Referee Dilemma – Part 1

ref⋅er⋅ee
[ref-uh-ree]
noun, verb, -eed, -ee⋅ing.
–noun
1. one to whom something is referred, esp. for decision or settlement; arbitrator.
2. (in certain games and sports) a judge having functions fixed by the rules of the game or sport; umpire.
3. an authority who evaluates scientific, technical, or scholarly papers, grant proposals, or the like for the publication or funding institution to which they have been submitted.
4. Law. a person selected by a court to take testimony in a case and return it to the court with recommendations as to the decision.
–verb (used with object)
5. to preside over as referee; act as referee in.
–verb (used without object)
6. to act as referee.
Origin:
1605–15; refer + -ee

Referees or marshals - in paintball games, you always hope that they will make the right decisions in your favor. Praying that the refs near the bugger you’re shooting at would catch any hits in a split second. Praying that you won’t get call out just because you knelt over paintballs, and it broke nicely on your knee. Hoping that spray near the bunker that rubs at your loader doesn’t count as hit.

From player’s side of view, you can always tell what you are doing. You are the referee of yourself. You KNOW when you get hit. It’s your body. You just know. You KNOW who got hit first when you make a run through. You KNOW when the loud pop sounds near the loader, it’s always a hit and not turn around and look the other way.

You see, referees don’t have that privilege. They have to see a lot of things simultaneously. And there will always something be missed and sometimes comes back and bite you in the ass. Wrong decisions going your way. Why? Oh, the referee was looking at the situation differently. But, you KNOW you are right. Can you blame the refs?



Try to be in their shoes. I know some of you had refereeing games before so you guys would know best. It’s not easy to make calls and decisions, when you’re there under the hot sun, with paintballs flying at 280~300 feet per second! And you have 10 players to look at. It’s hard, but not impossible. That’s why you have eight or more referees in paintball field. (speedball, eg: MY-NPL, MPOC)



Here's good example.

I’ve never refereed any games before but I know how the referees felt. The least you guys could do is to play fair and help the refs and make it easy for them and everyone.



Then, there are good refs and not so good refs.

To be continued...