Note: These minutes will not be official until the y are approved at the 5/15/2011 meeting
Unofficial MINUTES of the MASO meeting held November 21, 2010, at Husson University,
Bangor, Maine
Attending were:
Central
Eastern
Northern
Downeast
Mark Bridgham Allen Drew
Sheldon Tozer Dewey Martin
John Stephenson
Steve Thibodeau
Western
South Central
Acadia
Midcoast
Mark Ouellette
Joe Peliccia
Steve Johnson
Dick Salminen
Sue Perkins
Interpreter
MPA Liaison
Testing Chairman Visitors
Brad Fogg
Denny Harmon
President Mark Bridgham called the meeting to order at 9:06 AM
Minutes of September 19, 2010 meeting were amended. In Item #4 under
New Business, Complaint from one referee against another the
last paragraph of #4 was deleted in its entirety because the action
described in that paragraph was not taken in accordance with
Roberts Rules of Order. The other amendment was the correction
of the vote tally on the motion to suspend Darren Hall. The correct
vote was 6-0-2 in favor of the motion. With those two
amendments, the minutes of the September 19, 2010 were
accepted.
Treasurer’s Report with a balance of $ 175.53 in the account was approved.
The treasurer announced that that 2010 dues from all 8 boards
have been received and that all the outstanding bills for 2010
have been paid.
Communication and Bills
There were no communications and no bills are outstanding,
MPA Liaison Report
Larry LaRochelle was detained at home today with basketball
assigning duties. He made his report over the phone which was
amplified so that all in the lecture hall could both hear and query
him.
The fall meeting of the MPA Soccer Committee dealt with deciding
the sites for the State Final games. Given the uncertainty of Maine
weather in November, the Soccer Committee prefers sites with
artificial turf over those with natural turf. Because those site are
chosen long before Regional Finals have been concluded, it is only
by chance that a school competing in a State final would be playing
on its home field during a State final game.
Responding to the question “What is the methodology employed for
selecting officials for Regional and State Finals?” Larry gave a brief
history of the process and how he, the assignor of the Regional and
State games, goes about the task of making those assignments.
Historically, the soccer coaches have provided the assignot with a
list of preferred officials which forms the pool from which he selects
the officials. Each of the 8 local soccer boards also submits the list of
officials qualified to referee Regional and State finals. From these
two lists he makes the selections. He takes guidance from the
assignors of local boards when making the assignments. He does
not assign officials to Regional finals where a team that officials saw
in a Regional semi-final is one of the contestants. Likewise, he does
not assign an official who worked a Regional final to a State final if
one of the teams that official saw in Regional final play is competing
in a that State final. Going with the MPA directive that that we should
have the best officials referring the State finals, while Larry tries to
include an official from the Board which covers each tieam in the
finals, he sometimes will assign a neutral referee who has
outstanding qualifications, but whose Board does not have a team
in the State final. Larry made it clear, in response to questions from
the floor, that just because a team from a certain board’s area is
competing in a State final, it doesn’t guarantee that an official from
that board will be assigned to the game.
There was much discontent expressed over the use of a coaches’
list to form the pool of potential officials. That list can be so
subjective, depending on a coach’s particular experience with
different referees during the season, and often that list is not always
based as much on professional competence as it is on personal
likes or dislikes. MASO voted convey to Larry LaRochelle and the
MPA Soccer Committee its desire to have the coaches’ list
abolished as the source of the referee pool for Regional and State
finals. Larry indicated that he has opposed the use of coaches’ lists
for many years and will take our sentiment to the MPA Soccer
Committee.
Larry also reported that the MPA Soccer Committee has expressed
great satisfaction with the sheet that Brad Fogg, the MASO
Interpreter prepares each year for officials selected for post-season
play, reminding them of important tournament rules and game
etiquette. It feels that sheet has contributed greatly to the smooth
running of the tournament games.
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MASO also requested that Probationary Class 1 officials be
considered for Regional and State finals before Class 2 officials.
Larry said he couldn’t remember the last time that a Class 2 official
was assigned to a Regional or a State Final.
The next meeting of the MPA Soccer Committee will be held on
December 8 at noon in Augusta.
Reports of Committees:
1. Constitution Committee:
Subcommittee report on New Referee Board Application
Reporting for the Subcommittee, John Stephenson
distributed a copy of the October 27, 2010 e-mail he sent to
Jason Pelletier, the applicant on behalf a new referee board
in the Central Maine area. John was requesting information
for the subcommittee to consider as it prepared its report to
the MASO Executive Committee. There has been no
response to that e-mail, so no action was taken.
2. Ethics and Grievance Committee:
No report
3. Fees and Uniforms Committee:
No report
4. Recognition, Awards, and Publicity Committee:
Brad Fogg announced that all officials working State final games
this season were presented with a specially minted flipping coin
which commemorates the occasion.
5. Rules and Interpretation Committee:
Brad presented a summary of some of the cards that were
awarded this fall, a summary that indicated that sometimes the
improper card was was awarded, given the nature of the foul. For
example, a yellow card was given for fighting, and in another
case, a yellow card was awarded for taunting, This information
can be used by local interpreters for inservice education at future
local board meetings.
8. Examination Committee:
The wording of the assessment requirement for Probationary
Class 1’s in the bylaws does not reflect the the consensus of the
Executive Committee. The bylaw states that the “Probie” has two
years in which to get his two assessments, when the intent was
to withhold full Class 1 certification until two assessments had
been done, with no time limit on the assessments. A change in
the by- laws will be taken up at the next annual meeting to reflect
that sentiment.
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9. Nominations Committee
No report
Election of Officers:
No elections held.
Unfinished Business
1. Statewjde Yellow/Red Card Reporting System
Thanks to the on-line reporting system developed and
maintained by Richard McGovern, President Mark Bridgham was
able to present a comprehensive report of the yellow and red
cards awarded by MASO officials in this past season. Of the 556
cards issued this season, 46 were red cards, seven were soft
reds, and 503 were yellow. Those numbers are up from 2009
when a total of 487 cards were issued. With the consent of the
Executive Committee, Mark will forward a copy of the 2010
yellow/red card data to Larry LaRochelle, the MPA Liasion in
support of the movement statewide to remove the yellow card 10
minute sit-down rule.
Mark reminded the five boards who have not yet sent their $50.00
card management fee to Richard McGovern to do so as soon as
possible.
2. Coaches Evaluations as part of the card reporting system
The Executive Committee gave Mark Bridgham permission to
continue his dialogue with Richard McGovern about how to
implement this component of the reporting system
3. Budget for 2011 based on increased dues as of 1/1/2011 to
$90.00 per board.
The treasurer presented a draft budget for 2011 which is labeled
Attachment A at the end of these minutes. Since we now have
Officer and Director Liability Insurance to cover us in the event
we are sued, our costs have gone up $385 dollars a year, which
eats up the increase in dues that will be charged to Boards in
2011. The dues will go up from $45.00 to $90.00. With a
contribution from a support group the secretary has organized,
our 2011 budget is a balanced, albeit, bare-boned budget.
4. Complaint from one referee against another
The Board voted to defer the suspension of Darren Hall that
was approved at the September 19, 2010 meeting until a report
on the issue is received from the Eastern Maine Board which is
reviewing the complaint.
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New Business
1. Review of Regional and State Final Games
From all reports the games went well, they were well officiated.
2. Review of selection process for selection of Regional and
State Final Officials.
Larry LaRochelle covered this topic in the MPA Report listed
above.
2. High School students officiating middle school games.
The question was raised as to whether or not people under the
age of 18 could officiate as MASO officials middle school games.
In the discussion it was pointed out that the MASO bylaws require
a member to be 18 years of age. There is a big question of
liability if a Board supplies an underage, non-MASO official to a
middle school contest. If something goes wrong and a parent
sues, there would be no coverage for that situation. Boards would
be well advised to let individual middle school contract on their
own with referees under the age of 18.
Meeting Adjourned at 12:50 PM
The next meeting will be held Sunday, May 15, 2011, 9:00 AM at Husson
University
Respectfully submitted,
Steve Johnson, Secretary/Treasurer
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Attachment A
Maine Association of Soccer Officials
Projected Budget
1/1/2011 - 12/31/2011
Expense
MASO Interpreter Web Hosting
Officer and Director Insurance 12/04/2011 12/04/2012
Brad Fogg, Summer Meetings and Gas
Larry LaRochelle, Travel for MPA Meetings
Recognition Plaques
10 % Contingency Fund
$ 150.00
385.00
300.00
110.00
75.00
100.00
Total Expenses
$1125.00
Income
Dues from 8 Boards @ $90.00
Contributions from Friends of MASO
Total Income
$ 720.00
425.00
$ 1125.00
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