Whether you’re just setting out on your first few matches or you’ve been refereeing for years, here’s some recommendations on how to make sure you and your players all have a great time in your tag rugby match.
Know your venue
For your first time, or if you’re refereeing at a venue you haven’t been to before, check where you’re going. Places like Hyde Park and Clapham Common are huge, and you need to know where specifically the tag pitches will be. If you prefer to get changed at the ground, make sure you’ve checked whether it’s got changing facilities, or what the arrangements are. And finding out about the toilet facilities is worthwhile too. Knowing your venue also helps make sure that you’ll…
Be on time
Referees should always aim to have checked in with the competition supervisor ready to referee 15 minutes before the kick-off of their first match of the day – or at the agreed time for one-day events. It’s worth allowing extra time on top to account for unplanned problems, such as public transport delays. There’s few easier ways of getting stressed before you’ve even blown a whistle than getting to the pitch two minutes before kick off.
Have your equipment
Remember all your equipment including your whistle and footwear appropriate to the conditions. Shirt, shorts, socks, base layer if applicable, as well as a towel are all important, and a couple of plastic bags rarely go astray to cover your stuff if it’s raining.
Communicate
Keeping the players (and spectators) aware of what’s going on is a great habit to get into as a ref. Everyone wants to know what’s happened, what the call is, and what they need to do next. Spectators can get frustrated easily if the calls aren’t clear. So get your communication right: whistle, signal, and voice (in that order) are the ingredients. Think of what the players would want to know. But keep it concise: people have come to play, not to listen to you!
Get the pace right
There is a whole range of leagues and skill levels in tag rugby and it’a important to match your pace and urgency to what the players expect. Your competition supervisor can point out what level matches you’ll be in charge of. That will indicate to you whether your stoppages should be longer, whether you’ll allow quick tap penalties, how fast to restart play, and how far ahead of the play you’ll need to be. Too fast and the teams will get frustrated. Too slow and you’ll slow them down or get behind the play and make bad calls. It’s one of those Goldilocks things that you’ll only know is “just right” when you feel it.
Enjoy yourself
The players will take their energy levels from you so try your best to smile, look engaged, and have fun. It’s only a game and when it stops becoming fun it’s not really worth being part of.