Proactive Refereeing
AYSO National Referee Program
#520
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
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
Before the Game
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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
Do Your Homework
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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?
Reading the Game
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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
“Referring is Thinking”
• A famous Ken Aston saying
• What does it mean?
• What would happen in your match if you couldn’t think well?
If “Referring is Thinking”…
Anything that affects your ability to think…… affects your ability to
control the match.
The Impact of Fatigue
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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
The Impact of Stress
• Triggered internally: am I up for this game?
• Triggered in reaction to physical or vocal attack
• Exactly the same as the effect of fatigue
Solution
Deal with problems early, when everyone is thinking clearly
During the Game
• Be where you need to be
• See what you need to see
• Call what needs to be called
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!!!
The Rest of the Time
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Pulse in (10 yards) and out (20 yards) as needed
Look through play at an Assistant Referee
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
The Best way to deal with Foul Play:
Prevent it!
Game Management
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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
Position Proactively for High-Risk Situations
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A player who is looking at you every time you see them
Players around whom bad things “just happen”
An unbalanced or lopsided match
The star attacker and the “hard man” on defense
Position Proactively for High-Risk Situations
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Midfield fouling (more likely to happen here)
Player far from their normal position
You are fatigued
You have club linesmen
Hard fouls on attackers early or late in the match
Goal for Referee
• Support the delivery of a great AYSO experience for players
and others
• How will this workshop help you support this goal?
Conclusion
• A good referee will have done their homework to be mentally
and physically prepared for the game
• Reading the game gives the referee an idea of what may
happen next and helps to establish good game control
• Proactively move towards the best position to be near play
• Anticipation and foul recognition together help the referee
control the match and provides good game management
Thank you for attending!
[email protected]
# 520