Coaching Education content presented in partnership with The FA Learning
WHY REFEREEING IS A GOOD CALL
Last month we examined the role of the referee…more than what you originally thought, hugh? But definitely rewarding! This month we will look at why refereeing is a very worthwhile and rewarding experience and can provide a lifelong interest.
If you want to be a referee, ask yourself:
Do you love soccer?
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Do you want to put something back into the game?
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Do you want to be actively involved?
If the answer to these questions is “Yes,” then Cal South would love to hear from you. Candidates are surprised how much they have to learn. We all have misconceptions that we picked up as children or spectators and have assumed to be accurate—until we start a course and learn what the rules really say. For example, how many of you have called “foot up, ref!” when an opposing player attempted to kick a high ball? The laws penalize players for playing dangerously and it’s true that a high kick close to an opponent could challenge their safety. However, a high kick with no one around is fine. I am sure neither players nor spectators would like to see those magnificent goals scored with overhead scissor kicks outlawed. Yet, if the ball was followed into the next by an opponent’s head, the referee might recognize that there was an element of danger that should have been penalized!
It is important that referees are offered support in their early games. In an increasing number of courses, the new trainees are linked to mentors to offer help and advice in the transition from classroom to the field.
Soccer is a team game and players enjoy the support, camaraderie and social contact with the rest of the team. If a player has a bad day there is always someone to encourage them to forget mistakes and not give up. At the beginning of their careers, referees find themselves in tough situations at times and mentors can guide new referees through these difficult times. Often, the mentor is not much more experienced than the referee they’re helping and this is helpful because the difficult times are still fresh in their memory—so are the routes out of those difficulties.
The Importance of the Referee’s Opinion
Look at the number of decisions that depend on how the referee sees a situation at the time, explained in examples below. Consider the different interpretations and how they could affect what punishment is awarded.
Example 1 – Offside offense – A player in an offside position is only penalized if, at the moment the ball touches or is played by one of their teammates, they are, in the opinion of the referee, involved in active play by: Interfering with play // Interfering with an opponent // Gaining an advantage by being in that position.
Example 2 – Indirect free kick offenses – An indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a player, in the opinion of the referee:
Plays in a dangerous manner // Impedes the progress of an opponent // Prevents the goalkeeper from releasing the ball from their hands // Commits any offense for which play is stopped to caution or dismiss a player.
Example 3 – Goalkeeper in possession – The goalkeeper is considered to be in control of the ball by touching it with any part of their hands or arms. The goalkeeper has six seconds in which to release the ball from their hands and the start of these six seconds is determined by the referee.
Example 4 – Deliberate tricks to circumvent the laws – There are various ways to get around certain laws and should the referee notice any such doing, that player can be cautioned for unsportsmanlike behavior.
Example 5 – Instructions on celebrating goals – A player must be cautioned when, in the opinion of the referee:
The player makes gestures, which are provocative, derisory, or inflammatory // The player climbs onto a perimeter fence to celebrate a goal being scored.
Example 6 – Dealing with injured players – Referees must follow the instructions below when dealing with injured players:
Play is allowed to continue until the ball is out of play if a player is, in the referee’s opinion, only slightly injured.
Play is stopped if, in the referee’s opinion, a player is seriously injured.
How Does the Referee Know When to Penalize Incidents?
Referees have to learn to use the knowledge they gain when training to develop an understanding of the laws to decide when to penalize. This takes time and every new referee needs guidance.
The referee has to learn to:
See – gain a good position on the field to have an uninterrupted view of the incident.
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Recognize – know whether a foul or misconduct has occurred.
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Punish appropriately – apply the correct sanction.
The instant response to situations only comes with practice and experience. Referee training always promotes discussion and, hopefully, learning for the next time.
Advantages of Becoming a Referee
Finally, think about some of the advantages of becoming a referee:
Lots of fresh air and exercise.
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Continued active involvement in the game you love.
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Enjoyment—yes, you do have to put up with some moaning, but most people recognize that the game would be poorer without referees.
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Money—small rewards at first, but you can make a living from what starts as a hobby.
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The “refereeing family” is a close one. Involvement in the game is much longer than the active life of a player. Many friendships are formed, which span a lifetime.
There are times they are loved and times they are hated, but, when thinking clearly, most know the game of soccer would be much worse without referees. We would shutter at what would happen if players were allowed to actually call fouls themselves. Thus, referees help bring order and structure to our game and are an indispensable and invaluable part of soccer that should be recognized.
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