The GC is Not a Referee

Wednesday, November 1, 2017 - 09:45
Caitlin
Marketing Manager

Whether you are a veteran CSSCer or are new to the Club, you know that all of our leagues are self-officiated. Yes, we run our leagues this way on purpose, and no, it’s not because we don’t want to deal with the added cost of a referee.

The CSSC is above all a fun-first league that focuses on “play”; namely, “adult play.” We always position ourselves in this way and we truly believe in our fun-first, winning-second philosophy. We also believe that most adults can regulate themselves appropriately in play, so why give someone a babysitter when they don’t need it?

That said, we recognize that some players simply want a third party regulator present and some sports need a third party regulator present (I’m talking those naturally aggressive sports such as Floor Hockey and Dodgeball). Thus came the birth of the Games Coordinator (“GC”) program and, naturally, some common misconceptions about the program.

Let’s quickly debunk three of the most common GC vs. Referee myths:

1. Referees would keep the game fair by making the correct calls on behalf of the teams.

  1. Wrong. Referees screw it up as often as teams making their own calls; let’s reflect for a moment and think back to Game 2 of the ALDS when the home plate umpire Vic Carapazza was widely scorned and “blamed” for the Blue Jays loss. Remember? Exactly. The referee is blamed for poor judgement and poor calls all the time in major league sports.

2. Referees would help maintain a high level of sportsmanship between the teams.

  1. Wrong. Positive sportsmanship in our leagues will always be the sole responsibility of the players. Would you steal a car from a parking lot just because a police officer wasn’t there? No, you wouldn’t, because that would be wrong.

3. I would be okay without a referee during the regular season, but we need referees in the playoffs.

  1. Wrong again. You and your team should be playing with the same level of sportsmanship and accountability in the regular season as you do the playoffs, if not more.

So what exactly are the GCs there for, if not to referee?

  • Game Facilitator and Mediator:
    • Hold a pre-game and half-time meeting with the team captains.
    • Start and end the game on time.
    • Call violations that are missed by players.
      • This is the most common point that is misunderstood by our players. It is extremely important to remember that all CSSC sports are self-officiated and when it comes to calling violations, the GCs are only there to call those that are missed by players.
    • Ensure teams are abiding by the sportsmanship policy.
    • Mediate any disputes between teams.
  • Game Reporter:
    • Record and announce the score throughout the game.
    • Collect a sportsmanship rating at the end of the game from each team.
    • Report the scores and the sportsmanship ratings to the CSSC.
  • Player Liaison:
    • Communicate concerns from the players to the League, or from the League to the players.
  • Facility Liaison:
    • On-site contact for the custodian and/or facility staff.
    • Co-ordinate the set-up, take-down, and distribution of equipment.

We strongly encourage all players to get to know their GCs, learn their names, and treat them with the respect they deserve. It’s a hard job and they are doing their best out there.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the GC program, feel free to call or e-mail the office and we’ll be happy to listen! You can also submit a GC Feedback form on our website by clicking here.