OA or Kids football

So I'm sat in a supermarket cafe eating up some time in between matches today. It's very rare that I do kids football but I decided to do a u14 game this morning as my U21 fixture is in the afternoon and the Mrs and kids are at a rugby match. I got £5 less than I get in u21 and OA football and if I'm honest I couldve reffed it from my car. No abuse, decisions accepted and it was an absolute breeze. If I'm completely honest it was pretty boring. I don't ref for the money and I love a quiet game as much as the next person but the football wasn't a great standard and I found it all a bit too comfortable.

I'll continue to pick up kids games if it's on my doorstep like this one, and I'm surprised that the pay is almost the same as adult football. 2 weeks ago I met a 21 year old ref, level 6, who refused to do adult football in the area and I don't blame him. It's not for me but man it's a different sport for a referee.

Am I in the minority preferring to do OA locally or is it common for people to stick to kids footy. I can see why they do but it wouldn't interest me enough to stay in the game if I'm honest

I think the same as any other football, you get variation. Two of my 5 reds this season came from a single U18 match, the first youth match I did for my local youth league. I was then assigned to 3 other matches at various age groups and only had to get the yellow out twice - and as you say, for the U14's match I did, I could have stood on the sideline and the kids would pretty much have happily called their own fouls and got on with it without me.

I guess all I'm saying is if you do end up doing more youth, don't get complacent. People don't suddenly turn into dickheads on their 18th birthday, you've always got a chance of running into someone who will give you a hard time at any age level.

Am between games too right now....U16 this morning, 2 yellows but no issues,
OA, 2 top league teams this afternoon.

I like the mix and match and ultimately as a servant to the game in general, that's what I feel am doing.

I get to referee my way this afternoon too, which, is nice ever so often !

Done both and the challenges are different, OA football is generally more aggressive, but there aren't any parents on the side generally. Its usually a bloke walking his dog and a few subs... Kids football is usually low key but you've got 20 SAFs on the sideline....

GraemeS said:

I think the same as any other football, you get variation. Two of my 5 reds this season came from a single U18 match, the first youth match I did for my local youth league. I was then assigned to 3 other matches at various age groups and only had to get the yellow out twice - and as you say, for the U14's match I did, I could have stood on the sideline and the kids would pretty much have happily called their own fouls and got on with it without me.

I guess all I'm saying is if you do end up doing more youth, don't get complacent. People don't suddenly turn into dickheads on their 18th birthday, you've always got a chance of running into someone who will give you a hard time at any age level.

Click to expand...

There's certainly no complacency here. I've seen an awful lot at kids footy down the years. Fights, multiple reds, parents fighting, refs crying, the works. Nothing differed in my warm up, pre match checks etc than if it was an OA county cup game. I'm just interested in how other people feel about the differences whilst I sit in area with some egg on toast!

Ben448844 said:

There's certainly no complacency here. I've seen an awful lot at kids footy down the years. Fights, multiple reds, parents fighting, refs crying, the works. Nothing differed in my warm up, pre match checks etc than if it was an OA county cup game. I'm just interested in how other people feel about the differences whilst I sit in area with some egg on toast!

Click to expand...

OA is proper football but I like doing kids on Sundays as its traditionally a day of rest

I jump at the chance to flag in the top two divs of U16-20 and whistle 15 and up.

Proper pressure and enough speed to make it a challenge. High expectations from coaches etc.

But lower level 14-15-16 is maybe not as interesting now as it was for me a few years ago when I wanted and needed to do every possible game.

We have NARs in the top couple of 14-15-16 divs but a few rungs down and it’s a lot more about helping along younger refs in their first season with the flag. Can be interesting but not great prep for tougher OA tests!

I've done both OA and youth in my time - both are challenging although the challenges can be different. A few years ago I found youth fixture timings were more workable with other commitments so that's what I've settled with. Normally I do 17s/18s/19s age groups which can be every but as challenging as an OA game.

U15's is where I find it most interesting. Hormones are on fire. And you then have many parents and coaches that suffer from what I term "Footballing Bipolar Disorder" - really nice individuals that turn in to near-psychopaths when doing anything involving a round ball.

xPositor said:

U15's is where I find it most interesting. Hormones are on fire. And you then have many parents and coaches that suffer from what I term "Footballing Bipolar Disorder" - really nice individuals that turn in to near-psychopaths when doing anything involving a round ball.

Click to expand...

There is a difference between year groups in youth football. In Scotland we start competitive organised football with appointed referees at 13s. At this age the players are okay, it's the coaches and parents who present a problem. I'd probably go for 16s/17s rather than 15s as the most difficult group for players.

I do 14s and 15s Saturday and 13s and 14s Sunday.

I can honestly say this season ive probably done roughly (4 games a weekend, 4 weekends a month, missed a few) 50 games at this age group.

Ive given two reds for a fight, and 6/7 yellows mainly for dissent, maybe im not tough enough but bizarrely i dont think ive cautioned anyone all season for a foul (as mad as that sounds)

Now the parents and managers i could probably give bare minimum one red card every weekend.

I could ref kids footie from the car, with OA, at least you have to get your bag out of the boot!