Tuesday 22 April 2014

The Importance Of Linesman Tools

By Essie Osborn


The word linesman is common in field sport. This entails team play which means a lot of players being involved. Ultimately, the need for a fair play and good match officiating will be a necessity. That brings us to the reason as to why we have referees and linesmen. A linesman plays the subsidiary role to the referee. His work is to assist the referee. For this to take effect, they have to possess good working equipment. For this case, the major concern will be on the importance of linesman tools.

There are a variety of tools that can be used by linesmen. This however depend on the type of sport in consideration. The most common sports that generally ought to have linesmen are Football (soccer) and American Football and in Rugby. Their synonymous nature in naming spreads even to the field of play. Their roles, linesmen, in both sports. The equipment of use are: boots, flags, minute boards for showing additional time especially in football, jerseys, watches, whistles and earpiece communication sets.

The need for good match officiating heightened in the aftermath of 1986 World Cup. Diego Maradona, professionally ball-handled the ball in present of thousands of football fanatics and match officials, and scored a goal against England. This was the height of laxity in Soccer as a sport and in turn culminated to changes being made to the officiating of this sport to what it is today.

Such a handball could be easily been avoided if the match officials were well equipped, skilled and to some extent had the input of technology to a reasonable extent as their present companions have. A handball, for the little who know, is controlling of handling of the ball with a players arms. Football players do contrary to what the NBA players do. This is the reason as to why goalkeepers have gloves on to handle the ball.

They at all times has to be alert and be able to make decisions in making decision correctly within a split second of time. This needs well equipping of the linesman. In the English Premier League, Linesmen are equipped with flags, earpiece sets to communicate, jerseys and for the other match officials they get minute boards and watches to keep time.

The need for flags in field sport is vital. Flags communicate a language the referee and players involved understand. It would be tedious to shout to the referee as a way to communicate or send a message to him. This has eased this process. Linesmen however are well trained in this and have confirmed that a flag is the effective in match officiating.

Earpiece, this is an electronic device fitted in ones ear to enable communication through either Bluetooth or other wireless communication. This technology has been embraced by American football and Soccer in the English Premier league to be specific. This tool has enabled the easier and fair decision making as communication can be done through that. The referee can talk with the linesman, the linesman in turn can countercheck with the other match officials before reaching a sound decision. This has reduced the possibility of cases like that of Maradona in the 1986 world cup match.

It goes without saying that watches, boots, jerseys and whistles play an essential role in all team sport. It is a must to have them and for that matter some significant level of recognition ought to be accorded.




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