'll still find yourself out of position early on. Get into the habit of moving around players rather than leaning to get a better angle and trust that everything else will come with time.
 
If you make an effort and concentrate and focus on the basics, and take your time if anything strange happens, you will do fine.
Fitness will come with games, if you do enough. Running the line is a good way to run!
Do a sensible warm up so you are ready to sprint and don't hurt yourself.
Just the fact that have come here suggests you are making an effort - and that is already a good sign.
 
I've found there are two types of referees who can officiate a game well. There are those that are fit and use this to achieve great positioning. There are those that are unfit but somehow, often through experience, always seem to be in the right place at the right time.

If you're lacking fitness and experience then it does become a struggle. Refereeing is a unique exercise and it is difficult to replicate. General fitness is the best thing to work on, maybe do some high intensity training down at the gym, sprints etc. Refereeing more and more games will improve your fitness as long as you're looking after yourself off the pitch.
 
The single easiest fix in becoming a referee is boosting fitness. Imagine the fast break, ball hoofed quickly down field, strongly contested challenge in the far penalty area, both teams turn as if to strongly claim for a penalty/defensive ball, as they turn there you are standing right behind them....smiling

They simmer down and just go with your decision because there's no point claiming you couldn't possibly have seen the incident because you were so far away. Amazing how often that happens.

Fitness generally can take work, but is worth it.
 
Thanks for the advice guys, I'll take it on board and try to remember to post in here after my first game on Sunday.
 
It's one of the oldest sayings in the book but, dont referee to be fit, be fit to referee!! So many things will be out of your control as a referee but your fitness is not one of them. You will get fitter with games @SM is absolutely right. My goal last season after injury was to get as fit as i could, i do high intensity, Metafit, Spin classes, circuits all at my local gym and run a good few miles a week too.

I had a game at the end of last season, one of those ones with paper thin changing room walls. I could hear the team and manager talking about me after the game, i think he missed this or that, i think that was a penalty, you know being really nice about me ha ha. Then one of them piped up with, yeah maybe but ill tell you one thing he didn't half get about that pitch, he's one of the fittest ref's we have had at this level! BOOM, ill take that, thank you. Well chuffed!!
 
Andy A said:
My take on it is that I've seen ref's at some of my games that hardly do any running, I'm pretty sure I'm more fit than them, so why can't I do it?
Click to expand...
At local level, only the very best or very worst referees do know running...
The best have the anticipation and experience to read the game, the worst can't be :moon:.
Everybody will teach you whether you are a sprinter (and react as things happen) or a jogger (who spends a lot of time in motion, without hard sprinting). The third category mentioned by @Mintyref is the Centre Circle ref (who you don't want to be at the start of your career).

Enjoy your first game, and remember it is a learning experience like riding your bike for the first time. See the other posts from new referees...
 
For me, fitness can help confidence. If you go into a game knowing that you are fairly fit, in your mind you will start to realise that you will see most of the decisions because you can keep up with play. If you can have a good position then decisions can become a huge amount easier to make. I'm basically echoing what the other guys have said on here. It takes time to get fit, don't get frustrated with it. I'm not good at getting fit as I'm not always disciplined enough. I'm no Mo Farah but I'm fit enough to be able to keep up with play or at least get into fairly good positions most of the time. If you are worried about it, I did NHS life choices Couch to 5K (you can find it on iTunes) at the back end of last season. This is basically running 3 times a week for 9 weeks - building you up. It is all done on podcasts so you listen as you run. I did it with my dad and it was very good. By the end you can do 5K (roughly - depending on how long your legs are and how fast you run) in 1/2 an hour. The first few weeks are a bit boring because it is really easy but it's a good way to build up fitness. Hope this helps
 
Or find a local parkrun and do five k every Saturday morning for a few weeks.....
 
my point exactly, you should be able to run 5k, parkrun gives you an opportunity to measure ability and improvement.
At the parks level football I officiate I usually cover about 8k a match unless it's between two good football playing teams, then it will be nine perhaps as much as ten.
 
Mintyref said:
my point exactly, you should be able to run 5k, parkrun gives you an opportunity to measure ability and improvement.
At the parks level football I officiate I usually cover about 8k a match unless it's between two good football playing teams, then it will be nine perhaps as much as ten.
Click to expand...
8K a match, that's 278 circuits of the centre circle.... Bets the white line is worn away...
 
I understand that. Think you misunderstood my post, MintyRef implied anyone can/should be able to run 5K from day 1.
 
I have to echo the above comment about high intensity training. I've always run distance but doesn't really suit the needs of matches all the time with breaks and the lug upfield. Working mostly on sprint HIIT over the summer means that I've really seen a difference in my sprinting / higher pace staying power over my first 2 weeks - and that's kids in morning and adults in afternoon.
 
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