Where are the referees?

[Anonymous]

It seems like the referee shortage is worse this year. Games cancelled, no sideline refs. I get that covid shortages are everywhere but I’m not seeing the connection to referees who are typically working as a side job and working outdoors is less risk of Covid spread. Any ref assignors or league officials here who can comment on why there are fewer refs this year?

[Anonymous]

My 17 year old ref'd for two years. She no longer does. The abuse is just not worth it. She would AR most games and not be the target as that is typically reserved for the center but its just a role she learned to hate. The pay and schedule flexibility is nice for a teenager but she grew tired of the abuse. I'm guessing you will find that is the case for many that now work elsewhere.

Imagine being yelled at for 90 minutes by parents that most of them never watched a full game of soccer before their little prince/princess picked up the game. Now they know all the rules and such. You hear it at every game. Parents that dont know the rules, the call, offsides etc yet they are ready to yell as soon as they see it

"THATS A YELLOW CARD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It seems like the referee shortage is worse this year. Games cancelled, no sideline refs. I get that covid shortages are everywhere but I’m not seeing the connection to referees who are typically working as a side job and working outdoors is less risk of Covid spread. Any ref assignors or league officials here who can comment on why there are fewer refs this year?

Why don't you ref?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 17 year old ref'd for two years. She no longer does. The abuse is just not worth it. She would AR most games and not be the target as that is typically reserved for the center but its just a role she learned to hate. The pay and schedule flexibility is nice for a teenager but she grew tired of the abuse. I'm guessing you will find that is the case for many that now work elsewhere.

Imagine being yelled at for 90 minutes by parents that most of them never watched a full game of soccer before their little prince/princess picked up the game. Now they know all the rules and such. You hear it at every game. Parents that dont know the rules, the call, offsides etc yet they are ready to yell as soon as they see it

"THATS A YELLOW CARD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

I agree abuse makes refereeing less appealing. But wasn’t that always the case? The shortage is worse this year. Is that because the abuse is worse than usual?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems like the referee shortage is worse this year. Games cancelled, no sideline refs. I get that covid shortages are everywhere but I’m not seeing the connection to referees who are typically working as a side job and working outdoors is less risk of Covid spread. Any ref assignors or league officials here who can comment on why there are fewer refs this year?

Why don't you ref?

What an odd question. How does it explain why there is a shortage of refs this year worse than other years?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 17 year old ref'd for two years. She no longer does. The abuse is just not worth it. She would AR most games and not be the target as that is typically reserved for the center but its just a role she learned to hate. The pay and schedule flexibility is nice for a teenager but she grew tired of the abuse. I'm guessing you will find that is the case for many that now work elsewhere.

Imagine being yelled at for 90 minutes by parents that most of them never watched a full game of soccer before their little prince/princess picked up the game. Now they know all the rules and such. You hear it at every game. Parents that dont know the rules, the call, offsides etc yet they are ready to yell as soon as they see it

"THATS A YELLOW CARD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

I agree abuse makes refereeing less appealing. But wasn’t that always the case? The shortage is worse this year. Is that because the abuse is worse than usual?

Parents seem to get worse and worse every year. And sadly many of the coaches I have seen this year are not much better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 17 year old ref'd for two years. She no longer does. The abuse is just not worth it. She would AR most games and not be the target as that is typically reserved for the center but its just a role she learned to hate. The pay and schedule flexibility is nice for a teenager but she grew tired of the abuse. I'm guessing you will find that is the case for many that now work elsewhere.

Imagine being yelled at for 90 minutes by parents that most of them never watched a full game of soccer before their little prince/princess picked up the game. Now they know all the rules and such. You hear it at every game. Parents that dont know the rules, the call, offsides etc yet they are ready to yell as soon as they see it

"THATS A YELLOW CARD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

I agree abuse makes refereeing less appealing. But wasn’t that always the case? The shortage is worse this year. Is that because the abuse is worse than usual?

Parents seem to get worse and worse every year. And sadly many of the coaches I have seen this year are not much better.

Yup, learn to shut it or expect more cancelled games.

[Anonymous]

The # refs getting certified each season was keeping up with those quitting..just barely; until COVID. Those training sessions/weekends missed in 2020, put supply behind the pace of those leaving.

[Anonymous]

Refs are mostly older gentlemen who love the game. Many sat out for Covid and have not come back.

Think about it, would you go out in the heat, the cold, the rain, for $40 bucks a game (or whatever it is), only to hear how much you suck with every call from half the people watching? I've been to 2 kids games for 13 years now (oldest in college, youngest now U16, played for their HS and a club), and every year the parents get worse and worse. And the coach won't stop them, because coach knows who pays his salary.

[Anonymous]

Three kids in travel. Yes, parents have gotten worse. Louder, more obnoxious, just as clueless.

I am hoping that the rules drastically change so that parents are not allowed to say ANYTHING. First thing out of someone's mouth, coach gets a yellow card. Second, coach is removed. It's the only way.

[Anonymous]

I don't understand all the complaining about lack of referees. I have three kids who play at different leagues at different levels who also played a number of local tournaments, and only one time we had a no show from a refs in the last three years and that was at a road game against a small club in Annandale. We even had refs for scrimmages against other clubs with no issues.

[Anonymous]

Samba Boyz??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand all the complaining about lack of referees. I have three kids who play at different leagues at different levels who also played a number of local tournaments, and only one time we had a no show from a refs in the last three years and that was at a road game against a small club in Annandale. We even had refs for scrimmages against other clubs with no issues.

Then you are just lucky. There are dozens and dozens of games each week with either one or two refs or just cancelled because of no refs.

[Anonymous]

Given the abuse I heard at a U11 game yesterday, I’m surprised anyone is willing to do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Samba Boyz??

You want to be important and noticed so bad. Attention is a heelava drug.