Referees' Corner (2000)

We train new referees in Winchester in a multi-step program:

Once you’ve gone to all the trouble of taking the course and passing the test, it’s pretty easy to stay a referee. You need to:

Growing as a Referee

Becoming a better referee is like getting to Carnegie Hall -- Practice, Practice, Practice. We can develop you to a reasonably high level with games here in Winchester. Eventually you’ll need to start to work outside Winchester. A number of Winchester referees work for the MAPLE league on Sundays, and there are always opportunities to work as an assistant referee with one of them.

If you do that, you may find yourself invited to referee at the State Cup and MTOC. You will learn an enormous amount and will work with outstanding referees.

Another good way to grow is to work at a tournament. You’ll get a lot of experience quickly. Call the tournament organizer six weeks ahead, ask for the referee assignor and call him or her. Be honest about your experience level.

We assign referees for all in town games, from third grade to eighth grade, boys and girls.

For travel games, Winchester boys play in the Middlesex League, while the girls play in the BAYS League. Refereeing is organized differently for these two leagues.

We assign all:

• BAYS games
• Middlesex U10 games
• Middlesex U12 and U14 games in the Fall.

The Middlesex League assigns the referees for U12 and older games in the Spring

Two people assign games:

• Ellen LeMay 756-0583

  Ms. LeMay assigns:

  • in-town games
  • U10 travel games
  • U12 and U14 travel games except Divisions 1 & 2
• Ashley Stevens 721-2670

  Mr. Stevens assigns:

  • Division 1 & 2 U12 and U14 travel games
  • U16 and U18 travel games

Middlesex League assigns U12 and older games in the Spring Season. To cancel, you must call the appropriate Age Director for your Division (see the Middlesex League Book).

If you need to reschedule a game, don’t forget to contact the referee coordinator to cancel the originally scheduled referee. Obviously, the referee will be paid if they show up and find no game to do. If you did not provide timely notice of the game being canceled, you will likely be asked to pay the referee.

The club has decided not to assign referees for make-up games. There is too much confusion and timing is frequently too short. Each Coach will be given a list of referees which shows their experience and ability level and will be responsible for finding their own ref.

The biggest chore in assigning games (and we have to cover several hundred games in a season) is calling the refs to give them the assignment and then wait while they ask their mother whether they have a conflict. It would simplify life enormously to do it electronically.

We will collect referees’ email addresses and start giving out assignments electronically.

• In Town U9, U10 $12/game
• U11 and up $15/game
• Travel BAYS Middlesex
• U10 $15
• U12 $20
• U14 $22 $25
• U16 $30 $50
• U17 $40 $50

U19 $40 $50

When assigned, assistant referees get half the referee rate

You need to have some evidence that you did the game. That always means some type of pay slip, and, in the case of travel games, rosters.

For in-town games, we use our own pay slips. You were given some and hopefully made some copies. If you run out, click here and print out some more. Use an in-town pay slip for BAYS games in the Fall.

The BAYS and Middlesex Leagues use different pay slips. The Coach should give you one before the game. If he doesn’t have one, ask him to pay you in cash before the game. Staple the rosters of each team to the pay slip when you send it in. The address is on the Pay Slip.

Pay Slips must be submitted in a reasonably timely fashion after the season ends.

Does this mean that we won’t allow people to ref after 2002 unless they spend $25 (minimum) on a new shirt? Watch this space, but I don’t think so. We’re too short of good referees.

This is a relatively quiet year for rule changes. If you review FIFA’s current rules, the following changes from the previous year are shown:

• Simulating (read: taking a dive) is now a mandatory caution (yellow card). Diving was the major problem at the 1998 World Cup and this change is much overdue. However, the ref has to be really good to catch it.
• The Fourth Official can now inspect equipment for safety
• Leagues are authorized to experiment with two refs
• Tackles from behind which endanger the safety of the player are now to be treated as serious foul play (i.e., a mandatory red card)

Although FIFA implemented these changes from July 1, 1999, they will be adopted in the US for the Spring 2000 Season (probably Fall 2000 for High School)

There is a very high burnout rate among young referees – 30-40% only referee for one season and give up, generally because of being yelled at from the sideline. It is amazing how different things look from the center of the field than from the sidelines. One referee I know, after having a coach yell at him throughout the first half came over and stood beside the coach and called the game from beside him for 5 minutes, then turned to the coach and said "You’re right – you do get a MUCH better view of the game from here." He didn’t have any trouble in the second half.

Obviously, a sixth or seventh grader isn’t going to be able to handle an out of control adult like that. The BAYS League has therefore adopted a policy. No one – not a coach, not a spectator, not a player can address the referee during the game, except to request a sub or to bring a safety issue – a player down or bleeding – to the referee’s attention.