Question Number: 19950

League Specific 9/14/2008

RE: Rec Under 11

Patrick Sheppard of Utica, NY United States asks...

This question is a follow up to question 19612

As a follow up, in our local league the games are refed by parents of a player on the one team. Personally, I think this lends itself to the appearance of bias. As the coach, I need to look out for my team. How would you suggest I question the referee or linesman if I feel that all of the close calls are going to the other team, or calls that are being made against my team are not being called against the other team? My feeling is that in anything other than a totalitarian state you are supposed to be able to question authority, and there is a big difference between questioning and ignoring or attacking. Thanks for your help.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

I guess you get what you pay for, don't you?

If you want unbiased referees, you have to pay them to come, to compensate them for their time, their equipment purchases, and their training. You will also have to pay for affiliation with the USSF through your state youth soccer association, so that the referees can be assigned to your league.

AYSO is somewhat different, but the concept is the same. Everyone has to volunteer for something as a condition of their child's participation, so the referees are being 'compensated' (their child is allowed to play in the league) even though they are 'volunteers'. And as I understand it in AYSO, the referees work in games other than their own child's, so they are unbiased.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Coach, regardles of who is refereeing, you are ALWAYS going to think the close calls are gouing the other way. That's the nature of coaching. You as a coach are the most biased person at the soccer field. I know as I've coached and have observed coaches for 15 years now. You guys get what you pay for so I would expect poor refereeing as you aren't hiring any. That said, I think you should approach the referee in question the way I would like to be approached. That is be polite and respectful. Talk to the referee at the half. Don't raise your voice. Don't accuse the referee of being biased. I can just about guarantee the parent/ref is trying to be fair. Be specific in your questions. Also get your Club to spend a few bucks and get a real referee or 3.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

I am a BIG, BIG proponent of preseason, mid season and post season, get togethers where ALL participants (coaches, officials, referees, parents, players, fans etc..) sit down and partake in an exchange of ideas and receive specific details and instructions on issues that could arise, do arise and how they could be addressed, solved or fixed!

Although I believe coaches should coach, parents should cheer, kids should play and referees referee If we remain independent from each other the totalitarian regime of what I think must be true reigns supreme, because no one talks to the other they only blame each other for the way things are. While I have coached, played, refereed , cheered and sat on various boards I am always struck by the fact we all find excuses why someone else is responsible for the way things are.

Perception of unfair actions or attitudes is a fact of life but not necessarily factual. Many things conspire to make a decision seem unjust. What you think is not necessarily what the referee sees nor what the player feels or the coach wants.

Effective monitoring and education for referees to gain experience and seem less imperfect to those who watch with critical eyes must be set into motion within the heart and structure of a league.

You got a parent who should be watching and cheering their kids to act as a neutral impartial referee in a competitive match that requires an outcome where standings and stats are kept is a very very bad idea. Those parents can do the best job and still be seen as biased because that is what will people chose to believe.

Refereeing is a job with responsibility and it takes time to develop the required skill. Foul recognition, being fit, knowing the correct restarts, understanding the NEEDS of those playing when all you are concerned about is providing a playing opportunity for your kids.

Match play is not a debating society. The referee is there to try and get from start to finish with as few issues as possible. If you want to referee by consensus give everybody a whistle if more the 50% blow it at anyone time use that criteria for a foul

Cheers