Firstly, this being the last article in 2004, I would like to take the opportunity to thank all readers for their following and feedback in the past 12 months and subsequently would like to honestly wish everyone, sports lovers or not, a happy and very prosperous New Year.
A special dedication, without any doubt, goes towards all fellow local referees, not only those who referee my sport but also to all referees around be it whatever sport they officiate, hoping that they continue to offer good, consistent and honest services to the local sporting community. I thoroughly believe that there are a number of excellent referees here on our islands who give a magnificent performance week in, week out, even though they may not be respected to the full at the end.
It is yet again that time of the year when all around us will be ringing out the old 2004 and ringing in the new year with resolutions to make 2005 better than 2004. We, as referees, as I said in past columns, should always consider what our New Year’s resolutions should be and more importantly try to live up to them.
Today I am going to highlight certain factors that, as referees, could be easily fit in our resolutions.
Each referee should resolve to become more physically fit. Looking around, one can generally see that most of us can stand to lose some 2-5 kilograms. Not only will it help us during the season: it will also improve our general health. The only way to make this happen is to set a goal, determine the type of necessary changes in our behaviour and stay with these changes.
As I have stated in the past, the only sure and safe programme is diet and exercise and one should avoid those programmes which may result in a quick loss of weight but only to recoup this weight again, maybe even more, in a very short time. Less weight takes pressure off the knees and ankles. One consequence or by-product of the diet and exercise required to lose weight is an improved cholesterol ratio thereby reducing the chances for heart disease and stroke.
Better fitness allows you to move quicker to get into position on the field of play and to then make the right call. Each of us knows that “position is everything” in convincing players, coaches and supporters that we got the call right.
Each referee should also resolve to become more educated in the game he referees. One should set a goal to study the rule book a certain number of hours each week and stick with it. I believe each of us can find enough time to read some pages a day. This should create a renewed understanding of what the rules are.
A referee can never state that he is too familiar with the rule book. On the other hand, many of us (who term ourselves seasoned referees) are prone to feel secure in our knowledge of the rule book and fail to open it as much as we should.
Each referee should also resolve to become a team player. Another excellent goal for all referees is to refuse to take part in the petty selfish attitudes that are so prevalent in our competitive world. Instead of criticising fellow referees, one should offer constructive help toward making them better referees.
These are some of my suggestions that could lead the local refereeing community to go in the right direction in 2005.
US study
This week I was reading an abstract on a study done on sports referees in the USA and wanted to share with you some thoughts.
Officiating at any sport activity or level of competition is not an easy task. It is time consuming, stressful and probably one of the most demanding and least appreciated of the many sports professions. You might say, great deal, of course you say that you are a referee yourself. Yet this statement was said lately by a team of top sports psychologists.
Why then, do officials undertake this task? The same study tried to analyse what drives referees to expose themselves to the pressure and often unjustified criticism? The end result was that it is certainly not monetary gain.
The love for the game and the strong feeling for justice resulted as the main reasons for the referee to take the task. It was also found that most of the referees had a special attraction to the sport they refereed.
An honour
It gave me great pleasure to hear to I was nominated again for the Official of the Year Award. To be honest, I was taken by surprise when I read the newspaper as I was really not expecting it.
To have arrived up to this stage is already an honour enough for me as at least I am getting respect, from certain sections, for my work. All the other persons nominated deserve recognition for their good work and maybe there were others who deserved to be there as well.
However in my opinion, as I am open in my remarks, is that there should be a clear winner as becoming a general secretary for Europe is no mean feat and surely makes the local sporting community proud.
Once again, I wish everyone a Happy New Year!
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