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Old Mon Oct 17, 2005, 10:36pm
wisref2 wisref2 is offline
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Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 321
I work as many youth games as I can, and enjoy every minute of it. Around here, our youth games are usually three game sets (6th grade, 7th grade, 8th grade) and you end up working from 4:30 until about 9 - it's exhausting! Add to my varsity, JV and freshman schedule and that makes 11 games in a recent 12 day period. We do a lot of talking to the kids - good block, nice run, keep your hands in, try to stay still in your 3-point stance, etc. After a while, they start talking to us and they get to trust us and like us!

You do the same with the coaches because most of them don't know a lot about the game. They're giving of their free time because nobody else would coach the team. When they say something stupid, you just tell 'em "That's on Sunday coach." It doesn't take them long to figure out that they don't know the rules, and then they come to you and ask about them - that's your chance to educate and enlighten. They get to know you and when they see you on the street - they say hi and they say thanks! Also - it helps if you offer to come in and work with the coaches so they understand the rules.

These games are also great for working on mechanics, a weakness or trying something new. And after 22 years, it's our duty to help out the young refs who are working these games so that when we finally have to hang it up, there's someone there to blow the whistle for that first kickoff every Friday night.
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