Need Ideas 4 School

[rmiller16]

For my senior year we need to do a paper. I did how parents ruin soccer games, player development, refs, all that stuff.

We also need to do a project. I think I want to do a parent class that will teach parents about how refs ref soccer and how they should act. I might try it with local club parents or local recreational leagues like in-house parents.

So do you guys or girls think this is a good idea or should I do something else.

[njref]

a good project, you can get some great ideas and war stories from reading old posts on this forum.

[AussieDynamo]

You're right, good luck with it all, I don't know if you'll get any changes but it is worth a try.

Just ban the parents I say! Or get the association to actually follow up complaints.

[falcon.7]

Be careful - you may not get the response you intend. Parents can sometimes lose their sensibilities when it comes to their children and sports. This has the potential to devolve into an arena where people can air their grievances about referees. Some of those who go may not be there to learn about refereeing, but rather to validate their opinion about a certain call which was made 2 years ago or a certain referee whom they are convinced has it out for their team.

Yes, there will be some who attend because they genuinely want to understand the process (maybe because they are interested in refereeing themselves), but I think you are overestimating the good intentions of your pupils.

If your aim is change parent behavior, perhaps an alternate method would be to bring in people from all aspects of the game - coaches, players, referees, and administrators - and have them talk about how negative parental behavior affects their part of the soccer equation. If a parent heard from their own child that the reason they aren't playing well is because they are distracted by all the "coaching", that parent is more likely to rethink their actions.

[rmiller16]

Be careful - you may not get the response you intend. Parents can sometimes lose their sensibilities when it comes to their children and sports. This has the potential to devolve into an arena where people can air their grievances about referees. Some of those who go may not be there to learn about refereeing, but rather to validate their opinion about a certain call which was made 2 years ago or a certain referee whom they are convinced has it out for their team.

Yes, there will be some who attend because they genuinely want to understand the process (maybe because they are interested in refereeing themselves), but I think you are overestimating the good intentions of your pupils.

If your aim is change parent behavior, perhaps an alternate method would be to bring in people from all aspects of the game - coaches, players, referees, and administrators - and have them talk about how negative parental behavior affects their part of the soccer equation. If a parent heard from their own child that the reason they aren't playing well is because they are distracted by all the "coaching", that parent is more likely to rethink their actions.

Thanks for the input. I think you are exactly right. At first i was only going to be me and an instructor but opening it up to coaches, players, even a parent ref would just add to the class. Thanks for the great idea.

[NHRef]

I did something like this for our town a couple of years ago. took 3 teams that were moving from 6v6 (no offside and 1 ref) to 8v8 (offside and 3 refs), we went through a few things:

- what is the role of all 3 refs
- what is offside (keep it simple)
- common mistakes on parents part (contact isn't always a foul)

Talked about training ALL refs have to have,16 hour course to get g8 license and 6 hours/year to keep it, assessments etc.

Explained why younger games don't get the best refs (pick wording here carefully), basic idea is that the more experienced refs to the higher level games because it takes more experience. This experience starts with these games. do the refs make mistakes? Yup, but keep in mind the ref has been a "ref" shorter than the players have been players and the players make mistakes. the best way to get better refs is to not chase new refs out of the game.

[mikejwjr]

Here is an article in the local paper about soccer (specifically High School) in your area. I'm not sure if you saw this or not. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08328/930096-455.stm

[falcon.7]

Here is an article in the local paper about soccer (specifically High School) in your area. I'm not sure if you saw this or not. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08328/930096-455.stm

Yes, that is also something to consider. Be watchful for people who's comments are structured, "If the ref would just..., we wouldn't...".

[rmiller16]

Yea I saw that article. It was a good one and most of that stuff in it is true.

[Sachsen]

Read this article. It's an old one from Rick Reilly but it's fantastic.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/magazine/life_of_reilly/news/2000/02/22/life_of_reilly/

[refereejoe]

Not meaning to be critical, but if you're only a senior in high school then you might reconsider presenting yourself as a subject matter expert in the discussion. Not that you aren't fully knowledgeable, but that the perception might not be in your favor. It seems to me the type of impact your are hoping for would be better suited to be facilitated by somebody with a bit more experience, such as a State or National instructor.

Would it be enough for your project to have you take the lead in organizing the class, but take a lesser role in the class itself? The suggestion to have more voices is a good one, and I would go a step further by selecting some very specific people serving very specific roles. For example, one league administrator, one coach, one player, one seasoned referee, and yourself as a young referee on a panel. Each can provide his or her perspective on the impact parents can have on all facets of the game, both through lecture and Q&A.

Anyway, just some thoughts. My own background is in communication and instructional design, so your project has piqued my interest ;)

[Untroubled by Reason]

Not meaning to be critical, but if you're only a senior in high school then you might reconsider presenting yourself as a subject matter expert in the discussion.
Not to be disagreeable, but when the original poster shows up to ref a U-littles match on Saturday morning, he is the subject matter expert, at least for that field that day. Besides which, you usually have to schedule people like you suggest months in advance.

You might wish to do a project along the lines of "You Make the Call:" present situations challenging participants to correctly decide what the ref should do in the situation. This will serve the purpose of demonstrating your "expertise," plus it will show how difficult it is for refs to make correct decisions in the moment.

[rmiller16]

Not meaning to be critical, but if you're only a senior in high school then you might reconsider presenting yourself as a subject matter expert in the discussion. Not that you aren't fully knowledgeable, but that the perception might not be in your favor. It seems to me the type of impact your are hoping for would be better suited to be facilitated by somebody with a bit more experience, such as a State or National instructor.

Would it be enough for your project to have you take the lead in organizing the class, but take a lesser role in the class itself? The suggestion to have more voices is a good one, and I would go a step further by selecting some very specific people serving very specific roles. For example, one league administrator, one coach, one player, one seasoned referee, and yourself as a young referee on a panel. Each can provide his or her perspective on the impact parents can have on all facets of the game, both through lecture and Q&A.

Anyway, just some thoughts. My own background is in communication and instructional design, so your project has piqued my interest ;)

I have been refing for 6 years and have seen quite a bit but you are absolutely right in a way. I am planning on asking an instructor that I ref with and that he has been my instructor in the past. I just have to start asking people. I do also plan to do a panal like class. I think my area and hope they will like the idea and I will make sure the parents that attend know exactly what they are getting in to. But thanks.

[refereejoe]

Not to be disagreeable, but when the original poster shows up to ref a U-littles match on Saturday morning, he is the subject matter expert, at least for that field that day. Besides which, you usually have to schedule people like you suggest months in advance.That's all well and good but, as I said in my previous post, perception will not be on his side. If I'm the type of parent that needs his class the most, the last thing I'll be interested in is a high-schooler telling me how to behave. It's not a knock against rmiller16's knowledge or abilities as a referee, it's a knock against public perception. You have to pick your battles, and fighting back perception is one he would lose.

[Untroubled by Reason]

That's all well and good but, as I said in my previous post, perception will not be on his side. If I'm the type of parent that needs his class the most, the last thing I'll be interested in is a high-schooler telling me how to behave. It's not a knock against rmiller16's knowledge or abilities as a referee, it's a knock against public perception. You have to pick your battles, and fighting back perception is one he would lose.
Right, but it's a school project. You're not going to change the hearts & minds of anybody - much less a hardened a$$ hole - in a school project. Now maybe if this were a sustained effort... 'nother story, perhaps.