1st year ref dilemma! Pick up flag?

[kd0254]

To really judge this I would have had to see the play/s, know the level, score of the game etc.. . .

I personally have never "asked" an other official to pick up a flag if it was based on his judgement. The only time I would have the issue of picking up a flag would be in a case were we have conflicting opinions of two officials that have it different ways or on a misapplication of the rules.

On the same note I know that I definetly change the way I officiate based on the level of play. If I have 11/12 year old kids I do a lot more talking when it comes to things that don't affect the play. You could flag alot of teams every down, but it often doesn't pay to do it. I remember back to my first year and during a Junior High game a had a flag for delay of game, it was correct by the book but I had it waved off by the WH because he explained that we don't use the delay of game penalty unless it gets overly abused at the JH level.

As far as your story it sounds like you got bossed around, I would talk to the guy who had you pick up your flags, don't get offensive, just take a learning and questionative approach to it and see if that can solve your concerns.