Anyone Ever Referee'd for Money/Volunteering/etc - If So, How Was It?

[JMav18]

Have you? Did you enjoy it?

Got any stories to share? I was thinking about joining my local league and ref'ing a couple games, seems like a nice way to have some fun and pick up some cash...

oh, and I like to experience things I've never done before

[Fullback7]

Have you? Did you enjoy it?

Got any stories to share? I was thinking about joining my local league and ref'ing a couple games, seems like a nice way to have some fun and pick up some cash...

oh, and I like to experience things I've never done before

I worked at the YMCA for about a year as a ref. I liked it, and I thought it was really fun. The pay wasnt too bad either at $20 per game for football, and $25 a game for basketbell. I had around 4-5 games every saturday.

[matt1001]

i umpire field hockey games during the main season. they pay quite well and i can make over $200 dollars a week (aussie dollars) sometimes. i thought its been fun, i play field hockey so its improved my ability to read the game and see some other good players up close.

there is the problem of abuse and assualts though, im tall and black in a prodominatly white town so i come across as intimidating which can help. just dont back down, try and be assertive (i often push it into the agressive which is better than going the other way) and have all the refs watching each others backs. physical violence is rare and is even more rare when it gets past pushing.

Overall i made some great new friends, had a ball, made a heap of money, gained great future life skills for dealing with people and quick decision making and id recomend having a go to anyone

[ewthrow]

i umpire baseball in the summer. (25 Bucks a game) and its so easy. jsut dont take any crap from retard parents. i made around 500$ last summer from umpiring

[samori]

been a soccer ref for over 20 yrs. Extra money is decent. Players are ok to deal with. parents and coaches can be trying sometime. what sport are you looking to work??

[JMav18]

Thanks to hear your replies guys, have any funny stories to share? And were you nervous your first day?

been a soccer ref for over 20 yrs. Extra money is decent. Players are ok to deal with. parents and coaches can be trying sometime. what sport are you looking to work??

Basketball

[Fullback7]

Thanks to hear your replies guys, have any funny stories to share? And were you nervous your first day?

I was nervous my first day. I accidentally blew the whistle twice in the middle of a play.

I enjoyed reffing football & I saw alot of funny things, as well as insanely athletic things from young kids.

I was reffing my second week, and this fat kid 9 year old kid started beating the **** out of this little skinny kid. The rules say that I had to kick him out of the game for fighting, so the other teams parents started to become pissed. So then, there was 5 seconds left in the half and the other team runs a no huddle in which the interior lineman are standing straight up and they end up running a 75 yard TD, but I had to call it back because they weren't set... So the coach gets pissed, and says its a legal play.. blah blah blah. So in comes the 3rd quarter and me and the other guy end up throwing 2 guys out and a total of 7 personal fouls for fighting... Its sort of a cross town rival by the way... So all one hundred fans are pissed and are yelling at each other from across the field... **** you, dirty pieces of ****,.. at a 9 year old football game. So the fourth quarter comes in and the parents from one sideline start a big fight in the middle of the field as the teams coaches are fighting in the end zone... I got punched in the damn forehead as me, the other ref, and my boss try to break things up, while the other YMCA staff is running from the main building 1/4 of a mile away... It was one of the most ****ed up things you could see. Especially since the kids were just sitting there watching the parents and kids fight. Pee-wee football is bad, but Little league baseball and adult league basketball are 10x worse, and something I would never do again.

I saw a kid leapfrog another kid standing straight up into the end zone for a 2pt conversion. I also saw one of the best games of pee wee football. This team was down by 35 at the half. They brought it back to within 4 points with 10 seconds left in the game. The other team tries to run a hb dive on the 15 and the kid ends up fumbling the ball. I stop my clock on the first whistle with .2 seconds left. The team ends up running an 85 yard reverse for a touchdown to win the game.

[Shawdowfox]

do you have to take a reffing course or is it just bring your own skills type thing

[JTringer]

Id jus wanna be a ref to abuse the power...seems like it mite be boring

[Mr_O_2020]

I have refereed a couple of soccer matches for a local primary school.

It's pretty good, but the parents can be quite annoying at times. They seem to forget that the kids are about 10, and not playing in the final of the World Cup.

[farzamk]

Been a ref for soccer and track. Track is more so calling the name or firing the gun, not too hard. Soccer some parents like to get on you sometimes. Although for track, firing the gun is harder than you think, holding the sprinters down in the set position too long = complaints.

[cosmo34]

First and only time I umped a baseball game was an AAU tourney for 8 or 9 year olds. Most of them were not very good and my friend was not having a good time calling strikes with the loop on the pitches and the fans were getting very unhappy with him. They went absolutely apeshi* on me for one play that was so dumb I couldn't believe it. I don't remember how many runners were on base but there was a basehit and one kid was running to third. The OF'r threw the ball to third and it clearly arrived before the runner. Thing was, the kid never tagged him. Just held onto the ball and stepped on the bag (obviously it was not a force play). They just went nuts for several minutes and complained to the director of the tourney that we were trying to "screw" the kids over. I don't think I helped the situation by laughing in the parents faces, but I had fun.

[JMav18]

It's pretty good, but the parents can be quite annoying at times. They seem to forget that the kids are about 10, and not playing in the final of the World Cup.

hahahah, no kidding

[J.S.B.]

For football and wrestling, I like to see an older official. 25+yrs. old.
The parents are brutal, and so are the coaches....I coach pee-wee football.
The money is a nice extra income though. It depends on what level you want to ref.
Beware of wrestling Moms....lol....
I never refed, but my bro does Hockey. In PA you have to take a PIAA test.
Clock keeper for pee-wee football seems like a good deal.

[jordan_lake]

I'm taking GCSE Sport and We sometimes have to be "in at the deep end" I have been a ref for a football match and its quite good fun, and you will get to watch the games you ref. just try not to be biased on any descisons, the best refs are consistant. i mean sure its not a full time thing just i like to try hard and do the best at anything i can.

[54bobcat54]

hmm...id like to ref at the YMCA or something. i think il talk to them about it

[RoPaWrastla]

For football and wrestling, I like to see an older official. 25+yrs. old.
The parents are brutal, and so are the coaches....I coach pee-wee football.
The money is a nice extra income though. It depends on what level you want to ref.
Beware of wrestling Moms....lol....
I never refed, but my bro does Hockey. In PA you have to take a PIAA test.
Clock keeper for pee-wee football seems like a good deal.

My good lord. Wrestling moms can be the most terrifying people on the face of the earth. I'd rather face Liddel in the octagon than an irate wrestling mom.

[jordan_lake]

I'm taking GCSE Sport and We sometimes have to be "in at the deep end" I have been a ref for a football match and its quite good fun, and you will get to watch the games you ref. just try not to be biased on any descisons, the best refs are consistant. i mean sure its not a full time thing just i like to try hard and do the best at anything i can.

I ment soccer by the way...I'm english incse you were wondering its NOT american football its ENGLISH football

[cassie121]

i ref greco roman and freestyle wrestling. I get paid more b/c having a female ref comes in handy at weigh ins since it's harder for girls to cut weight as it is having to weigh in with more clothes then guys sucks. I know I've had to do it. (and yes for male wrestlers who didn't realize most girls have to weight in in shorts and a t-shirt or a singlet)

[hardgainerwill]

I officiate basketball ($15 a game) and I also umpire baseball and softball games ($25 in the field, $30 behind the plate)....this is rec league stuff....I hate officiating basketball kuz the parents are so nit picky and expect you to be perfect....which I am a human and I do make mistakes.....baseball I love tho.....its fun....I couldnt ask for a better job while im still in school