For this
Referee these games start the night before. I read the rules, pack the
bags, and plan the day. These activities prepare my mental state for
the action and the energy.
After waking to an alarm, I am in the vehicle for 130 miles till I get to the park where today's assignments will be played.
Field 1: My field
All of these fields have been cleared of snow, and the surfaces are artificial; otherwise, this would be a mud bog.
Inside the heated Referee tent, we prepare our equipment and cover the officials' pregame talk. It is here that later I will be asked to stay and work the night game.
A Look Inside a Referee's Kit.
Referees like to collect items showing where the game has taken them.
Before my first game, I assess the grounds.
A friend is on the field next to mine. Looks like he's got his lot under control for now...
Before the night game, I manage to capture just a slice of the girls soccer talent at these games.
This video happens moments before my last kickoff. A few match minute tracker notes appear below.
:03 Green Long Throw-In over the head of white defender and into space down the line.
:05 White central defender slides over to clear, but clears to green.
:13 Green re-attacks the same space by sending a chipped ball down the line to her team mate.
:15 green settles the ball and pulls the ball behind the lead leg to beat her defender and attack the space behind the defense.
:20 Green team mate checks to the ball from a central position, and shoots with the left foot.
After a long day we head back to our vehicles. Some will return at 8AM for Day 2.
I need to follow my friend out of the park and back to the highway, and he has forgotten to wait. As I rush to my vehicle, my camera captures the haste of the life of a Referee on the road.
In How To Soccer Video: 3V3 Game On w/ Match Minute Tracker Athens Soccer Academy--goo.gl/dJ5Qd we watch 3 minutes of a training game. The players are trying to score by hitting a soccer ball at either end.
Follow the match at the above link and pause at the indicated times below to read the commentary. You can comment on the YouTube video and see more How To Soccer videos at the above link. Watch and enter our raffle for spring or summer soccer equipment.
Match Minute Tracker--Commentary
:11 Orange draws out black defender creating space-- but the ball stays wide; better if this space were attacked.
:35 Orange plays a negative ball --a) the passer does not move to support the ball by keeping a passing lane open and b) no player is on the right side of the field for Orange so he has no passing options: a+b=c: c) this negative ball creates a highly risky situation resulting in a 1 on 1 challenge to their last defender.
:55 a second negative ball from Orange--Orange is better suited to support this ball, but after playing almost a full minute just about every pass for orange has been in front of the defense, and it is time to expand into that space either splitting the green and black players with a penetrating pass or down the line on the left flank.
:59 Good defensive posture from Green-- but he is positioned in front of the ball allowing black both options and black attacks his lead leg, as he should.
1:12 Is that a goal? Gola? Golaso? --I say magic and count it for its attacking attitude.
2:30 a chance at goal for black--use side of the foot.
2:37 --touch of magic.
2:41--The Moment of Truth--Orange has the strategic situation of 3V2, the strategic position of a triangle, and the game rhythm hits just right, but the last touch does not materialize.
3:11 Chance for Green-n-black in added time. --Nice work by this player.
Match Summary
These teams are well balanced with attack minded players mixed with defensive minded players, but you can see that the attacking players--for black the kid who magic heel-touched it toward goal at 1:12 and the green player for green and black-- want their teammates to penetrate the opponent's "shell". Both teams need to do better with their chances, Orange in front of goal and black on the counter.
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