Best Stories 2024

HS season is about to start here, but my games tomorrow at MLS Next Fest will wrap my USSF outdoor season as well.







Down a bit from 2023, where I did 286 games.

 

My season has been over for a month, so sure, let's do 2024 REFEREE WRAPPED.

Game Count: 68ish. Of the 68, 56 were between August 24 and November 9. The "ish" depends on how you want to count some exhibition round robin stuff.

Game by type:

College: 29.
-3 Spring Exhibition
-3 Fall Preseason
-22 Regular Season
-1 Conference Tournament
-15 men/14 women
-7 CR, 17 AR, 2 4O, 3 Rotate around
-15 YC (6 Reckless, 2 FRD, 3 SPA, 1 PI, 2 DTR, 1 generic UB)
-0 RC

High School: 33.
-4 Summer League solo
-5 Fall Preseason
-19 Regular Season Varsity
-1 Regular Season JV
-4 State Playoffs
-14 girls/19 boys
-12 CR, 3 AR, 14 dual, 4 solo
-21 YC (9 Reckless, 3 Dissent, 5 UB, 2 SPA, 1 PI, 1 Dissent-Coach)
-1 RC (2CT)

UPSL: 5
-4 AR, 1 4O

Prep School: 1
-Dual women's

Superlatives:
Most cards issued in a game, CR: 5
Most cards issued in a game, combined with partner, dual: 7 (including the one red)
Ejections of college head coaches witnessed as AR1: 1
Times serving as 4th Official with no comms, leading to both coaches (and myself) questioning my purpose in life: 1
Games after which I returned home and announced my intention to retire: 6
Career goals met: 2 (whistle for HS state final, got on the field for an NCAA D-I spring exhibition)
Schools that still owe me money: 2

 

9%.
Hm, seems high.

 

Alabama had a showcase event where college coaches come to watch up-and-coming talent. Alabama invited and I got to personally meet the likes of Sergii Boyko, Guido Gonzalez Jr., Megan Mullen, Elton Garcia, and Nick Uranga.

Megan and Nick gave me fantastic feedback. Megan said I had fantastic work rate and was super quick. Nick had some feedback about recognizing potential advantages in the middle third.

Talked to Guido about the MLS Cup and his career.

They were all super nice and great support of the event. I am glad I made the trip down.

Also, Elton Garcia is naturally funny and uses that to his advantage on the pitch.

 

Yeah. My schedule next year will be drastically reduced at the very least. If the season started today, I would probably be done.

The first regular season high school game I did last year put a sour taste in my mouth that I never really cleared.

 

I know this is going to be controversial, but I find what he did extremely unprofessional and completely drawing attention to yourself.

I could kind of understand it if he was actually a former veteran, but it looks like he's not. FYI, civilians are not supposed to do salutes. We place our hand over heart when sing the national anthem and we don't salute military personnel.

We are there to do a job, not do cute gimmicks so we can go viral on social media. If you want to cosplay as a solider go do it on your own time not while you're on the clock.

 

I actually agree with you. The one and only time I'd look at this and think it was a good idea would be if it was a military veteran doing this during a game between two of the three service academies AND it was clear the referee was a veteran.

But I'd imagine conflicts of interest would make sure that an Army or Navy veteran would do an Army vs Navy game.

 

I have a fellow track official who worked at the Air Force Academy before his retirement. When the Academy hosted meets, of course the meet started with the national anthem. The Air Force Academy athletes were all standing at attention, saluting. Some people commented that this was silly. His reply was "They are wearing a government issued uniform, so they are required to salute."

 

Missed my chance yesterday, but I’ll post my best wishes for nothing but Best Stories to you all in the coming year.

Play on!

 

Just in time to close out 2024… I officially received my regional referee license today!

 

Congratulations on being the top 1% of your state! That's a tremendous honor. See you at the 2025 Southern Regionals, I presume?

 

Hopefully!