The Wef Gets Worn Out

The Wef got worn out on Saturday because I had the work of incredible abundance: 2 new babyrefs to do field work with!

The first was a young military brat who told me in email that he moved from Chicago but at the field told me stories about Alabama. I had the fantasy that this avocation would be useful to him wherever the next stop on the map was for him. He is 12 and so curious and eager to please. He has some work ahead, so I'm glad we have some season left to keep working together.

The other newbie came with great understanding of the game but some nerves about jumping in the middle. It is an interesting thing about working with women refs that they are always tentative and worried they aren't perfect. When guys are new refs they're positive they're awesome as soon as they get a whistle. This one is better than she knows yet and it is so good for all of us that the kids see a woman officiating.

They each had a game by themselves and one together. I spent an hour running back and forth around a u10 field to chat with both of them throughout the game they worked together. I think I got too sharp and cranky by the end of it because somewhere along the way I fell out of coaching mindset and got frustrated with not being a puppeteer. It may have been the heat and my inability to be everywhere at once. I have been considering investing in a headset system like the pros use for games to use in training settings like this. The cost hasn't seemed justified as I rarely get more than one at a time. Still I'm keen on the idea of trying something new.

Quite a few of the coaches gave both the babyrefs feedback after their games. I don't mind because listening to a coach tell you that you aren't perfect after a game is part of the job. Funny thing was that one of the coaches on one of Adam's is a very high level referee. I have invited other referees out to coach and work here and can't get them to do it. When the experienced referee had a chance to talk to a green referee, he totally went into coach-mode. Who knows how much of it will stick. I think the boy was already hot and overwhelmed. I asked him if he was having fun. He lit up and said YES! It was like a light switch change in his expression. I said, good, don't forget to tell your face. He babbled on about "there's so many things to watch all at the same time!" No, I didn't tell him you never learn to see the one that the lawn chair referees on the parents-side of the field see.