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The other side of the whistle
A roller hockey referee’s perspective
by Peter Maisey
When you nipper is charging around the other side of the barriers there are
only three things you can do. Stand and watch, go home, or join in. I tried the
first two, didn’t like them, so took the third option. Initially I helped with
coaching, got a bit bored with that – what did I know, cos’ I didn’t even skate
– so I got skates and a stick.
The kids loved me playing – I was entertainment value - I was so bad they
found it funny. But it gave me valuable insight into just how difficult roller
hockey was. Eventually I played in a vet’s tournament – I soon understood that I
was way out of my depth. Taking up skating as an aged adult, then roller hockey
a couple of years later is probably a bit late in life to become any good.
To play the game properly I needed to known the rules, so I ploughed through
the International Rule Book, trying much of the time to work out what language
it was written in. The words were all English but they didn’t seem to make sense
half the time. So I set to rewriting the rules relevant to playing into English
so I could understand – now available as “Roller Hockey Rules translated for
Kids”.
Next step, having translate the rules? Why, become a referee of course. What
was missing from my roller hockey career was all the abuse that players heap on
you when they don’t like your decision. And don’t forget the nice white trousers
we have to wear, with matching co-ordinates (cards) in red, yellow and blue.
Anyway, what I really want to talk about is the difference I’ve found
crossing the barrier from player to referee.
Firstly, you have to know the rules and how to interpret them. Not all
eventualities are apparently covered, but most are. You often have to
extrapolate. For example, if a ball is hit so hard that it breaks in two, but
both parts go in the goal, is it a goal?
Secondly, I was very surprised how poorly players knew or understood the
rules. And not just kids, although they have an excuse if you look at the
wording in the official rule books. Many adult players have always played to the
whistle, not bothering to read the rules, and arguing with the referee if they
disagreed with the decision.
There is actually a serious side to not knowing or not understanding the
rules. If you don’t know them, you can’t take advantage of them. One classic
example is the indirect free hit that can be taken without the referee whistling
to restart the game. Taken quickly, it can often catch a team unawares. Many
team take their time, allowing the opposition to form up. It is not a case of
referee signals being vague. It is a case of not understanding what is, and is
not, allowed.
Verbal abuse is not the issue I thought it would be. I find that refereeing
takes such intense concentration that I rarely hear what players are saying to
me. And if I do, I usually give a very quick answer and get back to refereeing.
The pace of the game doesn’t allow me time to have a gossip.
Do I enjoy refereeing? Sometimes, but not always. Mostly, my dissatisfaction
comes from a feeling that I could have refereed better. Every referee at every
level makes mistakes. Every game I referee I learn something new. Sometimes I
feel like walking away, but refereeing is my contribution to the sport. So, at
the very least, I am contributing to one aspect of a sport my son enjoys.
Links
Playrollerhockey.net - details about [mainly] UK roller hockey
Talkrollerhockey.net - lots of enthusiastic discussion about roller hockey
issues all over the world.
NRHA.co.uk - National
Roller Hockey Association of England
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