Richard Dawson Asktheref.com Editor

Drayton Valley Alberta Canada

First AskTheRef.com Appearance:

First Year Licensed:1987
License Level:class 2

Association:Drayton Valley
Additional Associations:Queen Charlotte, Edmonton, Vancouver, Squamish

There are 2 individuals that I credit with my interest and continuation with football!


John Neilson, a great DANE as from Denmark lol was a BC referee FIFA AR and the one who turned me from a local volunteer referee at the youth level where drop ball restarts were quite common to a certified referee at all levels where the drop ball scenarios have mostly faded away!

One of my favorite referee mentors, Esse Bauhmarest USA FIFA referee whom I credit with keeping me involved when politics and egos were pushing me away!

My wife Jan and I were gifted with three amazing children who struggle as we all do to find a way that makes sense of a chaotic world! At times we are concerned they are unprepared, our lot as parents I suppose! However, you place your faith and trust that at some point they can struggle on their own and be fine without you . You will also cry a bit at that point but again, also our lot as parents I suppose.


In my early years I was a decent young player and as the saying goes , I thought I might be a big fish in a very small pond. I was fast and fearless unfortunately I experienced a couple of severe and somewhat crippling back and spinal injuries which faded the hope of becoming a much better player. Definitely bummed out for a bit as another local lad went on to join the Canadian National Team and drove home the fact I could not hope to do the same! Unlike my mentor ESSE who was in fact training for the Iranian national team when he suffered a knee injury that took him out of contention but his love of the game drove his ambition. He turned to actively refereeing because he wanted to achieve the Olympics and World Cup venue as a participant in the game he loved. Could not as a player but succeeded as a referee in what I think was and still is, an outstanding career.

Me? I putzkied about bemoaning poor little old me before I smartened up, or at least quit moping, realizing I could still play at the recreational level and participate as a referee and coach. I helped out at the local level and of course once our children came along coaching them or refereeing matches simply became a way of seeing the world! We lived in relatively isolated surroundings so travel and soccer were synonymous to having fun.

Yet I often noticed the adversarial attitudes that seemed to surround recreational fun sports and was taken back by the needless tensions that occasional arose at these sporting venues. I developed an unusual pattern of perception that when playing the game as a player or watching the game as a fan, parent, coach and referee I came to realize how we all SEE the same game differently! When I was taken to task by our instructor John Neilson to actually become a registered referee he awakened a natural affinity in me to want to educate and share with others in the beautiful game.

I started here with the ATR panel here in August of 2000. I have to ask you if you are reading this to think a moment on the amount of free time those working on this site donate to share their knowledge and collective passion for this great game with you. It is a privilege to work with these individuals!

rdsoccer@outlook.com

Hobbies and General Interest

Favorite Quote

Integrity is the gift of self respect we choose to give ourselves! It is a force of character which can NEVER be taken from you! It must be given away voluntarily! Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.