Is there a clinic you must attend, in order to be a ref at a kids wrestling tournament? If so, then, in my opinion, many of the "officials" at the tournaments I have been to need a refresher course. For example, I am not a scientist, nor do I possess a physics degree, however, I maintain the fact that it is physically impossible to stand straight up, at full height and determine whether or not a wrestler(at your feet) is pinned.
It is certainly possible to see a fall while standing...for crying out loud....have someone lay on their back and just look--are both shoulders flat? That's a fall. If you can't see that while on your feet you need better glasses. What I don't think is possible is to see what is going on when you are 40 feet away in the stands.
I keep thinking that I'll start officiating some kids' tournaments...but last year I actually went and watched...after about an hour I decided there was way too much yelling, crazed family at matside, and folks who didn't understand the sport much less the rules.
