Soccer
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...
Filter Player Comments
“C’mon, ref! Open your eyes! He’s fouling me!” We’ve all heard that and similar phrases from frustrated players. Dealing quickly and appropriately with their frustrations and complaints is essential if...
Gripes Coming From Winning Team?
If you were officiating a soccer match and the score got to 6-0, you might expect a little dissent, right? But would you expect it from the winning...
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...
Very First Laws To Know
As a rookie official, What are the very first laws to know? How can you translate that knowledge into judgment and action on the pitch?
Who and...
Get Down on the Basics
There are details contained in some individual Laws that are also found in other Laws. While it is important to understand each Law by...
The Art of Assessments
Carl, I think I’m becoming a softy at assessments.”
Matt Slovacek is a referee and assessor from Michigan.
That was the way the email started. He...
5 Minutes With Margaret Domka
Margaret Domka is on the FIFA International Panel of Referees. She is one of a select few officials to ever go onto the FIFA list...
Refereeing Gives Skills For Your Lifetime
Through the 27 years and 2,300 games of my officiating career, I've accumulated insights, notions and generalizations I didn’t have before which I can trace back...
Scrimmages: Opportunity or Danger?
By John Kiernan
Frequently I am asked to officiate scrimmages. There are great opportunities for an official during those matches. However, there are also pitfalls...
