LIVE from Lancaster PA, it's Kicking Back!

Friends ... I am beat.

It is early morning day 4 of the tournament and it has been a whirlwind.

Days 1 thru 3 are generally the same where referees and assessors will work 3 matches in a day, sometimes 4 in the case of assessors. You are up early (5 or 6 AM) to get ready for the day, and usually down late (midnight) after the meetings, post meetings, post meeting debrief with your delegation, and late night meetings over specific incidents.

Last night a few of us were up to 2 AM discussing the finer points of laws 3, 4, and 5 and how you must restart for equipment changes versus injuries versus bleeding. It was a surprisingly riveting conversation that demonstrated just how convoluted interpretations of the laws can get.

BTW to save everyone from getting a flat spot on their head in finding the CURRENT interpretation of the LOTG (i.e. Advice to referees), a link can be found here at the AYSO site ... not ANYWHERE on the US Soccer site. Check out section 5.8 and 5.9 specifically to get a flavor of the discussion (noting they had recently changed).

Today is semi-final day here, and as I write this at about 7 AM, I can see some unhappy campers. Today is the first day that selections are made and some players, referees, and assessors have not "made the cut."

JAFO puts it well in their post "Testing ones mettle", as these certainly are the times that try men's souls. Soccer is life, and right now THE game has dealt some a tough road to hoe for the foreseeable future to sort out what they believe may be a refereeing issue.

Dear hearts, let me opine that refereeing is an extension of ones self, and to really sort out why one may not have received assignments as a player, referee, or assessor today should invoke some deep introspection to think about what is going on.

As a referee and assessor in regionals past there have been times I have not received such assignments, and it was very refreshing to sit, reflect, and watch a match ... for a change. Going through a tournament like this is a pressure cooker that some distance, and perspective can aid greatly in helping ones understanding of the game, and themselves. Some of my greatest personal victories have come from my most epic failures. This tournament provides great opportunities for both.

When you get down to it though, they might be one and other in disguise.