A web site to share information of interest with referees in my ARBITER.com and ASSIGNR.com referee pools. Unless specifically quoted from authoritative sources, information represents the opinion of the author. For authoritative answers to questions, please visit NJREFS.com – the official site of the New Jersey State Referee Committee.
Dan Paolini assignor.paolini@gmail.com
Are you ready for some Futbol?
You should be checking through your gear and uniforms to make sure that you are ready to hit the ground running. While a brand-new referee may only have a yellow short-sleeve jersey, I have an expectation that a referee with one season under his or her belt will have one or more alternate jersey colors and a long-sleeve yellow. As a self-employed professional you need to invest in your business if you want to grow your business. Here is a good starting list for your second season of work: Read the rest of this entry
I assign soccer referees using two different software platforms and three accounts.
For Grassroots Referees who would like to be added to my referee pools, please send me an email with the following information: Read the rest of this entry
I am the Assignor for South Jersey Girls Soccer League (SJGSL – the Girls’ league) and the South Jersey Soccer League (SJSL – the Boys’ league) North Areas. The clubs are (from south to north): Seneca playing at Indian Mills, Medford, Medford Strikers, BCSA playing at Delanco, Edgewater Park, Rancocas Valley playing at Lumberton/Hainesport/Eastampton, Pemberton, Burlington Township, Northern Burlington, and Bordentown.
I use their respective league Arbiter accounts to assign the above matches.
I assign EDP, APL, ECNL, and State Cup matches for many of these same clubs, as well as for others in Burlington County. I use my The Assigning Group account in ASSIGNR.com for these games.
In addition to a USSF Assignor, I am a USSF Referee and a USSF Referee Mentor.
The Club Line Briefing http://www.watchandwhistle.org
Even with the use of full crews on many small-sided matches, we may still find ourselves working a match as the only appointed certified official. In addition, occasionally, a crew member does not show or is injured and there may only be two appointed referees present. In these situations, we use club lines people. A club lines person is a volunteer from the spectators present who assists the referee with ball off the field decisions. Read the rest of this entry
Sometimes referees need to be cautioned
Assignor Editorial
We have an obligation to know and apply the Laws of the Game (LOTG). It is helpful to know that the historical role of the referee was to be the independent judge to whom the teams would “refer” any disagreement. The expectation in the middle of the nineteenth century was that gentlemen (organized sports being the province of the privileged) should be able to play a game with minimal involvement of the judge.
Over time, this role began to be referred to (no pun intended) as the “referee” (well, maybe a little intended). And over time, unfortunately, the need for the referee became greater. That the referee is still the person that gets involved (or interferes, as a coach might put it) only as necessary is embedded in the Laws of the Game in concepts such as “trifling offenses”, “advantage”, and “if in the opinion of the referee”. This last term, commonly designated IITOOTR, is to give the referee the leeway to NOT get involved when it is appropriate, or get MORE involved when it is necessary.
El Hadji Diouf complains to the Assistant Referee! (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
At the November meeting of the SRANJ, National Referee Coach Barry Towbin provided a presentation on referee crew teamwork. He led a discussion of the referees in the room around several topics critical to successful referee teamwork. Barry challenged referees in the room with questions and used their answers as well as their comments and questions to augment his presentation.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Futsal is a soccer-like sport played indoors. It originated in South America. Unlike the US sport of indoor soccer, it is not played with walls (as in ice hockey). Instead, it is played with touch and goal lines within which the ball must be kept as in soccer. A special weighted ball is used, and the size of the pitch is about the size of a large basketball court. Futsal is a sport in its own right, with clubs that play only futsal, and many levels of competition (including a World Cup).
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
For all USSF sanctioned competitions that we work, we must make sure that the participants have a valid pass for the competition. In addition to being used to validate that the rosters and players match and are in order, the pass may be required as the “entry ticket” to enter the pitch in competitions with limited substitutions. In competitions with unlimited substitutions, the player still must have a valid pass at check-in (and for late arrivals, before they enter the pitch).
With one exception, the passes for any one match must be the same for both teams and for all participants on each team. Some teams have passes from more than one registration authority (such as NJYS and US Club). In some cases the same two teams will play each other under one set of passes, and then play again another time under the other. We cannot allow mixed passes, even for coaches. Both teams and all participants play under one set or the other – never mixed.
The exception: EDP will permit an official friendly match in which one team has US Club passes and the other USYSA passes. This friendly MUST be approved by the EDP league administrator (you should have an email to that effect). All of the players on one team must have the same passes. If these conditions do not exist, do not officiate the match. Collect your fee, write up your report, and submit to your assignor and competition authority.
Referee & Madlung (Photo credit: Kate_Lokteva)
Over the first few weeks of the season I have had the opportunity to observe or work with several dozen referees. Each had strengths as well as areas for additional development, as we all do. One of the more common areas for improvement is verbal communications. This is also one of the easiest areas to improve – but it takes a little effort!
As referees, we can be our own worst enemies by the words we choose to communicate. For example, after a coach complains that his player was pushed, having been illegally charged from behind, we should not say “It wasn’t a foul because the player did not use her hands.” If you did not see the charge to the back, simply say that, but advise the coach you will watch for it (and watch for it!).
Above is an obvious example of digging yourself a hole. There are other situations, however, that can best be avoided by using the “Language of the Laws”. Examples:
The International Football Association Board (IFAB) has completed its evaluation of how to implement its decision to allow headscarves to be worn under certain conditions.
As this is a temporary measure and subject to change based on reported experiences, it is not at this time being made part of the Laws of the Game, but FIFA has issued a directive with the following guidelines which are in effect immediately.
Law 4 – The Players’ Equipment
The headscarf must
U.S. Soccer’s Advice to Referees
Soccer Assignments in South Jersey 
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