Soccer
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...
“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...
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...
Permission to Leave the Field
One might think that leaving the field is such a simple, straightforward and obvious act as to not need anything further said about it....
Not All Throw-Ins Are Created Equally
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he throw-in, a common restart at all levels of soccer, presents a number of challenges to the officiating team — some of which must...
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...
Formal Check or Not, Illegal Equipment Deserves Attention in NFHS Play
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FHS rule 4-3 requires an illegally equipped player to leave the field and not return until the next legal substitution opportunity. For the first...
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...
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...
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...
Cell Phones Away or Pregame Meeting Goes Astray
M ost experienced officials have worked with a teammate who has been completely disengaged or distracted during the pregame meeting. We’ve all seen it;...
Handling Dissent
A few years ago, U.S. Soccer made available to all referees a very small clip titled, “Ask, Tell, Dismiss.” Michael Kennedy, former FIFA referee,...
Referee Career Stages
Laws, foul recognition, acceptance, flow of the game, physical fitness, proper terminology, anticipating play and touchline management are all key components in an official’s...
Big Match Support
Your assigner calls — you got the championship match. Your mentor calls — you just got picked for State Cup. The State Referee Administrator...
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...
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...
Make Amends to Regain Game Control
If you have been an official for any length of time, you have had a game or more “get away from you.” Whether it...
Touchline Tackle
There is a lot happening in this play requiring the referee and near assistant referee to work together. The location on the field near...
“Active Inaction” – Say That Again?
The title isn’t a contradiction of terms, at least not if understood correctly. No matter what kind of game you are officiating, there are...
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...
FIFA Referee Mark Geiger
By his own proud admission, the man is a nerd. Conjure images of that wisp of a kid you remember from high school who...
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...
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...
