It turns out there are still people happy to give up their Saturday afternoons to run around with a whistle while enduring endless abuse.
Football South has roped in 10 or so new referees this season including 20-year-old University of Otago medical student James Berry.
Berry, who hails from Wellington, played premier football in Dunedin last season but broke his wrist.
He was keen to stay involved in the sport and his flatmate also helped encouraged him.
Berry officiated in a women's game last month and in a division two fixture between Northern and University at Forrester Park on Saturday.
"I figured I couldn't play ... and thought it would be a good idea to get involved because they were looking for more referees,'' Berry said.
His timing could not have been better, as Football South referee development officer Wilson James is in the middle of a recruitment drive.
Convincing people to take up the whistle can be a hard sell but Berry was sold on its merits.
"I think what they say is you need shark's ears and a thick skin, because you always will get players who won't agree with what you've called.
"That is the nature of the game and you do have to learn to accept criticism and grow from it, as well.
"Most of the time, problems come when you don't communicate with people and just use your whistle and don't listen to what they are saying. I've seen tense situations defused by a referee just saying `What is bothering you?'''
While adjudicating football matches is a new, Berry is experienced at controlling futsal fixtures so is not a rookie in that sense.
"I'm pretty lucky that I have had some pretty good mentors during my time in Wellington.''
Asked why he wanted to put himself in a potentially hostile situation each week, Berry said he loved football and enjoyed the challenge "of focusing on so many different aspects at the same time''.
"I sort of approach it almost like a sport. You know, how can you improve, how can you train, how can you practise and get better?''
James has been thrilled with the response to his recruitment drive and plans to put plenty of resources around the fledgling officials.
And for the ambitious referees, James said there were plenty of opportunities to climb the ranks and officiate at national level events and even internationals, if they were good enough.
Last Saturday, every senior game, minus masters grade, had a referee controlling the game, a total of 37 officials in action.
A recruitment drive around the university had attracted 10 new referees.
