We Need More Refs

[Claymore]

Just curious what the various states associations are doing to retain referees.

[Footer Phooter]

Just curious what the various states associations are doing to retain referees.


Cracking down on harrassment would be a good start.

[phillips10]

Cracking down on harrassment would be a good start.

yes include coaches as well as the fans...

[Ref Flunkie]

Increased pay and tossing coaches/parents from the leagues if they are found guilty of harrassment would do the trick IMO.

[Footer Phooter]

yes include coaches as well as the fans...


I find the fans to be much worse. I feel like I have recourse with the coaches. Yellow cards usually do the trick (our leagues encourage using cards). I've actually had two times this season where I've had enough of the fans that I think "I'm done with this, I'm not taking any more games". I then reconsider after a couple of days.

[Claymore]

OK, I'll fill it in a little bit.

What I'm asking is whether your state has any formal programs, such as mentoring, to help retain and advance newer refs.

As regards harrassment, all senior refs in MD are expected to actively protect younger/newer refs from parental and/or coach abuse.

[IASocFan]

We give a 10% bonus to any ref doing 10 games in a season, pay at the site for U8 and U10s, and encourage select players and parents to take the level 8 class.

[njref]

We don't seem to have a shortage of refs in my town. There is a big youth program that generates young refs. We have an assignor who goes out of his way to give younger referees center experience. The assignor also ropes older referees into informal mentoring as A/R or from sidelines. Fortunately, we don't seem to have a huge problem with spectators and coaches in our town. So at the rec level when referees start out they are not savaged. Of course the older refs watch out for any problems.

Why are the fans/coaches better? Higher income area, and a local club that emphasizes skills and fun and participation over winning.

[DerbyRam54]

Besides doing things to retain refs there could be room for improvement in getting newly-qualified refs into circulation. So far this season I've had two games, and those came about because of contacts between one of the women I coach in an O-30 team and the ref assignor in the town where we play.
I called the assignors in my home town, gave them my availability, was assigned one game that directly conflicted with my schedule so I had to decline it, and haven't heard anything more. Maybe they have enough refs.
Not sure if I should be calling assignors in other towns, seems a bit bass-ackwards to me, I would have thought they'd have been informed of newly available refs in their area.

[MassachusettsRef]

Why are the fans/coaches better? Higher income area, and a local club that emphasizes skills and fun and participation over winning.I understand what you're saying, but I'd be careful of painting with such a broad brush in the first part of your statement; it's the second part that really matters.

Some of the worst abuse I've seen has occurred at state/regional cups and premier tournaments, where club directors and top coaches of affluent teams are making almost six-figures and parents' kids are literally playing for hundreds of thousands in scholarship money.

[Garkbit]

I understand what you're saying, but I'd be careful of painting with such a broad brush in the first part of your statement; it's the second part that really matters.

Some of the worst abuse I've seen has occurred at state/regional cups and premier tournaments, where club directors and top coaches of affluent teams are making almost six-figures and parents' kids are literally playing for hundreds of thousands in scholarship money.

Seconded, this sometimes holds true across the pond as well. I referee on two very different men's leagues on Saturday and Sunday: the Saturday league has rather a lot of well-spoken, decent car-driving players and managers who turn into dirty cheating fouling whinging diving hellspawn once they get within a couple of yards of a football pitch, and the Sunday league has a fair contingent of common-as-muck cheeky chappies who are an absolute joy to referee.

[Ref Flunkie]

I understand what you're saying, but I'd be careful of painting with such a broad brush in the first part of your statement; it's the second part that really matters.

Some of the worst abuse I've seen has occurred at state/regional cups and premier tournaments, where club directors and top coaches of affluent teams are making almost six-figures and parents' kids are literally playing for hundreds of thousands in scholarship money.

Agreed, it can even be worse with affluent parents/coaches because they are thinking "We pay all this money, our little Johnny MUST be the next world cup star!". Abusive parents/coaches all have the same mentality, no matter their socioeconomic class.

[Citiref]

I'm not aware of any programs to help retain referees, but the assignors here do a good job of "protecting" the younger referees from abusive parents and coaches. It's not that much of a problem locally anyway, but when the Colorado parents come up, it's a whole different story ;)

[gildarkevin]

Our local referee's association (not the state, but a private entity), decided to provide a bonus to any ref who recruits a new referee that refs a certain minimum number of games in his first season. That also holds true for the 2nd season that the new ref works -- meet another minimum and the new ref gets his or her recert paid for and the older ref gets another bonus.

The idea is part recruitment/part retention, as it gives the older referee an incentive to act as a mentor. Of course, it stops after these two seasons, but we hope that once someone has gotten through the first couple seasons, they're usually hooked, as the drop out rate is significantly higher early on due to things like harrassment.

Sadly, one of the worst instances of referee harrassment I've seen came this past weekend from a coach who is also a referee -- and one considered to be an up and comer in the local area. Some success appears to have gotten to his head and in berating the center ref for a perceived bad call and asked for his name upon being carded (per league rules) for dissent said "I'm the 2004 young referee of the year of [this association] that's my name, write it down".

That simply cannot happen.

[phillips10]

I find the fans to be much worse. I feel like I have recourse with the coaches. Yellow cards usually do the trick (our leagues encourage using cards). I've actually had two times this season where I've had enough of the fans that I think "I'm done with this, I'm not taking any more games". I then reconsider after a couple of days.

I would agree the fans are probably worse most weekends....I do a variety of youth games and it amazes me when you down at like the U-11 or 12 range you find coaches you dont know the rules and/or ride you like some of the fans. Of course you can quickly shut those guys up with a caution, but its still dissapointing.

[Footer Phooter]

Agreed, it can even be worse with affluent parents/coaches because they are thinking "We pay all this money, our little Johnny MUST be the next world cup star!". Abusive parents/coaches all have the same mentality, no matter their socioeconomic class.


We have a few "affluent" areas in the DC region. There's one area (name withheld), that I grimmace every time I get an assignment there, because something ALWAYS happens.

[whitehound]

Besides doing things to retain refs there could be room for improvement in getting newly-qualified refs into circulation. So far this season I've had two games, and those came about because of contacts between one of the women I coach in an O-30 team and the ref assignor in the town where we play.
I called the assignors in my home town, gave them my availability, was assigned one game that directly conflicted with my schedule so I had to decline it, and haven't heard anything more. Maybe they have enough refs.
Not sure if I should be calling assignors in other towns, seems a bit bass-ackwards to me, I would have thought they'd have been informed of newly available refs in their area.
connecticut has a real shortage of experienced referees. Problem for you is getting yourself the reputation of being experienced. Dont give up. Keep shopping yourself around and you will get there.

[whitehound]

We have a few "affluent" areas in the DC region. There's one area (name withheld), that I grimmace every time I get an assignment there, because something ALWAYS happens.
I miss the DC area. Wish I was back.....You can do 15 adult games a week if you want.........no parents or coaches there!

[Claymore]

Sadly, one of the worst instances of referee harrassment I've seen came this past weekend from a coach who is also a referee -- and one considered to be an up and comer in the local area. Some success appears to have gotten to his head and in berating the center ref for a perceived bad call and asked for his name upon being carded (per league rules) for dissent said "I'm the 2004 young referee of the year of [this association] that's my name, write it down".

That simply cannot happen.

That guy deserves a swift boot to the head. I had a similar situation this season with a former National candidate.

[Footer Phooter]

Sadly, one of the worst instances of referee harrassment I've seen came this past weekend from a coach who is also a referee -- and one considered to be an up and comer in the local area. Some success appears to have gotten to his head and in berating the center ref for a perceived bad call and asked for his name upon being carded (per league rules) for dissent said "I'm the 2004 young referee of the year of [this association] that's my name, write it down".

That simply cannot happen.


Did you write it down?!? I would have.