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Kent Referee Guide |
Part 1: Before the game
Make sure you are prepared before the start of the game. Find out who the teams are and make sure you know the start time and duration of the fixture. Before the match you will need to make sure that you have the right level of concentration to referee competently. Each person needs to find out what’s right for them: one way may be to review the most recent couple of matches you’ve refereed, thinking about the common fouls, the nature of the game, any unusual decisions etc.
Ensure that you are wearing a shirt of a different colour
from the two teams. How you handle yourself is going to be closely scrutinised by the players. Your appearance
says a lot about your attitude to the game. Make sure you give them the right message. Wear black or ideally
buy a referee’s shirt and ensure you warm up properly. This will show the players that you are taking your job
seriously and intend to keep up with play.
As a minimum you will need a whistle, pen, paper and a watch. These are your tools. As such, you need
them accessible without having them get in the way. Most referees use their pockets, some use a small notepad.
Whatever you use has to work easily and efficiently. Draw up a piece of paper with the names of the teams,
space to write in scores, subs, timeouts and cards.
It’s worth carrying some masking tape with you – that way you can ensure a consistent penalty spot at
both ends of court throughout the match, and don’t waste time ‘goose stepping’ 2.5m every time you give a penalty.
Part 2: The Throw-off
You should be at the pitch 10 mins or so before the game is due
to start. Warn the captains when they have 5 mins to go. With 2 mins to go call the captains together to decide
attack and defence zones. Give a clear call of who’s attacking which way, with a hand signal, so all the players
can hear. Mark on your paper who had throw-off, so you remember at the start of the second half.
Part 3: During the game From the start, your whistle is your only friend to help you in
controlling the match. Remember this, if nothing else. The whistle is the only way you can stop or start the game;
it is effectively your means of control. If you blow it quietly and then shout “Stop!” the game will slow down
and dwindle to nothing as the players look around, wondering what’s going on. You have to blow your whistle once,
loudly. Do not be hesitant or self-conscious about this - blow it! All the players will hear and act accordingly
either at the start or when you are stopping the game for an infringement (If you look at it from the players’
point of view, if they don’t hear the whistle, they won’t stop playing, will they?) If you don’t blow your whistle
loudly – you’re really saying that you’re not bothered. In that case, don’t expect the players to bother too much either!
POSITIONING To maintain effective control, you have to keep up with play - but you
need to stay out of the players’ and the ball’s way. Make sure that you are near the ball at all times, but not right
on top of it. 90% of all infringements occur on the ball or at the post. If you stand close and to the side of the
post you will see most of the infringements as the direction of play will usually be coming towards you, but don’t
get stuck too close to the back of the court as you need to be able to see the distance between the defender and
attacker in order to judge defended. The ideal position is one that allows you to see both the post area and the ball
/ player about to receive the ball at the same time. This will generally involve you standing close and to the side of
the post with an angle of about 70 - 110 degrees to the line between the post and the ball. When the ball is lost by the attack, you will need to move quickly to
the other zone. Try and anticipate the change of direction - this will become easier as you gain experience - as
the quicker you get to the other end the more you’ll see.
DEALING WITH THE RULES You will not learn all the rules of Korfball overnight; and by reading the rulebook over and over
again, you may learn the rules ‘parrot-fashion’, but if you cannot translate this into what you see in a game, there
is no advantage. The main things to concentrate on are movement, contact, defended shots, cutting, hindering, the
free pass and the penalty. If you can master these at an early stage you are well on your way to becoming a competent
referee.
Get into position, count the players and look to see that they are not wearing watches, jewellery, etc.
Make sure everybody is ready to start the game, then blow the whistle - loudly! They will realise from this
opening note that you are in control of the game.
Do not move around with a whistle in your mouth, keep it in your hand. Apart from safety reasons, the delay
in raising your hand to your mouth is your thinking time. Use it! Then make a decision. After you have blown the
whistle, and indicated whose free pass it is, don’t change your mind - even if you are wrong. If you change your mind,
the players will only play on your indecision. That said there are some incidents where a change of action is
appropriate. The most obvious are when you blow for a free pass and accidentally indicate the wrong direction for
the free pass or if you blow for a repeat infringement penalty and then realise that this time it was actually a
different player who committed the foul. In such cases explain your mistake and then get on with the game quickly.
(Note: these are not changes of decision in respect of the foul that you have blown for, but changes in the subsequent
course of action taken/indicated.)
Remember that there is generally no requirement for you to explain a decision any further than by using the
official signal, unless the captain enquires in a reasonable manner – don’t get caught up in debates. Once you’re
feeling more confident, try to vary the tone of your whistle blowing to distinguish the routine (out balls and minor
contact) from serious incidents (heavy /deliberate fouls). As well as different tones for goals and penalties you
should have a few tones by which the players can judge what is coming before you briefly explain your decision with
e.g. “Contact, red ball” and use the appropriate signal.
Most importantly, only blow for what you see - even if you are late. Bring the game back to where the infringement
occurred and restart the game. Many new referees realise something has happened, but they think that they have missed
it and the game has moved on. Don’t worry, it happens to everybody. If there is no advantage to the offending team,
you can safely play on. If the offending team gains an advantage, you must blow for the infringement - even if you are
late. Remember, you are in control of the game.
You can also maintain control by talking to the players. If you missed contact (for example) and there was no
advantage to the offending team, run past the player concerned and say “Mind the contact”. Even though you are the
referee, you don’t have to be a mute. The player concerned cannot argue with you, as you are running past to keep up
with play. If you see things getting hot under the collar between two players, you can stop the game and talk to them
quietly. Don’t be afraid of doing this, it makes them aware that you have seen their little battle - you only have to
say “If I see it, I’ll blow for it.” to take the edge off the situation. Just pay them a little extra attention for
the next few minutes and when you blow for contact, make sure you are definite about your decision.
Sometimes, players get a little argumentative following a decision. Stay calm, you have to remain above the
situation. If they are walking towards you and leaving their opponent, let them come a little closer then blow your
whistle to restart the game. If they don’t want to concede an easy goal, they will soon return to play. As discussed
later, the key to proper control is to prevent contact occurring by being strict from the very early stages of the match
at all age groups.
It is often said that the ideal route for a referee to take once the game has started is in a figure of eight
around both posts. The figure of 8 is a good way of ensuring both that you cover both sides of court during the match
rather than sticking to one side and that you take up positions behind the post. However, following a figure of 8 is
a means to an end – what is important is that you keep up with play. Sometimes you need to run ‘8’s, sometimes ‘0’s
and sometimes ‘3’s, depending on what the ball does. The key is that all these options allow you to get close to the
ball and lead you to a good position at / behind the post.
In order to be in a good position you continually need to be anticipating where the ball is going to be and
adjusting your position accordingly. This really needs practice. If you get this right you will constantly be on
the move, but most of the time you won’t need to move quickly. You’ll know if you’ve got it wrong, if:
1). if you often end up leaning over to peer round the post and the players clustered there in order to see what’s
happening on the far side.
2). if you are constantly rushing to a new position.
Talking to players, especially newer ones should become one of your main tasks. Many new players move their feet
when they have hold of the ball and a simple reminder is a good course of action, unless of course, they are actually
walking with the ball. If they persist in movement after one or two reminders, then blow them up for it. As long as
you explain what the free pass is for, they will soon stop doing it.
Contact is evident in most games, particularly among new players. It may be a little push in chasing a loose ball,
or an elbow to push through or hold off a player. Remember any contact, whether accidental or deliberate, is an
infringement of the rules and should be picked up strictly – especially at the start of the game when you set the tone
for the rest of the game. Repeated infringements can be further enforced by a penalty - but if you decide on taking
this action, make sure that the player knows that you intend to take this action. After two infringements, it is
worth talking with the player and pointing at the penalty spot to reinforce their understanding. Your action will also
be seen by the captain, coach, and everybody else who is out of earshot and will understand your warning. Saying
‘Next time penalty’ is too definite. If you say ‘That’s twice, I don’t want to see it again’ or ‘I don’t want to have
to give penalties’ then you keep your options open – it all depends how you want to play it. Now you have to remember
that the next defensive foul by that player is a penalty. Make sure you do it - don’t threaten something you have no
intention of seeing through, or your word will be meaningless on other occasions.
HINDERING - A hindering position is where a player is in position to prevent another from completing a pass
or movement. Defending is a specific form of hindering where the defender meets certain specific criteria.
OVER-HINDERING - by preventing the player with the ball full body movement, is a foul. This is most often seen
through a failed pass when the hindering players hand chops down on the arms of their opponent or the ball if it has
left their hands. If the player with the ball cannot move their arms and body as a direct result of the hindering
player, then a foul is being committed. Hindering unfairly can also be seen in players running beside each other,
where the defender holds up an arm to prevent their opponent taking a desired course of action. This should also be
recognised and stopped by a referee quickly, use the threat of a penalty as a means of preventing repeat infringements.
CUTTING - To get a cutting decision in their favour, the defender should start both within arms length and be in
a hindering position i.e. in a position to interfere with an incoming pass. If they are not, then there can be no
question of cutting. Read the rule book on this one and make sure you know it as some teams train to attack this way
and the defending team is totally at the mercy of your understanding of this rule. Sometimes an attacker will cut past
somebody to take up another position, particularly at the post, which is allowable. An offence is only committed when
a shot is taken by the cutting player. In playing this style of game against a committed attack, the defender may
refuse to give up their position and be forced to collide with another attacker. Your decision here is critical, did
the defender run into the stationary attacker on purpose or was the defender forced into the stationary attacker by
his own opponent. Depending on the exact situation the decision can go either way and there can often be very little
difference between the two scenarios.
FREE PASSES - The free pass is clearly explained in the new rulebook, but make sure that the attacking players
are 2.5m apart from each other and everybody is 2.5m from the place of the pass. Remember that the ball is not in
play until one of the following has occurred:
1). it has travelled 2.5 m horizontally FROM THE SPOT.
2). it has been touched by an attacker standing 2.5 m from the place of the pass. (Note that if the two players
are leaning towards each other the ball does not travel 2.5 m in this case)
3). The ball touches a defender.
Any movement within 2.5 metres of the place of the pass by an attacker before this occurs is a foul.
Remember also that the defender can move within 2.5m as soon as the taker moves the ball, but if any defending
player encroaches on a retake of a free pass, go straight to the penalty spot.
Penalties are most commonly given where a scoring opportunity has been lost (e.g. boy defending girl as she shoots,
any contact as a player is shooting - providing they are not defended, or where a foul is committed and there is a
free player) although as already discussed they can also be awarded for repeated infringements of any of the above
fouls. The rulebook clearly defines these situations.
RESTARTS - The restart rule is a new addition. It has been brought in to avoid two problems that occurred
under the old rules:
1). Technical fouls under the post (such as football) were being more severely punished than contact fouls
on the halfway line.
2). Fouls by an attacker in the defence zone were slowing the game down.
Therefore, restarts should be used for all fouls by the attack in the defence zone, and “technical fouls”
wherever they occur. These latter include things like football, ball out of play, travelling, solo play, handing
the ball, and so on.
Referees can also choose to use restarts for minor-contact fouls which have resulted in the loss of possession.
However, any contact foul where there was a degree of premeditation (even if the contact was unintentional) should
be punished with a free pass.
How to do a restart:
1). Players can stand where they like, although the taker of the restart must not be hindered.
2). The taker has 4 seconds to release the ball.
3). The ball is in play when it has travelled 2.5m horizontally from the place of the restart.
Part 4: After the game
Check the match form for:
1). Line ups
2). Score
3). Subs and times of subs
4). Yellow and red cards
5). Captains’ signatures
Write any reports that are necessary for disciplinary purposes.
Sign the relevant match forms from the two captains
Collect your payment from the home team, you deserved it!