The youngest of my four sons just completed his senior high school season. I am contemplating putting on the stripes and investing in a whistle as a way to stay connected to the sport. But after watching the parents and coaches going on tirades and seeing some of the posts on the message board I wonder if it is worth it. I don't mean the money because I don't really need a side job. Those of you who have experience officiating, what are the pros and cons of getting into it. I am 57.
Re: Question for Referees
Posted by Valkyrie Wrestling on 3/2/2010, 11:42 pm, in reply to "Question for Referees"
Cons:
If you think refs get a beating on these boards, wait until you see the one you give yourself. Most refs I know are their own harshest critics. The difference is that referees a quite a lot more knowledgeable on the rules. Much of the critique from fans in based in (understandable) ignorance not just of the rules but off all the work off the mat referees put in to get it right.
Which brings up my second con. It takes constant work during the season to stay conversant on *all* the rules. I had a regime where I read the rulebook cover to cover every two weeks. (I kept a copy by the toilet.) You also need to be in frequent communication with you fellow referees to make sure you are interpreting and applying the rule consistently amongst yourselves.
It may not be a deal for you but my least favorite part of refereeing is dealing with Seattle traffic to get to the gigs.
Pros: You have nailed one of the biggest pros for refereeing, staying connected. You will get to know more people in the sport than just about any other way.
One of the biggest advantages to reffing is that you get the best seat in the house. You may be too busy sometimes to appreciate all the action but you will see some great wrestling like never before.
It is a good workout. While there is not much running involved, wrestling refs use there bodies more than other official to keep in the right position. (Ice hockey strikes me as another tough sport to ref.) A long day at a tourney usually means you don't have to watch your caloric intake for a couple of days.
And don't forget the mental workout. A good referee should keep the scoring sequence in his head at least back to the beginning of the period and how many penalties and warnings and cautions each wrestler has accumulated. My favorite mental exercise is simultaneously keeping a 5 count going for a near fall while doing a 2 count for the pin.
Despite the common image, it is not a thankless job. You will get more "good job" comments than complaints.
Overall, it is very gratifying. Knowing that you have completed a very challenging task is a big satisfaction. You also know you are helping to keep alive a sport very dear to you.
Well posted. VW nailed it. The message board ref bashers are a very exclusive bunch. They are the most extreme people I have ever encountered. The people you see at the matches (coaches and wrestlers included) are very polite and thankful. I have never had a negative experience at a match. The only bashing that bothers me is the self bashing I do when I watch video of myself refereeing, but that is mostly constructive, so I am happy to go through it.
I think BTB hit on the main reason they are this way on the message board and not in real life: seeing something happen is different than reading someone elses description of what happened. It's easy for people to read things incorrectly and then overreact, or for someone to write something poorly and cause an overreaction (I've been party to both of these scenarios ).
I like VW's post and agree with it. If you love wrestling, officiating is a great way to stay involved/give back/ keep the love affair alive.
In 9 years as an official I have had very few negative encounters with fans, and have had many positive encounters. Coaches have given me an earful from time to time, but the best of them always approach you after the fact and sometimes apologize for their over-exuberance (really, the apology is seldom necessary, their job is to advocate for their wrestlers) but always listen and try to understand what you're thinking.
Now here is the hard part. VW nailed it by saying you will be your own worst critic. As an official you always want to get it 100% right, and you almost never will. On good days your mistakes will not affect the outcome of a match. On bad days you will kick yourself for a call that was (or even just "may have been") wrong.
But in between those (hopefully) rare events you will watch outstanding wrestling up close, you'll get to interact with some of the best peple on the planet, and you will keep your love of wrestling alive, fresh, and very real.
In addition to what the others have said, officiating is an essential part of the sport. Without officials, we don't have a contest. And, if we don't have competent and concerned officials, we put the sport in jeopardy. Part of why we do what we do is out of a sense of duty to the sport and to the kids. For most of us, we received so much from the sport and this is our way of contributing back.
Some coach, some volunteer to help with events, and some officiate. All are important. By even asking about how to become an official, I think you probably recognize that you have a role to play. Welcome aboard!
on 3/2/2010, 10:03 pm
).