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Amateur or Professional?

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NTSSA State In-Service Clinic 2011 2

Purpose

The purpose of this training is for referees to acquire a new paradigm or to gain an epiphany on how they approach Division 1 and 2 games

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Vive le différence…

• Professional versus amateur• Who is the referee’s customer? – For one: the audience – For the other: the player

• One is paid to play soccer– The other plays for the love of the game

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Understand the Culture.

• The Africans (not African-Americans) grow up in a very different environment.

• Very proud• Hourly paid menial labor• High skill level (play 100 hours a week)• Bragging rights – want the trophy

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Understand the Culture.

• The Hispanics (not Hispanic Americans) also grow up in a very different environment.

• Very religious• Hourly paid menial labor• High skill level (play 100 hours a week)• Bragging rights – want the trophy

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How do they play?

• Both cultures play pickup games – without a referee and without a fight

• Most often they see the foul coming and avoid it

• Handling is cheating – unacceptable behavior• They come to PLAY and are passionate about

their game!

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What does this mean?

• The referee needs to understand the culture• Understand what to call and not call• Otherwise, the referee will cause the

temperature level of the game to rise• Calling the game off is never acceptable

behavior and can have severe repercussions

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What should the referee do?

• Be creative and establish rapport • During pre-game make sure the ARs

understand the need to be selective in calls• Talk to the players constantly, lots of use of

voice – scream, “No foul!” before the event

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Prepare for the Game

• Look up the teams performance• Find out what happened in prior meetings– If the web site is not updated• Ask other referees

• Google the team name– Some have a team web site

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Referee Know Yourself!

• To thine own self be true! - Shakespeare• Do you have BMT? (Big Match Temperament)– Some referees perform better – the bigger the

game, the better they perform• Under pressure – they FOCUS

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Referee, Know Yourself!

Other referees, as the game progresses and the dissent rises, blow the whistle more weakly.•Under pressure – they FOLD

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Find the balance

• The hardest thing to teach a new referee is how to blow the whistle.

• After they learn that, then we have to teach them not to blow the whistle–WAIT: if player is fouled, does the

player look for the whistle or get up and play?

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Find the balance

• Find the balance – where both teams accept calls made and not made. REMEMBER they are used to playing without a referee

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What does the referee bring?

No referee = No trophy So a referee is needed

• With no referee, if a trivial foul–They get up and play on – the

player reacts to the responses from team mates

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What does the referee bring?

• With a referee, they are immediately testing the referee. If he gives them the trivial foul, the precedent is set. Be prepared to whistle every trivial foul or watch the dissent rise–As the player would – tune into the

teams response to the foul

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Cautions

• Remember, a caution is a CALMING exercise

• Do not flash cards – remember these teams are used to playing without referees, so a card could be a personal insult (unless it is a pride issue and retaliation for something the referee missed)

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Be creative

• What can you do to control the game without resorting to cards?–Build rapport–Find some humor–Slow the game down•With substitutes, or go and chat with

an AR if needed

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Be creative

–Talk to the coach (higher level amateurs will have one)–Get to know the names as they call

to each other–Talk to all the players before or at

half time

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Advantage

• In a scrimmage, there is no advantage. A foul is a foul.

• In a game ONLY a referee calls an advantage–Be sure to find the time to talk to the

offended player and explain the advantage call

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Advantage discussion

• DO NOT engage in argument about the severity of a foul –

diffuse the situation • “I am sorry if you thought the

foul more severe than I did.” and move on

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Take a risk

• Please do not risk losing control BUT– Before giving a caution, ask”• WHAT DO I EXPECT FOR THIS CAUTION– If the answer is regain control of the game – issue

caution– If the game is hot and YOU (yes, the referee) have

not found the balance TRY TO TALK THE PLAYER DOWN

• Taking a risk can pay off. The referee can always issue a caution at any subsequent event – so consider carefullyNTSSA State In-Service Clinic 2011 22

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5 levels of control

• Voice• Whistle• Yellow card• Red card• Abandon gameNote that it is a PROGRESSION. Once one level does not work, the referee must go to the next.

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approach?• The referee gets to finish more games• The players start requesting the referee and do

not see the referee as an opponent• The players request referees for finals – the

ultimate complimentThe major difference is after game players from both teams thank the referee– Compared to the referee needing a police escort

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Accepting a final

• When players request referees for finals – it is the ultimate compliment

• Leagues should make the same fuss of a job well done by the officials as the league does of the winning team– DO NOT ACCEPT A FINAL WITH A FRIEND

PLAYING– THAT IS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE REASON TO

REQUEST AN OFFICIAL and violates the referee Code of Ethics!NTSSA State In-Service Clinic 2011 25

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The Epiphany

• The player comes to play – looks forward to playing, and is passionate about playing

• Without a referee, the players can get through a full scrimmage

• When YOU - the referee - are thrown into the formula, YOUR CALLS OR NON-CALLS change the tone of the game

• Issue cards with caution!

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Pride in Playing

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Is this all new?

• If you think this is all new…• Here it is – straight off the

assessment sheet

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Assessment Criteria

NTSSA State In-Service Clinic 2011 29

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l?Referee Criteria 1:

Personality and Communication1.1 Personality and Presence: Influencing the Future• Varied personality to defuse and prevent

the NEXT foul• Personality / presence influenced

outcome, channeled players to act positively

• Personality offered a calming influence, body language appropriate

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l?Referee Criteria 1:

Personality and Communication• Referee utilized creative

techniques and out-of-box thinking to prevent and manage situations• Referee changed temperament

and approach as game dictated thereby sending effective messages

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l?Referee Criteria 1:

Personality and Communication1.2 Communication• Established “open line of

communication” with players and coaches without being overly communicative

• Used all communication tools to “Draw the line in the sand” so all know what to expect

• Used more than the whistle to communicate and manage the game

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l?Referee Criteria 1:

Personality and Communication• Utilized “down time” to

manage players and the game• Knows when to use the “quiet

word” vs. the public admonishment• Proactive communicator

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l?Referee Criteria 2:

Game Control and Flow2.1 Misconduct: Game or Player Need It• Got the 100% Misconduct

situations correct• Moments of truth addressed

appropriately• Cautions given because the game

and/or player needed it

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l?Referee Criteria 2:

Game Control and Flow• Used personality to manage / control the

game versus card as the situation / game dictated

• Referee got something in return for the cards issued

• Referee utilized preventative techniques to eliminate / prevent misconduct

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l?Referee Criteria 2:

Game Control and Flow2.2 “Big Picture” Approach in Game Context• Did not use the “big picture” as an

excuse for not addressing 100% misconduct situations• Was a “proactive referee”• Used discretion and common sense• Decisions were fair

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l?Referee Criteria 2:

Game Control and Flow2.3 Allowed Game Flow – Took Risks• Encouraged flow through calculated

risk taking• Recognized the minor/trifling/soft

challenges (what players accepted)• Ensured player safety was not at risk• Applied advantage as required

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l?Referee Criteria 2:

Game Control and Flow2.4 Foul Recognition / Discrimination• Discretion and common sense• Managed the game to maximum

enjoyment and entertainment• Felt the “temperature” of the

game and increased influence

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l?Referee Criteria 2:

Game Control and Flow• Avoided decisions that would have

been technically correct but practically wrong• Used consistency and applied

equality and fairness in decisions• “Smelled” / anticipated the foul

before it occurredNTSSA State In-Service Clinic 2011 39

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l?Referee Criteria 2:

Game Control and Flow2.5 Tactical Approach• Understood the tactical/technical

approach of the teams/players and adjusted as the game required

• Ability to “read” game and adjust• Utilize flexible game plan keeping with

the changing demands of the game• Identified “key” players

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l?Referee Criteria 3:

Teamwork•Referee empowered the team

– Created an environment which ensured “critical game situations” were addressed

• Preparation / pregame– Reflected research / prior history of the teams

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Review

• The amateur players come to play• Higher division teams play for pride• Higher division players often have menial

positions, this is their opportunity to excel and feel good about themselves

• Culture has an impact on how the player and or team perform

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Review

• The referee has a direct impact upon the game

• The referee needs to be prepared and prepare the team

• The referee needs to be creative, build rapport apply preventative measures

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Review

• Game management needs to reflect the tone of the game

• The referee should use personality to control the game versus card

• If issued, the referee should gain something in return for the card

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In Conclusion

• To successfully referee and finish a division 1 or 2 game, it is entirely in the hands (or pockets) of the well prepared referee

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