I'm looking to maybe get back into refereeing in the event, you know, that playing rock and roll to topless women doesn't work out as a good moneymaker. Is there anyone out there who can point me in a direction to get started in and around Chicago? I reffed quite a bit back in NJ, and then intramurals in college. Thanks in advance. Later, COZ
Are you licensed? If so, what level? But, don't topless women provide some sort of other (erm) compensation?
Nope, not licensed. That's more or less the first order of business, I would imagine, and a big part of what I need to know. Like, where do you go to get licensed? And yes, topless women provide a certain compensation of their own, but I'm not sure if my landlord accepts that as legal tender. If he does, I may have to have a serious conversation with my roommate. Later, COZ
I'm licensed for IHSA. It's a bit late now to get certified. You may want to wait for the fall. All IHSA licenses, no matter when you get them, expire around Memorial Day. I suggest going to the website for more info http://www.ihsa.org It costs $35 to apply. You can request an application from the website. It's a good deal if you are available in the afternoons. I had alot of extra beer money last fall...
Check this thread on the Referee forum: https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=5252 You should be able to get some direction there.
And there's an overzealous moderator with a stick up his butt. What's your point? I considered the options, and decided that this is a better forum to look for Chicagoland-specific information than the ref's forum. As it stands, I wouldn't have expected anyone to provide the IHSA/IYSA links over there. Thanks to those who have been helpful. Later, COZ
which is great for questions about the rules and such, but not the greatest for finding out something about a specific area
Re: Re: OT: Any Chicagoland referees out there? Taping the show or the crowd? I'd probably buy a coz live show dvd. Of course, sales of Coz Presents Girls Gone Wild in Chicago would probably be a lot better
Well said Cos. The moderators on this BB have hurt the development of a fan base by stopping and moving so many posts. It certainly helps you, one of the Fire's greatest fans, to get information on how to make a few bucks reffing games. Others out there might be interested as well. I have heard that there are boys and girls' soccer games that have to be canceled in the suburbs because they can't get enough refs. I check the referee BB and I don't think there are any Illinois people over there. This is the only place I know where you could get that question answered.
Thanks for the reference. We refs and ref forum moderators are used to abuse. Good luck on getting certified. All regions need more refs with a passion for the game. Come to the ref forum for issues and questions.
While I appreciate the support, I did not, in any way, single out moderators of this particular board. It's all about the plausibile deniability. And Tom, I gotta ask you, do you just assume that EVERY time I sign off a post, I'm spelling my name wrong? Sorry, but the "Cos" thing is a bit of a pet peeve. Later, COZ
The only league I can ever lead in anything is typos. I will do better! The mods aren't always bad either. Just now and again!
Chris: If you need practice, you can come out to Dubuque and ref our Adult League games starting in Spring. We pay $50/game for center and $40 for side. Each ref crew gets 2 games/matchday. Edit: All games are USASA sanctioned. I could also get you guys a gig in East Dubuque for the preceeding Saturday night.
Just for the record I really find this post amusing, because generally speaking there is not much movement or binning of posts on our board. I really like to know Tom where you came up with your statement. I think that Tom (IASocFan) and my moderating style is very laid back. The reality is that people come to post and not flame on our forum. Furthermore if you recall during the world cup, I stayed up til the wee hours watching dozens of matches and posting analysis for discussion on the various group forums for the benefit of fans and fellow members of our BigSoccer family. It was quite successful in giving people a glimpse into the world refereeing and the how and why of refereeing decisions. COZ we're not all stuffed shirts. All are welcome on our boards.
The Illinois Youth Soccer Association link was posted above. They have several referee clinics coming up in both the city and burbs. At these you can get take the national test and get certified. A good way to start out and get your feet wet is to do the younger kids games and rec leagues. You can all around to the different associations and leagues and check into getting assigned to games. Also you might want to even check with some of the sports clubs (Chicago Sports and Social, Sports Monster, Windy City, Chicago Soccer) in the city to see if they need refs. Just some ideas.
The best advice is take the course, pass the test and receive your certificate, license and badge. Depending on whether you are really serious (love the game and refereeing) buy a couple a shirts, get the gold in long and short sleeve, the red in short sleeve and the black in long sleeve. I don't know how you are financially, but you don't have to fork over $50 for the Official Sports jersey's. Score make a good quality jersey that is almost half the cost of the OSI one's. Get a real good pair of shorts, ones with a front zipper and not the draw string elastic. They'll last longer and are a better buy. I don't know how experienced you are, but I would recommend taking baby steps first. Get a reference at the class for a good local youth league. Contact the assignor for the league, you can also find them by contacting the Illinois Youth Soccer Association and tell the assignor that you are available. Give them as much info as possible about your playing and previous refereeing experience. Do some younger kids matches first just to get a feel. If it bores you and it's not challenging enough ask for the next age up and do several matches there. It takes time unless you have a lot of experience. It took me a year to go from U8-12's to U14's and another year to U16-U19's and then towards the end of the second year I started doing mens matches. Good luck and have fun.
Alberto, I did not mean you. A year or so ago I complimented the atmosphere on the Referee BB for tolerating all kinds of opinions, something that is not always the case on Big Soccer.
Thanks Thomas. I agree with you completely on your sentiments. There are several forums that in the past were too strictly moderated. I believe BigSoccer has improved greatly in that particular issue and there is significantly less heavy handed and bias moderating. Just to reiterate, we really do welcome all types of questions about the laws of the game and I personally, though several of my fellow posters one the referee forum may be reticent to discuss hot topics particuarly when it comes to MLS officials several of us do not shy away and indeed discuss controversial issues and decisions in international and domestic matches. I probably watch between 5-7 professional soccer matches a week until the outdoor season starts or resumes and if any thing of a controversial nature happens you can be sure that I'll post it either in the referee and the respective league or club forum. It's all about enlightenment and a free exchange of information and ideas. Referees are in my opinion misunderstood. Most of us played the game before refereeing and we love the game and feel a responsibility to uphold the laws and manage matches for the enjoyment and safety of players. It's all about managing the match for the jugo bonito, el juego bonito or the beautiful game.
Alberto, the referee forum is one of the best because you tend to get people there who are serious about the game and there is really no censorship. All kinds of threads and viewpoints are tolerated. A case in point is when you severely criticized Rodolfo Sibrian after one of his US games. I don't agree about things getting better on Big Soccer. They are getting worse. Someone had the temerity to start a free speech thread last week after yet another thread was moved or stopped. The free speech thread was stopped too, of course. The same day the US Supreme Court with an 8-1 decision again rejected the private property defense to First Amendment violations! Delicious irony. Take the Africa BB for example. The place is a ghost town after threads were stopped or moved and "guidelines" were posted. I read the guidelines a couple of times and they didn't make any sense. You could not talk about politics but you could talk about terrorism. ???? Pick up any soccer magazine and people are talking about who will host the 2010 World Cup. It is one of the hottest topics in soccer. So I think your approach of letting people express their opinions is the best one. It helps to build interest rather than alienate fans and drive them away.
Thanks Thomas. I think if you approached Jesse on the subject of the Africa boards some happy medium can be reached. Certainly, what has happened is the discussion has moved to the FIFA board where it really belongs due to it's global implications.