Well where I do i start.
This weekend has been hell for me. Due to extremely bad luck, really got off to a bad start, alot of our kit was burnt on the friday night, luckily no one was hurt. Posessions can be replaced, people cant. Got up on sat from understandably a sleepless night, but as i always do, decided suck it up and get on with it. The weather on saturday made for some very unpleaseant reffing, but as you lot say, we are paid to do a job and seen as i am not shy to being freezing cold, got one with it.
Sunday morning didnt get any better, with arriving late due to being locked on a RAF base, but we got there asap and got on with the day.
I can tell you now without the sunday afternoon, alot of us were already to walk, but the phrase used an awful that between the group of refs was WE ARE HERE FOR THE PLAYERS.
Due to the attrocious behaviour of a few, im not sure we should have thought it let alone said it.
The outrageous behaviour seen on sunday afternoon, would not have been seen in a nursery, the children have more control.
Fighting, threating behaviour, total disriguard for the refs and opposing players was so childish.
I have read everything that has been said on these forums, and everyone that knows me, will say that I speak my mind and hold my ground.
I have been reffing for a long time and seen an awful lot, good and bad.
To be honest sunday afternoon was the worst in terms of behaviour that I have ever seen in paintball. I played rugby for a lot of years and at a high level for my age. For a game which is all about hard hitting, adrenaline fuelled aggression, those participants as a whole had an awful lot more control, than you so called players.
To compare, and this is why paintball will never make to the olypmics or as a recognised main stream sport, is down to the players. In simple terms you get 30 18 stone blokes trying to kick crap out of each, when penalised will stop and have at time have to stand over a 5 foot odd ref and will take the punishment, with yes Sir, sorry Sir, knowing the implacations if they talk back. God knows what would have if some of you arrogant, egotistical players changed sports, you wouldnt last five minutes.
Bad calls are always made, does that give you the right to abuse, threaten and personally insult a ref, I dont think so.
What you all seem to forget is this. you all winge, bitch, moan, go f**king mental on the day and then on a public forum. you are not helping yourselves or the sport to move on and improve.
All the refs on the field dont do it for the money, I have a high paid job, which on a weekend I can get 5 times the amount I get paid for reffing. Obviously I do it for the money. From all the exepnses it cost me for travel, accomodation, food, replacing my reffing kit - considering I do not play anymore, I come out with pretty much nothing and at times it costs me to ref. so dont come on here and insult us with, you do it for the money.
I am highly dissapointed with all that went on this weekend. I am not saying that at times the refs were not responsible for this. Trust me, the players did not help themselves one little bit. It is like any other sport, bad calls are made, good calls are made, you have to take the rough with the smooth.
As a group and we discussed this in length before, during and after we tried to the best of our abilities. If you think you can do a better job, be my guest. I for one will never pull on a black and white jersey again.
I associate myself with paintball and gladly so, if I had friends or relatives there for a first time to see what it is about I would be ashamed.
To all the teams and players that hold respect for me, I thankyou. At the same time, there is teams and individual players that I hold great respect for, you know who are, a lot of you i had alot of time for at the weekend and took the time to explain my decisions, for which I do not have to do.
I am sick and tired of spending my time, money, having to mislead my boss to ref so many ungreatful people.
From this weekend I all hope you learn one thing, the refs you piss off walk, you get more inexperienced refs, that you will hate even more, they will walk. You see where this is leading.
Thats it for me, enough is enough, I will see all my friends at the events from the other side of the netting.
Jc
