Personal Narrative: My First Call Of Duty

One day I was talking to my friend on Skype and we were discussing the new Call of Duty game that was coming out. I was excited to get it as a Christmas present, he had pre ordered it. I asked “Where did you get the money for the game” he told me that he makes 120 dollars a weekend reffing little league soccer. I couldn't believe it, 120 dollars for six hours of my time every weekend. I immediately asked my mom to sign me up for the reffing certification class; she thought it was good that I was getting a job that paid that well for such a little amount of time.
I endured the seven hour certification class at the end of my summer, it was like a full day of school but all about the game of soccer. The test was easy and I received my patch, I was official and excited to start making money in the fall.

My first weekend I show up to the field 30 before the game  to check if the field was safe for play: checking the goals for no holes, and the flags, making sure they were at the five feet tall like they should be.

I was one of the flag refs for the day so I could learn the ropes before being a center ref. The other two refs arrive as well as the teams that would be playing each other. The center official for the game told me “good luck” I thanked him, and lined up at my spot on the sideline as the game starts. The first half passes and all is well, everything was going perfectly until the 3rd quarter when two players kicked the ball simultaneously and it rolled out. I had no idea who to award the throw in to so I froze. My center ref looked at me for the call because I had the angle. We stop for about five seconds and the parents watching started to yell at the center ref: “Come on you’re being paid ref” “You got eyes ref it’s the blue team's ball.”  “Red's ball open your eyes”. The center ref pointed in the blue team's direction all the red team parents were outraged. I felt responsible, but I wasn't being yelled

at.
After the game, I apologize profusely to the center ref and he told me that it was ok because it was my first time. He also said “If you hesitate at all when making a call like that people will always doubt you.  If you don't know make an educated guess and do it fast, no one will complain unless you hesitate and aren't confident in the call.” I have also learned to work as a team with the other two refs. I learned to be confident in what I am doing. I have acquired thicker skin  than most at my age, being screamed at by parents who really don't know the rules helps you get a thick skin. I have learned so much by refing and I have learned that the 120 dollars a weekend I was desperate for, is fair pay compared to the rigor of the job.