Question for USSF refs....

I wouldn't wear it if I did ever do non-sanctioned stuff. I doubt USSF wants to be affiliated with anything that they do not sanction. It's no different then wearing a McDonalds uniform to go work at Burger King.

 

If it's not sanctioned, don't wear the badge. If the organization you're reffing for has a problem with you not "looking professional", tell them to make their own badge and you'll wear it.

The way it was explained to me many years ago is that if you wear the badge in a non-sanctioned match and something goes wrong, you've created the impression that the USSF bears some liability. A less-than-scrupulous lawyer or overly-litigious individual could possibly name the USSF as a defendant in any subsequent suit (deep pockets theory: the Federation has money, the individual doesn't). They'd be completely wrong, of course, but the USSF would have to spend valuable resources defending such action.

 

Here in GA we had a patch we wore for NFHS affiliated games, but last season we were told not to wear any patch at all. When I first started doing those games, they had a patch for "newbies" (less than five years) and another for the rest. Perhaps they didn't want coaches differentiating between the older and newer refs.

I had thought about recommending we get some velco circles and put a piece of colored cloth on them to match each of the shirts, but if noone else is going to do it, why bother.

*** fixed quote *** IASocFan

 

There's a few generic badges that say "referee" on them with no affiliations. Nothing wrong with picking one of them up. Out here with all the Mexican players we had a fella make a badge that said REFEREE on the top and ARBITRO on the bottom.

 

Badges...important stuff...however, when doing non sanctioned games, junior high, private schools, middle schools, or my favorite, Power Soccer (wheelchairs), I pull out some of the badges that I have collected. Mine may say Canada, but my favorite of all is a badge from Ireland. Fun to see if anyones even notices it. I do keep a real badge in my pocket, in case someone would ever feel like challenging it...never have needed it, though.

 

USSF forbids us wearing badges for anything other than USSF sanctioned matches

 

That would be USSF does not want you to wear the USSF badge for non USSF games. There are certainly other organizations, ie High School, NISOA, and some youth (AYSO) that is under other juridsictions, in which referees should wear the appropriate badges for the game.

 

They told us this at recert class, too, but the assignor in the local house league said he wants to see refs wear their USSF badges to matches. He pays the money, so I wear the badge!

 

As long as you're comfortable with the possibility of not having a badge next year, due to going against USSF policy, go right ahead and wear the badge in those non-sanctioned games. USSF may decide this directive by the non-affiliated assignor makes this a rogue league.

 

Indoor soccer is regulated by USSF and there is an indoor badge, as well as a futsal badge. All indoor stadiums should use certified indoor referees with USSF indoor badges.

 

Not all indoor facilities are affiliated with USSF any moreso than outdoor leagues. If it's a USSF arena, you wear a USSF badge. If not, you wear whatever badge they provide (or none at all).

 

I have seen a generic black "referee" badge that would be appropriate for non-sanctioned games. Online somewhere... can't remember where, but I'm sure if you know what you were looking for, you could find it.

 

One here:

http://soccer-ref.quietfire.com/generic_badge.html

and another:

http://www.sfsra.org/main/shopping.lasso

 

Be careful, doing non-USSF, NISOA, or NHFS matches unless you have your own insurance. I know too many horror stories of referee's getting sued.

 

Name one..........The location. Circumstance. Settlement. Any detail you can give would be great because, despite the fact that I have been a referee since 1981 in roughly 12 states I have never heard of a referee being successfully sued. What I have heard are whole lot of people saying dont do this or dont do that or you will be sued....I preferr to do what is right....and I have never been sued. Help me out brother.

 

Ok..in Nash v. Borough of Wildwood Crest, N.J. Sup. Ct., Cape May Co., Docket No. 1-6624-77 (1983) a softball umpire was sued in a non affiliated rec game for failing to require the catcher to wear a mask (he got hurt) he sued the town and won because the umpire failed to protect the player AND because he was not properly trained.

The other problem is that a lot of the new state laws created to protect officials from assault, etc. would only go into effect if the game was played with some association. For example, Louisiana's law states:

n order to receive the protection under this statute, the official must have participated in a safety orientation and training program established by the league or association, but participation in the safety program may be waived upon proof of the official’s proficiency in first aid and safety. An official who has been tested, trained, sanctioned, or admitted by a recognized league or association is deemed to be in compliance with the statute.

In Maryland it is:

This statute provides limited immunity for sports officials who work in community recreation programs and in an interscholastic, intercollegiate, or any other amateur athletic contest conducted by a non-profit or governmental body.


So if you want to go out there with the guys and slap on your patch for a pick up game or some indoor arena that is for profit or private, be carefull.