Even though this is from back in January, I only saw it a few weeks ago. Cambridgeshire FA Purple Shirt Campaign So, what do you folks think about this? I like the idea. I know that there has been a big push to limit the dissent from the sidelines because it is a huge cause of referee turnover. We don't expect the players to be able to execute perfectly in their first couple of games (or first couple of years, really) on the pitch; so why do we expect it of the referees who can't really practice during the week? Would visually identifying youth (under 18) or new (say, anybody with less than 2 year's experience) help this issue? Or would it draw heckling? Has anybody here tried to implement anything like this? Besides the cost, what issues did you run into? Or did you just direct the folks to buy a specific color for their first shirt? For those in the US, any issues/heartburn from USSF and not wearing the "official" uniform shirt?
I don't know about a different shirt, but we could have them wear armbands that signify ZERO tolerance. Of course this will only work if there is follow through with suspension/removal of offenders.
While it might reduce dissent from the touchline during the games, I think there would be a massive backlash from leagues because they would get non-stop complaints, "We are tired of having inexperienced purple referees..." I also have the concern that it would make the most heinous touchline offenders worse because there would be something visible that they could latch on to.
Therein lies both the problem and the solution... someone's got to monitor and enforce it. Whether it's league/club patrols, field marshals, etc. there should always be an accountable adult present when minors are "working". Then no scarlet letter is necessary. I'd suspect the spectators/coaches that would respect the purple shirt aren't the ones that it's intended to control... it might also instill a mindset of no purple shirt means it's now okay to lambaste the referees. And I know a couple of very talented 15-17 yr olds referees that would really resent being labelled like that. Not saying Cambridgeshire has a bad idea, but like anything else the novelty will eventually wear off and create other issues if the core underlying problem that affects all referees in all sports is not addressed...
I propose, instead, that coaches and spectators who have proven themselves abusive toward youth referees be made to wear a shirt with a big scarlet letter on it.
This is one of those ideas that seems to be "great in theory, bad in practice". The biggest issue I see, as noted, is that the people who will abuse referees no matter what will have an easier target with the armband or different colored shirt. Unfortunately, for some people, no attempt like this short of removing the offenders from the field will truly address the issue. The biggest improvement I can see is to either have adult referees and/or field marshals who will remove offenders without any hesitation whatsoever. Dealing with problem coaches and spectators sometimes just needs the first step in the process. Last night, I was working a girls sophomore game as part of a two-man crew. A few problem parents were starting to get too loud. At a stoppage, I stopped the game and asked the AD in the press box (which was within a short distance and easy for me to communicate with little more than raising my voice slightly) to deal with the problem parents. The AD came down, asked the parents to stop, and that was that. No other issues that game or in the varsity game. In a lot of cases, a calm initial response to problem parents or coaches is enough to make them realize they are being watched and make them stop. I think that's more important than a special shirt or identifying item.
I think they would be heckled more. All Ref's take the same certification course and they all pass the test. While there is experience that helps, it is already built in the system. The less competitive younger games get the least experienced refs (on average). As the refs get experience, they tend to move up to more competitive games. Would every new Grade 7 ref get a purple shirt, would every first time World Cup ref wear a purple shirt? No referee should be heckled, no matter what shirt they are wearing.
Identifying new referees with any visual marking would be like putting a target on their back. No, no, no. The solution to the problem is for leagues to crack down on the behavior. From coaches to spectators alike. It is also incumbent on assignors to place young new referees on the correct level of games for their skill level and to be visible in mentoring them. Handing a 13 y.o. a flag and say "go run this line on a U14B competitive match" because you are short of referees and that's all you have is part of the problem.
Too many people will see the purple shirt and think, 'Oh great, we've got an incompetent ref today ..." Yeah, that'll be a great help to the new refs.
As a 20 year Grade 8 I'd like to apply for a purple shirt to show solidarity with the Freshman and for the joy of sending off anyone who thinks it's my first rodeo.
Nothing good will come of it. I can already see the EDP U16 game where I get a brand new 17-year old wearing a band and the coaches complaining about why there is a new guy doing an "elite league". Makes the folks a target. The only people who need to know the experience level of the ref are the other refs. That being said, I'd love for that armband to go with my new "Grassroots" Referee badge. Maybe get me a beanie hat with a propeller.
Yes, you are right...this is an important distinction as it didn't distinguish between the 17 year old who just started, and the 17 year old who has 4 years experience. The other important thing with the Cambridgeshire implementation that I think is critical is that they had a heavy PR campaign to explain to their coaches and supporters what the shirts meant, and that there would be zero-tolerance of ref abuse. They set up an online hotline to report issues (what they did with those reports is another matter). They also have referee coaches/mentors. This is important anyway, but is critical if you are going to roll out a program like this. I have served as a mentor for our club, but we only have one per park, and I can't be watching over every one of the 6-8 fields at once giving pointers to the refs and keeping an eye on the sidelines...
I, for one, LOVE this idea. But ONLY so I could buy myself a purple shirt and wear it at every match.
It is similar to the old wive’s tale about special parking spots for feferees at bigger facilities. Why you would park your car in that spot is beyond me.
Visually identifying youth referees is all fine and good if it prevents them from not continuing beyond a year or two. I find that most new referees, age notwithstanding, are placed in overwhelming situations too early. I mean players and coaches are not thrown in competitive matches right away, why are referees? There is another situation where mentors and guides are made available by leagues who are expected to deflect attention from the boy/girl in the middle. Most of these mentor-guides are not qualified. If this was a company, which it is many ways refereeing is (providing value to people who pay and all that sauce), it would soon go down. Reliance on people who are not qualified to mentor-guide to train other officials - it will lead to a self-inhibiting cycle of poor performance and higher turnover.
The majority of the information given to me in my Grade 8 courses was worthless on the field. How to handle players, positioning, game management, etc. These guys were old State 6s, and I remember one who told refs to "ignore the comments from the coaches, we aren't there for them." Ignoring a kitchen fire doesn't put it out. Conversely, I had a National ref (who was an assessor) tell a Grade 7 to instruct his ARs to move toward the flag when they call a PK instead of having a chat. Now at the National level, where you're working with at the lowest, State referees, and have mics, that isn't a bad idea. But the average 7 is working with 8's, and we all agreed to chuck that advice after the game. I think we don't have enough quality people to train the new guys. Which, as you said in your post, is the reason we are in this death-spiral of poor performance and high turnover.
What's wrong with moving toward the corner flag when you've indicated that a penalty kick should be called? That doesn't mean you still can't have a chat between the CR and AR.