ABOUT REFEREES

JOB DESCRIPTION

At the youth level, a soccer referee’s primary responsibilities are to keep players safe, ensure they have fun and learn about the game, enforce the rules, and promote fair play. For younger players, referees often take on more of a coaching role than just officiating.

TYPES OF REFEREES & DIVISION OF LABOR

In professional and high-level matches where there are ample resources, there is a team of referee officials who divide up the labor:

Center Referee: The lead official who makes final decisions on the field.
Assistant Referees: Two officials who monitor the sidelines and assist the center referee by signaling offsides and fouls the center may miss. The center referee has the final say on all calls.
Fourth Official: Assists with administrative duties such as substitutions and works from the technical area.
Reserve Assistant Referee: Stands by to replace an assistant referee or fourth official if needed.

In recreational youth soccer, there are fewer players, a smaller field, and a slower speed of play, so there is usually only a single or small team of referees.

Younger age groups usually have a single center referee due to smaller teams, smaller fields, and slower play.
Older or more competitive matches often have a center referee plus two assistant referees.

PRE-GAME RESPONSIBILITIES

Before the match begins, referees must:

Inspect the playing area and conditions
Verify that each team has the correct number of eligible players
Ensure players have proper gear and equipment
Conduct the coin toss to determine which team starts the game

After the match, referees submit a detailed match report to the appropriate authorities. This report includes incidents during the game, goals scored, and any disciplinary actions involving players or team officials.

IT'S HARDER THAN IT LOOKS

Although refereeing can be fun, it can also be challenging. With so many split-second decisions and limited viewing angles, referees will inevitably miss some calls. They see the game from different perspectives than spectators and do their best to make consistent, fair decisions for both teams.

Referees are there to ensure the kids are safe, have fun and play fairly. They may call more or fewer fouls as a match progresses to help control the game. The referee has some discretion on how physically a game is played: a game with older, more skilled players may be more physical than a U8 recreational match, for example.

If the referee is not making the same call you would, take a deep breath, shrug your shoulders, and move on. Realize even if you have played soccer all your life, until you put on yellow and step onto the field at the business end of a whistle, you have no idea what it is like. It is much harder than it looks.

RESPECT THE REFEREE

Above all, respect your ref. If a referee’s call differs from what you would make, take a deep breath and move on. Even experienced players don’t fully understand how difficult refereeing is until they step into that role.

Coaches with concerns should address them respectfully at halftime or after the game, or provide feedback online. Parents should take concerns to the coach or offer constructive feedback through appropriate channels.