SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums Boys Varsity Soccer Refs taking advatage of their roles

I have a question for wise members of this board. I have recently viewed a couple of games that have me concerned about a few officials around the state. Is the center(head) ref allowed to hound the captains of a team? Are they allowed to get in the face of a coach? If they constantly go against what the assistant ref declares, should I be suspicious of the head ref's ability to call a fair game?

I am beginning to see this way too often. I can understand that there are going to be missed calls. I also understand that the ref at times needs to discuss things with the coach or captains. But I do not agree that a referee has the right to jump in a coach's face and threaten to card him. Then jump into a captain's face and ask if he wants to stay on the field. I don't know what has these guys thinking they are the 'Masters of The Universe', but someone needs to sit these guys down & remind them, that it is not their job to threaten coaches and players with cards and ejections. Their job is to effectively officiate games while also allowing the game to flow. It should be as if they aren't even there.

Maybe I am wrong. Maybe I am just ranting for no reason. But to me, it's kinda getting ridiculous.

Your not allowed to say that on this message board.. Everyone is gonna start telling you "hey why don't you take the job if you know everything" or "your right, so take their spot and show them how it's done".
So in other words they're telling you bad afficiating is okay so don't worry about it. But really.. There isn't anything we can do so I guess really it is just rambling.

What you need to have is a good soccer officials association that takes its development of referees seriously. We have attempted to impliment a way to mentor new referees, and to be assessed at least once a year where I am at. The "good" referees also need to take the time to help out some of the other referees. I know I have taken heat where I live for chiding a referee or two, and these are guys that I ref with. I have a real issue with somebody giving the impression that they are steering a game with their officiating rather than calling a fair and balanced game. (and this doesn't mean calling the same number of fouls, it means calling it the same both ways and taking an active role with insuring the safety of the players)

I have no idea why you have not started a way to rate your officials in South Carolina either. I would attempt to post what I get rated on, but it seems the IHSA site is down for maintenance. If you are curious, you can go to www.IHSA.org and they have a pretty good explanation of what coaches can rate the officials on. You get rated each match that you do, and you also get rated on what is called a top 15 list. Each coach gives a list of their top 15 referees and turns it into the state. Each licensed association also gives a top 15 list usually based on voting of their best members. I think this is a pretty straight forward way of doing things, and it takes care of the bad referees from getting into the playoffs. As part of the IHSA ratings, you can also have coaches or AD's write specific things that you did very well, or very poorly, and it is considered a special report.

SC really needs to look into a way to bring some standards and some responsibility to your actions on the field of their officials. Maybe then you wouldn't be having the problems that I keep hearing about on here. I can tell you that I don't hear near the complaints where I am about the officiating, but then again, we don't have a message board!

soccerboy, totally agree. I have tried to contact ihsa multiple times with no luck. I am currently building a website to allow assessment by the coaches. It will not be ready in time this season but def by next year. When close to ready, I do plan to post on this site for feedback.

Development and proper assessment is def needed in the state.

I have been a referee for years. While I am not familiar with the IHSA, I totally agree with Soccerboy and would like to add add two points in support of SC adopting such a system. First, I do not know a decent referee who would object to an organized system of review and critique. Any good referee is looking for ways to improve. Second, I honestly believe that some of the extreme criticism that we hear at matches or on this board is at least partially due to a lack of any such system or manner of outlet when criticism is warranted.

Import,
I will attempt to get some contact information for you, but the IHSA is running a little shorter staffed recently. We have problems with trying to get things done here, so I can only imagine somebody attempting to get help from them from another state. I commend you for taking the time to set something like that up, and I agree with Ifc that any good referee would welcome a system that would only make the referees better and accountable.

It would work and would obviously help the current system. There is absolutely no way to point out or have a discussion with a ref after a game. I can't blame them when they high tail it out of the stadiums. It is public school after all. However, so many times the ref makes a call and will not explain the call when questioned. Instead he gets upset that you could even question his call. Not everyone is perfect so better communication can help overcome these imperfections. I know the refs have a thankless job but I have seen all too many times where the refs actions or inactions caused a bad situation to get out of hand. At least some sort of review system will weed out those refs not fit (both mentally and physically) from the honor of being a center referee. And yes If we are to respect the center ref I would consider it an honor.

I don't think the referee is obligated to explain every single call to the coaches and players. The ref's job is to make the game flow. Blow the whistle, signal direction, encourage quick restarts.

I've had coaches say "Hey ref, what was the call?", after totally obvious trips, in plain view of all 22 players and all the fans.

Of course half the fans thought the player in possession merely tripped over a sprinkler head.

Wonder how many people posting the gripes about refs have seen games reffed at higher levels, ok other then FOX soccer channel? Got to see 5 or 6 spring ACC friendlies at the showcase in Winton-Salem today. Next time I hear someone complain about a ref not making a call because someone is pushing I may just laugh outload. These college refs let very physical play go and go and go! Fouls they call but they had to be FOULS. Only time I saw a player even talk to ref was at half time as they walked off, she was (looked like from stands) telling ref that she was being pulled down from beind, and she was doing it very nicely(calmly).

Chief you are right. The higher the level of play, the more physical the game becomes. Plus, if both teams dictate a physical style of play then the Ref is obliged to go with it. Yes you call fouls but if players are going shoulder to shoulder and using their bodies to protect the ball, that's just proper soccer.