Soccer
Use Warnings in the Right Situations
Warnings done correctly can be very useful, but if they are used in the wrong situation, they can hurt more than they help game...
Six Key Factors Assessors Focus On
There are many myths and legends about assessors and their roles and responsibilities. Some officials do not want to be assessed because they do not understand how an...
Video Lessons Learned Can Help Going Forward
One of the things we learned from staying home because of the pandemic was the amount of spare time one had when going out...
Make New Officials Comfortable Before the Match Begins
Any number of factors can affect how effectively a referee team works together, especially if one or both assistant referees are comparatively inexperienced. The center referee’s awareness of possible weaknesses...
Put It Between the Fingers
It has been said for years that the easiest, most efficient method for holding an assistant referee flag is to let it hang down...
Can You Read the Game Before Trouble Starts?
Once a referee reaches the point where they know the Laws of the Game well and have learned effective mechanics, what comes next to...
Tactical Restart Response
Restart management is difficult enough without considering the various ways that defenders could seek to play psychological tricks on both their opponents and the referee. Given that defenders are...
“Risky” Business
For the first time in the history of the Laws of the Game, the referee is being directed to take a certain approach because a player decided...
Communication on Cue Is Key
Appropriate communications (ignore, body language, non-verbal signals including whistle and general accepted hand signals and verbal) are used to match level and skill of...
Officiating is a Family Affair
Nestled between the San Diego Bay and the scenic splendor of the coastal mountain foothills in Southern California are the sprawling sun-kissed expanses of...
Show the Red and Yellow Cards when the Players Deserve it
I have always maintained that you had to be smart to play and referee soccer. A player shook this belief a bit by jumping...
Pre-match Recon
It is common practice that you should closely watch player behavior during a match in order to be prepared for what comes next, to adjust and modify your...
6 Tips To Better See The Point
Proper positioning is being where you have to be, to see what must be seen, to make the correct decision. That includes seeing the point.
During dynamic...
Run Smarter, Not Harder
Running comes with being a soccer referee. The need to keep up with play makes running essential, most notably since the referee’s angle of view can be critical...
Every Game Can Be Your Best Game
A young, motivated and talented official was assigned as the referee in a college D-I highly contested conference game. The two assistant referees were seasoned veterans who have officiated...
Use Player Reactions to Decide Fairness
Gil Weber, USSF National Emeritus referee and contributing author to several USSF publications, described the referee’s task: “Refereeing is all about fairness. It’s balancing...
Discretion Available For Dangerous Play
T
he prohibition against engaging in play that is dangerous or likely to cause injury to oneself or an opponent has been a part of...
Teaching Lessons in Blow-Ups
Many of you have heard or read about and have an opinion on the Serena Williams outburst during the U.S. Open tennis tournament recently....
Make the Basics Second Nature
When teaching the entry-level referee course, I often noted to students that, although they needed to know that persistent infringement was one of the...
Can You Compare Refereeing Soccer To Catching A Fish? As a Matter of Fact...
You might not think so, but the individuals who arbitrate the rules or laws of soccer on a regular basis and the individuals who...
Dig Deep to Evaluate Your Game
I teach entry-level classes and frequently get situations about how the referee messed up and the player got a card for doing nothing. Let’s...
Optimal Crew Positioning on Free Kicks
F
ree kicks from just outside the penalty area can determine the outcome of a game. They can be so critical that teams have multiple...
Refereeing Goalkeepers’ Self-Protection Strategies
Referees must ensure goalkeepers are protected when challenged while making a save. It is not uncommon for a goalkeeper to have both feet off the ground with arms outstretched...
Soccer Sideline Management Simplified
Depending on your level of training and experience as a referee, communication may not seem to be a top priority for officiating games. However,...
