With the completion of week 5, we're halfway done with the 2007 regular season. If the second half of the year is anything like the first, we're in for a treat. Greater parity among the teams and a brilliantly-designed schedule have given us some tight match-ups and numerous exciting finishes, including 6 games in week 5 dicided by a single run.

I had the pleasuring of taking in the two games at South Park last Sunday evening (2 Hands/Merc vs. Replay, Rudy's vs. Red Lyon), and neither of these match-ups disappointed. Defense was plentiful and runs were at a premium in boths contests.

In the first game, Replay opened up a 3-0 lead by the sixth inning, but the Merc was able to stay in the game by the way of some fantastic catches. The Replay defense finally surrendered two runs late in the game, but was able to hold on for the win and keep their record unblemished at 5-0.

The second game featured one of the league's most productive offenses in Red Lyon against one of the league's tightest defenses, Rudy's Pizzeria. Just as in the first game, scoring was low, but Rudy's was able to open up a 3-0 lead going into the bottom of the seventh inning. In the seventh, multiple runners on base for one of the few times all game, and tied the game at 3, scoring two runs on a wild play at the plate. Red Lyon won it with two outs in the bottom of the ninth by burning the Rudy's outfield for the first time in the game.

These two games were well-played by all teams involved. The closeness of both matches did bring to light one of the negative consequences of the higher level of play and the tightness of many of this year's competitions: increased pressure on our referees. With games being so low-scoring and closely contested, each call gains more importance and can potentially effect the outcome of the game. There were instances in each game where the refs were forced to make some tough calls that would impact the final talley.

With this in mind, I'd like to make a couple of points. First, players must remember that the referees in their games are volunteering their time so that they can play an organized game. Also, the realities of the league keep us from being able to hire qualified and experienced umpires to call our games, nor can we really train refs outside of game experiences. Those reffing our games are our peers, and they are doing us a service by volunteering to ref. Please keep this in mind when they are forced to make a tough call and it doesn't go your way.

Secondly, it is very important that teams provide the best referees they can. The most knowledge and experienced members of your team will most often make the best referees. Forcing a player who is new to the game and/or not well-versed in our many rules to referee will usually lead to an unpleasant situtation for all. Also, if you are volunteering to referee a game, you are volunteering your undivided attention to the action throughout the entire game. If not, you are doing the participants a disservice and they may rightfully resent you when miss a call because you were sending a text message, flirting, trying to light a cigarette (etc).

So as we approach the second half of the season, let us hope for more exciting kickball action, more good times with old friends and making more new ones, and more beautiful (although a little sticky) evenings in the park. Keep in mind that kickball is all about having fun, and for you competitive sorts, the regular season doesn't matter much in the playoffs anyway. Good luck in the second half!