Shortage of refs

[Anonymous]

Our club has a parent for each team that is tasked with keeping all team parents in check. DS's games are almost too quiet!

[Anonymous]

When I was in HS we all reffed weekends...usually made about $300 cash per day. Not sure why they hasn't kept up with the times, but I'll encourage DS to do this on his off days. The kids and parents temper their abuse toward kid refs and the kids need to learn to power through this. Learning experience for all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When I was in HS we all reffed weekends...usually made about $300 cash per day. Not sure why they hasn't kept up with the times, but I'll encourage DS to do this on his off days. The kids and parents temper their abuse toward kid refs and the kids need to learn to power through this. Learning experience for all.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I noticed that when due to Covid kids club put teams on opposing sides of the field, with parents behind the team (like HS), it helped with both ref abuse, and just overall parents getting angry towards each other. Parents seemed less willing to make asses of themselves when their kids coach, and maybe their kid, were right in earshot.

Of course this might depend on the coach, but my kids coach will sit the kid if the parent goes overboard. He used to say, if I pull your kid out and he is sitting right next to me - then I'm really doing it because of you.

That, WFH, and every restaurant doing take out are 3 things we should keep.

COVID didn't put teams on opposing sides, the response to COVID did. Just helping you with that in case you say something like "COVID locked down our economy".

Thanks but I don't need your help. I said "due to Covid". If you took that to mean I thought Covid called EDP and told them to make some changes, then you have some reading comprehension issues.

[Anonymous]

I think we should have some kind of “pay for performance” for refs. Maybe something chosen by the coaches, they get a certain number of bonuses per season they can give out.

My kids played 2 NCSL D1 games yesterday and had the same ref. One child won hers, the other child lost. The ref was fabulous. Technically great, amazing attitude. It is weird to think he is paid exactly as some of the other poor performers we have had.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think we should have some kind of “pay for performance” for refs. Maybe something chosen by the coaches, they get a certain number of bonuses per season they can give out.

My kids played 2 NCSL D1 games yesterday and had the same ref. One child won hers, the other child lost. The ref was fabulous. Technically great, amazing attitude. It is weird to think he is paid exactly as some of the other poor performers we have had.

And you don’t think that would be abused?

[Anonymous]

The refs we had this weekend were top notch (for both my kids' teams) and it was a good experience. I don't expect to agree on every call, but when the refs are professional and make calls to ensure safety and prevent cheap gamesmanship, it makes such a difference in the game.

[Anonymous]

We had a great center ref this weekend, who spent a long time at half time educating an AR about the offsides rules after she blew every offsides call in the first half. She got much better in the second half. Sure, it was a bummer that it ended up working against our team in both halves, but I appreciate that the center ref took the time to do it.

[Anonymous]

Great refs this weekend as well. One in Loudon and one in Fairfax. I agree - I wish that some of these refs that truly take the time to educate were getting paid more. I saw the ref show the goalie for the other team what it means when he catches the ball but it is behind the end line.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our club has a parent for each team that is tasked with keeping all team parents in check. DS's games are almost too quiet!

This is a great idea, all clubs should implement this.

We had one ctr ref, no ARs for one game; ctr and 1 AR + parent AR for another = lots of creativity and stretching so the games can continue! Appreciate your refs!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Arlington soccer just sent out an email to families about the lack of soccer refs. It said “Here at the local level, abuse of referees by parents, coaches, and players is the most commonly cited problem.” I’m a certified ref and I receive the emails from assignors almost begging for refs to cover games. My first thought, “do I want to be yelled at today?” Most days I answer no, and some games I could have covered go without a ref.

Lame excuse. Don’t see that at our games the last few years. Plus the field can barely hear the yelling. That’s why coaches are on the field yelling.

They didn’t get on the horn about ref recruiting until the fall season started. Period.

[Anonymous]

I have girls who ref. They both have had to be walked to their cars by officials because of parents berating them to the point they felt unsafe. No ref should ever be threatened at an U9 game, but it happens way to often.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have girls who ref. They both have had to be walked to their cars by officials because of parents berating them to the point they felt unsafe. No ref should ever be threatened at an U9 game, but it happens way to often.

That is messed up. I have never seen behavior like that, especially not at the U9 level.

[Anonymous]

For people who ref, are there particular leagues or age groups where inappropriate parent behavior seems to be more common?

[SoccerRef]

Anonymous wrote:For people who ref, are there particular leagues or age groups where inappropriate parent behavior seems to be more common?

Leagues, no...pretty even across the board.
I've found it's the worst on high skill level, mid aged (U10-U13 or so) groups, where many parents feel they're soccer experts because their kids are good...as they get older, fewer parents tend to come to games, and the kids don't want any part of their parents screaming any more than the ref does.