>>16527497Usually yes, you have to attend a school to ref. It's a little more involved than you might think, but isn't hard if you aren't actually retarded.
>>16527802This would work if you bring your own shirt.
>>16527832True, but usually only on higher level promotions. Most refs don't wear an ear piece and rarely keep time or communicate for the wrestlers. Indy refs are terrible. The amount of times I've had a ref screw up my finish, not tell my opponent something for me, or fail to give time cues is too many to count. Not to mention all the basic shit, like counting properly, checking on the wrestlers after a spot, or even just standing out of the way of the hard cam.
Basics of reffing:
>Be loudYour counts should be heard throughout the building. You're a player in the match too, lack of intensity can kill the illusion and make the entire thing look Bush league.
>Keep fucking timeGet a wristwatch and start it when the bell rings. If possible learn the times for your matches from the run sheet and count backwards starting from the bell. Make sure you know if the times listed are curtain to curtain or bell to bell. And tell the wrestlers clearly. "You've got 3 minutes left" or "start going home" is so much better than just "3 minutes" or " go home".
>Check on the wrestlersAsk if they're okay, do the hand squeeze. Make sure you get a clear answer before letting them continue. If something goes wrong, tell the opponent first so they stop trying to wrestle the injured wrestler. Then signal to the promoter for medical attention.
>Stay in the background If there is a hard cam, know where it is and move around the ring in a horseshoe shape, rarely walking in front of the hard cam side. If there are roaming floor cameras, try to stay away from those too, especially when counting pins. Sometimes it's hard to avoid those, and it is up to the cameraman to get the best shot, but being cognisant of it helps.
That would make you better than 95% of all refs.
