Question Number: 20022

League Specific 9/21/2008

RE: Recreational Under 17

Leroy Bowman of Garden City, MI US asks...

I am a head referee for CYSL, a homegrown christian based league. It is my responsibilty to train our young referees age 13-20. As you know, rules can be taught, experience is something more difficult.
Do you know of a source of soccer game videos on the internet that I could use for examples in our training classes?
This would help greatly.

Thank you

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Experience is really the only training method. You pass a certification course, you now know the rules, at least most of them. But how to apply them?

The newbie referees have to start out in games where they can make their mistakes alongside players who are also learning. Our USYS/MSYSA-affiliated program starts them as AR's in U12 with experienced centers, and as sole referees in U8 games. Only when they get 'a lot' of games (that term varies by ref) will the assignor move them up to harder more experienced game levels.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

One video readily available is entitled Myths Of The Game and other than the old 4 steps for the keeper it still is a valuable teaching toll on what NOT to do

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI leroy,
invite me to a preseason meeting I have a hands on slam bang way of catching the attention of all participants in a fun interactive smorgasboard of football info and funnies. Organize a mock game and ask the teams to do things to test the mettle of the referee while all the officials surround the field and mark the things they see from their positions you will be surprised at the results.
Cheers