Reffing up a few levels

[AlanT]

Had a great opportunity on Saturday to answer a question that had been on my mind for some time.

Was due to do L11 game, but home 2nd team L8 had no ref so I was asked to switch matches.

Anyone else had this sort of thing happen?

Really enjoyed it. Good feedback from both sets of players / coaches after.

Wish I could do 4 or 5 consecutive matches at this level to see how I'd go, but it's probably never going to happen again even once, so I'll just enjoy the moment. After all, I might never have had the chance.

Wish it had coincided with an assessment!

 

[The umpire]

what happened to the L11 game?

 

[Davet]

Did you phone Society re-appointments officer and get clearance?

If not then you could have had issues with insurance, if the game had not gone well there could have been repercussions in the form of complaints to the Society.

It is not a good idea to simply say "Yes". If an assessor had been present he would have told you not to do it.

Societies appoint to a level for a reason, a level 11 ref doing a L8 game could easily be so far out of his depth as to be dangerous.

In the event it seems no harm done, but I suspect you either got lucky - or should be promoted rapidly.

 

[AlanT]

... a level 11 ref doing a L8 game could easily be so far out of his depth as to be dangerous.

I'm an L10 so it was a significant gap but not that big.

It is not a good idea to simply say "Yes".

That's not how it happened. I asked what level the match was and was told it was the same as Sussex 1 which I know is L9. Being just one level higher than my level I understood this was OK so I took the match. Had I known it was L8 in advance I would have checked it with the society or not done it.

It was only looking up the teams at home after that I realised it was an L8. I reported this to the society and was told they were happy under these circumstances that I did the match and would have agreed had they been contacted beforehand, which was really good to hear.

... or should be promoted rapidly.

No chance.

 

[Chunky Charvis]

Alan T - well done, sounds like it was a right result!!!

 

[The umpire]

but what happened to the L11 players? Did they get a game?

 

[AlanT]

The L11 match was reffed by one of the home L8 team's coaches.