A Rope, A Tree

Can you complete the unflattering rhyme? Maybe after this post you will...

Remember last year - if you were here last year - when I took on a second job, if you will? Well, that second job starts again in earnest today.

LB, the high school soccer referee.

Oh joy!

It actually isn't too bad most of the times. Last year I had a baptism by fire but that's the only way you can get into reffing, to jump in feet first. I had my share of interesting moments, cards that I handed out, calls that I blew, heckles that I endured, anger that I incited. I could write post after post on just those experiences from last season and how bad parents and coaches can be. All in due time I suppose.

Today, actually soon after this post hits the web, I'll be reffing my first soccer game of the season, a junior varsity boys game. By myself. JV games are done solo and varsity games with one partner. Although many of the games I do are girls games, I think I'm so used to watching men's soccer that I can handle the physical play of the boys better than the girls game. The girls game is a strange dynamic sometimes. Things can spiral completely out of control for no good reason. With boys, they tend to build to that but girls can be cunning and will wait for the right moment to pounce.

I hope last week's scrimmage wasn't an indicator of how this season will go. The game was won 7-0 by the more experienced team (it was a girls varsity game) but the losing team committed way too many fouls and even forced me to give one of them a yellow card, even though during scrimmages you really don't need to hand out cards, but one of the losing team's midfielders kicked at another girl's ankle and flattened her from behind. What was I supposed to do?

Anyway, I hope today's game goes well and I hope that I don't have to hand out any cards.

So stick around for some fun times over the next three months as I'll be sure and share my more interesting stories about my officiating experiences.

And as for the rhyme, what could you do to a referee with a rope and a tree?

A rope, a tree
Hang the referee

If I hear that chant - which is a real chant, not something I made up - I'm in trouble :)