Quote Originally Posted by havokrooster View Post
most of the heated confrontations i have ever seen, have involved overshooting. most of the time, a player either has walked into a pre existing engagement while trying to leave the field, has not identified themselves properly as eliminated or has been shot a couple times a piece by multiple players. this is paintball. this situation can be, and usually is, taken care of at the game briefing.

i can honestly say, i have never seen an altercation come to blows or the police get called. it rarely goes outside of a shouting match and usually ends in a handshake. it is my experience to:

1. notify your fellow staff of the situation.
2. put yourself inbetween the two players creating a distance that would not permit them from being able to strike each other or yourself.
3. assure both players that the situation will be dealt with if they will follow me off field. (this often creates enough time for tempers to settle.
4. remind the players that we are all there to have fun and play honorably with sportsmanship and integrity.
5. worst case scenario, remind the players of the consequences of continuing to behave unacceptably.

this is just my experience. these steps often result in a handshake afterwards and a "thanks ref". the only time ive seen a ref lose his omnipotent status, is when they become emotionally involved themselves. refs must remain unbiased and monotone. the last thing you want as a ref, is to become involved in the confrontation yourself.
^ another bingo -- that's going in the book 4 sure