[Kit] Watches

Arabcheif

Player or Coach
Joined
Nov 2, 2018
Messages
680
Post Likes
74
Current Referee grade:
Level 1
Fellow refs, I'm contemplating a Smart watch. But want one to use for reffing too. Any recommendations. While I'm a tight fisted Scotsman, I'm not adverse to paying a wee bit for a good quality product. Nothing silly costs that a pro might use, just something a step tracker, stop watch, maybe a couple of countdown timers. HR monitor not needed though.
 

Flish


Referees in England
Joined
Sep 2, 2013
Messages
1,520
Post Likes
351
Location
Durham
Current Referee grade:
Level 8
Despite the fact I am in the process of creating a ref watch app for the Apple Watch, I would say no to that, certainly not as your primary refereeing device (doesn’t respond that well in the pouring rain). That said, I do find it an excellent secondary, use the activity tracker as a time elapsed device, and a very basic scoring app to keep the running total (alongside my paper tally). My primary reffing watch is the Ref Scorer as it allows me to keep a penalty count.

You could just as easily use a Garmin Device, or probably some of the Fitbit devices as an all rounder too, but IMO again not as a primary referee watch
 

Ciaran Trainor


Referees in England
Joined
Jun 23, 2005
Messages
2,844
Post Likes
361
Location
Walney Island
Current Referee grade:
Level 7
All sounds far too complicated for me.
I have a watch for each wrist.
One has a 40 minute timer that I can start and stop, the other is a watch that tells the time with a big face :).
If I cock up the complicated one, I always have the old school back up!
 

crossref


Referees in England
Joined
Sep 14, 2009
Messages
21,805
Post Likes
3,145
All sounds far too complicated for me.
I have a watch for each wrist.
One has a 40 minute timer that I can start and stop, the other is a watch that tells the time with a big face :).
If I cock up the complicated one, I always have the old school back up!

That's what I have. Ironman counts down from 40 and I stop start it

On the other hand a watch tells me it's half past three.
 

damo


Referees in New Zealand
Joined
May 5, 2011
Messages
1,692
Post Likes
276
I used to have a smartwatch on one wrist to track steps and distance travelled etc, but used a basic stop watch on the other wrist.

As others have said it pays to have two watches so if you cock up the stopwatch you can just see what the time is.
 

tim White


Referees in England
Joined
Mar 14, 2005
Messages
1,996
Post Likes
254
ALWAYS write down actual kick-off time for both halves on the score card; you WILL press the wrong button at some time in you refereeing career. (Ask me how I know).
 

SimonSmith


Referees in Australia
Staff member
Joined
Jan 27, 2004
Messages
9,336
Post Likes
1,440
ALWAYS write down actual kick-off time for both halves on the score card; you WILL press the wrong button at some time in you refereeing career. (Ask me how I know).

Tim, was there a time that you pressed the wrong button on your watch?
 

Arabcheif

Player or Coach
Joined
Nov 2, 2018
Messages
680
Post Likes
74
Current Referee grade:
Level 1
My Current set up is 2 digital and analogue watches. One is worn facing "up" and I use it for the stopwatch for my halfs (i can still se the time with the hands, so if I forget to press a button I still know approx how long we've played). The other is worn face down, It gets used for the countdown timer for Yellow cards. I have a countdown timer on the "face up" watch too so I can have 2 separate Y/C going. I want have a step counter/GPS tracker in addition to this. I was thinking a SMART watch could tick all of the boxes (with the poss exception of multiple countdown timers).
 

tim White


Referees in England
Joined
Mar 14, 2005
Messages
1,996
Post Likes
254
Tim, was there a time that you pressed the wrong button on your watch?

Of course -that's when I started writing down the time. I have also forgotten to re-start after time off; forgotten to start the watch at the start of a game, pressed start button and blew whistle without checking the watch had actually started, mis-calculated time elapsed/time left (depending how the watch was set up) when asked.

Perhaps I should have kept a list, but that would be like self-flagellation.
 

Flish


Referees in England
Joined
Sep 2, 2013
Messages
1,520
Post Likes
351
Location
Durham
Current Referee grade:
Level 8
All of the above, which is half the reason why as much as I am plugged into the digital world I have analogue back ups (paper, and yes I right down time on too if it differs from planned), also why my main countdown watch is not a ‘smart’ watch, far less likely to need a reboot, lock up, stop in the rain etc - also has physical buttons so less likely to miss (I have actually stopped the watch by bending my wrist on one type!)
 
Top