 |
SC Soccer Referee Association |
|
|
|
SC Soccer Referee Association |
|
“EVERY
EXPERIENCED, HIGH LEVEL OFFICIAL GOT THERE BY ASSESSMENT AND ADDITIONAL
TRAINING”
Code of Ethics
1. Service before self.
2. I will conduct myself honorably at all times and maintain the dignity of my position.
3. I will never knowingly criticize my fellow assessors.
4. I will be courteous and considerate when critiquing officials during the post-game.
5. I will not make statements about any game official except in my official capacity.
6. All my assessments are confidential and are to be shared only according to policy.
7. I will not provide in written feedback anything different from what was told to the
official during the post-game session.
8. I will not let personal feelings interfere with my objective evaluation.
9. I will have no conflicts of interest involved in the match, the referees, or the players.
Mission
The USSF Assessment Program will serve the U.S. Soccer Community to enhance the performance of the referees and assistant referee’s and increase enjoyment of the game. Assessors will exhibit the highest level of ethics and professionalism while performing their responsibilities and accurately relate the performance of officials without influence or prejudice to the appropriate governing body.
PURPOSE OF ASSESSMENT PROGRAM
All referees need to be evaluated by an unbiased, third party assessor to receive feedback on their progress, along with recommendations on how they might improve to better serve the soccer clubs and state soccer associations. The assessor is an integral part of the United States Soccer referee program. Our state has many high level referees, all of whom rose up through the ranks through the assessment program.
The assessment procedure will look at the match for overall control, fairness,
fitness, character, integrity, knowledge and judgment. The South Carolina Youth
Soccer Association and the South Carolina Amateur Soccer Association have
adopted a policy that all State Tournaments will first use referees who have
been through the upgrade process, and second referees who are recommended by
their ARA or an Assessor. The Assessor will offer suggestions and encouragement
to referees to insure they continue as a USSF soccer referee.
“People skills,” the ability to pass on criticism, praise and instruction to the referee so they do not feel as though they are being reprimanded are the key to assessment. The assessment debriefing is critical to keeping young referees on the field. It is during an assessment debriefing where a referee decides to continue on a career path or to find other ways to spend their energy in sport.
Another integral part of the assessment program, is that the State Director of Assessment and the State Director of Instruction work closely together to insure the instruction given in the classroom is performed on the soccer field. Feed back to the SDI from the assessors watching the referees is a vital part in the teaching and learning process.
Policies of the South Carolina Referee Assessment Program
Associate Assessor
The Associate Assessor is the entry-level position and is primarily a training and probationary position.
Duties: Conduct observations or assessments of officials at the local level under the direction f the SDA or his designee. Complete and submit written assessments to the SDA and provide feedback forms to the officials assessed within seven (7) days of the game.
Levels of Assessment: The Associate Assessor will assess referees at the Grade 7 & 8 level. The associate assessor will not be able to upgrade any referee grade or perform maintenance assessments.
Course of Development: To perform assessments the associate assessor will contact the State Director of Assessment (SDA), the local Area Referee Administrator (ARA) or the State Referee Administrator (SRA). These people will be able to give names of individuals that need assessment or guidance.
Procedure: The ARA or associate assessor will contact the individual before the match and explain what an assessment is or this can be done prior to the match. All newly registered referees should be assessed or observed in the first 10 weeks after completion of their initial referee course.
Upgrade to Assessor: To be considered for upgrade you must perform 10 assessments in one registration year using the proper developmental assessment forms and send them to the SRA.
*NOTE: If the associate assessor is at a match and the match ends and another begins he may assess/observe another referee’s performance. If you have the time and someone asks for an assessment/observation or you want to assess/observe another referee, you do not have to get permission from the SDA or ARA to complete an assessment/observation. Use common sense and your own judgment.
Assessor Duties and Recertification Requirements
1. The Assessment calendar year will run 1 January until 30 November.
2. The assessor will assess a minimum of 10 games per year to include a minimum of 4 full assessments (3 man referee team on U14 or above game) during each youth soccer season i.e. spring and fall. At least 2 of those games will be in the first 4 weeks of the season. Reasoning: Assessing referees at the end of the season allows referees to continue to make mistakes without guidance in the beginning of the season.
3. Assess at one youth tournament per year, as approved by the SDA.
4. Complete 6 hours per year of additional (refresher) training.
5. All assessments will be sent to the referee within 7 days of the match.
6. Assess honestly and fairly. There will always be a positive aspect of all assessments to go along with the teachable moments.
Certification: Assessors must recertify annually. Recertification requires a minimum of 2 game assessments at the U-19 level or above.
*USSF policy dated 1996
Unaffiliated Games
No assessments may be performed on referees in unaffiliated games.
USSF Policy
Out of State Assessments
Assessors
Purpose: To broaden the experience of assessors and to form a common bond and exchange new techniques and ideas with assessors from other states.
Procedure: Inform the SDA you will be going out of state to perform an
assessment. The SDA will then contact the SDA of that state to seek permission
for you to perform an assessment. If an assessment is performed by an assessor
out of state, without the permission of that state’s SDA, the assessment may be
deemed invalid.
*NOTE: Assessments performed out of state will not fulfill the required number of assessments to be performed in South Carolina.
Referees
Purpose: To insure quality assessments are performed by registered assessors.
Procedure: Registered South Carolina referees will contact the SDA for permission to receive out of state assessments. The SDA will then contact that state’s SDA to insure a registered assessor of proper level and experience is available to perform the assessment.
*NOTE: Assessments performed out state without permission of the SRA or SDA will not be approved for upgrade or maintenance assessments.
* South Carolina policy
states referees who wish to referee in another state do not require permission,
but should notify the SRA prior to leaving the state.
Upgrade Assessment Procedure
Purpose: For all referees seeking upgrade to the next referee level.
Procedure: All requests for upgrade assessments will begin with the SRA.
a. Send a letter to the State Referee Administrator (SRA) requesting an upgrade including game count as directed by the current Referee Administrative Handbook.
b. Pass the appropriate referee test for that grade as designated by the current Referee Handbook.
c. Pass the appropriate physical fitness criteria as designated in the current Referee Handbook. The physical fitness test will be administered by an Area Referee Administrator (ARA) or the State Referee Administrator.
d. Upon passing the physical fitness test, contact the State Director of Assessment (SDA) to be assigned an appropriate level game for upgrade assessment.
NOTE: The referee will have 1 year from the date the SRA has confirmed all criteria has been met to complete the upgrade process.
All assignments for Upgrade or Maintenance assessment will have prior approval of the SDA. In the SDA’s absence, the SRA can approve those assessments.
Payment Schedule for Assessments
1. For upgrades from grade 8 to 7 the referee will send the SRA, at the time they send a letter requesting upgrade, a check for $60.00 payable to the SRA. This will cover the assessment fees and any costs incurred in the upgrade process.
2. For all other upgrades the referee will send the SRA, at the time they send a letter requesting upgrade, a check for $180.00 payable to the SRA. This will cover the cost of three assessments and any costs incurred in the upgrade process.
3. For Maintenance Assessments and Developmental Assessments, the assessor will be paid by the SRA the scale assessment fee based upon the Assessor Grade, after the referee and SDA have received copies of the assessment.
Purpose: Items 1, 2 & 3 above are a way to keep the SRA aware of who wants and needs assessments and their progress. In all cases, the SDA should forward a payment request to the SRA for the Assessor.
Scale for Assessment Payment by type of Assessment and Grade of Assessor:
Developmental Maintenance Upgrades
National Assessor $50 $55 $60
State Assessor $40 $45 $50
Referee Assessor $30 $35 $40
Associate Assessor $20 $25 $30
*Note: Those now in the upgrade process will continue to pay the assessor the game fee for the assessment.
Assessor Payment Schedule
1. Assessors will be paid by the SRA upon completion of the assessment. Completion of assessment is defined as:
a. The SDA has received a copy of the assessment and has informed the SRA the person assessed has received a copy of their assessment.
b. Under no circumstances is the assessor to be paid by the person being assessed.
2. Assessors traveling outside of their geographical area will receive $50.00 for travel expenses. An assessor traveling two geographical areas will receive $75.00. Geographical area is defined by:
a. Travel from Greenville to Columbia
b. Travel from Charleston to Columbia
c. Travel from Myrtle Beach to Columbia
d. Travel from Aiken to Columbia
The rates also apply when traveling from Columbia to other geographic areas.
NOTE: If an assessor travels from one geographical area to another to assess two or more referees, his total travel expense should not exceed $50.00 or $75.00 if he travels between two areas.
Example: An assessor who travels from Charleston to Columbia to assess two referees will receive $50.00 from the SRA in travel expenses.
Note: Assessors will not accept money on the field for performing assessments.
Assessments for Grade 8 and below referees
1. Grade 8 referees should be encouraged to get a developmental assessment before getting an upgrade assessment to Grade 7. It is not mandatory, but encouraged.
Maintenance Assessments - Grade 7 Referees
1. The South Carolina State Referee Committee recommends that all Grade 7 Referees pass one maintenance assessment or receive one developmental assessment (90 minute game) to keep their grade during the registration period.
Maintenance assessment failures for National and State Referees
1. For annual maintenance assessments for National and State referees, the first failure will require only one additional passing assessment (1 for 1). For the second or additional failures, the two for one criterion applies (i.e. two passing assessments needed to offset the failed assessment). Make up assessments must be on the same level game, or higher, as the failed assessment.
NOTE: The above is USSF policy
Limitation imposed on Upgrade Assessments
1. For all referees seeking upgrade in referee level, the assessments should be completed within a twelve-month time period. No more than two failing assessment can occur within that time period. A third failure terminates the upgrade process for that registration year and the candidates must restrart the process in the next registration year, starting with zero assessments. National Referee candidates must get their upgrade assessments in the December 1-November 30 time period in the year prior to National camp attendance. A third failure terminates the upgrade process for that year for National candidates.
NOTE: The above is USSF policy
Referees failing more than 2 maintenance assessments
1. Referees failing 2 maintenance assessments in the same registration period may have their records reviewed by the SRC and may be reduced one referee grade.
Using the Assessment Forms
The State Director of Assessment receives all assessments and records the results. By USSF policy, the assessments must be kept for three years. The assessment form is a valuable tool for the assessor to express that a referee should be “given more challenging games” or “with a little mentoring, this good referee will be a great referee” or “this referee should maintain refereeing at this level.”
The assessment should not only convey to the referee positive aspects of his performance and areas to work on, but it should also convey to the SDA if this referee should be considered for Young Referee of the Year, or should be assigned to tournaments at a higher level. If you do not have space left to write a comment to the SDA a short note included with the assessment will alert the SDA to a potential future National Referee candidate.
Your assessment is also a valuable tool to the State Director of Instruction (SDI) as to what areas need more emphasis in the classroom. The SDA will compile consistent comments from your evaluations and pass them on to the SDI and SRA.
What the numbers should mean
The numerical rating on the USSF Assessment Report of Game Officials form should convey to the SDA how well the referee performed and his aptitude to perform at higher levels or to maintain his current level of assigned games.
The “Feedback to Referee” section, on the form should match the numerical score. Examples of feedback not matching numerical score are shown below.
Grade 6 referee assessment sheet. Full assessment.
Personal: 10
Fitness: 9
Interpretation and Application of Laws of Game: 27
Performance of Duties: 19
Discipline and Match Control: 28
Total Referee Score 93
What the “Feedback to Referee” might say:
Good job overall. Runs well, may try to get wider once in a while. Good communication with AR’s. Very good judge of player’s intent. Tends to take eyes off of play in transition out of goal area. Good cautioning technique.
What the “Feedback to Referee” should read for a score of 93:
Outstanding job! Runs like a deer, the field wasn’t wide or long enough for his speed. Checked with AR’s as he ran past them to their corner flag and beat them to it by 10 steps. Visionary, knew what players were going to do, told them not to do it. Raced ball from keepers goal kick to drop zone and beat it there. Didn’t need to caution anyone, was there before players thought of committing a foul. A phenomenal referee, send this referee’s name to FIFA to award him a FIFA badge.
Grade 8 Referees
Grade 8 referees should be given no more than 3 things to work on at one time. We need and want them to come back. One technique to use is to say a positive item then an item to work on then finish with positive. If you start negative, the young referee’s ears will close to the next words you speak.
Finish the assessment with positive comments:
“you did well for a young referee”
“best job I’ve seen today for someone your age”
“you wore the referee uniform well today”
“hope to see you out here again”
“I would feel comfortable with you running my line”
Sounds corny perhaps to someone 40 or 50 but to a 14 year old. It’s a nice pat on the head.
Grade 7 Referees
These referees have made an effort to upgrade once and we want them to continue to improve. Instruction is still needed here to analyze why the referee made a certain call, and to tell the referee how it could have been done better.
Grade 6 Referees
This referee will tell you they had a bad game or a good game. Listen first, ask open ended questions after. “What did you see on that foul” “Why do you think you reacted to that particular player in that manner” “How would you have handled it differently in another situation”? This is a time to challenge this level referee to think about the game situations and how he could have possibly handled it differently.
Grade 5 Referees
Ask first, if the referee is a National Candidate. Proceed as with a grade 6 referee but let them tell you the story of the game and where they could have done better.
Assessors should always be mindful of helping Referees answer three basic questions:
1. What went wrong?
2. Why did it go wrong?
3. How can we fix it?
The following is taken from US SOCCER: ART of ASSESSING which was prepared in large part by David E. McKee, a member of the National Assessor Instructional Staff. (The word linesman has been changed to AR)
Positive Actions by the Referee
· Strong personality , body language, and presence
· Good reading of intent
· Good foul recognition
· Good use of Advantage
· Good use of whistle ( used whistle to talk to players)
· Intelligent field positioning i.e. Drop zone, free kicks, throw ins
· Ability to communicate with players and Assistant Referees
· Fitness and mobility
· Not influenced by appeals
· Signals clear, concise and correct
· Recognized and dealt with gamesmanship
· Dealt with dissent, misconduct, and serious foul play or violent conduct
· Appeared to enjoy game
Actions which may lead to an Unfavorable Assessment
Loss of Game Control to include….
· Game critical situations which were not dealt with properly
· Lack of knowledge and application of restarts
· Misconduct and serious foul play which was not dealt with during the match
· Where the referee did not recognize intent or tactical play
· Events when skilled players were not protected
· Situations were the referee lacked courage and did not uphold the Spirit of the Game
· Situations where the first foul was not punished but the retaliation was
· Situations where the response of the referee did not match the level of the incident
When we arrive at the field to perform an assessment of a referee and team members we must think critically of what we are looking for. More is expected of a grade 7 referee than a grade 8 and more is expected of a grade 6 than of a grade 7. What are some of the factors which separate these grades? Using information from Mr. McKee we may learn how to make this distinction.
Grade 8 / 7 Grade 6 / 5
Dress and Appearance
Proper Uniform Same plus:
Shoes shined Proper uniform (Part Match)
Neat grooming Neat grooming before match and after halftime
Current badge If warm-ups required, all match and are approved
Pre-game
Often arrives at pitch 15-30 minutes Arrives 60 minutes before match, earlier if necessary
before kickoff.
Introduction to coaches often involves Professional demeanor with coaches and players
some socializing before match and during inspection.
Field and player inspection often rushed Obtains game schedule, if required, to ensure
on-time kick off
Check ball(s) and sometimes nets Complete pre-game conference with linesman
EXPECTATIONS
Grade 8 / 7 Grade 6 / 5
Fitness
Not always fit and mobile Maintains fitness throughout match
Can sprint, but only when play demands Goes wide and deep when play demands
Cannot recover from deep position Looks fit and mobile
In the way of play Does not interfere with player distribution options
Sprint speed allows ref to be close to play and to
use personality to defuse critical situations.
Attitude
Usually enthusiastic Shows respect to players and coaches through
Sometimes has rabbit ears and can be influenced actions
by fans coaches and players Good cooperation and acknowledgement of
assistant referee involvement
Shows respect to players and coaches Body language and whistle convey strength and
positive attitude
Actions create an aura of credibility
Approachable but not influenced by player appeals
Mentally prepared for match level
Never embarrasses players
Believes game is for players and allows it to flow,
based on play.
Concentrates on game details for 90 minutes
Timely use of whistle and basic foul recognition Never any doubt who is in control
Consistent in calls regardless of location on field Courage to make the tough decisions
Appears neutral in judgments Maintains composure under stress
Courage to deal with foul play, misconduct and to Consistently deals with dissent, misconduct and
award Penalty Kick’s serious foul play
Appears to be honest and fair Character reflects honesty, strength, and knowledge
of the game
Courage to use advantage wisely and to administer
delayed caution, if required
Consistently makes timely decisions
Grade 8/7 Grade 6/5
Positioning proper on set plays Always in proper position for set and dynamic play
Positioning on dynamic play usually needs work Always in Referee-ball-A/R position
Diagonal tends to be rigid not flexible for best view of play
Occasionally misses A/R flag Anticipates developing play and
positions self accordingly
Uses approved signals, but is inconsistent Uses flexible diagonal and goes wide
in advantage signal and verbalization and deep as required
Generally concentrates on ball and is Gives clear, concise, approved signals
unaware of off-the-ball activity Use of whistle(volume, length, of blast)
and body language to stress severity of foul
Basic foul recognition skills but occasionally Advanced foul recognition: deals with first foul,
has difficulty reading intent not retaliation
Limited understanding of tactical play Good tactical reading of the game
Sometimes has difficulty judging difference Not influenced by gamesmanship and deals with
between hard play and foul play it correctly
May overreact or under react in issuing Always correct in applying the Laws of the Game
Cautions or Sendoffs Decisions reflect concern for player enjoyment
Overall makes consistent decisions and and safety
controls the match Cautions and Send-offs decisions are appropriate
Judgments consistent with skill level and level of
Play
Game Control
Due to lack of experience, does not always Effective us of A/R’s signals
use A/R’s signals to full advantage Aware of off-the-ball activity and stays on top of it
Must work at not appearing to be influenced Reads degree of deliberateness in player actions as well
by appeals Has confidence to allow quick restarts
Capable of handling most youth games, but Consistently deals with wall situations and encroachment
Doesn’t recognize game critical situations Quickly stamps out dissent
(this is the moment of truth for the referee) Anticipates problems and acts to prevent them
Reading of game and foul recognition in line Discourages all forms of cheating
with skill level and level of play Makes honest and decisive decisions
Use of cautions and send-offs accepted and game Self-confident and unflappable under stress
is controlled Deals with misconduct and serious foul play quickly
and with strength
Post game Discussion
During the post game discussion, you as the assessor must remember what it was like to referee a difficult, competitive match. The referee is both physically and mentally exhausted. Your attitude must be both positive and compassionate to retain the refereeing team’s attention. The discussion should last less than 20 minutes and focus on 3-4 things that were well done and 3-4 aspect of the referee or assistant referee’s game that could be improved. You must tell the refereeing team whether their performance was acceptable or not! If not, why not. Remember your judgments will be based on your expectations, which are a function of the referee’s grade and the level and difficulty of the match. These will differ for a Grade 8 referee on an under 1 match and a Grade 5 referee on a senior amateur match.
During the match, you should also observe the assistant referee’s and their ability to communicate effectively with the referee. Did the assistant referee:
· Participate in the pre-game discussion and ask questions for clarity?
· Appear fit, sprint to the goal-line on all shots, and take the proper positions on free-kicks near the goal?
· Provide clear, concise, and correct signals?
· Have frequent eye contact with the referee?
· Protect the referee by observing play off the ball and behind his back?
· Provide correct assistance on offside and fouls, as required?
· Handle the substitutions and bench personnel correctly
· Demonstrate courage and consistency in his or her actions?
· Project a professional image?
· Use only the proper flag mechanics?
If the answers to these questions are yes, then the assistant referee deserve a good assessment. If the answers are no, then an explanation is required as to what the assistant referee needs to do to correct the lack and improve his or her work.
In addition, you must observe the refereeing team before the match, during the halftime interval, and after the match. This will include, but is not limited to, checking the field, nets, balls and player equipment, and adhering to the game schedule to ensure kick-off at the assigned time.
Please remember that you job is to help the referee improve and to help him or her achieve maximum potential. Your actions and interactions must be professional and respectful. You must avoid arrogance and not embarrass, humiliate or be negative in you discussion. Just as the player’s response to the referee is based on perceptions, so is the referee’s response to the assessor influenced by perceptions. Be aware that each referee has a unique personality, which is reflected in his or her mannerism on the pitch and in the referee’s style. If it has a positive influence on game control, there is no problem. If not, discuss why it had a negative impact. Your observations should also include recognition by the referee to anticipate and head off problems. Ultimately, good referees orchestrate the match. This is made evident through the continuous flow of the game with little attention being focused on the referee.
Key Point
A good referee always makes a difficult match look easy. We must not penalize the referee for making a hard game into an easy one through the skillful application of her or her personality, knowledge, and talents, only to have the assessor spoil the achievement by claiming the match was too easy! Think twice before you dismiss the referee’s effort, check the box marked “Easy,” and decide that the referee requires “Further Evaluation.”
Was the game truly easy, or did the referee make it so?
End of the Assessment
Quite simply, at the end of the match you must be able to answer the following question:
Did the referee
a. Enforce the laws of the game
b. Protect the players
c. Recognize and discourage cheating?
d. Recognize misconduct, serious foul play, and violent conduct and
deal with it
e. Recognize the level of play, the skill level, and technical nature of
the play?
Did the players
a. Respect the referee’s decisions ( this does not mean if they
liked the decisions)
b. Avoid the use of gamesmanship and cheating tactics to
gain advantage?
c. Maintain the flow of the game through quick restarts?
If the answers to these questions are all yes, then the referee deserves a good assessment. If the answer is no, he or she does not. By answering yes to these questions you are acknowledging that the referee had control of the match. If the referee did not control the match, the assessor must exercise very good communications skills to demonstrate to the referee why this happened. In making the assessment of the referee’s success the match, the assessor should give some weight to the referee’s grade and experience, and to the level and quality of the match. The feed back should identify:
1. Game critical situations which were not dealt with properly and a
discussion of the options the referee could have exercised;
2. Situations where the referee failed to recognize misconduct, serious foul
play, or violent conduct.
3. Situations where the referee was intimidated, embarrassed, or
abused by players;
4. situations in which the referee failed to recognize intent and tactical play;
5. The failure of the referee to show confidence and strength in his
or her actions;
6. Situations in which cheating occurred;
7. incidents where skilled players were not protected, resulting in retaliation;
8. incidents where lack of courage was evident in enforcing the
Laws of the Game
In addition, you must observe the positive actions of the referee. These include, but are not limited to:
1. a strong personality and presence on the field;
2. good reading of intent or the degree of deliberateness (i.e. careless,
reckless, or involving disproportionate use of force;
3. good foul recognition
4. good use of advantage
5. good use of the whistle and closeness to critical play
6. intelligent field positioning and a flexible diagonal
7. effective use of the AR’s
8. ability to communicate with players
9. fitness and mobility
10. ability to ignore appeals
11. concentration for 90 minutes of play
12. correct positioning on set and dynamic play
13. clear, concise, and correct signals
14. recognizing and dealing with gamesmanship
15. dealing quickly with dissent, misconduct, serious foul play,
and violent conduct
16. showing the courage of his or her convictions; and
17. recognizing the level of play and allowing the game to flow
This page taken from: “The Art of Assessing: Fitting the Assessment to
the Referee, p.1” This article was in large part prepared
by Dave McKee, National Director of Assessment
Bill Sheldon, an assessor from Florida would use the phrase “what did you get for that caution?” Bill would say, for every whistle, talking to, caution and send off you should get something. Either the players calm down or they now know the referee has had enough - something must be won from the players for each action of the referee.
It is so with assessing. After you give the referee your assessment, what did the referee and the game in general get from your assessment? Our responsibility as assessors is to improve the referee we are assessing. If our comments are totally negative in nature, we have failed as assessors. We must communicate to the referee in such a manner that he sees us as an ally, so that he will welcome the next assessment not dread it.
Assessing Rediscovered
There are truisms associated with the game of soccer. I can think of two that are a part of the Assessing side of soccer:
No two people see the same thing the same way.
It all depends on their point of view.
There is perhaps one other thing that might be closer to the truth: when two people interact and the opening conversation is not positive, the person receiving the negative information may remember the opening remarks, and perhaps the closing statement, but will not remember what was said in between.
Assessing is a sharing process; one person performs a task of managerial proportions, hopefully to a positive conclusion. The other individual, with acquired expertise, evaluates the performance of the first individual against a given standard. Each one has a common goal, but more importantly, each one respects the other's point of view. Assessing must be approached as a teaching and learning situation or a sharing and exchange of knowledge, rather than an inspectorial, judgmental appraisal of performance.
The MEDIOCRE Assessor tells the referee.
The GOOD Assessor explains.
The SUPERIOR Assessor demonstrates.
But the GREAT Assessor inspires.
As previously stated if the assessor opens up the dialogue on a negative note, the atmosphere will deteriorate, and the interaction will not be amiable.
While it is always easy to accept congratulations and praise, it can be very difficult to accept criticism and to advise. A negative atmosphere need not exist if the Assessor remembers that his role is to motivate, even if the news he is giving is not always favorable to the referee.
The Assessor must not be a fault-finder; he must be a performance evaluator, adding encouragement and constructive advice which will lead to a balanced and objective report.
The Assessor's primary tasks are to consider the application of the Spirit of the Laws of the Game and to monitor the referee's game control.
In most cases Assessors have been referees in their careers. Some have reached the highest level through hard work and dedication. They must now strive to reach that same high level in the field of Assessing officials. Assessors should have the ability to share their skills and expertise in order to broaden the referee's horizon and their perspective. More importantly, it is essential for Assessors to have the humility to recognize that while they don't have all the answers, they will attempt to find them.
If it is not a pleasurable environment that the referee finds himself in, he may be asking the questions. Is the Assessor seeking "Confrontation" or "Clarification"? Referees will make mistakes. Most officials are intelligent people. They will know if their performance is not acceptable to their grade.
However there is a difference between making a mistake and being an incompetent referee. When a referee's performance is not acceptable, he doesn't need ridicule. What he does need is reassurance and a helping hand. In effect the Assessor should be suggesting, "Let me show you a better way."
Interpreting advice by the referee is critical, and requires much self-discipline. Unless the action is planned and put into practice at the earliest opportunity, the repercussions can be fatal. Assessors have a responsibility to convey constructive advice in a manner which the recipient can easily understand and which will help him in future assignments. Being too bland, over-critical, or too obscure in the assessment interpretation is not helpful. Seeking excuses, putting up barriers, or just looking for confrontation detracts from the Assessment system. Generally Assessors report honestly, and Referees should respect that honesty.
The Assessment system is only as good as its participants. It is up to each individual to ensure its continued success. A great deal of money, time, and effort has gone into making this program a success. We must continue to obtain the highest value for the product.
by Fernando G. Alvarez, State Director of Assessment, California
Striving to be the best. By Pat Smith
An excerpt from a paper written by Pat Smith to referees
Most referees who make it to the top are helped by other people, the most important of these are the Instructor and the Assessor. These two people play a major role in the training and evaluating of officials which enables them to advance in the system.
The Instructor prepares the referee to understand the Who’s, the Why’s, and What’s of officiating, not only teaching them to understand the laws, but to understand players, with the bottom line being the better they understand why7 layers do what they do, the official is better prepared to deal with the situation.
The Assessor on the other hand with personal experience from their days as an official, coupled with the ability to evaluate the officials performance against standards that have been set by the governing bodies, and to approach the task of assessing with an objective viewpoint, and a willingness to motivate the referee to improve themselves through self-guided analysis.
So what does the assessor look for in a referees performance that enables him to give the official a positive evaluation?
Being Fair and Firm - This is an old cliché, based on common sense, but too often overlooked in it’s importance.
Confidence – Must be arrived at through a positive attitude, body language being very important, it can speak loudly especially when a foul has been committed, it is difficult to sell a call of any kind if you don’t look confident, but you will be noticed if you do.
Personality and Enthusiasm – Be enthusiastic in controlling play, show your enthusiasm by smiling, look as if you are enjoying your job, players pick up on your enthusiasm.
Controlling Stoppages – It does little good to admonish or sanction ball players for wasting time when putting the ball back into play, when referees themselves contribute to long delays by not encouraging quicker restarts.
Authority and Control – Deal with misconduct promptly, in a calm dispassionate manner. Caution and send off players when the law dictates it, remember it is expected of you.
If you apply the laws too rigidly, you many never be wrong according to law, however the game will not be entertaining for anyone. A too rigid game leaves no room for flexibility, and common sense. If you don’t apply the laws correctly, you will never be right, it is as simple as that.
Bit if you apply the laws firmly and fairly, you will never be wrong, but the game will flow, it will be entertaining for everyone and enjoyable for you personally.
The message is clear, if you want to be the best at what you do, work hard, remember the perceptions of the assessor are very important. Getting decisions right consistently, separates the excellent from the average.
Upgrade Policies as stated in the
USSF Referee Administrative Handbook
|
Upgrade Criteria |
Referee Grade 8 |
Referee Grade 7 |
|
1. Minimum Age |
None |
17 |
|
2. Experience (minimum cumulative career outdoor games at designated level) |
Not Applicable |
Referee: 75 |
|
a. Game level to be counted for advancement |
Not Applicable |
USSF Games (DSC) |
|
b. Time in present grade |
Not Applicable |
12 months as Referee Grade 8 |
|
3. Training Course Requirements |
Successfully complete USSF Referee Training Course (or the Referee Bridge Course to upgrade from 9 to 8) |
5 hours of USSF Intermediate Level Training |
|
4. Written Examination |
75% minimum score on USSF Referee Exam |
85% minimum score on USSF Referee Exam |
|
5. Field Evaluation by currently registered USSF Assessor |
Not required. It is recommended that each new referee by observed in one of their first 10 games |
Pass one evaluation as referee in an U-17 or higher level game employing the DSC |
|
Not Required |
* South Carolina policy for upgrade from grade 8 to grade 7.
a. Send a letter to the State Referee Administrator(SRA)
requesting upgrade including game count as directed by the
current Referee Administrative Handbook.
b. Pass the appropriate referee test for that grade as designated
by the current Referee Handbook.
c. Pass the appropriate physical fitness criteria as designated in
the current Referee Handbook . The physical
fitness test will be administered by an Area Referee
Administrator(ARA)
d. Upon passing the physical fitness test, contact the State
Director of Assessment(SDA) to be assigned an appropriate
level game for upgrade assessment.
e. The referee will have 1 year from the date the SRA has confirmed
all criteria has been met to complete the upgrade process.
Referee Grades 5 & 6
|
Upgrade Criteria |
State Referee 2 |
State Referee 1 |
|
1. Minimum Age |
18 |
19 |
|
2. Experience (minimum cumulative career affiliated outdoor games at designated level) |
Referee: 100 |
Referee: 150 |
|
a. Game level to be counted for advancement |
U-19 competitive leagues or higher level (using DSC) |
Of the 150 games, a minimum of 50 must be on adult Division 1 league games (using DSC) |
|
b. Time in present grade |
12 months as Referee Grade 7 prior to application |
12 months as State Referee Grade 6 prior to application |
|
3. Training Course Requirements |
19 hours of State Referee Training |
7 hours of In-Service State Referee Training |
|
4. Written Examination |