I am curious about the referee assignments at State Cup matches. It seems that the State Associations are using these matches to give some experience to young "up-and-coming" referees. At our State Cup yesterday, virtually all the referees working the quarterfinal matches appeared to be under 25 and many appeared to be under 21. They are definitely grade 8's -- most are working on their upgrades to 7 but some are not at that level / game count yet. So I question, why is the state assigning these referees to State Cup games. They don't have the experience to control matches through man-management -- they card right off the bat. They don't have the experience to call a penalty kick because they don't want to "decide the outcome of the game". Many of these teams are coming from National League, Y-League and high level tournaments like the Blue-Chip Showcase, Disney Showcase, Tampa Sun Bowl and Dallas Cup. Places where they are seeing State 5 & 6 referees and at a minimum experienced 7's. Places where there is a lot of physical and intense play. Then the players get to State Cup and the referees are calling the game like they're U13 -- if the player falls, there was a foul. If there both players are battling, more often than not, the 2nd foul will get called. I'm not talking specifically about my team's game. I watched a lot of games this weekend and these characteristics were fairly widespread. Who wins the State Cup or at least makes it to the finals is critical to getting accepted to tournaments like those mentioned above. Getting to play in Regionals or Nationals is a huge benefit for kids who plan on playing college soccer. So of all the games we play each year, these are the games that really need the highest level referees. However, in reality, these State Cup games will be the LOWEST level referees that we'll see all year. Can someone tell me why this is the case?
Pure misplaced altruism by the SYRA. They think the experience gained by the referee for running a middle in a State Cup game is going to somehow transform their perception of soccer and make them a good referee. They want to give the kids incentives to stay with soccer officiating and not give it up when they go to college. There are so many other competing interests in a kid ref's life that becoming a great referee and maintaining interest is not necessarily high on the list. We even have a couple of new 7's under 18 years old going to Hawaii for the Regionals. That is very sad to me. I understand the need to bring up young refs into the higher levels of the game. But giving them middles in State cup and Regionals is not the way to do it. Elite mentoring programs and rewards-based training is the way to go, not just giving them middles on important games. That diminishes the significance of earning a middle through years of hard work and dedication -- for both referees AND players.
I have to ask - how many 5's and 6's are there in your state, and how many made themselves available for the state cup? The SYRA can only work with what he's been given. I know in MD, every referee's first priority is state cup; God help you if you're caught doing another game after you've told the SYRA you weren't available.
I am not positive how it works in Michigan (where my son plays club soccer), but I know that in Indiana (where we live), you have to get invited by your SYRA. I do know that both Indiana and Michigan treat the State Cup as development opportunities instead of really working to get the best referees. I know guys that can't even get assigned to work locally when we get National League weekends here that have wound up working a U15 or U16 boys State Cup final. That is a sad state of affairs given the importance of these matches as I've pointed out.
Kevbrunton, Your situation does appear to be the exact opposite of what MD/VA do. I wasn't getting any calls for State Cup games until I upgraded to 7, because even older Grade 8s (who were better known to the SYRAs) were ahead of me. These states definitely do not view these Cups as development situations and, as Claymore mentioned, you don't turn down the opportunity. In fact, even if you've been scheduled for league matches, the SYRA can pull rank and have you assigned to Cup matches up to 72 hours in advance, I think.
The Massachusetts State Cup seems to walk a middle road. There are old hands, up and comers, and a smattering of new kids on the block. Plus a slew of assessors. There have also been a lot of knockout and off-site round robin games so a wide variety of refs have had an opportunity to work lines and/or middles. My son just turned 16 this past weekend. I think that he was the youngest referee working at the first weekend of State Cups. He got a B12 middle, B12 line, and a B15 line. He also made some new friends in the referee community, young and old.
You will be glad to know that the fossils still get taken care of in Michigan. I have a Associate who is a average grade 8 of little experience and 48 years old who recieved 3 assignments at the 14 and below state cup and 5 for the 16 and above. He will never be a state reff as there isnt a adult middle available within 3 hours of where we live. I dont beleive he has ever done anything above U19B. I am 34 and was turned down for the U16 and above tourney.................Might have something to do with the last minute cancellations I made on the U14 tourney.....Oh well!
This is an accurate description of our State Cup situation. Only our first round proper and semi/final matches are played in a tournament environment. For the first round, (this past weekend) the assignor(s) tried hard to pair referees of varying ability/experience in crews in order to help develop younger referees without sacrificing quality officiating. However, in the semifinal and final rounds, assignments are made on merit. Last year, from U16s to U19s, for both sexes all CRs in State Cup Finals were referees attending regionals that year. That could mean an up and coming Grade 8 or a seasoned Grade 6. The point is matching regional-level referees with what are, for all intents and purposes, regional level games. It also comes down to, as Claymore points out, who is giving availability for State Cups and other matches that need to be covered. Our state committee knows that our amateur leagues need referees too, and most of our older state referees are not asked for State Cup availability so that they can cover the amateur matches. There are some exceptions, but our State Cup crew seems to be comprised mostly of some younger and advancing Grade 8's, a lot of Grade 7's, and younger Grade 6's. Our older Grade 6's and Grade 5's are typically doing amateur matches and not at State Cups.