AYSO National Referee Program

Advanced Referee Administrator Training: Dealing with Complaints

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Workshop Objectives

• Identify complaints that a Referee Administrator may encounter

• Examine the resolution process

• Specifics of complaints

• Apply resolution process to complaints

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Referee Administrator Feedback

• Volunteer leaders in AYSO Regions get all sorts of feedback– Some feedback is appreciative and thankful– Some is more critical and would be considered a

“complaint”– Some might just be venting

• We will explore a feedback resolution process and address various types of complaints a Referee Administrator might experience

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Sources of Complaints

• Coaches• Spectators• Referees• Prospective Referees• Players• Other

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ResolutionThe Thought Process

Step 1. Select one of the following:• I can successfully resolve this issue on

my own, right now; or,• I can successfully resolve this issue on

my own, but it will take some additional time/effort and research; or,

• I need to involve others to provide a successful resolution; or,

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ResolutionThe Thought Process

Step 2. Understand the Complaint• Can you understand the nature of the

complaint?• What is really being asked of you?• Does the volunteer know they have

been heard?• Assume the complaint is valid. Is there

a surface and underlying complaint?• You don’t have to agree; understanding

will help you resolve.

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ResolutionThe Thought Process

Step 3. The Resolution• Can you resolve meeting both their

needs/goals as well as yours? • You must track the complaint with all

parties.• How do you know the complaint is

resolved?• If it can’t be resolved, have you

exhausted all possible solutions and resources?

• Pay attention. Usually, one complaint represents a number of individuals with the same complaint.

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Types of Complaints

• Recruiting• Instruction• Assessment• Scheduling• Quality of refereeing• Other

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Recruiting Complaints

• If you had asked me to referee I probably would have considered doing so

• I'm only here because my arm was pretty heavily twisted to show up

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Recruiting Complaints

• If you had asked me to referee I probably would have considered doing so

– It's not too late; how about taking the next class?

– Clearly we need more recruiting volunteers - would you like to help us recruit?

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Recruiting Complaints

• I'm only here because my arm was pretty heavily twisted to show up

–Well, thank you for coming!

–Most volunteers who go through training enjoy refereeing; hopefully that will be the case for you

– You don’t have to referee but we do want you to volunteer; how else would you like to volunteer?

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Instruction Complaints

• The classes aren't convenient for my schedule• It takes too many hours to get trained• I passed the written test but some questions

were tricky• I didn't pass my written test; I don’t want to

have to take the class a second time• I want to take a higher level (Intermediate,

Advanced or National) Referee class and they are never offered

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Instruction Complaints

• The classes aren't convenient for my schedule

–We try to match instructor availability with the availability of most of the students; what would fit into your schedule?

– Did we mention that the instructors are also volunteers?

– Delegate this response to your Regional Director of Referee Instruction

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Instruction Complaints

• It takes too many hours to get trained

–We agree, getting trained is a big time investment

– Amortize those hours over several games and the training time is hardly noticeable

– Our curriculum now lets some of the work be done in the privacy of your home – train at your own convenience

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Instruction Complaints

• I passed the written test but some questions were tricky– Learning the laws of the game is not easy,

especially if you are new to soccer– Your exam score doesn’t predict how well you will

referee; you will improve with on-the-field practice and continuing education

– Understanding the concepts behind the questions is more important than your test taking skills

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Instruction Complaints

• I didn't pass my written test; I don’t want to have to take the class a second time

– Let me talk to your class’s lead instructor, and see what he/she has in mind to get you re-tested

– Let’s set up a mentor to offer one-on-one study– As Referee Administrator you should check the

National Referee Program manual for details of how to re-test

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Instruction Complaints

• I want to take a higher level (Intermediate, Advanced or National) Referee class and they are never offered

- Higher level classes are offered less frequently- Sometimes these classes are offered at an Expo or

super camp- A good RRA identifies/recruits higher level

candidates and encourages ARAs/SRAs to schedule relevant classes

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Assessment/Observation Complaints

• I thought I did a good job and should have passed my assessment/observation

• The assessor didn't pass me because she said my game wasn't challenging enough; what's up with that?

• My child’s game where a referee was assessed was cut short due to feedback at the quarter breaks and halftime9/30/2015

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Assessment/Observation Complaints

• I thought I did a good job and should have passed my assessment/observation

- It is frustrating to not pass; did you learn from the process for future improvement?

- Let me talk to the assessor and follow up with you- Is a passed assessment the only item standing

between you and your upgrade (if not, let’s focus on those items)?

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Assessment/Observation Complaints

• The assessor didn't pass me because she said my game wasn't challenging enough; what's up with that?– Let me talk to the assessor and follow up with you– The National Referee Program Manual says:

• "Recognize that candidate is being critiqued on his ability to successfully perform as a referee and/or assistant referee in a typical regular season AYSO U-14 [or U-12] game."

– The assessor must conclude and substantiate that the match was atypical to use this criteria as a basis not to pass the candidate

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Assessment/Observation Complaints

• My child’s game where a referee was assessed was cut short due to feedback at the quarter breaks and halftime

- Assessors should not provide feedback until the game is over

- Mentors should limit their constructive suggestions– First quarter break -- one or two quick fixes – Halftime -- no more than two to three minutes of feedback

- Both the mentor/assessor and mentee/assessee should plan to stick around after the game to share feedback

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Scheduling Complaints

• I am told that I need to referee a game other than my child's game This is too hard for my family's schedule

• I don't enjoy refereeing older games (say U-14 and above) without having trained ARs help out

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Scheduling Complaints

• I am told that I need to referee a game not my child's, and that's just too hard for my family's schedule

- Does your local policy to not referee your own child's game need some flexibility or rethinking?

- Encourage your referees with children 10+ years old to AR their children's games

- Thank them for whatever refereeing they are able to do for your region

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Scheduling Complaints

• I don't enjoy refereeing older games (say U-14 and above) without having trained ARs help out

- Team up with one or two other referees; run the lines in each other’s matches

- Encourage club linesmen to take the Basic Referee class so that they can volunteer as ARs

- Invite your referees to encourage their teenage children players to take referee training

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Quality of Refereeing Complaints

• A coach complains about a poor referee

• "I don't want this referee to do my team's games any more"

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Quality of Refereeing Complaints

• A coach complains about a poor referee

- “I will try to arrange for an experienced referee to be at the next match for this referee in question”

- Invite the coach to help recruit other volunteers to take referee training (and to also go through training)

- Encourage the referee in question to be mentored- If the referee's child played on one of the teams, did

that contribute to a perception of bias?

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Quality of Refereeing Complaints

• “I don't want this referee to do my team's games any more”

- Allow the person to vent (a little) so that you can better understand the issues

- Tell them that if you had to accommodate everyone's request, scheduling and referee coverage would be extremely difficult

- “I will try to arrange for an experienced referee to be at the next match for this referee in question”

- Get a more experienced referee to work this coach's next game to see how the coach behaves during the match

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Conclusion

• Referee Administrators are confronted with various types of complaints

• The more volunteers you have supporting your efforts, the more you can delegate follow up to these complaints

• Hopefully you are better prepared to address various kinds of complaints and can be a more effective Administrator9/30/2015

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Goal For Referees

• Support the delivery of a great AYSO experience for players and others

• How will this workshop help you support this goal?

• Thank you!

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