Making The Right Call

Normally when we think about the Olympics, we think about all the amazing athletes who will be competing there, but we forget about one set of very important people – the referees. Their job is extremely important and without them sports would be vastly different.

The referees make sure that the game runs smoothly, all the participants are following the rules, and in some sports they even determine the winners. For example, in gymnastics, the judges score the gymnasts therefore determining who has the highest score and will win the competition.

I used to ref soccer games and believe me, it can be very tough. There is lots of pressure from the players, parents, coaches, and fans and it can really stress you out. A main reason officiating can be so tough is because the referee’s calls can change the outcome of a game/event. That places a huge burden on the referees and gives them a huge responsibility.

Officiating at such a high level like the Olympics must be especially hard – so many people watch the Olympics and have the opportunity to criticize or challenge the referee’s calls. I was watching Beach Volleyball the other day and the referee made a controversial call. The team that the call was made against complained and challenged the call. If that had happened in a final round or had determined the winner of the game, that referee would have faced a lot of harassment.

Have you ever given any thought to the officials in a game? What do you think about the importance of their job?