Officiating at Different Levels
All referees aspire to referee at the highest levels, however only a small number achieve this status. The majority of referees spend their weekends involved in a range of club games at different levels and of different skills. These games range from those at higher levels where players are reasonably well skilled to those where the fitness levels and skills of the players are quite low.
At the end of the day referees should aim to provide a safe and enjoyable environment for the players whilst ensuring that the game is played within the Laws of the game. Referees should also strive to gain enjoyment from their involvement in the game.
An understanding of the characteristics of different level games and the referee skills required to effectively referee or manage them will assist referees in achieving these outcomes. Here are some examples of different level games, their characteristics and the refereeing skills required for each.
A typical lower grade suburban match will look something like this:
Generally low player skills
Old hard heads and younger inexperienced players providing a difficult mix for man-management skills
Vast difference in skill level of individual players
Many tricks employed to get and stay on top of opposition
Social match, played for enjoyment
Winning is not everything, but it is still important
Low fitness levels
Little or no structure to the game
May have game plan, but not play to it
The skills required by a referee in this type of game will include:
High level of communication
Ability to put structure into the game by not allowing messy play to continue, but through judicious use of set plays such as scrums.
High degree of management to facilitate continuity
Ability to recognise when Advantage can be played, with perhaps less advantage overall (it will be harder to come by (most days) as players dont have the skills or there is no opportunity)
Showing empathy to what players are trying to achieve and being less zealous in regard to minor infringements
Compare this with a 1st grade match played in a country centre.
These games will generally look like this:
Good skill level
Tough, hard players
Willingness to Ruck is evident
Winning is important
Reasonably well structured, although tactics and games plans may be a little old fashioned
Game plan will be followed
Mixed fitness levels
Town v town which creates and adds to the rivalry
Individual v individual again this creates rivalry
Home town crowd has higher impact
Limited knowledge of the Laws of the Game
The skills required by a referee in this type of game will be different and might include:
High level management skills
Good communication skills, but be prepared to cut back to minimal levels at times of heat in the game
Zero tolerance on foul play
Flexibility to adapt to playing styles
Ability to explain decisions concisely and (perhaps) more often
Be able to deal with individual ill-discipline
Ability to take control of the game when play becomes heated
Good presence on the field
Finally, a typical Senior Colts game will have the following characteristics:
High fitness level
Good skills
Well structured
Game plan will generally be followed
High testosterone levels
Players will re-act to actions against them
Players easily lose focus when the game isnt going their way
Potential for foul play
For the referee this means:
A high level of communication
Good fitness level
Good management skills
Zero tolerance on foul play
Openness to play advantage frequently
Deal firmly with back-chat
Keep open discussions to a minimum. Interactions should not incite a response... just the facts and move along.
