Which clubs would you want to ref for?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

RantingSoccerDad wrote:Oh -- and to answer the question, Vienna's House league is generally pretty good. Laid-back for the most part. Little wonder they fill up about 99% of their available reffing slots. Sorry about your canceled travel games.

This makes me glad to hear as the parent of a VYS House player who says he wants to ref in a few years.

Yes Vienna will fill with many young inexperienced refs because they pay more, offer a bonus, reimburse for kit (uniform) and have their own assignor

Ref pay is due to increase, will happen in spring

[Anonymous]

Hardest but most effective way to fix the parent/coach disrespecting the refs is mandatory training where respect is taught and then a contract written that if they or anyone they are associated with (think screaming grandma/pa) that they will be warned with a team yellow issued- then removal from the field area and a red issued to the team with the other team getting to pick the player to be removed.

This would fix - though I could see some hometown refs being biased and abusing power- there is corruption everywhere

[Anonymous]

I know it's not required, and I know it wouldn't solve the problem of parents "reffing" from the sideline, but the best refs I've seen (at least at the U little level) are those who keep up a good stream of verbal communication to the players.

For example, when there's some contact and in that instant where people are reaching a conclusion about whether or not there was a foul ... some good refs I've seen will call out something like "keep playing boys!" to the players (loud enough for everyone to hear if they're paying attention).

That kind of thing seems to quiet some of the sideline complaining. I think the reason is that it signals to the spectators that, yes, the ref DID see what just happened, considered it, and made an affirmative decision that it was NO FOUL. That's enough to stop some people from feeling that they need to call the ref's attention to it, that the ref isn't paying attention or didn't see it, or that the ref is wishy-washy and on the fence whether to call foul or not (and if they yell, they might get the call to go their way).

Good refs will also give ongoing verbal warnings ("keep the hands down, boys" or "watch the pushing") early on as necessary, to set the tone.

Just something I've noticed my favorite refs doing.