Improving as an assistant referee

[al_2113]

Hi all,

Last weekend I did my completed my first game as an AR outside of grassroots or under 21s games. It was the equivalent of the league below the national leagues(im from Spain). The game was quite relaxed as the home team were much better and won 5-0, but I got a lot of dissent and insults from the crowd for a few of my offside calls, 1 of them disallowing a goal. Luckily, the game was recorded and I disallowed it correctly, but I noticed I miscalled a few offsides. I would say I wrongly called 2 or 3 offsides(to be fair they were quite close). Of course, this did not have any effect on the final result and no players or staff argued any of the calls(except the correctly disallowed goal).

It probably is the same in England, but here you do Ar for referees from one division above you. The thing is I quite like being an AR, and hope to be in contest this year for a promotion as an AR to the national league equivalent, which would see me become a full-time AR in my league(no centre reffing except grassroots). In order to achive my goal, I wanna imporve as an AR, especially when calling offisides, so, any tips (outside of doing a lot of matches as I will already be doing that across the season)?
Any exercises I can do to improve my offside calling and positioning?

Thanks

 

[OldNavyRef]

With it being your first game as an AR, I think there is literally a 1000 tips out there. All would be extremely overwhelming.

If promotion is your goal, I would focus on getting the basics correct, rather than accuracy of decisions. As you said what you got wrong was extremely close etc. So I wouldn't focus on that too much. I imagine one of the best ways to improve as a lino is really get your multi-stage fitness test/bleep test to a very respectable place and all the training that would facilitate that.

The basics is making sure you have the flag in the right hand. Not moving while flagging, the old putting your finger down the flag pole while flagging and holding the seam in your shorts. Just looking professional.

Building your confidence, improving your communication with the referee in the middle, the benches and the players around you. Having the confidence to flag fouls where it is appropriate and understanding situations where it might be inappropriate for you to be getting involved in decisions.

Then if you are operating without 4th Officials, it is always worth getting yourself in a good position for dealing with the dugouts. Knowing how to build rapport, having a pre-game conversation with them and so on.

Also credibility. Working that extra bit harder to chase down long balls towards the keeper and could possibly bounce over his head. Staying with the keeper as he places or drop kicks the ball to make sure he is playing by the rules and flagging from positions that will give you maximum credibility. Example, if you are saying the ball crossed the goal line, and you seen it from roughly in line with the 18 yard line, sprint hard and fast to the corner flag and flag from there.

 

[RefereeX]

The biggest thing I've learned in terms of accuracy of offsides is that if you don't KNOW that the player is offside, chances are they're onside.

 

[santa sangria]

Read up about the flash lag effect.

To be honest, getting three calls wrong is not good! You might be doing something fundamentally wrong.

Are you ”crabbing”, running sideways?
Are you somertimes listening for the kick instead of watching the kicker too long?
Are you talking to yourself and concentrating?

I worked with a young AR yesterday who was trying way too hard, constantly distracted. Break it down and simplify everything.