Refs can drastically affect the outcome of a game. A player trips over their feet in the box... a foul is called, a PK is scored, and the opponent wins the game 1-0. A ref must keep the game under control and keep the players safe. When players go cleats up on opposing players, the ref should be more strict with the calls he/she makes. However, as the level of play increases and the teams get better, a little elbow to the ribs, or a tiny push of the back shouldn't be called. It's not going to HURT anyone, it's just a display of the athlete's competitive nature. I am a player, and used to yell at refs any chance I got. I have matured, and have learned to keep my mouth shut. If a ref makes a terrible call... get over it and win the ball back. If the game is officiated by the worst ref you've ever seen... at half-time, walk into the locker room and scream at the top of your lungs but keep your mouth shut to the refs. Especially players... your yelling at refs encourages your parents to yell at refs not to mention you screw your team over by putting your team on his/her bad side. And how about the parents who scream "What kind of a call was that?" All some of these adults want is for all calls to be beneficial to their kid's team. Relax, and teach your child to overcome crappy calls and play better to make up for it. Parents should be an example to their children, and you yelling encourages them to yell, and vise versa. I'm not a ref, so I don't know the difficulty in making the right calls... but I do know that there are some absolutely horrible refs out there... but guess what... too bad, because the teams are BOTH stuck with that ref. Get over it, and play harder so that the terrible calls dont take you out of your game and keep you from winning.
