A view from a different perch

Mark's been spending a little more time at the soccer fields lately. Mentoring and assessing and mentoring, but very little officiating (we'll get to that later). Last night was a pleasant evening for a couple of reasons. First, an great performance by three of Lafayette's up-and-comers, and the game was definitely a challenge, pitting the top two teams in the Men's Open Division. A couple of send-offs and a couple of game-critical moments coupled with three qualified officials (all different grades) made for a very interesting game.

Tim and Trevor with Emma in the background...always giving her two-cents.

The other reason had to do with a couple of brand new officials coming out to watch referees perform on a higher level...to see what they're capable of achieving. It allowed for teaching moments, discussions, and growth without being directly involved with a game. It was something Mark had done many times himself, but never been a part of in this capacity, and to have such a brand new referee show such interest is definitely encouraging. Lafayette Referee Association is heading in the right direction...slowly but surely.

Off to the clinic for the day, then a 12-hour shift tonight...what am I getting into?