Teen ref asks parents to stop verbal abuse

[Unregistered]

The person who made the post you are referring to is an obvious troll.

That being said anyone under 18 should not be allowed to ref. I have a kid ....

True. 100% troll.

Stop. Your logic and reasoning skills are awful.

[Unregistered]

Funny how in other sports like basketball in many ways it is actually harder to crack into the gig and yet there are not people claiming there is a shortage. On any given weekend there are thousands of youth basketball games that get covered around here and you never hear a peep from that crowd. I know dozens of refs that are happy reffing. Most just chuckle about the random out of control parents, collect their cash and go on to the next game. The ones that don't the MSBOA assignors usually get rid of because they know that refs like that just cause more craziness than they are worth.

The problem with soccer officials is the leadership sux (seriously who doesn't see the problem with 10 yo getting concussed) and they spend more time whining in places like this about how unfairly they get treated than doing something to fix the problems with their quality, recruitment and training. Seriously how many of these threads have been on this forum over the years? Talk about a tired agenda. For some strange reason soccer officials seem to think that incompetence doesn't exist in their ranks and that not only should their mistakes be tolerated but also anyone wearing a colored shirt be put up on a pedestal and praised as though they are some hero for showing up. It shouldn't matter if a ref is 10 or 65, if they are not up to the task at hand then they shouldn't be allowed to do a game. The excuse that there are not enough refs to go around so incompetence must be tolerated is insane. Until nutjobs like the OP stop and realize that they are as much a part of the problem as the whacky parents nothing will get better.

[Unregistered]

Funny how in other sports like basketball in many ways it is actually harder to crack into the gig and yet there are not people claiming there is a shortage. On any given weekend there are thousands of youth basketball games that get covered around here and you never hear a peep from that crowd. I know dozens of refs that are happy reffing. Most just chuckle about the random out of control parents, collect their cash and go on to the next game. The ones that don't the MSBOA assignors usually get rid of because they know that refs like that just cause more craziness than they are worth.

The problem with soccer officials is the leadership sux (seriously who doesn't see the problem with 10 yo getting concussed) and they spend more time whining in places like this about how unfairly they get treated than doing something to fix the problems with their quality, recruitment and training. Seriously how many of these threads have been on this forum over the years? Talk about a tired agenda. For some strange reason soccer officials seem to think that incompetence doesn't exist in their ranks and that not only should their mistakes be tolerated but also anyone wearing a colored shirt be put up on a pedestal and praised as though they are some hero for showing up. It shouldn't matter if a ref is 10 or 65, if they are not up to the task at hand then they shouldn't be allowed to do a game. The excuse that there are not enough refs to go around so incompetence must be tolerated is insane. Until nutjobs like the OP stop and realize that they are as much a part of the problem as the whacky parents nothing will get better.

I dont think ref incompetence is as common as you dom. on yet you seem to think it is. Get trained yourself and get involved to change the dynamic rather than complain anonymously on TS.

BTW concussions can happen at any game well ref'd or not. Your coach holds some responsibility to talk to a ref of he thinks things are truly unsafe. There are also channels in place to file complaints. Power tripping coaches use their own methods and just get a kid fired instead.

[Unregistered]

A zzhole of the Week!

There so many things wrong with this post I don't even know where to start, but here's a start

1) there aren't enough adult refs. there aren't even enough for HS games, which, I think even you could agree are far more important than u11 travel games
2) adult refs become refs by training when they are teenagers. your average 27 year old won't suddenly decide that's a career path for them. huge numbers of 18-22 year olds are busy in college. money at the lower levels, where you get trained, isn't great but is very appealing to teens
3) anyone learning will make mistakes, even adults. even pros at the highest level make mistakes (see women's World Cup threads).
4) refs go through training first and then are supervised for a time being. there is a process for complaints if there's an issue, rather than trying to get someone fired
5) it is very rare that game is "ruined" because of a bad call. even if it were, again, humans make mistakes and part of good sportsmanship is accepting disappointments with grace.

clearly you are the type who harbors bitterness and anger when things don't go your way. hopefully your wife is teaching your children how to handle some of life's knocks

I mostly agree. 2-5 true. 1 not entirely.

There are problems in ref assignments that have nothing to do with quantity of available officials that couldn't be fixed, but for the graft and corruption preventing it. For starters, everything else equal, there no reason high school can't have the same pair ref back-to-back...unless they're physically not up to that challenge of course. Secondly, the old boy network black hat crew needs to earn their varsity assignments based on merit, not tenure.

[Unregistered]

The problem with soccer officials is the leadership sux [...] and they spend more time whining in places like this about how unfairly they get treated than doing something to fix the problems with their quality, recruitment and training. Seriously how many of these threads have been on this forum over the years? Talk about a tired agenda. For some strange reason soccer officials seem to think that incompetence doesn't exist in their ranks and that not only should their mistakes be tolerated but also anyone wearing a colored shirt be put up on a pedestal and praised as though they are some hero for showing up. It shouldn't matter if a ref is 10 or 65, if they are not up to the task at hand then they shouldn't be allowed to do a game. The excuse that there are not enough refs to go around so incompetence must be tolerated is insane. Until nutjobs like the OP stop and realize that they are as much a part of the problem as the whacky parents nothing will get better.

Agreed.

[Unregistered]

I dont think ref incompetence is as common as you dom. on yet you seem to think it is. Get trained yourself and get involved to change the dynamic rather than complain anonymously on TS.

BTW concussions can happen at any game well ref'd or not. Your coach holds some responsibility to talk to a ref of he thinks things are truly unsafe. There are also channels in place to file complaints. Power tripping coaches use their own methods and just get a kid fired instead.

Example A. Denying that there are problems is the single biggest reason there is a problem. Here are a few bits of incompetence that we all see routinely

1. Having an 12 year old referee 10 year olds.
2. Having physically incapable referees do any games.

and oh BTW, referees like you are all talk in places like this but when one of us dares to approach you during the middle of the game and express concerns with the officiating we all know it is a much different story.

[Unregistered]

1. Having an 12 year old referee 10 year olds.
2. Having physically incapable referees do any games.

1. You need to get a hobby that doesn't involve children, probably seek professional help and possibly prescription medication immediately.

2. That would be nice. At older ages/HS most definitely.

[Unregistered]

Example A. Denying that there are problems is the single biggest reason there is a problem. Here are a few bits of incompetence that we all see routinely

1. Having an 12 year old referee 10 year olds.
2. Having physically incapable referees do any games.

and oh BTW, referees like you are all talk in places like this but when one of us dares to approach you during the middle of the game and express concerns with the officiating we all know it is a much different story.

You need to be 14 years old to take the Grade 8 course. But whatever.

[Unregistered]

and another oh BTW. We have child labor laws in this country. Kids shouldn't be allowed to referee until they are old enough to get work papers just like any other job. That would solve a whole lot of the problems in the town leagues. Take those old codgers that are currently grossly incompetently reffing high school games and assign them to the those U10 town games. It will actually improve the quality and diminish the amount of sideline craziness. The real issue is the town leagues would have to pay the "real" officials the going rate instead of the $10 they give the kids and that would, heaven forbid, raise the cost to families. The system is rotten from the top.

[Unregistered]

Denying that there are problems is the single biggest reason there is a problem.

You've confused denying a problem with stating facts.

I'm sorry your kid suffered a concussion. It's a terrible part of youth soccer. Poor refereeing can make a playing environment unsafe, but to attribute the cause to the age of a referee is irrational.

[Unregistered]

and another oh BTW. We have child labor laws in this country. Kids shouldn't be allowed to referee until they are old enough to get work papers just like any other job. That would solve a whole lot of the problems in the town leagues. Take those old codgers that are currently grossly incompetently reffing high school games and assign them to the those U10 town games. It will actually improve the quality and diminish the amount of sideline craziness. The real issue is the town leagues would have to pay the "real" officials the going rate instead of the $10 they give the kids and that would, heaven forbid, raise the cost to families. The system is rotten from the top.

You are so incredibly clueless. Kind of scary that you are a parent. This is Ulittle "town soccer". Get a fricken grip man.

[Unregistered]

and another oh BTW. We have child labor laws in this country. Kids shouldn't be allowed to referee until they are old enough to get work papers just like any other job. That would solve a whole lot of the problems in the town leagues. Take those old codgers that are currently grossly incompetently reffing high school games and assign them to the those U10 town games. It will actually improve the quality and diminish the amount of sideline craziness. The real issue is the town leagues would have to pay the "real" officials the going rate instead of the $10 they give the kids and that would, heaven forbid, raise the cost to families. The system is rotten from the top.

As another said stop bit**ing on an anonymous site and do something yourself. Get trained. Work as a trainer yourself (assuming you know the laws which you probably don't ). Have your kids ref and see how difficult it is - especially when they have to deal with jerks like yourself

[Unregistered]

and another oh BTW. We have child labor laws in this country. Kids shouldn't be allowed to referee until they are old enough to get work papers just like any other job. That would solve a whole lot of the problems in the town leagues. Take those old codgers that are currently grossly incompetently reffing high school games and assign them to the those U10 town games. It will actually improve the quality and diminish the amount of sideline craziness. The real issue is the town leagues would have to pay the "real" officials the going rate instead of the $10 they give the kids and that would, heaven forbid, raise the cost to families. The system is rotten from the top.

Says the keyboard warrior who's evidently yet to attend a U13 club or U14 match.

[Unregistered]

How many times do you have to repeatedly post to agree with yourself? Why not just state your point of view in one post? Are you really that insecure that you need to make it look like you have a lot of support for your opinions?

Not only have I watched plenty of U8, U9, U10, U11, U12, U13, U14, U15, U16, U17, U18 youth games, I have also coached a pretty good number of those games so I actually have put my money where my mouth is so to speak in terms of giving back to the game and soccer community. Beyond that though, I have also had a child become a certified ref and observed how ****ty a job the officiating community does at training and supporting young officials. You pay the kids like crap, throw them alone out on fields with no supervision and then expect them to handle adults as though they were adults themselves. Who is clueless?

[Unregistered]

How many times do you have to repeatedly post to agree with yourself? Why not just state your point of view in one post? Are you really that insecure that you need to make it look like you have a lot of support for your opinions?

Not only have I watched plenty of U8, U9, U10, U11, U12, U13, U14, U15, U16, U17, U18 youth games, I have also coached a pretty good number of those games so I actually have put my money where my mouth is so to speak in terms of giving back to the game and soccer community. Beyond that though, I have also had a child become a certified ref and observed how ****ty a job the officiating community does at training and supporting young officials. You pay the kids like crap, throw them alone out on fields with no supervision and then expect them to handle adults as though they were adults themselves. Who is clueless?

Spot on; a lot is invested in player development - nothing much is invested in referee development. How I've become stronger as a referee is embracing the challenging assignments. Generally the sub 18 year old refs aren't being developed and are really just thrown 2 or 3 game AR sets every Saturday; and they'll be used on Sunday if not enough qualified refs are available.