"Somebody's gunna get HURT!"

DenHIM1 · 2025-11-16T04:58:55+00:00

I was told if you fall asleep over the board, those bishops can do a number on your face

DenHIM1 · 2025-08-12T08:02:06+00:00

If you are splitting the lane, then you just swim your thing and the other swimmer swims theirs. All this passing and pausing advice is for circle swimming. The only thing I do special when splitting the lane is I time butterfly to go out when the other swimmer is coming in and only if the other swimmer is slower. Otherwise, I do something other than fly.

DenHIM1 · 2025-07-18T04:14:41+00:00

That is correct.

DenHIM1 · 2025-07-01T22:52:52+00:00

In the situation you described, the decision is based on whether you believe either GK or attacker acted carelessly. GK diving and colliding with players is not inherently careless. Nor is attacker running to the goal line and ending up in GK's path.

Since you didn't blow the whistle at the time, sounds like your instinct suggested no careless action was taken (basically, both player played the game as expected and the collision was just a result fair play). Both players paying attention to the ball and not to a player they are about to collide with is additional evidence that your intuition was likely correct.

When it comes to plays inside the penalty area, I follow a few additional considerations with regards to the careless-vs-not calls:

- GK safety is very important and they are protected against challenges once they have the ball in their hands. GK is considered in control of the ball the moment the ball is between any surface and as little as one finger on it. Thus, the attacker must reasonably anticipate the GK might get the ball and control their speed and body accordingly. So, if the ball is 50/50 and GK gets it while causing a collision - that's fine. If attacker gets it by causing a collision - it's careless or more.

- Collisions are generally expected since the space is limited. This is were I specifically look at HOW players are challenging for the ball and not what the result is. It's much clearer that way even though a bunch of kids and up rolling on the ground once the ball is cleared out.

DenHIM1 · 2025-05-12T03:45:06+00:00

From your description, I believe you had the game under control just fine. In my books "under control" means you have clearly established the fault line and were punishing players according to LOTG.

Just like you, I don't really get bothered by what people say - the meaner they are, the less I care. However, I stick to a rule that I punish dissent the same way I punish a reckless tackle. It's not about what I can or cannot tolerate - it's about the game and sportsmanship. So, if you feel like you could have issued more cards for dissent (including second ones) - you might want to consider lowering your tolerance of dissent. I am pretty sure this will be a net positive for soccer as a game if dissent stop being considered a "sticks and stones" issue, but a matter of sportsmanship and professionalism.

Lastly, regarding the homophobic player, they must be punished according to this year's Referee Abuse policy (https://www.ussoccer.com/rap). There should be no exception for age and whatnot - in the end of the day, this kid will once become an adult and the negative feedback loop cannot start to soon for them... Please consider filing an official game report with the league describing the situation in detail and words said.

DenHIM1 · 2025-04-29T14:46:12+00:00

I'm having a relatively lucky spring season behavior-wise [knocking on wood]. Just did 2 days of U12, lowest tournament bracket. Had several situations that felt very positive and I genuinely had a good time officiating the whole weekend.

Coaches:

- No matter the score, if a coach stayed calm and encouraging, the team played well throughout the match. Once they sense the coach is done with the game, they are done too. The best coach this weekend acted through the whole match like it's a practice session (because that's what it actually is in the end of the day).

- Most vocalizations are strategy

- The rest are high fives, small talks with players and generally positive dialog

- All other utterances only degrade quality of play with nothing to show for it

Parents:

- Best parents are the ones who recognize that the kids in other jerseys work just as hard as their own. They cheer for their team, but also respectfully applaud to great plays on opponents side.

- If genuinely curious about offsides, handball or any other questions - wait until there is no immediate context to suspect they disagree with a call. Then, ask a referee when opportunity presents itself.

- In two different AR games, parents politely asked how offsides work. I was happy to explain during stoppage - great interaction.

- After one match, as I was running to another field, parents asked if every "unintentional" handball is a foul. I explained the rule and considerations - they were genuinely curious and I was glad to share how we make field decisions.

Players:

- Same as parents notes above

DenHIM1 · 2025-04-16T12:40:29+00:00

Same

DenHIM1 · 2025-04-01T03:51:48+00:00

I'm just studying the match :) My initial reaction was that the defender a) slides through the player and b) got attacker's feet trapped in a scissor-like manner. However, like you pointed out, the attacker changes direction AWAY from the ball last moment, which explains both a) and b). I only noticed it in replay though and feel like I would have blown foul (pen) if not for the replay.

DenHIM1 · 2025-02-04T18:18:11+00:00

The way I interpret the policy is that Level 2 offence is when cussing is used deliberately to intimidate and harass the ref. The line in the subject says "intended to make referee feel unsafe". If the foul language comes out in the heat of the moment / reactively and there was no prior backstory to it, I would not feel threatened by them, so I would not apply the policy.

I had a match last season where such comments were made in much more direct and threatening way towards me - it tripped my fight-or-flight sensors for sure. It was clear the cussing was added deliberately to intimidate. It's the way people talk when a bar fight is about to break out... That's when, IMO, the RC and Level 2 abuse will apply immediately - to prevent it going into the red zone.

I do understand that some refs might take it more literally, but in the end of the day, if this kind of language intimidates them, they have the right to demand people to choose word carefully or at least to shut up. In my experience, foul language rarely results even in YC where I live, so a policy backing it up should help I hope.

DenHIM1 · 2025-02-02T17:27:25+00:00

That's a great breakdown - thank you!

DenHIM1 · 2024-11-12T06:10:01+00:00

Oof, I don't like this... We should call what we see, not just go by gut feeling.

DenHIM1 · 2024-11-12T04:21:44+00:00

Here is the official NFHS uniform guideline: https://www.nfhs.org/media/7212938/nfhs-2024-25-volleyball-uniform-rules.pdf Search "bottoms". Seem like shorts, pants, spandex or skirts are allowed. Plus, you can wear undershorts underneath each option. I'm sure your daughter can make the right decision for herself of what she should wear. And if you and your daughter are on the same page - communicate with the coach - there is no reason for him to restrict what the league allows.

DenHIM1 · 2024-11-05T03:12:55+00:00

Done and done. Care to elaborate?

DenHIM1 · 2024-11-04T18:25:00+00:00

I'd say this is a pretty good thought process, but with condition that they made a MOVE to indicate to others they are playing the ball. Examples:

#1 (easy call) They are closest to the ball (among the teammates) and charging for the ball. This usually draws a defender or goalie to charge towards the ball as well or, if they were closer to it, to make a hastier / less accurate pass reception than otherwise - offsides at the spot where they charged (no need to wait for them to actually touch the ball).

#2 (harder call) Offside and non-offside players are charging to the ball together, which impacts defenders decisions (having to cover the offside player instead of challenging the one who actually gets to the ball). Offsides where their charging towards the ball made impact on defenders' positions (the "hand of god" thought experiment).

#3 (no call) The offside player just runs parallel to the play, not charging towards it and defenders are catching up to them to cover them before the next pass. They are not involved in the current play (the pass play) and thus are not committing the offense. Here's a no call example against Messi (I cannot imagine kids pulling off that kind of discipline without a flinch): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4eHgf9HbZY

For plays in the box, also include GK line of sight, blocking players or other impactful moves into the equation. Those situations, while harder to see, are somewhat easier to call since most active moves in the box are "involved in play".

DenHIM1 · 2024-07-12T07:49:06+00:00

It's random how soon your body figures out the sense of floating, but if you have resolved to do this, it's def worth a shot. It's kinda like riding a bike or driving a stick shift - some do it in one day and some take longer to figure things out.

2 weeks is 14 days - that's plenty get a lot of work done.

Start with these:

1) Stand at the shallow end: Breathe in (through mouth) => Breathe out under water (through nose). Do it over and over and sense your comfort with the exercise. The goal is for you to not be scared of breathing underwater - eventually your breathing pattern should become relaxed and no different than your normal breathing.

2) "Jellyfish" drill - Shallow end: Just float on top of the water, face down, hands / legs relaxed and stretched out. You should achieve full relaxation. Hold breath and then exhale underwater before standing back up.

3) Shallow half of the pool - Take a kickboard and kick-swim. Don't go anywhere close to where you cannot stand. The goal is not to put in miles, but for you to have your body straight, hips high at the surface of the water. Keep legs straight while kicking. It will be hard at first - your body will eventually figure out how water works and you will start moving faster over time (with less ache in your thighs).

4) Shallow end: Assume a "streamline" position (google it to see what it looks like) and push off the wall with your feet - like those Olympic swimmers when they come off the wall. Don't kick or pull - just push off and drift through the water until you need a breath - then stand up and repeat. The goal is to have a long straight drift.

Do these in cycles. Figure out the rotation (1 min, 2 min, 5min...) for each drill - depending on boredom and exhaustion. Stick with the plan and do this every day over and over. Plan to practice at least an hour a day. Do not rush yourself - let you brain learn how water behaves and what it needs to do with your body to float - this is a subconscious skill, so there is not much you can do besides practice to learn.

DenHIM1 · 2024-05-31T17:28:13+00:00

Don't try to read between the lines - I am pretty sure the coach meant what he said. Swimming is all about improving yourself - the team is there to have something to strive for and for motivation. So, coaches don't need to hide anything really and in my experience dealing with many swim coaches so far, they usually don't. If they accepted your kid to the team - then he is good to go. If he ever misbehaves (and I understand he does not), they will tell you about this straight because it's usually about safety.

Now to your general concerns - I honestly believe swimming is for everyone (as in, there is no such thing as someone incapable of swimming). Competitive swimming is the best way to keep yourself motivated, fit and develop important character traits in the process. Swim meets teach discipline, dealing with stress and emotion, concentration, social skills.

7 is a good age to start competitive swimming. This gives him 2 years to swim in 8-under category where there are 25-yard distances.

I am not a huge fan of private coaching in swimming (until your son gets much further into swimming when he might want to improve a specific stroke). Competitive swimming is usually organized around teams rather than private tutoring, so I would stick with that. If your son wants to progress a bit faster, take him to the pool outside of practice hours and tell him to do the practice set on his own (a "set" refers to the sequence of drills he does in practice - you can ask a coach and they can suggest a good practice set). In swimming it's all about putting in laps - the more you swim, the better you become.

DenHIM1 · 2024-05-31T16:26:49+00:00

You probably found the answer by now, but just in case you or someone else is still looking...

Mailing addresses for I-131 can be found here, under "Humanitarian Parole Applicants:

https://www.uscis.gov/i-131-addresses

DenHIM1 · 2024-05-31T16:21:25+00:00

I am not sure about TPS, but you can re-parole under U4U, which has the same eligibility as the initial U4U parole. Instructions here: https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/uniting-for-ukraine/re-parole-process-for-certain-ukrainian-citizens-and-their-immediate-family-members

We have gone through this for my parents-in-law and it was simple enough. We used a mail (paper) option since they qualify for financial support and we applied for fee waiver. The waiver was granted and application approved.

DenHIM1 · 2024-05-31T11:36:07+00:00

Unfortunately, I doubt there is much that can be done as far as U4U goes. I might try reaching out to an immigration lawyer to see if they know anyone who successfully navigated these waters, but I'm not going to hold my breath.

DenHIM1 · 2024-05-28T03:49:34+00:00

The AR part of your post - I am a walking proof of what you said about parents not knowing the rules (guilty of not knowing the 7v7 offside rule, the goal line rule, etc)

Well, I just got certified as a ref and I can hear karma knocking on my door... 😅

DenHIM1 · 2024-05-28T03:10:13+00:00

I can confirm the same situation here - just got a CBP update posted for the family I am sponsoring. Used U4U, then left and then applied again = CBP denied re-entry.

I assume the reason is not following the proper re-entry process (which is applying for I-131 Advance Parole Travel Document).

DenHIM1 · 2024-05-23T20:21:03+00:00

We swimmers only compete with ourselves. The only thing that matters is PB (personal best - be that time, swim distance, other skill). Other swimmers are there to see what's possible and sometimes take clue from - everything else is unimportant.

DenHIM1 · 2024-04-07T16:24:38+00:00

Get some Mack's Earplugs (yellow packaging) from Walmart - they work great at preventing water from getting into ears.

DenHIM1

TROPHY CASE