Message Board

Mid-Ohio Select Soccer League

MESSAGE:

As shocking as this sounds, I am not perfect. I know that is hard for those who know me to believe but sadly it is true. Sometimes I get my referee confirmations done at around the 72 hour mark. Most of the time, for whatever reason, it gets done around the 48-50 hour mark and I always apologize for my delays. I generally always email the ref's and await a response. I assume that since an email address is provided, the officials actually utilize the technology and happen to check their email. I almost exclusively confirm officials via this method. Before you go and tell me "pick up the phone you idiot", based on my work schedule, I am pretty sure that there aren't many ref's who'd welcome my phone calls at 3AM when I am at lunch.

The point is, I am trying to hold up my end of the bargain. When I don't get a response for two days and then receive the following in the early afternoon of the day of the game via that same email: "I see in logging on the coach system that a XXXXXX XXXXXXX picked up these games, which XXXX had to drop. Here is his contact information, also from the coach system: XXX-XXX-XXXX" etc. (Yes, XXXXXX XXXXXXX did show up in place of XXXX and did an admirable job so it all worked out...This Time)

Please keep in mind that it was less than 72 hours before game time when I logged in and saw that XXXX was still listed for that game (and our club's younger team immediately following our game)and I made the confirmation contacts based on the information listed. (Although I really wish the center for that game had no showed...)

Oh, yeah, the email as quoted above was received by me at 12:24PM on 10/3. The game was at 10:00AM this morning (10/3).

I guess the point is, and I am saying please and thank you because I am a really nice (albeit not perfect as stated) guy. Either don't sign up for games you have no intention of working or if you have to drop the game, don't wait until 2.5 hours after the start time to notify people.

Oh, and by the way, if you don't check your email please don't list it on the contact form. It just serves to confuse us dumb parents who serve as team administrators.

Oh, and by the way by the way, team admins: ENTER YOUR DANGED SCORES IN A TIMELY FASHION...sheesh!

Responses

Ciscooh On 10/7/2009 10:09:32 PM
I have to agree. As a referee that works everyday I like the email confirmation better. I will add this though; it works better with more information. What makes it easy is the following:

Day/date & time
Game or match number
Age & gender (U11B or U13G)
Site and field number
Contact person & phone (in case of situations)

This helps sort through the two-to-four matches on Saturday or Sunday as well as provides clarity to the referee.

ontheballmom On 10/5/2009 3:07:43 PM
As an administrator, I have to agree about the email thing. A ref should NOT provide an email address if they don't check it at least once every 2 days. Confirming by email is so much easier, especially when being a soccer team administrator is not one's primary job. Emailing is also so much easier than phone calls as it eliminates the occassional language barrier that may occur.

My other gripe is when I cannot make contact by email I do make a phone call to confirm a ref, I do not know the age of the ref I'm calling. Sometimes the adult answering the phone treats me poorly because I'm asking to speak with a minor. I would assume that these parents would know by now that their son/daughter will be receiving phone calls to confirm games.

And yes, post scores people! :-)

cvthorn On 10/5/2009 10:08:33 AM
I would like the opportunity to apologize for my overly sarcastic post on the subject listed above. I was extremely frustrated at the time and allowed my frustrations to get the better of me.

Chris Thorn
COE U14 Team Admin