Question Number: 19011

Other 5/6/2008

RE: competitive Under 14

John of San Diego, Ca USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 18978

Thank you for your response. I don't know why you all assumed I am a ref when I stated on the question form that I am a coach. I simply wanted to know if the ref made the correct call, which he did. Mr. Fleisher if refs truly do make the "big bucks", I'd be doing that instead of coaching. Maybe that's why the youth league officiating is in such a horrible state. I know here in San Diego the refs barely make their gas money. In my many years of coaching this age group I have seen very few competent refs and that is a problem.

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

Some games I travel to most surely cost me more money in gas than I make refereeing the game. It's great for the old budget, that I don't pay close enough attention to anyway. Bah.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Coach John, glad to respond and I'm so sorry to suggest you were a referee. I'll not make that mistake again because you get paid more than I do and must be my better. Forgive me for doing what I do for The Game for little money, I have no excuse except I do it for the Love of The Game. I trust if we ever get paid what we're worth we'll have many folks like you join our "Black Art" because it is more lucrative than just sitting on the touchline watching. And I'll apologize again for doing what I do here for what I get out of it, ischial callosities and strained eyesight. I laud you for working for the high bidder and earning the right to judge the competency of referees who must demonstrate their skills on your matches. Too bad there are so many incompetent referees and that you see mostly them...

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Sorry for the mistaken identity. It may stem from Ref Dawson's response. He starts, "If you were the referee then ..." Perhaps the others saw that and assumed. Depending on what screen we are on in the background of our site, the information presented by the questioner might or might not be visible.

As far as the "big bucks", that's a joke among referees. Your observations are correct - you get what you pay for. I would argue, however, that there are many dedicated referees and coaches who do this for very little pay and are good at their craft.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Hi John. I likewise apologize for assuming you were a referee as it clearly does label you as a coach. No, we don't make big bucks. For me to get in a Saturday of refereeing I have to take a day off work so it ends up costing me. The Select coaches around here are paid far more than the referees. I know in my many tears of refereeing, I have seen far too few competent coaches which is a problem.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

For a decision it takes an opinion by the referee not the thoughts of a coach looking in. As Ref Voshol states I may have inadvertently mislead my colleagues but I often deliberately answer as if you or the questioner were the referee simply to show how we form the opinions of such things. I also coach but with the teams I coach all players take a referee course whether they choose to referee or not. Big Bucks was a pun in fun meant in jest and youth get more inexperienced referees as a matter of practical application of diminishing numbers . If a youth game is troubling imagine a premier adult between ethnic rivalries. It is a numbers game as well as the league and associations efforts to make training, mentoring etc a reality. In some leagues the teams must have registered referees on their technical staff actively refereeing or the teams cannot participate. Try becoming a referee it could help you coach and perhaps establish you as someone determined to make difference. I started to referee for the exact reasons you stated, I saw too much on the field to ignore.

Cheers

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 19034