Referees - Week in Review

I have a theory...

2010-06-20T21:52:00.000-07:00

On what happened in the USA match when the Mali referee rescinded the winning goal...

Two US player were being fouled the shot was taken. I think the R saw those fouls, or at least the commotion and recognized in his mind that something was wrong. Then the goal is scored.

I think confused the attacking team from the defending team and signaled DFK for defense when he should have signaled PK. (Of course, given situation and proximity to the goal he should have given advantage and waited).

But I think he confused the two sides then signaled to support the USA, but for the wrong direction.

To support my theory, there is an angle that shows the referee raising his whistle just prior to the shot, telling me he's made a decision before the ball was in the goal.

Next, the DFK restart was placed at the place where the USA player (Dempsey or Bradley?) was being held (bear hugged), right at the top of the goal area.

What's the answer to this? With such a critical decision, to rescind a winning goal, how sure can you be NOT to look at your AR to confirm your decision? I'd love to see as the goal is scored what the lead AR's reaction was.

Next, as the AR in this situation, when your R makes such a big decision, how sure are you when you have not seen anything to support his decision? What do you do if R's decision is COUNTER to what you have seen occur? Do you have an obligation to say something?

Ultimately, the Referee Team must act as a team to get the decisions RIGHT, and don't restart until the team is satisfied they got that decision right.

Review of Referees so far...

2010-06-20T09:03:00.000-07:00

Thought Batres of Guatamala did a great job in the Italy v New Zealand upset today. Did not think the PK foul for Italy was as controversial as the commentators thought: if you're ahead by 1, why would you be pulling your opponent's jersey in your penalty area.

Read on here:

http://referees.worldcupblog.org/news/sundays-referees-reviewed.html

France cheats its way into World Cup

2010-06-11T13:39:00.000-07:00

Note how one of the top players in the world cheated to get his team into the World Cup. Poor Ireland.

This was clearly a nearly impossible situation for the referee team, Referee or the AR.

Incident brings to mind the idea of the spirit of the game and fair play.

Made me cringe to see Thierry Henry call for a handball in the France v Uruguay opener in the WC. Credit to that referee who saw it right, no handball at all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KIqwTNm8ZA&feature=fvw

France v Uruguay, Day 1

2010-06-11T13:34:00.000-07:00

Congrats to the Referee in the match. Spot on some very critical and difficult decisions, including Send off and non-call handball!

Referee Assaulted, Man Arrested in Riverside

2010-04-05T23:26:00.000-07:00

Glad to see that Riverside Sheriffs took care of business recently, arresting the man who tackled a referee at an adult soccer game in Temecula.

The ref ended the match 20 mins early when players started fighting. Then while he was recording his match report on the field, a man tackled him.

That man was later arrested at his home for felony battery. Apparently the referee was injured badly enough to be taken to the hospital for spinal injuries.

Don't know if man was a spectator or a team official.

Also, and more importantly, don't know if referee was doing match alone, with ARs, or with club linesmen.

Lessons here:

When you end a match early, especially due to violence, don't spend alot of time hanging around;
Don't stand on the field with your head down in a match report, especially if you don't have ARs to either side of you;
Here's an example of why I stress that the REFEREE TEAM should stand together on the field after the match, never split between the two halves of the field, like I often see;
When you sense or know problems have happened during a game that might cause confrontation afterward, the referee team should leave the field together;
When you arrive at a field, find a resting place that is neutral, near the direction of exit to your car, but out of the way of heavy foot traffic to reduce chance the your equipment is taken.

Remember also, as the police officers did here, there is a special section in the penal code for Battery on a Sports Official, which carries a higher punishment than simple battery.

Be safe and alert.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-soccer6-2010apr06,0,4011418.story

What do you think?

2010-03-28T22:08:00.000-07:00

Ken Aston, the famous FIFA referee and referee instructor used to say, "Refereeing is thinking."

It's repeated often at training, but it has little meaning unless one contemplates what it means. Have you ever thought about it?

What does "refereeing is thinking" mean to you?

Write a comment and explain?

Desert Valley Soccer Referee Association

2010-03-28T21:28:00.000-07:00

It was an honor and a pleasure to spend the weekend out in beautiful Palm Desert with the referees of the Desert Valley Soccer Referee Association.

Fred Stroock and Scot Stormo were great hosts for Toros Kitbritjian and I, who mentored some of their youth referees at the local Cactus Tournament, then gave four hours of training over two nights.

This was a big commitment for the referees, giving up their Friday and Saturday nights for the good of soccer and their referee advancement, but the feedback was great.

Shout out to some of the referees I got to watch: Kris, Shane, Peter, Adam, Brennan. Sorry if I left out any names. And Kimberly, I hope your car wash fundraiser went well.

The Making of the Laws

2010-02-26T16:26:00.000-08:00

Ever wonder who or what makes the Laws of soccer? Well the answer is very interesting and gives insight into the history of football. Indeed, the law makers predate even today's FIFA and despite FIFA's authority, this other group remains the gatekeeper of the laws.

Click on the links to read about the IFAB, which meets Feb/Mar every year. They are meeting Feb 28 to consider some changes to the laws.

What do you think about no longer sending off a player for denying a goal scoring opportunity if it occurs in the penalty and results in a PK for the opponent. I bet they don't change it, but it's on the agenda to consider it.

http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/federation/bodies/media/newsid=1021869.html

And here's one on the history of the IFAB.

http://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/history/law/ifab.html

Famous soccer story from WWI retold here

2010-01-20T22:37:00.000-08:00

Paul McCartney did this video in the early 80's. Retells a story from WWI when British and German soldiers called a ceasefire and played a game of football.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVK_mJrLbmY&feature=related

New Advanced Referee upgrade

2010-01-17T20:33:00.000-08:00

Put your hands together for Marijan Rudela, 17, who just completed his requirements for Advanced Referee in Covina Region 602.

Well done, Marijan! Come by and I'll give you a new badge, or I can pass it to Brian for you so you don't have to wait for the mail.

This is quite an accomplishment given Marijuan's age, and I hope it will inspire other teens in the area to keep at it.

BYU vs Air Force Pregame Clip

2010-01-16T19:51:00.000-08:00

Home team BYU showed this clip in the stadium prior to their game with visiting team Air Force Academy. Gotta see.

I posted it again here because the prior link went away.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72OhOWFMf84

2010-01-11T20:53:00.000-08:00

From BYU vs Air Force football game. The Univ president of BYU had this short video play on the big screen in the stadium before the teams took the field. This is what sport is all about, and a true example of sportsmanship and class. Enjoy!

I dare you not to feel pride, break a smile, or even shed a tear.

http://s29.photobucket.com/albums/c254/Rinker270/?action=view&current=BYUvsAF.flv

What's this incident mean for the WC in June?

2010-01-09T23:10:00.000-08:00

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-jones-soccer10-2010jan10,0,4203500.story

Clearly a terrorist act in Africa.

New Mexico player's rough tactics lead to ban

2009-11-09T18:40:00.001-08:00

New Mexico player's rough tactics lead to ban

Posted using ShareThis

Girls, girls, girls...

2009-11-08T18:45:00.000-08:00

Check this clip out. Quite a contrast to the last clip I posted. What we see here only tends to highlight the need for good referee TEAM and through pre-game.

Wonder if the game had a 4th official?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k52QWFeP7OY

Sportsmanship......Sportswomanship!

2009-10-24T19:48:00.000-07:00

Watch and enjoy...

As you watch, remember this is from a real game in 2008.

http://www.responsibilityproject.com/films/player/the-home-run/

What skill

2009-10-02T21:41:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBw-kUL5FFA

Click on the link to what some real soccer skills.

Post-game handshake and promoting health

2009-09-20T09:48:00.000-07:00

Take the poll about suspending post-game handshakes. For years now, I have promoted merely tapping fists (dap) with players after games. When one considers Fall starts the cold season and that illness is spread most by hands, then shaking hands with players and coaches several dozen times a weekend is a great way to get sick.

Just think, one sick player, coach, or referee can pass a cold to over 2 dozen person in a matter of seconds. Yuk!

Can we all agree to: (1) give a cheer as a team to the opposing team; (2) wave, smile, say thanks; (3) salute, (4) walk past and give thumbs up [I said thumbs, not finger!]???

What do you think?

Field safety

2009-09-19T17:07:00.000-07:00

Had a parent challenge us today about a stationary object on the field, which created a minor indentation in the field. He insisted that the referees fix it. He demanded that the game not be played until it was fixed. He threatened to not allow his son to play the game.

Remember these things: The safety of the field is the referee's perogative. If the referee determines the field is safe, we play! If not, the unsafe thing gets fixed, removed, etc., or we don't play. Any one person who does not want to play, does not have to play. If you ever determine the field is safe, but a team (coach) refuses to take the field, write a report. Include the circumstances and on what you based your opinion that the field was safe. The league will determine what to do. Most often, they should consider that match a win for the opposing team. To do otherwise would be to invite coaches to walk away from matches when they feel they cannot win them, hoping to play another day.

No one person gets to hijack a match or hold it hostage. Just because one person's opinion is that something is unsafe, does not make it so. It's in the referee's opinion that counts.

The man's son did not play. We started and finished the game with no injuries, few fouls and no cards. The man's team won 5:1. He missed a good game, but that was his perogative.

Self critiques --- Week 2

2009-09-19T17:05:00.000-07:00

Write up your own self critiqe of any game(s) you had this weekend. What you did well; what you would change; any questions or concerns you ran into.

Include what you would do differently next time.

Come on; you can do it! We all learn from each other.

MLS Week in Review, Wk 26

2009-09-18T18:44:00.000-07:00

Check out the clips and explanations on Week 26, week in review. Good info on assessing fair and foul tackles and DGSO.

http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Referee-Programs/2009/09/2009-Referee-Week-in-Review-Week-26.aspx

Heard on the soccer fields

2009-09-13T13:57:00.000-07:00

By an old coach, who was doing his first match as a referee, "Wow, this is a lot harder than I realized."

By a parent watching the match, "Hey, foul throw. His foot was on the line."

By a coach after his player committed a foul, "Good call, ref."

Self Critique --- Week 1

2009-09-13T13:49:00.000-07:00

So you survived your first weekend refereeing this weekend. Whether you are a newbie or a veteran, we'd like to hear your own self assessment of your game(s). Keep it short, a couple things you thought went well, or even surprised yourself; one or two things you'll work on in your next game.

Include any scenarios or questions that came up. Can't wait to hear some of them. Enter your critiques as comments to this post.

Civility, Sportsmanship, and Accountability

2009-09-12T22:31:00.000-07:00

Read about what happened at the US Open tennis match after a competitor berated a line official.

http://sports.yahoo.com/ten/blog/busted_racquet/post/Serena-Williams-berates-official-loses-match-fo?urn=ten,189028

Denying Goal Scoring Opportunity

2009-09-12T20:41:00.000-07:00

Check out Week 25 for MLS season, which covers issues on denying goal scoring opportunities.

http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Referee-Programs/2009/09/2009-Referee-Week-in-Review-Week-25.aspx

Violent Conduct off the Ball

2009-09-07T21:50:00.000-07:00

Here's a game-critical situation, a point where the AR must take action when she sees a critical incident, like violent conduct.

This one occurs 30 yards off the ball, after the ball as moved up field from the offside line. The RED attacker throws an elbow in the WHITE defender's throat. What's great is the fact the AR saw this incident. From his training and experience he knew to keep his eyes back on these two players, rather than to follow the ball up the field with the ball in play.

Take a look at the clip. What would be the restart, from where would it be taken?

Follow the link to US Soccer's Week 24, for the Week in Review, and scroll down to clip #6.

http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Referee-Programs/2009/09/2009-Referee-Week-in-Review-Week-24.aspx

Fall Season 2009

2009-09-07T21:37:00.000-07:00

Welcome to all Referees in the San Gabriel Valley. The Fall season is upon us. It's been a while since I updated the blog, but I'll being doing so more frequently this Fall. I'm hoping to get more of our new Referees in Region 112 to follow the blog and submit their weekly personal critiques.

Personal critiques are a great way to improve our performance.

Good luck next weekend; you're all ready and able!

What's your opinion of the Vuvuzela?

2009-06-28T11:59:00.000-07:00

The Vuvuzela puts a whole new meaning to the "horn of Africa." You may have heard these low-pitched, yard-long, plastic horns being blown if you've watched any matches at the Confederation Cup tournment. They sound like an elephant's call or a fog horn!

Let's have your opinion...

But before you chime in, consider the following:

The blowing of this horn is a long-established tradition for South Africans, apparently. Other countries, teams, coaches, etc. have all noted their disdain for the low, annoying sound they make, but FIFA declined to ban them.

FIFA pres. Sepp Blatter has said that he does not favor banning the horns.

Africans are quick to point out that horns are no different than other countries and teams' traditions of singing, playing drums, stomping, etc.

What do you think? The World Cup is one year away in South Africa.

Confederations Cup Update

2009-06-28T11:53:00.000-07:00

With USA's win over #1 Spain, arguably the biggest win in USA history, we're in the final against powerhouse Brazil, who is hoping win its 3rd Confederations Cup trophy.

Good news...Dempsey scored against Brazil in 10th minute. Go USA!

Tune into ESPN now to watch this history-making match!

USA goal #2: Donovan, 27th min 2:0

Brasil scores: Fabiano, 30 sec into 2nd half; then again in 74th min. 2 : 2

Brasil scored its go-ahead goal in the 84th minute and won the match and the tournament.

Match was well played by both teams, and well officiated by the referee team. Indeed, the most controversial situation probably came with the "near" goal for Brasil. Depending on the angle, ball may have been in, or not. But referee did not acknowledge a goal. Looked like AR was in position and it happened very fast.

All in all, the situation benefited the USA, and ultimately Brasil won in spite of the "near" goal. Lessson to be learned there for referee, players and coaches.

Great tournament!

Update from Ken Aston Camp

2009-06-28T11:46:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Mike Crandall and Jon Boulware, who both passed the Advance written exam on their first taking, Friday night at the opening of the camp. To give you an idea of that accomplishment, they had to score at least 90%. Mike and Jon were among only 10 referees in 50 who took the test Friday night and passed it. Well done.

With the passing of this test and the completion of this course, Mike Crandall has completed the requirements for Advanced Referee!

MLS Week in Review

2009-05-28T21:30:00.001-07:00

Check out the links to the MLS Week In Reviews thru week 9, this season. They are listed on the right of the blog. You'll get to read interpretations from USSF's top assessors and see video clips from games. This is some of the best instruction you can get.

What gets you by?

2009-05-11T21:00:00.000-07:00

I'm inviting all referees to answer this question:

What bit of training, preparation, or tip best prepared you for your
last successful assessment or even just a well-done match?

Your input could help a fellow referee pass her next assessment.

PV

Friend of Blog Gets Promotion

2009-05-07T17:35:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Angie Ngiam for passing her final assessment for upgrade to Advanced Referee. Angie is a friend of the blog and the Referee Administrator for the Upland AYSO Region. Good job, Angie.

Newest Advance Referee in La Verne-San Dimas

2009-05-02T18:53:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to Craig Pifer who completed his final assessment for upgrade to AYSO Advanced Referee.

Despite a 13:1 final score, Craig was able to demonstrate a high level of cooperation with his ARs, a good understanding of the laws, and excellent match control.

One decision I particularly liked was an unusual situation when a GK punted the ball into the head of an opponent from a close distance.

Craig stopped play and I held my breath to see what he would do: If he made this a foul by the GK, it would be a PK, and should be a card. But the act did not really call for that from my position. It could also be an IFK for GK team for the opponent interfering with GK's releasing ball into play.

Craig took the GK aside and spoke to him, then he awarded a dropped ball to the GK............an excellent decision considering everything.

His whistle and talk to the GK let the opponent know Craig saw the player get hit in the head and Craig would not let that happen; his talk to GK just reminded him to be more careful, giving the GK the benefit of the doubt that it was more an accident than on purpose.

Having determined no foul was committed, Craig restarted with a dropped ball for the GK. All in all, the message was sent and the game stayed fair, all within the laws.

Sending the right message in this match (U14B) at this moment in the match (15 min) was very important to setting a tone for the match, and player management.

US Soccer Week in Review for MLS Season

2009-04-11T21:03:00.000-07:00

US Soccer appears to have connected its weekly posting of Referee Week in Review to the US Soccer site. It's a valuable review for all referees, where they can look at clips from the week's MLS matches and read interpretations from USSF's top trainers and assessors.

Look on the right column of this blog to find the links. I'll add new links each week.

Penalty Kick and Kicks from the Mark

2009-04-02T14:52:00.000-07:00

Here's a challenge for all of you:

Respond to this challenge in a comment and come up two ways that PKs are SIMILAR to KFTM and two ways that PKs are DIFFERENT than KFTM. There are several for both. Let's see how many we can find. Here's one as an example:

Similar: All players must remain on the field of play for KFTM and PK.

Different: Players may gather in vicinity of penalty
area during PK, while abiding by Law 14 provisions, while in KFTM, all players are located in center circle, except for kicker and the two goalkeepers.

How many more can you find? Limit your responses to no more than two comparison/contrast so everyone has a chance to respond.

Meanwhile, look over to the right and see links to memos on PKs and KFTM.

Analysis of January Poll Question

2009-02-06T12:01:00.000-08:00

Here's the scenario again:

Red player is attacking Blue in Blue's penalty area. From left to right, Blue #7 and Red #2 are standing on the goal line as a Red player shoots at the goal. The ball's path is heading to the right of Red #2(his left),who is standing still. Blue #7 pushes Red #2 into the path of the ball. The ball continues in play and goes out of the penalty area.

Three referees risked and submitted their decisions. Let's break down the situation:

Choice #1: Let play continue - not an option here as clearly a foul has been committed (push) by Blue #7.

Choice #2: Apply advantage - This is better option than #1...the ball is bouncing around near the goal and it might go in, only thing is...the ball has bounced out of the penalty area, and it does not look like there is any advantage left for the Red team.

Choice #3: Stop play, award PK; Send off Blue #7 and show red car for denying a goal scoring opportunity by committing a foul that is punishable by restarting with a free kick. YES...this is the best option. Blue could not get to the ball himself as Red #2 is standing to his left. Blue's push of Red #2 into the ball, keeps the ball from scoring. Pushing is a DFK foul, in this case punishable by a PK. Pushing his opponent into the path of the ball prevented a goal-scoring opportunity, thus Blue #7 must be sent off.

Choice #4: Stop play, award a PK, Caution Blue #7 for unsporting behavior. The explanation above demonstrates why this choice is not the best. This choice might have been the best had the ball scored despite the foul by Blue.

To be honest, I have never seen this scenario, but occurred to me one day and I wondered how I would handle it. It's important to rehearse and be better prepared for the unexpected.

Last thought. Some of you astute refs might be questioning the point of Red #2 being in an offside position. While it's possible, it was not stated in the scenario. But let's consider that Red #2 was in an offside position, at the point Blue decides to break up the play by pushing his opponent into the path of the ball, Red #2 has NOT demonstrated that he was involved in any active play. To interfere with play, Red #2 would need to play the ball and we cannot presume he was going to do that; To interfere with an opponent, Red's position may have kept Blue from gettting to the ball, and if so, he would be guilty of interfering with an opponent. The referee would have to form an opinion that Blue's position (distance from the ball) would have been close enough that he could have reached the ball had Red #2 not been there.

Any comment?

Referee Focus Points

2009-01-27T20:53:00.001-08:00

I don't remember where I came across these focus points for referees, so my apologies to whomever compiled them. This list is a great review before an assessment. Let's do this...

How about you read the list then pick one focus point and explain in a comment what it means to you, how you might accomplish it, how you have used it and how it helped, or how you've seen it applied by another referee.

Prevent the next foul
Use personality to influence outcomes
Match your personality to the game situation and/or the moment
Influence the future with actions in the present
Referee for the future not just the moment
Does the game or player need the card?
The game is the best teacher. Learn from it and make adjustment during it
Send appropriate messages
Energy and intensity of the referee team must exceed that of the game
Chase every ball to the goal line and the goalkeeper
ARs should fall into the “rhythm” of the referee
Stay focused for 90 minutes
Don’t let your guard down
Don’t leave anything for chance while preparing for everything

Welcome back! Happy New Year

2009-01-27T20:47:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the hiatus, but this is the first opportunity I've had to blog since my last post in October. I just finished teaching a referee instructor course and Advance Referee course in El Toro. Great fellow instructors; Great students; GREAT CAMP held twice a year at El Toro High School near Irvine, CA. This is part of AYSO Area 11L. If you the chance to take a class here, do it!

Area U will be offering an Advance and Intermediate class in Diamond Bar on weekend of February 22. Sign up on eAYSO.org if you are interested.

Second guessing ourselves

2008-10-27T19:58:00.000-07:00

A fellow referee posed the following situation and how he handled it. Read it and comment what you think...

U14B. Big crowd in front of net. Attacker about 6 yds off to the left of the goal area line, about 2 yards in from the goal line, shoots across thethe front of the goal.

The ball hits the hand of a defender about 4-5 yards away, who I forget is either facing the attacker or his back to the attacker, I cannot remember, but the ball hits his hand but continues with just about the same velocity and direction across the front of the goal, and then is shortly cleared out of play for a goal kick.

At the time the ball hit the defender's hand, his arm was parallel with his body, his hand was below his waist, about 1-2 inches from his hip.

I made no call, in my opinion the player did not make himself bigger, did not deny a goal scoring opportunity since the ball proceeded in it's projected path with minimal speed reduction. However, post-game, as you replay things in your mind, I was wondering if I should have
called for a PK.

Answer to situation from Week 7 in Review

2008-10-25T18:52:00.000-07:00

Under the AYSO national rules, there are only THREE specific substitution periods in AYSO matches. That said, when the sub period comes and the sub is unavailable in the bathroom, the RED team has two choices:

(1) allow another player to play, and the sub in the bathroom will have to miss that period because there will not be another substitution period before the end of the match. This option ignores the AYSO requirement for playing half the game, and a player being in the bathroom is not sufficient reason to deprive the player of playing time, unless the player were ill.

(2) bring off the two players who are subbing out, and send on the one replacement who is present. The RED team should play with 10 players until the other sub returns. Under the Laws, the sub can enter the field when he is beckoned on by the referee. Indeed, the sub can step on with the ball in play as long as he steps on from the touchline.

Before some of you say it is unfair for the RED team to have to play with only 10, remember the rules are established for both teams, and it is NOT the opposing team's fault the RED sub is not ready at the moment of substitution. There are many situations during which a team must play short. No team as an ABSOLUTE right to 11 players.

Going back to the scenario...

the AR should NOT have given permission to the sub to enter the field. When he did, it created a situation of 12 players on the field.

the Referee was correct to stop play when he saw the extra player run on, but had there been an advantage (scoring opportunity) for the opposing team, the Referee should allow play to continue until RED gained control of the ball or the ball went out of play.

When these situations happen, coming out with a card quickly is not recommended. First, the AR gave the sub permission to enter the field and the sub should not be punished for that error. The Referee should confer with the AR to find out what happened, then make an informed decision.

Had the sub just run onto the field, a caution would be justified for "unsporting behavior" as subs can only be cautioned for unsporting behavior, dissent, or delaying the restart of play.

In this case, since a caution is not appropriate and was rescinded by the referee, the restart should be a dropped ball from the place where the ball was when play was stopped.

Had a caution been administered, the restart should be an IFK for the opposing team from the place where the ball was when play was stopped.

Week 7 in Review

2008-10-25T18:26:00.000-07:00

Let's see how many of you can submit a self assessment this week. They are quite beneficial to the writer (YOU) as well as to fellow referees.

Here's a situation to think about and comment on... (would you have handled it any different?)

A U14 match, where substitution is set at halfway through each half and at half time. The first two sub periods are done. Halfway through the second half, play stops and the referee calls for substitution.

The RED team has two subs out, who will come into the game to complete the minimum playing time requirement. But one RED sub is in the bathroom at that point of the substituion.

So the coach wants to let one of the players subbing out to stay in the game until the sub returns from the bathroom. The referee agrees, and play is restarted.

Five minutes later, the sub from the bathroom approaches the AR and asks permission to go into the game. The AR gives him permission.

The ball is in play, and the RED sub runs on the field. The referee sees an extra player entering the field and stops play. The referee pulls out his yellow card and raises it over his head.

The sub is allowed to remain on the field, and the player who was supposed to be subbed out leaves the field.

Write a comment explaining anything different that you would have done in this situation. I will write a follow up post with the proper procedure and explanation.

Congrats to New Intermediate Referees

2008-10-25T18:11:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Andrew Weber and Robert Silva!

Both completed the final requirements for upgrade to Intermediate Referee.

Robert is only 14 years old, but one of several youth referees who have been mentored well and kept in the program.

Andrew is Region 112's referee scheduler and recently completed requirements as a referee instructor.

Results of Penalty Kick scenario

2008-10-21T20:59:00.000-07:00

Scenario: You extended the half for taking of a penalty kick. Kicker kicks ball, which rebounds off crossbar, hits back of GK and goes into the goal. What actions do you take?

All six of the referees who responded chose the correct answer --- allow the goal.

In this situation, the PK is over when the referee decides it is. In part, that would mean the ball has been kicked and moves and it's either gone out of play, the flight of the ball is such that it cannot be scored without being touched again by the kicker, or the kicker violates Law 14 by kicking the ball backward, rather than forward.

Even though the ball had been kicked and moved, and it had hit the crossbar and was moving away from the goal, the fact that the ball can still be played by the goalkeeper would mean that its deflection from the goalkeeper into the goal should constitute a goal.

A couple ways the PK would be considered NOT completed, even after the ball had been kicked, would be:

ball deflates on its way to the goal
an outside agent touches the ball on the way to the goal
And of course, if there is a violation of Law 14 by both teams, or by the defending team when the ball does not enter the goal, then the PK must be retaken.

Assessor vs. Mentor

2008-10-19T22:02:00.000-07:00

Refereeing organizations like USSF and AYSO make a clear distinction between a Mentor and an Assessor. Mentoring is widely used in many organizations and it’s widely held that mentoring is an informal position, contrasted to an assessor which is usually appointed position that comes after training and certification.

ASSESSOR. In developing referees, the Assessor has an important role as a formal coach to referees.

Assessors generally follow a three-step process:

Build on strengths
Identify areas for improvement
Facilitate on-going development and success

The United States Soccer Federation (USSF) and the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) both have established assessor programs. Assessors are appointed to their position after years of experience, training as an assessor, and practical experience as an assessor. This process ensures consistent assessment, training, and development within the organization. Assessors, and their similarly trained and certified counterparts, Instructors, receive notices of the latest in best practices, policy changes, and law interpretations, which they pass on to the membership. Certified Assessors and Instructors have the job of debunking the many myths of the game that seem to creep into refereeing practices by lesser experienced referees. Questions on laws, mechanics and interpretations should always be referred to a certified Assessor or Instructor.

MENTORS. While certified assessors and instructors hold formal, appointed positions within the organization, mentors are individual referees. In the AYSO, all Intermediate and higher referees are de facto mentors.
Unlike the assessor, who is charged with assessing a referee’s performance, the mentor seeks to support the referee. Indeed, mentors, especially those who are not certified assessors or instructors, should avoid assessing a referee’s performance, but concentrate on affirming the performance, e.g., “Good job” or “Well done.”

Mentors can give referees balance to challenges the newer referee may experience but not understand, i.e., “Hey, I know what it’s like to get yelled at. Here’s some ways I cope with it,” or “Yeah, I’ve had days I’ve asked myself, ‘Why do I do this,' but…”

Mentors can provide career guidance to new referees on how to find a class, what to expect at a higher-level match, how to get an assessment scheduled.

Unlike assessors, mentors are “self appointed;” that is, they either make themselves available to a protégé, or the protégé seeks out the mentor for guidance. Mentoring is not a position like an assessor, rather it’s a value. Indeed, that real value comes in the form of retention!

Soccer loses far too many new referees every year due to the referee’s inability to put his new experience in perspective. As the English FA has recently acknowledged, the lack of new referee retention is truly hurting the game.

Assessors rarely know the subject of the assessment personally, whereas, mentoring is usually a personal, individual relationship. The assessor’s three-step approach contrasts to the mentor who merely shares her experience to help the protégé to get through their life as a referee.

CONCLUSION. Mentoring and assessing are two, separate processes, and the mentor and the assessor are two, separate positions. Both roles are important but clearly distinct.

Important Link from English FA

2008-10-11T22:38:00.000-07:00

The English FA has started a compaign to promote respect toward referees, recognizing that improper behavior toward referees has led to a lack of available referees to officiate games. No referees; no games.

Take a look at the link: http://www.thefa.com/TheFA/Respect/

After you check out the link, post a comment on what you think about it.

Week 5 - Week in Review

2008-10-11T21:03:00.000-07:00

Please submit your self assessments by clicking on the comment link below this post. Your self assessment can be of something you thought went well, or something, that in after thought, you would differently in the future.

Here are a few observations for this week:

We are about halfway throught the season and there have been very few aggravated incidents by coaches or spectators toward referees. That's a credit to coaches and referees alike. We work as a team on the field!

The use of technical areas and spectator lines have gone along way to set expectations early. A number of person have commented that using them in managing the games has made a big difference.

A number of referees at the pizza meeting tonight commented on how doing a good pre-game talk with their referee team really helped in their game.

Lucas Del Toro, one of your youth referees, made a great call today, recognizing an offside situation when the player in the offside position game back, behind the defenders to play the ball. Well done, Lucas.

Thanks to Mike Raycraft for mentoring some new referees this weekend. All referees, Intermediate and above, are defacto mentors. Mentors' function are to provide support to new referees. When mentoring, please refer any questions on the Law or proper mechanics to this blog or to a certified referee instructor or assessor.

One questions that was posed, I have made into the poll for the week. Vote on the poll, then find the answer in Advice to Referees.

Results of Poll - GK hanging from crossbar

2008-10-11T19:32:00.000-07:00

Blue attacking Red. Shot at the goal, the 6-foot tall Red GK jumps to the cross bar and hangs from it. Ball hits his chest and he saves it. What action(s) would you take?

Let play continue 5 of 11 polled
Allowing play to continue ignores that soccer was not designed to be played by hanging from the crossbar. Actions such as this bring the game into disrepute. Similar type behavior might be a goalkeeper lying down in the goal area during a match, or lighting a cigarette on the field.

Stop play and caution the player 3 of 11 polled
CORRECT ANSWER. Bringing the game into disrepute falls under unsporting behavior, a cautionable offense. Thus, play should be stopped to issue the caution. The restart for such an action is an IFK. As the ball was in the goal area at the point of stoppage, it must be brought out to the 6y line (line parallel to and 6yds from the goal line). The restart will be for the attacking team (Blue).

Stop play, send off GK 0 of 11 polled
To choose this, you would have to be able to say this was a denying-goal-scoring opportunity (DGSO). When you consider the GK was horsing around or showing off, and would have saved the shot whether hanging from crossbar or not, this would not meet DGSO. Had this been a defender other than the GK and the ball touched the player's arm as he hung from the crossbar, you would have had a DGSO.

Stop play, caution GK, penalty kick 3 of 11 polled
This answer would violate the Laws. The reason for stopping play is misconduct, to issue a caution or send off, and the restart to that is IFK, NOT a penalty kick. In this case, even if the ball had touched the player's hands or arms, the result would be the same as the player was the GK in his own penalty area.

Thanks for taking the poll. Make any comments to this poll by clicking the link below.

Coaches Must Display Coaching Cards

2008-10-07T21:49:00.000-07:00

This is a requirement for AYSO Region 112. Coaches and assistant coaches MUST have their risk management ID displayed in one of three ways:

1) on a lanyard around the neck (over the outer most article of clothing);
2) pinned to the outter most article of clothing (shirt or jacket); or
3) pinned to a hat or cap.

Coaches who don't abide by this requirement, established since 2004, should be warned and directed to correct it. If not corrected, report the omission on the match report.

To be clear, all coaches and asst. coaches (max of one each per game, per team) must have their ID card with them while coaching a game. If they do not, they may NOT coach the players.

If you are a referee outside AYSO Region 112, check with your league's requirements. They may differ.

How to Subscribe to Blog

2008-10-06T23:11:00.000-07:00

Look at the bottom of the right side of the blog and you will find two links: One inserts an RSS link in your personal web page so you see the most recent POSTS to the Blog. The other installs a link to list the most recent COMMENTS in the Blog. Try it!

Results of Poll on GK pick up ball after AR flag

2008-10-06T20:13:00.000-07:00

Lots of interest in this poll! I hope this analysis generates some discussion. Please comment. Here’s the scenario again:

“Red attacking out of their half and send ball high and long over heads of Blue defenders and one Red attacker standing in offside position. AR raises his flag, but you wave it down. Ball is just outside of PA and GK comes out and picks up ball.”

This situation tests the letter of the law against the spirit of the law and examines our ability as referees to put the game in perspective and keep the game fair for all.

Choice 1: Let play continue. 1 of 18 polled
While I’ll say there is NO absolutely right answer, to this situation (as you will see); there is a wrong answer, and this would be it. SOMETHING has happened and play cannot continue: the other choices allude to possibilities, either a foul for deliberately handling the ball, outside interference, or offside. The question becomes, what to call it and how to handle it.

Choice 2: Direct free kick. 16 of 18 polled
This choice would be the obvious one, certainly in keeping with the letter of the law. The referee has not stopped play, waving down the AR’s offside flag. This would be the correct answer IF you felt the goalkeeper tried to gain some advantage by playing the ball with his hands outside the penalty area. But if there was no opponent around, was that what was really happening? What if the goalkeeper saw the AR’s flag go up, other players stop playing, and assumed/expected the whistle would follow as he picked up the ball to send it back down field for the presumed IFK restart?

Choice 3: Dropped ball 0 of 18 polled
This choice might fit if you decided there was some kind of outside interference. Sure, you recognized the attacker pulled up when the AR’s flag went up. It appears the goalkeeper may have been confused seeing the flag up and just assumed the whistle was blown, so he came out of the penalty area to pick up the ball to send it back for the offside restart. Hmm, could a flag from the AR be considered outside interference? Is it interference at all, especially if it is raised in error? Was the AR’s flag an error? How different is an AR's flag raised prematurely or in error, different from a Referee's whistle blown in error?

Choice 4: Indirect Free Kick 1 of 18 polled
Considering Law 11, this choice is still viable. The “moment of judgment” was when the ball was kicked by the team of the player in the offside position. That moment of judgment continued until the point the goalkeeper controlled the ball. Yes, at one point you did decide their was not “active play” and you waved down the AR’s flag. Given what’s transpired, you might wish you could undo that “wave down” because that would let you go back to the AR’s flag and call this offside. Well, given all that, it seems the offside player’s position DID indeed interfere with play, yes? Even though you waved down the flag, you were still within the same moment of judgment. If you determined the player’s offside position did indeed interfere, you can still call the offside infringement. This choice combines the application of Law 11 and oft referred to "Law 18, Common Sense."

I will go out on a limb and say that I would choose #4.

I hope this gets you to think a little. Having read this analysis, would you change your mind now? Post your comments; continue the discussion.

Week 4 in Review

2008-10-04T18:31:00.000-07:00

Here are some things I saw this week:

ASSESSMENTS AND UPGRADES. Congratulations to Neil Fancher and John Sedor, both who successfully completed their Advance Referee assessments today. They now join the top 2 percent of AYSO referees in the nation!!!

Katrina Beltran made an excellent run to the goal line, and was in perfect position to view the ball saved ON the goal line. I saw at least a half dozen situations today where the ball in or out of the goal was very close. ARs need to use speed and heads-up thinking to recognize the need to get to that goal line with the ball. No goal until we see the ball completely over the goal line.

In what hand to hold the flag. Unless signaling, ARs should always hold the flag in the hand nearest the Referee. This means we have to keep switching the flag between hands as we change directions.

Mechanics at the Penalty Kick. When the referee calls a foul that results in a penalty kick, the referee team should be well aware of what's happened by the referee's signal (running toward PK and pointing at spot) as well as by the tone of his whistle (loud and long). The lead AR should walk smartly to the intersection of the goal line and the penalty area (see diagram above) and hold the flag to the inside of the field. At this point, the AR can assist the Referee with getting the PK underway by encouraging the goalkeeper to step on the goal line. If this is discussed in the pre-game, the AR can give a thumbs-up to the Referee, saving the R from having to approach the goalkeeper.

If the goalkeeper comes off the goal line after the R's whistle for the PK and BEFORE the ball is kicked AND the ball does not go into the goal, then the AR should signal the R by holding the flag horizontally across the AR's waist (see picture above). The R will decide whether to retake the PK or not.

Self Assessments. Okay Referees, it's time to send your short self assessments. I only got a couple last week. You can write them directly to this post, or you can send me an email, and I'll add your self assessment to the blog.

Results of Passback Poll

2008-10-03T18:44:00.000-07:00

We had 7 referees respond to the poll on how to handle a situation of a defender miskicking a ball, then the defender's goalkeeper handles the ball in his own penalty area. Three of seven said to stop play and award an IFK to the other team; and four said to let play continue.

The correct action should be to stop play and award an IFK.

Read the reason in 12.20 in Advice to Referees. It's linked on the right of the page. Primary considerations are the player "kicked the ball" rather than the ball just glancing off him from another player's action; the GK picked up the ball in the PA.

Thanks to all who took the poll.

New feature

2008-10-01T22:12:00.000-07:00

I've added a list of links to USSF memo and clips on the right hand sidebar of the Blog. USSF has created a channel on Youtube where it posts its instructional clips. The channel is named ussoccerdotcom. The first two links are the clip and memo related to the "passback" violation discussed earlier.

Wish I said that in the Pre-game

2008-09-30T20:30:00.000-07:00

You are in the middle of a match when something happens, maybe out of the ordinary, and then you think, "Darn, I wish I had talked to the ARs about this."

So think back about one of those situations. What was it you should have covered, but didn't?

Reply to this post in a comment and I'll compile your answers into a comprehensive list.

Deliberate Kick to GK from teammate

2008-09-29T21:55:00.000-07:00

CLARIFYING THE LAWS OF THE GAME FOR COACHES AND REFEREES
LAW 12 --- Laws of the Game

An indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a goalkeeper, inside his own penalty area, commits any of the following four offenses:
• touches the ball with his hands after it has been deliberately kicked to him by a team-mate

I wanted to clarify the application of this part of Law 12 for everyone.........

The word here that is commonly misunderstood and mis-applied is deliberate.

Deliberate refers to the fact that the player kicking the ball ACTED (deliberately) kicked the ball, as opposed to the ball merely glancing off the player's leg caused by some other player's action.

Deliberate does NOT refer to whether the player who kicked the ball meant to or intended to kick the ball TO THE GOALKEEPER.

Consider these two scenarios:

1. RED attacking BLUE. RED kicks the ball toward BLUE's goal, but the ball glances off BLUE defender's foot, and goes to BLUE's goalkeeper. The goalkeeper picks up the ball within his own penalty area.

2. RED attacking BLUE. RED kicks the ball toward BLUE's goal. BLUE defender intercepts the ball but is confronted quickly by RED. BLUE turns with the ball, facing his own goal, and kicks the ball toward three teammates, two fullbacks and his own goalkeeper. The fullbacks let the ball pass them and it rolls to the goalkeeper, who picks it up in his own penalty area.

In scenario #1, there is NO offense by the goalkeeper as the defender did NOT deliberately kick the ball. The ball merely glanced off his foot, directed from another player's action.

In scenario #2, the referee should stop play with the whistle and award an IFK to the RED team at the point the goalkeeper picked up the ball with his hands in his own penalty area.

Explanation. There is no way the referee could read the intent of the kicker, whether he meant to kick the ball to the goalkeeper or another teammate, and the referee does not need to read such intent. The violation is on the part of the goalkeeper. Since the goalkeeper's teammate purposely, intentionally, deliberately KICKED the ball (struck it with his foot), then the prohibition is on the goalkeeper to refrain from handling the ball directly from this kick. The goalkeeper has the ability to play the ball in any manner at this point, other than using his hands.

Similarly, if the ball came from his teammate in any other way other than kicked (struck with the foot), the goalkeeper could handle the ball in his own penalty area without infringing the law, e.g. from the knee, head, thigh, chest, etc.

Here's an explanation from Advice to Referees
12.20 BALL KICKED TO THE GOALKEEPER

A goalkeeper infringes Law 12 if he or she touches the ball with the hands directly after it has been deliberately kicked to him or her by a teammate. The requirement that the ball be kicked means only that it has been played with the foot. The requirement that the ball be "kicked to" the goalkeeper means only that the play is to or toward a place where the ‘keeper can legally handle the ball. The requirement that the ball be "deliberately kicked" means that the play on the ball is deliberate and does not include situations in which the ball has been, in the opinion of the referee, accidentally deflected or misdirected.

One caveat, the player who sends the ball to the goalkeeper canNOT circumvent the Law by juggling the ball from his foot to some other part of his body and touch it to the goalkeeper. In doing so, the player passing the ball has committed misconduct for unsporting behavior, and play should be stopped to caution the player, regardless of whether the goalkeeper handles the ball. Again, the caution would go to the player passing the ball, not to the goalkeeper. The restart would be an IFK from the place where the passing player circumvented the law.

Here's the reference from Advice to Referees --- 12.28.1 12th bullet

• Engages in trickery to circumvent the goalkeeper's limitation on handling the ball played from a teammate's foot (the defender who initiates the "trickery" is cautioned, the decision does not require that the goalkeeper actually handles the ball, and the misconduct can occur during dynamic play or at a restart).

I hope this explanation clarifies things for coaches, referees, and players

Drawing the technical area

2008-09-29T20:48:00.000-07:00

One major theme for this season is managing the technical area and the spectator line. Establishing expectations BEFORE the game starts goes a long way to limiting interference from outside the touchlines. Here's a diagram you can follow when marking the technical area. 1 yard equals one big step.

Self Assessments from Week 3

2008-09-29T20:19:00.000-07:00

Here are some self-assessments and situations returned to me from your fellow referees. Some very good analyses and lessons learned. These summaries show how good all of you really are, especially when you work as a team. My comments follow in blue type.

Parents who coach. I was an AR on the RED sideline which had some vociferous parents. The CR asked the coach to talk to one particular parent who was consistently 'coaching' the players from the sidelines. When the coach asked the parent to quiet down, the parent in a low voice used some profanity and whined that 'it's absurd for the refs to expect the parents to not say anything from the sideline'. I was tempted to turn around and say something to this parent but resisted since I have been trained to work through the coach. Of course, this parent continued his 'coaching' from the sidelines.

Well handled by the referee team here. Let's put a couple things in perspective: First, you will never completely eliminate parents, or wannabe coaches, from coaching unaccountably from the comfort of their beach chairs. Second, referees need to pick our fights. The AR was right not to "add to" this situation after the Referee addressed it. Here's a guide to gauge "coaching by parents." Is it affecting the game? Are players frustrated by it? Is it interfering with the game? Is the parent apparently usurping the coach's position? Is the parent in the technical area or running up and down touchline in front of the spectator line? Are parent's remarks negative or demeaning? Is parent trying to coach whole team rather than just his own kid? If answer to these questions is NO, then probably better to let the "coaching" go. But if answer to any questions is YES, probably good idea to address the situation, first through the coach. Of course, the farther away those "parents coaching" are from the touchline, the less a problem they are, so all the more reason to enforce that 3 yard spectator line. Well done!

Managing substitution period. I had to ask the coach to not allow his players to come off the field during the water breaks but he did not seem able to enforce this with his players. It was a U12 game so I did not get too excited about it. Also, when I asked this coach about his subs in the last 'quarter' of the game, he sat out 3 of the girls who had already sat out in the first half of the game while he had players on the field who had not sat out at all. I reminded him that each girl is supposed to play 3/4 of the game, he said he would be better prepared for his next game.

The referee is correct here: it's nearly impossible to get the coaches to enforce this. It really should not happen at all though. In a perfect world, the players coming off should step off the field and their sub replacements should step on. Again, this is an example of picking your battles. Best thing to do is quickly count the players on the field immediately after the substitution is complete AND before play restarts. Requiring the subs to sit in the technical area can make your count quicker and more accurate when you already know the team as 3 subs and you see all three sitting down.

On the matter of the coach not playing his players all three quarters. You handled it properly, but make sure you make a note on back of the game card indicating he was informed but chose NOT to play them anyway. The coach needs to be talked to by the Coach Administrator. Those kids paid for a whole season, and they are guaranteed to play at least 3/4's' of it.

Ball in and out of play. WHITE had the ball and were dribbling up the touchline. RED player was trying to attack to take the ball away; WHITE maintained control very close to the touchline. The ball actually rolled on the touchline but never went outside the plane of the field; the RED coach and parents thought it had gone out of play and were yelling that it had, I just shook my head that it did not go out of play, the CR called out "play on" and the girls never stopped playing. Of course, the vociferous parents made their comments but I did not respond; it was the right call.

Another well handled situation by the referee team!!! You are the only neutral team out there. Expect teams and supporters to act in their own interest, just don't let them influence your decision. Common error by new referees is to anticipate the ball going out of player before it actually does. You and your ref team did a great job!!! Only use "play on" to acknowledge that you've seen a foul but you are giving advantage. In this situation, say, "keep playing girls" or "still in."

Player management. A rather large kid in a U10 Boys match seemed to be getting a bit too aggressive (kinda pushing) and to make sure no accidents would occur later in the game, I took the player aside and told him to watch the pushing. A bit later in the game, I saw the same player blatantly push another player with one of this hands, I instantly blew my whistle and awarded a direct kick for the other team. I warned the player once again and thankfully, there were no more fouls committed by that player for the rest of the match. I should have corrected the player by awarding the other team a kick when he first started pushing, then he would've most likely not fouled for the rest of the match. Main lesson of the summary: Correct a problem before it gets worst.

Wow, can you believe this summary came from one of our youth referees? Beautiful!!! Eamon, you underestimate yourself. I think you handled this exactly right. I'm so impressed with your level of refereeing. "Player management" is a part of refereeing that only comes with experience and a higher level of understanding. Your first word to the player, just a friendly, private word, let him know about your concern. Such early intervention is important. When he fouled again, you called the foul and spoke to him with a public word (taking him aside as everyone saw you speak to him). Clearly, that had an effect, too. And notice, all done withOUT a card. As referees, we can never prevent all fouls, but we do want to prevent misconduct, and we can, through early intervention like what Eamon used. A great example of how "Refereeing is Thinking."

You are all doing a great job. These summaries show that. Thanks for the self assessments. I look forward to sharing more with you. Keep them coming.

Week 3 - September 27, 2008

2008-09-29T18:54:00.000-07:00

Saw more great refereeing this week. Many of our new referees have used the last three weeks to hone their training and put it to good use. Many of our more senior referees have mentored these new referees to help them along . . . thank you.

You all have homework this week. Keep reading to the end…

THE TECHNICAL AREA AND SIDELINE BEHAVIOR
Consistent use of the technical area and spectator lines has been a positive influence on the games so far this season. Continue to establish “boundaries,” literally and figuratively, BEFORE each game starts by asking coaches to have spectators behind the MARKED spectator lines (3 yards off the touchlines). When such lines are marked before the game, spectators tend to set up behind the lines without any prompting. Also remind coaches to remain inside their MARKED technical area. Kimberly King and I recently sent out diagrams of the technical area and spectator lines.

Substitutes should also be sitting down in the technical area so if a player is injured and needs to be subbed out, the subs are right there to get it done. Remember too, when subs are sitting among the spectators it’s hard to know if they belong to your game or if they are athletes for another team, just in the same uniform. If you know a team has a squad of 14 players, you can get a quick assessment of how many are on the field by seeing the three substitutes in the technical area, 14 – 3 = 11. If you don’t see the three, then you should quickly count to make sure you don’t have more than 11 on the field.

CAUTIONING PLAYERS – Here are a few tips on how to know if you should caution a player.
Does the player need it? Does the game need it? A referee should ask herself these two questions anytime she contemplates the need to caution a player. If a friendly or public word, even a stern-talking-to will work just as well, then that’s what we should do, especially with youth matches.

What to caution for… There are 7, and only 7, caution-able offenses, and only two of them deal with fouling: Unsporting Behavior and Persistent Infringement. Let’s talk about those.

To caution for fouling that is unsporting, the foul should be considered by the Referee as reckless, which means it was more than just careless, and done to gain a tactical advantage or to intimidate the opponent.

Persistent infringement can be cautioned when the referee notices a pattern of fouling, whether by a single player against several opponents, or by several players against one opponent. Usually PI is cautioned when the pattern is seen in a short amount of time. The pattern of fouls do not have to be reckless and some might even be trifling or not called due to advantage. Few players below the age of 14 commit such fouls and cautions for UB and PI should be infrequent in U14 and below. Remember, Does the player need it; Does the game need it? If not, keep the card in your pocket and use your player-management skills.

HOMEWORK. I have an assignment for everyone:
I’d like you to summarize a situation you experienced as a referee or assistant referee this week and post it here. Your summary should be a short self assessment. Take a situation that you either handled well or one you maybe did not handle as well as you like, but you learned something from it.

Here’s an example of one.

In the second half, RED was attacking in the opponent’s half. Play moved toward my touchline, within about 5 yards. GRN player was beaten by one step by the RED player with the ball, so GRN reached his arm out to push RED, just enough to throw off his balance. I quickly glanced up to see the referee was blocked in his view, then I quickly saw GRN extend his arm across RED’s body and push a second time. I realized that as GRN had now fouled RED twice and the Referee was apparently blocked from view, I signaled the DFK for RED. I felt my decision was necessary to avert possible retaliation by the RED player should the fouling continue unaddressed. The Referee acknowledged my signal and we restarted play with the free kick.

Here's another:

U10 match, Blue was attacking in Gray's penalty area. A high ball was heading to Gray's goal as a Gray defender reached up with his arm above his head. The ball glances off his fist but continues to the goal. Everyone starts yelling "handball, handball," but I realized the ball could still be scored so I did not blow my whistle, but instead yell, "advantage, play on!" Within less than a second, the ball landed at the base of the goal post, hit the posted and the goalkeeper fell on it. I blew my whistle and pointed to the penalty mark, indicating a penalty kick. The advantage that I originally called was not realized so I called the foul and awarded the PK.

Self assessments of our games makes us better referees by reflecting on our strengths and weaknesses and learning from them. I look forward to reading some of your self assessments. By the way, professional referees are required to write self assessments after their matches. Good enough for them, is good enough for us.

PAUL VERNON
Dir. of Referee Instruction and Assessment
Region 112

Welcome Referees

2008-09-29T18:29:00.000-07:00

I started this blog for all the referees volunteering for AYSO Region 112 in the La Verne / San Dimas area of the east San Gabriel Valley. Each week, or more often, I will post observations, themes, clarifications, and more related to refereeing soccer. This blog will follow the similar format used by USSF on its pro site, but as a blog, we can use it as two way communication.

Since the beginning of the Fall 2008 season I have been sending similar information by email to the region's referees. I hope this blog will be more useful, user friendly and easier to update.

I only ask that you keep the posts to the topic of soccer refereeing. Also, please keep comments professional, polite, and constructive. I reserve the right to edit posts to avoid any offense to another person.

Paul Vernon
Director of Referee Instruction and Assessment
AYSO Region 112