Rookie Referee Diaries
Context: I’m learning to ref club level renegade/wftda roller derby as of this year.
My #1 job is KEEPING PLAYERS SAFE. I whistle for equipment risks, injured skaters, and collisions of bony body parts.
Once players are ready, we make sure the game goes on! No player came here to debate. I know that’s what some fans are there to do, but it’s not about them. However, most players just wanna play the game. Winning is nice, but playing your best is everything. So we give an answer and move on.
The rules are fairly spacious in their interpretation and much more so in application. Visually assessing 10 people engaging in near constant contact at high speed WHILE on skates is a tall ask. Eyewitness recollections are bad when people aren’t skating, so spare some slack to your refs.
With passion,
Rookie Reff
