One for the refs

[Al Woods]

So, I know what I want the answer to be but...

Do the regular refs see in-game banter with the players as part if the game or just a massive pain in the ass?

Anyone who knows me know I'm quite the lovely chap, but I do get in the zone a bit when I'm playing and do enjoy a paddy or two and having some choice words with the refs. I see this as an enjoyable part of the game, surely the refs enjoy the odd power trip too?

 

[Bolter]

I reffed in france one year. I will never ref again. Even though I could see exactly what happened in a situation, I was abused about it from one or both parties. It would often continue into the ref tent, and quite often players will mistake one ref for another and start gobbing off at you about something that happened on the other side of the field. Honestly, after about 30 games in the morning on the first day, Id had enough. And the team that gobbed off the least, ended up winning.

 

[Kevin Winter]

Reffed NSPL and KOTH a fair bit. Absolutely hate players who argue the toss - no one can (or would) withdraw a call and they often don't have the full picture.

As a player, I have been known to blow up VERY occasionally - can count the times on one hand! But always apologised after. A quiet word after the game, asking what happened is far productive. Like it or not, annoy the refs, get a reputation as a PITA and you suddenly start losing out on those 50/50 calls....

 

[Al Woods]

Good point guys and the last point in particular. I always go over to the refs afterwards with a cheeky love tap and a thanks, even if I haven't been giving it plenty. There's playing the game but there's also respect.

 

[SabreWolf]

It's not great to explode on the field because of a bad call, it is understandable the frustration it can cause but a bad call is what it is, it's a mistake.

Refs make mistakes, players make mistakes but at the end of the day they don't warrent an abusive slanging match on the field.
As a ref on the elite field at the cpps, I try to make the right decision every time, however some times the call may be wrong and it might have made an impact on the game, now all one can do is apologies for such a mistake and usually that will calm the situation and the player will be much much more respectful for the acknowledgment, but when you get a player that just can't accept it then that's when it is bad.

I don't see it as a bad thing if a player wants to know why a particular decision was made as long as it is in a civil manner and after that game is over.

 

[Liam92]

Nothing wrong with questioning a call but quite frankly I don't think there is an excuse for 'banter' if it is going to come across as offensive or aggressive. If you've got an issue take it up with the head red off the field in a civilised way but making drama over a call in the middle of a game which isn't going to be changed just makes the job that much harder and for all you know could distract us from watching the game and could just cause more bad calls for your team after the point is finished then I don't mind talking to players but definitely not during the game.

 

[scott_peters]

I’ve made bad calls and so have my refs before - Some of the abuse I have encountered and them is totally disrespectful and I am therefore very strict on my issuing of warnings and player bans which I hand out if any warrior fancies a pop at me.
Players need to realise that refs do not get paid a lot of money they do it to help the sport and what the also need to realise is that without them there the tourneys simply will not go ahead. I urge and often ask people if they would like to ref for the day and 99% of the time the answer is no way I’m not doing that for penny’s….

 

[f1nut2]

I think that during game time the same rules as rugby should apply. Only the captain should be allowed to approach a ref or ultimate to discuss a call. Any other player interaction with a ref should be for a paint check or when being chronoed.

Blowing up on the field almost never helps your cause with any reffing crew. Don't waste energy or time arguing just focus on the game.

Cheers

 

[Thorpe]

I've reffed at CPPS a few times and luckily had no confrontations with players over calls so far, I'd even call it enjoyable! I respected refs before I tried it myself, and have all the more respect for them now. Its a shame that all players can't give reffing a shot before moaning about calls, most would have a lot greater respect for what refs do.

Ofcourse refs make the occasional wrong call, but especially at domestic events with fewer refs compared to the major tournaments, there always needs to be a ref in the right place at the right time and that just isn't going to happen.

 

[Ainsley]

Next season for us there will be some basic guidelines for players (and refs alike) that will be put into place and enforced to protect all parties involved. One of the main ones will be a Millennium style approach to talking on the field after you've been shot......ie you won't do it, or you will be penalised.

We've probably all been guilty of blowing off steam at some point on the field, but we need to start altering our mindset as players when it comes down to how we speak to refs. In my mind, a rugby approach is what's required going forward rather than a football one. Remove yourself from the situation, take stock, then once the point is finished approach the off field ultimate to TALK about what happened. If required, a roaming ultimate on the day will also be brought over to review the situation.

You will not be spoken back to unless you are calm and are prepared to discuss the "event" in question. Everyone makes mistakes, but making another one by balling and shouting isn't going to make anything better. As some have said, reffing is often a faceless and thankless task - something that I aim to change next season. We need to support our refs as much as we can, and work on building a community of referees just as we would our players. It's imperative to the survival and improvement of our game.

I'll be setting up some referee clinics early next year, and if you want to be a referee at CPPS, then you'll be expected to come to one of the clinics. From then you'll be registered on our database as a referee and your "experience" tracked. More than anything it's to allow us to distribute quality referees over each field next season and give us a database on which we can work from in order to improve the standard of reffing in the UK, whilst also encouraging others to look at it as an option to raise funds for playing. We'll be covering the cost of these clinics, so it will be free to any that want to attend and if you're serious about our game, you won't think twice about spending half a day at a free clinic