SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums Girls Varsity Soccer Why are officials so bad?

p.s.s #1185, Newcastle is currently 11th in the EPL and finished 14th last year. Congratulations, you cheer for the Clevland Browns of the Barclays.

I would appreciate feedback from knowledgable sources. Assessments from other referees would be great. I do believe that we should be assessed at some point in the season. However, I do not think it should be from coaches for several reasons: they do not necessarily know the rules of the game, in part or totally. They are way too invested in the game to offer unbiased evaluation of the referee crew especially in high level or very important games.

I always welcome evaluation even when it is negative. I do make bonehead calls sometimes, but players make bad passes and coaches make bad decisions. It is all part of the game that we all have to deal with.

That last paragraph should be put on a billboard for everyone to see as they enter each stadium.

Can you imagine what it would be like if we got people to heckle the players and parents like we do the ref?

"Hey you in the green shirt! Your daughter is the other team's best player! Looking at you it's obvious why she sucks! What's wrong, was the flag corp all full?!?!"

I just don't think some people realize how it feels.

I disagree with the idea of coaches not knowing the rules. The better coaches like the better officials know the rules. They are around the game everyday, they must "teach" the game and without knowing the rules how could they do this? Coaches attend rules meeting every year and it is funny how stupid rules like this years "player area"(I say stupid becuase only a few fields offer the proper space for this and even if they do it is not marked, and I have seen first hand bad officials try to enforce this one, another example of bad officiating) but anyway, its funny how the "new" rules are the ones officials harp on and forget the important ones, ie. proper throw ins, off sides(will always be a problem), handballs, dangerous play. Most of the time it is inconsistent.

So who do you consider knowledgeable sources? If an official was evaluated by both coaches in a game then bias would show. Consistent bad reports would show an official that has problems. Maybe random reports by the coaches and an unknown/unbiased official watching would be better.

Your explanation shows why there are so many problems, you think coaches dont know the game or the rules. We all accept bad calls like we do the bad passes, but we move on. It is the consistent bad call or no call that fuels the flames.

Chuckie,

I did not say that all coaches do not know the rules. There are many that do know them cold but there are probably just as many that do not know them. Just like many know the game inside & out and some do not know the game very well. usually the less knowledgable ones are in the JV ranks.

I just love this game!!!!!

When playing an unnamed lower classification school to open our season, the coach approached me at half field and asked me "So, how many do you want to play with today?". Obviously he was a football coach making extra money. That happens.

I had another coach recently try to sub on an offsides call.

And to a lesser extent of ignorance, another coach tried to sub on our throw in.

Your perfect world/perfect coach scenario does not hold water. If all the coaches aren't qualified to know the rules, then independent supervisors should evaluate the officials. If you have a rural region with a bunch of football coaches leading the teams, how would that evaluation work? They don't care, much less know, if he is doing a good job. What if they all gave him five stars on his evaluation form, he gets to ref the state championship game based on referral, and subsequently sucks? Terrible idea.

Another point that I and the other coaches reading this post can chuckle to ourselves about is your mentioning of the rules meeting. Have you ever been to one? I have and can tell you really, really don't know what you're talking about. Do you think they get out the rules guide and just read it cover to cover for us? AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH HAAAAAAAAAAAAA HAAAAAAAAAA HAAAAAAAAAA!!! Oh, thank the good Lord for a sense of humor.

Flying,
Good comments on your experiences and dedication to the game. Reffing in any sport is tough. Look at the abuse the refs took and continue to take in the Super Bowl. And those are supposed to be the cream of the crop. They too make mistakes, as do all refs in all sports every game they are in. I do not know too many fans who have favorite umpires in baseball, refs in basketball or football. The refs that ref soccer games have real jobs too, and are there to call the games in an unbiased manner. They are for sure gonna miss some because of angles, situations and unfortunately only have eyes in the front of their heads. But all refs do. It is not the perfect world that some people want. If they think it is easy and mistakes should not happen and all calls should be just perfect, then sign up and try it out like this guy did: http://www.soccertimes.com/oped/2000/aug08.htm

Akorn, I am talking boys soccer. We all know girls soccer is in its own litle world(I sasid it before and will say it again..rolled sleeves, "I love you", and Sweetspots, yes they are real, look it up). And I am not speaking of ledudes red neck league either.
I can't help you play farm teams, but in the big cities we have real coaches.(your examples are ludicrous and rare, so quit being a mules rear) don't know about the girls, but most of the boys teams have real coaches. Get a life Akorn.

One example, the Wando's or even the Lake Murray preseason tournaments. Now tell me that the coaches of those high caliber teams don't know the rules!

We wouldn't evaluate by stars, thats for little kids. Evaluations should be done with written explanations and should have no bearing on who officiates the finals.

In the last 4 games I have watched...Girls, Boys, varsity and JV I have seen........3 fights (no cards, no fouls), 5 drop balls when the ball was kicked out for an injured player, an indirect kick awarded outside the box when the team threw the ball in to their GK who picked it up INSIDE the box, I can't count how many bad throw in's allowed to be retaken, a pk awarded for hitting a player in the back who was turned away from the ball, a pk awarded to a player who handeled the ball in the box the ref "knew" to award a pk for "handling in box" he just didn't realise it had to be the defense that did it , and probably my pet peeve...the ref who did not see any fouls but was intimidated by a coach so he called them anyway. (A close second though is calling advantage when a player is actually getting hurt and not just a little bump)
The biggest difference I can pick up on (usually) is if a ref was certified like USYSA refs are (and ref soccer year round)or if they are just certified for the High School League.
I know how the SCYSA refs are certified, but what do you do to ref High School?
(PS I have a lot of favorite refs. Would that I could schedule those guys for all our games, those guys make mistakes too but mostly through lack of angle, etc..not from lack of knowledge)

The best thing coaches and parents (and players)can do is make sure they complement the good refs, no harrassing or name calling....we need to keep the good ones!

#1255

Other than with your alter ego She-Ra, you always, always, always play devil's advocate. Therefore I really do not believe you feel as if having coaches, all coaches, grade out the officials based on their soccer knowledge is to be the best route. You just enjoy the attention of going back and forth. So with that, I dismiss your theory that all coaches are perfectly knowledgable in soccer to the point that 100% of their feedback is unbiased and accurate. Such a theory by you is, quite frankly, disappointing. Surely even your argumentive style has it's limits to prohibit you from stepping over the line into "make something up and hope it sounds good and if it doesn't I'll talk about your mama and call you names because I'm in college and that's all I know how to do land".