Set the alarm for 4:00 p.m.

Web alarm clock for 4:00 p.m.

While you wait to referee a match on the covered neighbourhood court, you keep checking the time so the teams can begin as scheduled. Set the alarm for 4:00 pm and leave the screen where you can see it while players gather, sort themselves into sides, and get ready for the opening whistle.

Your match depends on hearing the signal at the appointed moment, so keep this browser session open after setting the alarm and make sure the sound is audible. If you close the tab or browser, the match alert will not play; it may also stay silent if your phone goes to sleep. A plugged-in phone with sleep disabled is a more dependable courtside setup.

Players arriving from the afternoon heat may appreciate a brief pause under the covered area before play starts. If the court has air conditioning, avoid standing directly beneath a strong vent while waiting, since the whistle and voices can be harder to hear there. Keep your phone nearby rather than inside a bag, and check that background chatter does not mask the 4:00 pm alarm.