Management of the game, offside and pushing and holding were the three main items discussed on the third and final day of the seminar led by Mr.Jaap Uilenberg. Perhaps the most interesting discussion was the one which concentrated on offside decisions – both correct and incorrect ones – taken by the assistant referees in Euro 2008. The film clips clearly showed where the assistant referee was wrong and why he was wrong. In most cases it was because the assistant referee was in the wrong position and so could not take the correct decision.

The management of players and the control of the game go hand in hand. It is imperative for the referee to take a firm hand from the beginning and not to show any weakness. Players will notice immediately if the official relaxes his grip. Reading of the game and knowing what the next move is will help manage players. No type of dissent must be permitted. Referees must react with a yellow card when players dispute their decision in any way.

To round off his lecturers Mr.Uilenberg showed his audience what he called., ‘fun clips’ which showed the funny side of refereeing and innocent incidents that can happen to referees on the field of play. At the end of the seminar the MFA senior vice president Mr. Carmelo Bartolo thanked Mr. Uilenberg for his splendid lectures and once again reminded referees that dedication and integrity were the hallmarks of a top official.

Seminar Day 3 Photos. Mr. Uilenberg giving a speech to Maltese Referees.



All Photo's taken by  Lous Micallef (MFA)

SPORTS PSYCHOLOGY FOR REFEREES

This was the main theme of the lecture delivered by Ms. Adele Muscat. She explained that it was a misconception that sport psychology is only for top athletes and officials or those who have problems. She said that most officials psychological needs involve the development of mental skills to improve performance at all levels. Ms Muscat, an expert in her field, said that referees may have mental let downs which include coping with anxiety, game and life stresses, staying focused, communication problems and low self confidence. She also said that dealing with injured players and the pressure from spectators can cause mental stress. At the same time she said that if referees are to be exposed to stressful situations, associations have a responsibility to teach them how to deal with stress.. Psychological skills training are particularly effective with younger officials.

Ms Muscat explained that psychological methods to be emphasized include relaxation, self talk, imagery, and leadership communication practice and competition structure.

Ms Muscat’s lecture was listened to carefully by the members present and they all expressed a wish to learn more about psychology which could be of help to them in their refereeing career.