We are well aware of those high visibility coaches whom we see everywhere handling swift, powerful, savvy fighters competing successfully at the National level, tournament after tournament. As a referee striving to build skills, confidence, and expertise in match management, I am aware that many of these formidable coaches were National and World Champions, and National Team members themselves. Now they reproduce that success in their students, showing up with well-trained, gifted athletes, year after year. It is hard not to be somewhat in awe of them. As a referee inches their way up the competency ladder, they are given tougher matches and heavier safety and ring management responsibility as they grow, and so get exposed to higher level competitors and athletes. And new learning curves to deal with.

I suspect the view from the coaches/competitors chair is very different from the referee’s viewpoint. In fact, I would not be surprised if our weaknesses and flaws were documented, and part of successful tactics 101 is how to manage your referee.

At least if we know we’re being managed, or suspect it, we can go to another more experienced referee for advice and help. In Miami, I heard the TA’s being told to not allow mismatches between competitors and referees...that’s the first time I’ve heard it put that way, but it sure is apt. I know that uneasy, something’s not right feeling...those are the matches you ponder and think about and run over in your mind again and again. Then you figure out how you’ve been "had", and resolve to learn from it and do better next time.

Being "played" is the broader topic, but the question I have here is boundary line.

Centering some tough male black belts, complete with high profile intimidating coaches...match is going hard and fast...Hong crosses the boundary line, gets himself trapped in the corner left of the scorekeeper’s table. He gets his warning for first infraction, then kyungoed for each additional time he gets kicked out of the ring. His next kyungo for boundary line, as the time is stopped and I give the penalty, I turn to Chung who is breathing down my neck ready to pop the guy right back out again, and ask him to back up. He begins to comply, when his very distinguished coach strongly orders him to not move an inch. Chung freezes. I step between the two competitors, look Chung in the face as I tell him once more to back up, making a backing up gesture. He vacillates, as his coach roars at him...don’t you dare back up one inch! He looks at me, leans backward and slightly shifts back a couple of inches. By this time I’m thinking, man I am impeding this match, we’ve got to go, step out from the danger zone and kay-sok they are off and running again, and soon the match is over.

And of course, I’m kicking myself for being "managed" by the coach, and not at all satisfied with the competitor’s minimal compliance. It took a bit to filter through...rock, paper, scissors... in a live match, referee trumps coach. Any coach. Step up...grow a backbone.

Doc...how would you suggest I should’ve handled this one? Warning, kyungo for disobedience, kyungo for interfering...for sure this is going to happen again if I don’t get a handle on it.

Boundary line question...does the referee have the option, or is it wise, or the best ring management to pull line players, or a trapped player, or wild players further back into the ring, or place them anywhere the referee wishes, to avoid constant boundary line or table knocking over infractions, or, as in this case, did Chung deserve to maintain the tactical advantage he had engineered? When I think boundary line, my mind jumps to slippery floor, hitting obstacles, fighters running into an adjacent ring, running over children or spectators, fighters falling on an unyielding, rough surface. Do I have to wait for Hong to circle back out of trouble, or can I just stick them both back in the ring and get them going again? Should I always place them right back where the infraction occurred?

Could you give us a few examples of the most common ways you are seeing athletes and coaches "working" their referees to gain an unfair advantage...how we can spot them, and stop them.

Thank you so much Doc, for your generous office hours, and well-stocked pharmacy.

Susan Lewis