Looks like Florida will be requiring Grades 7, 6, and 5 to run the FIFA beep test instead if the U.S. Soccer Physical Fitness Test that is in the Referee Administrative Handbook. I wonder how many referees with no real desire to referee pro soccer will give up and drop back to 8 and/or go emeritus? ____________ For all Referees grade 7, 6, 5 the following new requirements for 2011 will be in effect the 2010-2011 State Recert new 100 question exam time limit is 1 hour, Game log from every Recertifying Referee Grade 7, 6, 5 containing a minimum of 12 games in Grade 7 that is U17 or higher, Grade 6 Div 2 or higher, Grade 5 Div 1 or higher contact your assignor for games if you do not have them, Maintenance Assessment is a requirement get it done do not wait till Dec. Fitness test will be the FIFA Interval Test, it will be a audio sound and monitored test containing the following: 6 each 40 meter sprints 6.6 sec or less miss one you can run a 7th sprint, Interval is 90 sec. 12 laps on a 400 meter track Intervals total of 24 intervals: One lap consist of the following which times 12 total 24 (150 meter sprint 35 sec) followed by (50 meter walk 40 sec) followed by (150 meter sprint 35 sec) followed by (50 meter walk 40 sec)
It will. This new test is a much better test of fitness for a real soccer game. Might be a few years but I would bet USSF adopts it and replaces the Cooper (12 min) in time. Means we get to start a whole new thread about how interval training is better than distance....woohoo.
Thats already been happening here (BC, Canada) for a year or so for anyone above entry-level. I personally think its a more effective/accurate measurement of fitness, but it adds a larger stumbling block for those like myself who want to advance. For the good of the game though I'd say.
For those who do not already know the FIFA test will be run at the RTS(pro) seminars this year. It is only a matter of time before it trickles down.
We ran the FIFA test at the RTS in Orlando last month, and nearly everyone passed. The only failures were a couple nationals who injured themselves: one in the sprint portion and one in the actual interval test. There were quite a few people who didn't train at all for this test and still passed. It seems difficult, but I think that most people in match shape should be able to pass with little problem. The 40 second rest period really is a life saver.
Only thing that bugs me, I hear on the sprints your losing a second due to the electronic gate. Can this be confirmed?
Wisconsin has used this test the last two years for all 7's and above. Honestly, if you can't complete it you probably shouldn't be ref'ing the higher level games that are given to refs with those higher grades. I like it, I think it is a much better approximation of what we have to do on the field.
I was told by a FIFA that you subtract at least .275 from your time in the sprints with electronic. So if you ran a 6.00 electronic then you are at 5.65 or 5.71
I don't understand what you mean. How is the electronic gate causing you to lose time? Seems like it would be more accurate, since you are allowed a running start.
because the old flick of the finger is slower than the electronic eye. http://www.tapps.net/PDF/Athletics/Track-Field/ConvertingHandHeldTimes.pdf
FIFA test in February is lot different than FIFA test in August. The heat index was above 90 when the test was run this past weekend. Only 5 out of about 40 passed the test. I am still not sure why grade 7, 6, & 5 need to run the same test as nationals. Seems like some sort of progression should exist, like with the Cooper.
Are individual state referee associations technically allowed to enforce different testing procedures (such as the interval test instead of Cooper test) than what is specified by US Soccer? My thought is 'no' but perhaps there is a loophole or disclaimer somewhere that I'm not remembering.
I really don't see why people complain about this test so much. All you have to do is practice it a few times and its actually easier than the Cooper, IMO. For a few weeks in advance of the test, I set my watch to the intervals for run/rest and did as many as I could until I missed the time. Did that about twice a week and by the time the test came around my body was programmed to run the time. The key is to pace it right and not blow it out the first few laps. Easy. And electronic gates don't cause time to be "lost" they are just more accurate which can make it seem like its adding time. Saying time is lost by those gates allows us to put the blame on an external force, making us feel better.
I don't know how it's technically allowed, but I'm fairly certain this was done with USSF approval, at least informally.
Easy is a relative term. I don't find running the 3 mile FIFA test to be easier than the 1.5 mile Cooper test, especially with high heat and humidity. I can run the Cooper without training, not the FIFA. The point is, the lower your grade, the easier the games should be - therefore, the easier the physical fitness test should be. If grade 4s and grade 7s are taking the same test, then either the grade 7 test is too hard or the grade 4 test is too easy.
I think the national test is too easy, but if they used the times from the FIFA test, there would be too many failures. However, I think that Florida is going to send the results from the tests to USSF so they can come up with times and distances that 80% of each grade should pass. Hopefully it will encourage more referees to do some real training.
The Interval Test is NOT difficult provided you have trained and provided you think about how you are going to appraoch it. In essence, you've got 75 seconds to cover 200m. Hammer the first 50 in 10 seconds and cruise through the rest of the distance. To the "issue" of a high heat-index, get outside and do some training. Don't pitch up and test day and say "Wow, it's hot! When did that happen?" Do we not referee 90 minute games when it's hot?
My 2 cents, the interval test is more difficult than the Cooper test and I'd guess most referees would probably have the same feeling if they tried both tests. But, the interval test with 35 seconds per 150m and 40 seconds per 50m walk is NOT a difficult test. A pretty high percentage of folks seemed to pass the test this year at the RTS sessions -- my impression is, US Soccer expected a much higher failure rate based on whatever calculations they made and based on previous failure rates at national camp (when the test parameters were a bit different -- only 30 seconds per 150m run).
I was thinking about this. The first time a referee is downgraded because they couldn't meet the interval standard, it might be an interesting fight for the state association. The Official Publication from USSF specifically delineates the fitness standards for recertification by referee grade. If you live in a state where your assignments (and therefore income) are affected by a downgrade, a good attorney is going to take the SRC to the cleaners for any lost income suffered due to the downgrade. If USSF wants to change the standard, then so be it. If the state associations want to offer the test to the 5, 6, and 7's who want to take it in addition to the Cooper, or make it a requirement for anyone who wants to attend the RTS, then great. Before anyone jumps all over me, I'm not against the interval test, and I think it is a much better gauge of referee fitness. I don't like the fact that some state associations are changing the rules at their own whim, and in some cases, not even giving the referees advance notice. These states also need to give the Cooper Test, and recertify those who pass it. If they want a different test, then they should petition USSF to change it. Otherwise, just follow the damn rules.
As our first nationals who took the test discovered, a fit referee cannot simply show up and pass the new test. The passage rate went way up on the 200 m intervals once people learned how to time the jogging/second phase so that they were up to full speed when they crossed the start for the next leg. It will require, however, that individuals get fit to referee rather than referee to get fit.
In focusing on the FIFA test, I almost missed the game log and assessment requirements. Am I reading this correctly that grade 7 referees require maintenance assessments in FL? Is this new?