Richthekeeper
Active Member
Just wondering whether people feel that assessments have a positive or negative impact on the way a referee approaches a game?
As I'm still a player at a reasonable standard (Welsh League) I have had conversations with my manager about my decision to become a referee. He was quite influential in my decision because I've spent several seasons sitting on the bench for him and listening to him talk about referees who "don't know the game" and "have never played the game".
My point to him recently was that I do know the game and have played the game, so would hope to bridge that gao fairly well. His response was that another friend of his had made the same move and initially did really well, but was shaped by assessors in a way that alienated him to players and managers. He even went as far as to say that poor refereeing is the main cause of people leaving the game.
I'm interested to know what people think of this. For example I've read through some assessment reports on here where assessors are critical of players having not been shown cards etc. While I understand the need for consistency I don't agree with handing out cards and sanctions for the sake of it just to satisfy an assessor. As I've mentioned in a previous thread if I can manage things like "dissent" without reaching for my cards I feel like that's testament to my ability as a referee. Maybe I'm being naiive.
In summary my question is, what are we as referees doing to avoid being alienated from everyone else in the game?
As I'm still a player at a reasonable standard (Welsh League) I have had conversations with my manager about my decision to become a referee. He was quite influential in my decision because I've spent several seasons sitting on the bench for him and listening to him talk about referees who "don't know the game" and "have never played the game".
My point to him recently was that I do know the game and have played the game, so would hope to bridge that gao fairly well. His response was that another friend of his had made the same move and initially did really well, but was shaped by assessors in a way that alienated him to players and managers. He even went as far as to say that poor refereeing is the main cause of people leaving the game.
I'm interested to know what people think of this. For example I've read through some assessment reports on here where assessors are critical of players having not been shown cards etc. While I understand the need for consistency I don't agree with handing out cards and sanctions for the sake of it just to satisfy an assessor. As I've mentioned in a previous thread if I can manage things like "dissent" without reaching for my cards I feel like that's testament to my ability as a referee. Maybe I'm being naiive.
In summary my question is, what are we as referees doing to avoid being alienated from everyone else in the game?