Improving officiating

[Unregistered]

We had a game over the weekend where I don't think either team could really get into the flow of it because the ref was blowing the whistle every minute it. I swear play did not go on for longer than a minute at a time and it was very frustrating to both teams and coaches. The ref is there to make sure the game is fair and is played smoothly. This ref seemed to want all the attention and really dampered the game for both teams. A team would take a throw in or goal kick and he'd blow the whistle right after and signal for a sub to come in when there was no sub in sight. I think both coaches finally just threw their hands in the air and were done with it.

[Unregistered]

You sound like the same crazy that use this line of reasoning to defend MJ.

Did you hear that buzzing sound above your head a few minutes ago? That was the POINT of this discussion going right over it! The point is that with better trained officials you don't have coaches accumulating Red cards because they have no reason to complain and/or are handled better.

[Unregistered]

Call Angela

We had a game over the weekend where I don't think either team could really get into the flow of it because the ref was blowing the whistle every minute it. I swear play did not go on for longer than a minute at a time and it was very frustrating to both teams and coaches. The ref is there to make sure the game is fair and is played smoothly. This ref seemed to want all the attention and really dampered the game for both teams. A team would take a throw in or goal kick and he'd blow the whistle right after and signal for a sub to come in when there was no sub in sight. I think both coaches finally just threw their hands in the air and were done with it.

OPL "says" they want to know the names of these officials so encourage your coach to call the league office.

[Unregistered]

Most referees have no clue, there are a few who are dedicated OYSA, OPL and the rest of the leagues are trying to improve referees, with assessors at games and seasoned officials mentoring rookies. Young kids doing recreation games as the word recreation, is just for fun.

Lets start with the parents and role models, if you shout at a referee on a game what good does it do for the game, take a long hard look at yourself before you judge another.
http://www.oregonpremierleague.com/r...n/index_E.html

Some refs need a little polite help to realize what is happening away from the ball or gain a wider perspective so there can be benefits to communicating with them but I agree yelling profanities or negative comments is counterproductive.

[Unregistered]

I would venture to guess that you have not been watching competitive soccer for very long for if you had you would have seen many games decided by obviously bad calls and that result is not just a “distraction” for the aggrieved team. I will not go so far as to call you ignorant just in experienced.

I would also point out that the subject of this thread is how to IMPROVE the officials not beat up on them. What the original poster outlined seems reasonable and unbelievably cheap. Would you NOT be willing to pay $30 more per year for better officiating? I’d be willing to pay $100 more if we could get the quality of officiating we get during State Cup!

The difference between you and me is that while you are an armchair parent whining about officiating, I am a player who played it at both competitive clubs growing up, and in college.

I agree that officiating needs to improve. I completely disagree that coaches, players, parents, behaving the way they do at times, justifying their behavior on bad officiating.

The only person to blame for a red card EVER, is the person receiving it. Know the line not to cross. Adjust your play to how the ref is officiating. Accept bad calls and play on. Don't quit.

[Unregistered]

The only person to blame for a red card EVER, is the person receiving it. Know the line not to cross. Adjust your play to how the ref is officiating. Accept bad calls and play on. Don't quit.

What about when a player receives a yellow card and the ref tells them, "you did nothing wrong but I've warned other players on your team so I have to give you a yellow card". How is that justified? That happened to one of our players recently. Along with the same ref giving a yellow card to a girl on the other team for an accidental hand ball in the box. He said he had no choice and had to issue her a yellow card.

Sometimes it's hard to adjust your game to the refs when they are highly inconsistent. We've had bad refs but at least some are consistent and you know what to expect. The others seem to be changing their idea of what a foul is every second.

[Unregistered]

What about when a player receives a yellow card and the ref tells them, "you did nothing wrong but I've warned other players on your team so I have to give you a yellow card". How is that justified? That happened to one of our players recently. Along with the same ref giving a yellow card to a girl on the other team for an accidental hand ball in the box. He said he had no choice and had to issue her a yellow card.

Sometimes it's hard to adjust your game to the refs when they are highly inconsistent. We've had bad refs but at least some are consistent and you know what to expect. The others seem to be changing their idea of what a foul is every second.

Well. A yellow card is just a caution. That would be aggravating for sure and not fair to that player. Those kind of cautions are often for delaying the game. I don't know the situation so take how you will. Now that player must be more careful so they do not get a second yellow.

I agree with inconsistencies. That is terribly frustrating and difficult to deal with as a player.

I will say this. A general rule of thumb with these kind of refs -- the more you yell at them, the worse their calls become particularly against your team. So, don't stop and keep playing and remember the other team is usually as frustrated as you.

[Unregistered]

Get a Clue - Don't be one of there folks

This happened in FL with Coaches getting out of control.

Folks. Get a Clue about how to handle your behavior as a Coaches/Parent/Player.

Now of this blog is worth a damn in fixing the problem you think there is.

No one respect the other coach/player/parent/referee. Without that starting point, there is no where to start from.

http://aol.sportingnews.com/sport/st...otball-referee

[Unregistered]

Two way street

The difference between you and me is that while you are an armchair parent whining about officiating, I am a player who played it at both competitive clubs growing up, and in college.

I agree that officiating needs to improve. I completely disagree that coaches, players, parents, behaving the way they do at times, justifying their behavior on bad officiating.

The only person to blame for a red card EVER, is the person receiving it. Know the line not to cross. Adjust your play to how the ref is officiating. Accept bad calls and play on. Don't quit.

I have officiated 6A high school sports and club and adult sports for years and can tell you that if I have had to toss a coach it's after we have had numerous discussions and or they have actually asked to be tossed for strategic reasons to "fire up" their team.

Similarly Red Cards don't happen in a vacuum. They occur as the result of the action on the pitch. The person in charge of that action is the Center Referee. No matter how much you and the other posters here want to blame the coaches, it’s the Referee who decides how to handle, or not, the action on the field and the comments from the bench. A skilled referee can diffuse a tense situation with honest, open communication and humor. A less skilled referee tends to become threatened by coaches talking to them and too many resort to the easy solution known as a Red card. This is not to excuse coaches for bad behavior just to point out the authority to Red card lies with the ref, therefore they are the responsible party.

I would support a rule/standard that without the use of profanities an official would not be able to give a coach a Red card without having first handing out a Yellow. This would accomplish two things. For the coaches it would put them on “official” notice that they are close to the line and two it would give the referee a reference point from which to judge subsequent behavior.

The point of this thread is how to improve the education and skill set of the current crop of officials so that they too can handle upset coaches and or parents so that the game flows and is enjoyable to watch. There is no reason to accept a "bad call". Yes we can disagree on "judgment" calls but blown calls are not something we should have to accept as part of the game. Yes they are going to happen and like missed golf shots you have to play on but the point here is that the officials need to work on their game too and we need to help them and reward them so that the missed/blown calls are fewer and father between.

[Unregistered]

Willing to pay

The difference between you and me is that while you are an armchair parent whining about officiating, I am a player who played it at both competitive clubs growing up, and in college.

I agree that officiating needs to improve. I completely disagree that coaches, players, parents, behaving the way they do at times, justifying their behavior on bad officiating.

The only person to blame for a red card EVER, is the person receiving it. Know the line not to cross. Adjust your play to how the ref is officiating. Accept bad calls and play on. Don't quit.

You didn't say if you were willing to pony up more $'s or if you thought additional training would help?

[Unregistered]

The difference is in the quanity and the impact.

Bad calls are part of every sport. You either focus on the game or you focus on other distractions (which are just excuses by the way).

How about we all pay triple and pay for better officials. Lord knows, little Johnny wasn't offside, right?

Get a grip. The greatest problem is ignorant people.

Yes all sports officiated by humans will have "bad calls". However "some" soccer officials seem to make more mistakes and given the nature of scoring those mistakes change the outcome more often. A single foul call in a basketball or foot ball game does not result in the only score and rarely changes the outcome. So in reality a soccer official needs to be better at officiating than his stick and ball counter parts. Sadly for too many people pulling on the stripes that is simply not the case.

However, whose fault is it that they do not get adequate training and whose fault is it that the better ones leave the craft for greener pastures? It’s our fault because we do not demand better training and offer better pay. So ultimately as consumers of the “soccer experience” it’s our own fault.

I guess that is why there is soooo much resistance on this tread to the idea of expanding their training and pay because the people involved in the associations feel guilty about ignoring this problem for so long that they are having a hard time accepting that they have the power to change and that the cost is minimal!

[Unregistered]

attitude is important too

The difference between you and me is that while you are an armchair parent whining about officiating, I am a player who played it at both competitive clubs growing up, and in college.

I agree that officiating needs to improve. I completely disagree that coaches, players, parents, behaving the way they do at times, justifying their behavior on bad officiating.

The only person to blame for a red card EVER, is the person receiving it. Know the line not to cross. Adjust your play to how the ref is officiating. Accept bad calls and play on. Don't quit.

Wow all I can say is you have not seen the attitude displayed by some officials who hand out red cards like candy! I hope OPL and OYSA track them becasue they obviously have problems.

[Unregistered]

Wow all I can say is you have not seen the attitude displayed by some officials who hand out red cards like candy! I hope OPL and OYSA track them becasue they obviously have problems.

Feedback needs to be given to the referee assignors. They are the ones who employ these refs and give them their assignments.

[Unregistered]

OPL Policies

Feedback needs to be given to the referee assignors. They are the ones who employ these refs and give them their assignments.

According to OPL policies EVERY Red card is to be investigated. Both the referee and the coach are to be interviewed.

[Unregistered]

1st admit you have a problem.

It's funny and sad at the same time. One poster wants to help and the "addicts" continue to insist that they don't have a problem. Well we all know what the first step top changing is.....admitting you have a problem. Now to OPL's credit they kinda, sorta have admitted that they have a problem but their efforts to day have been similar to only buying the alcoholic a 6 pack instead of a case!