AYSO National Referee Program

Proactive Refereeing

Introduction

• Good referees are students of the game– They can ‘feel’ what’s coming next– That sense of what’s coming next helps them control the

match

• Good referees can read the game in a way that establishes good game control

• Good referees anticipate what fouls are coming based on which player has the ball, and where it is on the field

• Good referees keep track of who is fouling and who is being fouled in order to proactively end persistent infringement

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First: Be a “Student of the Game”

The better you understand the overall game, coach and player tactics…

… the better you will be able to read the game, anticipate play and be in the right place at the right time

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Before the Game

• Eat, sleep, and hydrate properly

• Shake the coaches’ hands (“Wow, the ref’s human!”)

• Watch the teams warm up

• Shake the captains’ hands

• Evaluate the field and the weather

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Do your homework

• Have these teams played before?• What type of speed, skill, physicality do they

have?• What was the score?• Do they have any star players?• Do they have any problem players?• What more can you do to prepare and be

proactive?• Do your Assistant Referees have any

information for you?5

Reading the game

• What is the maturity level of the players?• Apply Advantage when appropriate • Watch the body language of the players• Look 1-2 seconds longer at hard tackles- why do

this?• Zone in on players after contact• Do not be a ball watcher• Use your whistle, voice, and cards effectively

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“Refereeing is Thinking”

• A famous Ken Aston saying

• What does it mean?

• What would happen in your match if you couldn’t think well?

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If Refereeing is Thinking…

Anything that affects your ability to think

affects your ability to control the match

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The Impact of Fatigue

• Reduces your ability to think

• Reduces your ability to communicate

• Impairs your ability to make decisions

• Impairs your ability to control your emotions

• Affects you and the players

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The Impact of Stress

• Triggered internally (up for the game)

• Triggered in reaction to physical or vocal attack

• Exactly the same as the effect of fatigue

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Solution:Deal with problems early, when everyone is

thinking clearly

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During the Game

• Be where you need to be

• See what you need to see

• Call what needs to be called

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Times You Need to be Close to Play

• The Learning Time: – The first 5 -10 minutes of each half

• The Burning Time: – The last 5 - 10 minutes of each half

• After a Goal: – Goals follow goals as do “frustration/getting-even”

fouls

• Other Times: – Don’t be predictable in your positioning – move

around!!! 13

The Rest of the Time

• Pulse in (10 yards) and out (20 yards) as needed

• Look through play at an AR

• Move to get a good angle on potential trouble

• Stay out of the players’ way

• Anticipate where to be next

• Sprint to the point of hard fouls

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The best way to deal with foul play is to

prevent it!

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Game Management

• Make good eye contact with players and assistants

• Use your voice to communicate with the players• Establish the tone early • Whistle loudly for hard fouls and be close to

play• Players will respond to positive game control• Deal with dissent and unsporting behavior • Watch for and deal with persistent infringement

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Position Proactively for High-Risk Situations

• A player who is looking at you every time you see him

• Players around whom bad things “just happen”

• An unbalanced or lopsided match

• The star attacker and the “hard man” on defense

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Position Proactively for High-Risk Situations

• Midfield fouling (more are likely to happen here)

• Player far from his normal position

• You are fatigued

• You have club linesmen

• Hard fouls on attackers early or late in the match

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Conclusion

• A good referee will have done his homework to be mentally and physically prepared for the game ahead of him

• Reading the game gives the referee an idea of what’s going to happen next and helps to establish good game control

• This allows the referee to proactively move towards the best position to be near play (anticipation)

• Anticipation and foul recognition together help the referee control the match and provides good game management

• Recognizing and proactively sanctioning unsporting behavior and persistent infringement helps keep the match safe and fair

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Goal for the referees:Support the delivery of a great AYSO experience for the players and others.

How will today’s workshop help you support this goal?

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