Advice for National Series refs

The following is included in the LHBPA rules (thanks Jono!), but I thought it might be worth posting these seperately:

**Referee Guidelines
**Attend the referee meeting of the tournament you're attending to ensure you understand the rules and can ask any questions before reffing your first game.

Starting out:

1. Source goal refs (make sure they know how to call a goal) and make sure the goals are the correct size.
   
2. Equipment check of all players (bar ends, mallets plugs, etc), no excuses accepted or exceptions allowed.
   
3. Give the players a mini summary of your understanding of the rules above.
   
4. Make an impression, tell the players your style of reffing and ask for any questions from them pre-game.
   
5. Check who's charging (left on right charging is not allowed).
   
6. Start the game (be ready to call a "false start" if necessary).
   
   

**Dos and Don'ts:
**• Do be impartial and consistent, this ensures a fair game.
• Do be vocal (keep telling the players what you're seeing, issue warning, whatever suits your style).
• Do be attentive (it's crucial you have your full attention on the game at all times).
• Do say what you see (don't be swayed by anyone and don't call something that you didn't see).
• Do give a reason for what you're calling ("illegal bike on bike", "t-bone", "pushing", etc).
• Do give a reason for not calling anything ("that's ok", "incidental contact", "like-for-like", etc).
• Don't stop the game on crashes unless a foul was committed (polo is a contact sport, aggression/crashes is part of the game).
• Don't forget to play "advantage" after fouls if necessary (don't penalise the innocent team if they're on a break).
• Don't engage in conversation with any players, tell them you'll "discuss it afterwards" or similar, (penalise the player if they keep giving you backchat).
• Don't just call foot downs, or crashes (for example: a hand grabbing another player's bar is an instant strong foul regardless of anyone crashing).
• Don't be afraid to use "strong foul" calls (sin bin offenses) and call incidents/fouls first time, don't allow each player one "first offense".
• Don't use your whistle for anything except to stop the game (to issue ball turnovers, sin bin offenses and call time-outs, etc), be vocal and animated instead.

**General thoughts:
**• Know the rules inside and out, ask questions of others if you think of a situation you wouldn't know how to call (pre-game).
• Try to think of the players as either "playing the ball" (regardless of possession, you're still either involved in a play or not, for example: being ready to intercept a pass/break) or as "playing the
player" (for example: not looking at the ball/play and trying to force foot downs), if someone is "playing the ball" then it's likely there will be more incidental incidents, if they're "playing the
player" then it's likely there will be more malicious incidents (fouls).
• Make your call and stick to it, don't be swayed.
• Try to think of fouls as either "weak fouls" (no need to stop the game, tap out offenses) and "strong fouls" (play advantage, then stop the game and issue a sin bin or a ball turnover).
• Players with possession should be given the benefit of the doubt if your unsure of the call. A classic example of this is when a defending player brakes and an attacker runs into their back wheel
and crashes. Obviously if the attacker is not looking up (knowing where they're going) then they are at fault, otherwise it's likely that the defender is at fault.
• Not all refs will make the same calls, this is fine. Ensure that you make consistent calls and you'll be a good ref.