Question Number: 20554

Character, Attitude and Control 11/19/2008

RE: select Other

Jay of El Dorado Hills, CA USA asks...

To our distinguished panel from around the globe, I need some advice.

Last night one of the two indoor teams I coach had a game. One of our players was forcefully pushed from behind whereby she fell and slid about a foot and hit her head on the wall. She had to be carried off and did not return. When I asked the referee what he saw, the reply was, "both teams are pushing." First as a coach, I will say, any player of mine that does what the opponent did and she would be off the field so fast it would make your head swim. But this begs the bigger picture. As more kids than ever are playing this great game, the need for more quality (i.e. more adults would not hurt either) referees for development of soccer in and around our area should be the vanguard of our clubs. It may just be this year, but there have been some "occurrences" this year that set my mind to thinking?.what is a coach (one who every year for the last five has taken classes to upgrade his skills), player, referee (who has taken refresher courses every year), and past board member of a club to do to try and improve this situation. We have had terrible fights, parents on the field, coaches of teams not allowing their teams back on the field, etc. Things we have all heard of, but many of these I have witnessed this year. And then again, some very strange things?.
For Example:
? AR texting on his cell phone while the game was going on (yep you read that correctly)
? Center referee ending a game early (three minutes to answer his cell phone " he did not even wait to leave the field to answer)
? Center referee and both ARs not having their patch
? Center referee showing up in Vans and wearing ankle socks
? Multiple occurrences of referees wearing same color as teams
? Referee "flipped off" to his face and no card given
? I am sure we could all ?. Fill in the blank.

Dangerous situations
? Elbow thrown in front of referee and broke opponents jaw " no card, just a speaking to
? Coach being suspended 4 games for pulling his team off the field for safety reasons after multiple injuries and fights (by the middle of the second half he could only field 9 players " the slide tackle from behind was the last straw " no card). Later reversed by a higher authority.
? Goalie in position of the ball by a full two steps " is knocked over (helped off the field) and the ball is released and the opponent who knocked her over scores a goal. Nothing done by the referee.

As I said earlier, it may just be this year. The above examples were only for illustrative purposes. I am sure there are much worse occurrences and examples and there will always be. But, as an advocate for the kids and fair play, what are we really teaching our players when they get an answer such as "both teams are pushing." A foul is a foul is a foul. I have heard statements like, "well, then I have to do the paperwork." I for one am dumbfounded when I hear statements like this and it angers me. 99.9% of us out there work hard and are diligent in their efforts. At the older age groups of our recreational systems, referees are paid up to 20-25 dollars an hour to be out there - more at higher competitive levels (in this economy that is not bad money).

There is very little training and even less oversight. A quick cursory review of our district standings shows a U19 division (after 9 weeks) playing 288 games with only 7 red cards (either we are playing the cleanest soccer/football in the world or there is a hesitancy to use our tool belt). I helped a fellow coach in our club scout a u16 tournament " I watched 7 u16 boys select games over two days and there were no yellow cards shown. Does this sound logical? These may have been the cleanest u16 boys games ever, but ...

Regularly we have mismatched personnel on the field. Regularly I have seen 16 year old kids refereeing u14 and even u16 games. New referees being assigned to competitive select games and adult seasoned referees I know begging to do games.

Is this question a lot of complaining " yes. And, for that I apologize. But there has to be a better system. How do we rank referees, how do we promote referees, and how do we hold them accountable. This may seem odd to ask these questions on a referee answer site, but I believe change must come from within. Much like the complaints about inept teachers caused extra ongoing requirements for teachers " including requirements for pay raises " maybe we should institute something similar for referees and police ourselves from within. I have not spoken to a referee in two years who had a coordinator review a game. Our kids pay a lot of money to play this great game, maybe a little of those funds should be allocated for training of referees.

I would love to see the referees unite and insist the clubs, leagues, districts, etc. provide quality continuing education for referees " we demand it of our coaches (in order to coach at certain levels, an F, E, or even and ED (D) license must be held). Referees are such an important part of the game. A few (as in most cases) can ruin it for the rest. Poor outdated referee skills tend to leave teams, parents and players (those whom we serve) with a sense of unfair play. If you can: flip off a referee, throw an elbow, slide tackle from behind (I know if done right?), push, allow all the things we know are wrong to occur, we take away from the game and thus influence the outcome of this game and maybe a future game as well. Moreover and probably most importantly, it is not fair to the referee not to have available to him/her more training.

I know there is no easy solution, but, if anyone out there knows of a club or league that has a process to train and enhance the skills of their referees, please let me know. I would like to communicate with them. Maybe, just maybe each of us can make a small change in our own communities which would build in the soccer community. Any advice would be most welcomed.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Where you should be taking these complaints is to your state referee organization and your state youth organization - in writing. The more documentation you can provide, written statements and/or video, the better.

Referee training is in the hands of the anointed in your state. Those folks should be USSF trained and certified, and then they are either appointed or elected to serve as the State Referee Administrator/Director of Instruction/Director of Assessment, etc. by the adult and youth competition authorities (generally - there are a few variances state to state). If the state organization can't or won't provide for the training that is required by USSF every year, USSF should be told.

Go to your local leagues and ask them to help. I can tell you from experience the best place to get started is with the assignors of the referees. If they are committed to providing good referees, and insist on appropriate dress, up to date certification, and training/assessment, the ranks will improve or not be hired. Been there, done that!

Assignors are required to be certified by USSF. If the assignor isn't doing a good job, find out why. Is it lack of support from the local board, do they just not know any better, or what? Can you help them find their way? Are they being paid commensurate with the stress and time required to do this job well?

There is no substitute for a well-informed, dedicated, educated referee assignor. They drive the bus.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

I agree completely with what Ref Maloney has to say. Start with the referee assignor. I have been a spectator at some games and have seen similar events. Once, a young center had spent the first half of the game with socks rolled down and rarely ventured outside the center circle. One of his ARs was sitting on his butt at the touchline most of the time. I went up to both of them at the half and told them to assume I was a referee assessor, that their behavior was horrible and they best do a proper job in the second half. It didn't hurt that I had my US Soccer shirt and hat on. You owe it to the game to do what you can to correct the abysmal behavior you describe.