The weekend is ugly.

Here it is Thursday and I've been sending out emails begging the referees in the association to help out this weekend because there are a ton of matches (well, a ton for a dinky little community like Whatcom County) because not only is the recreation season in full swing with 140 matches on Saturday. There are six select matches on Saturday and five high school matches (only one JV match in the bunch). I still need four bodies for the select matches and one for the high school matches.

Unfortunately, Western hasn't started up yet so several of the referees who usually pick up matches for us aren't in town yet.

I did get a fun call from one of the athletic director's today concerning a player who recently decided to get a nose piercing immediately prior to the beginning of soccer season. Now, every recreational season the referees have to deal with five and six year old girls getting their ears pierced and bursting into tears when we tell them they can't play with their earrings in. And without fail a parent will go nutty cuckoo about how their little girl can't take her earrings out for six weeks and that we are bad people for not letting her play, and so and so forth. But now we have a high school player who figures the safest thing she can do for her soccer-playing self is have a piece of sharp metal in her face while on the pitch. I'd start quoting Laws or Rules of Play or some such nonsense but let's leave it with, if something is dangerous to a player or others, it is not allowed on the field. And jewelry of any kind fits into the above category.

I told the AD, while I wouldn't caution the coach (as is the high school rule) for the nose stud, I would most likely tell the young lady she had to remove it and if she refused, she wouldn't be allowed to play. That would be, of course, if I was feeling in a grumpy mood. If I was well-humored, I told him I would let her know that she could wear it as long as she understood that if she bled out on the field from a shot to the face, I would not be held responsible.

Yes, I would certainly be held accountable if the young lady suffered injury on my field from wearing such an item (if I did, in fact, see said item) and could face a lawsuit (and most likely lose). Is it worth the potentially lost house for this silly youngster to keep her uber-hip nose stud in for 90 minutes? A close call, I know, but perhaps I'll err on the side of get off my field silly young lady.

Thanks again for stopping by and reading my griping.

Jonathon

Longest podcast yet.

The first weekend of select is almost finished (just another hour or so to go) and thankfully I didn't have to pick up any of the three matches scheduled today.

I did manage to pick up a couple of games yesterday, however, and as it was Saturday, it was the younger age groups. I was in the middle of a GU14 and BU15 match, neither of which was terribly eventful. No cards, one PK, one IDFK in the area and one thing I haven't had to deal with before. But I'll talk about that on the next podcast. The only real disappointing thing about yesterday is the ankle injury I sustained back at the PCC, has flared up again (perhaps it's the field conditions...or perhaps I'm just too darn old to be running around like a fool).

Regardless of swollen ankle or not, I will still be doing battle with three or more high school matches this week, the first of which is tomorrow and it should be a yawner. I can't figure I'll have any good stories about savage tackles, but I certainly could be deluged with stupidity from players, coaches and fans...be sure to check out Show 012 to see how moronic it eventually was.

I mentioned I'd be ranting about the irkingness of assigning in the blog, and once I get another ridiculous story, I'll be sure to pass it along here.

Please feel free to leave me comments (like shut your trap...if it was fun, you wouldn't get paid for it).

Thanks,

Jonathon

Show 010 happened.

Ok, fine then. Because I said I would I am finally posting the kick butt link Dylan sent us here at the POV.

(added November 7, 2008: the link which was once here is now defunct and has been removed)

In assigning news, September 6th is the beginning of the select season with the 9th opening high school games. And the frustration of assigning has also begun.

I received the high school schedule earlier than ever this year, in June and posted it to the referee website immediately upon acquiring it. And sure enough, a couple of the athletic directors have contacted me this week to change things. Why not in July or even August? Why wait until the week before the season is under way to make changes? I realize you have other things to do but so do I. Oh, the whiner that is me.

And the select schedule...what a disaster. We are STILL waiting for the GU17 schedule and the season starts in two days. The GU15 showed up on Tuesday. I am not sure those in charge of scheduling at the state level have ever assigned before. If they have, perhaps they have forgotten in most instances scheduling matches does not automatically assure referees will be available to mediate them. Am I going to whine about this stuff all season? Most likely.

I've already recorded Show 011 with Jadon and should be posting it on Sunday as I have some time that day...I managed to get the matches fulled up without having to work any myself. Be on the lookout...it's going to be a bit longer than the last two, we got on a roll (and the Wii Fit).

Thanks again for checking out the show. Tell your friends and neighbors. We're starting to get some feedback (and calls) which only makes the show more entertaining.

Jonathon