Reffing a different game

Well, I've finally given in, I'm going to certify to be a college referee.  I did High School a few years ago, but due to my main job had to cut back and ended up giving up HS entirely.  But now I've been suckered in to the college game.

No doubt these will be much faster games than the youth games I've done, but along with that comes much more travel and time away from home.  With a new baby at home that may be hard to do, but I also know that the money I get will help make up for that time away from home.

I certainly look forward to the challenge but at the same time I feel comfortable doing youth games, so this will take me out of my comfort zone.  What also worries me is the rule differences between USSF and NISOA.  That only became more clear during the college playoff season with a series of mishaps involving referees.

Also, I hate drama.  Little drama, big drama, all drama.  But it seems that college soccer is filled with it - just go back to the massive thread on Big Soccer's referee forum which discussed college soccer.  Politics run rampant and it seems coaches have huge pull in the sport.

What I am glad about, though, is that the guys I will be reffing with I trust very much, from my assignor to my fellow refs.  I've had several discussions with them about this move and they have been extremely helpful and really set my mind at ease.

What are your thoughts on the college game?  Do you have any advice for a newbie to the college game?

Tamberino stepping down

I read tonight that Paul Tamberino is stepping down as Director of Ref Development for US Soccer.  I'm not very high up, only a grade 7, but I know Tamberino's name; he's been around for quite a while.  He and Brian Hall have written Week in Review and I personally find that article very interesting each and every week.  When I first became a ref maybe 12 years ago there was nothing in the way of referee development like we have now. 

According to this blog post on Big Soccer there may be a bigger issue here.  If there is a bigger issue I am slightly worried that change will be rippling through the referee infrastructure too quickly. 

Who knows, sometimes change is a good thing, but sometimes too much change too quickly is a disaster.