1. Comments and Thoughts on: USSF Referee Department Survey October, 2017
Jim Kritzberg - Washington SRA
Region IV State Referee Administrator Workshop
Jan – Tempe, AZ

2. Reality isn’t necessarily anything like we perceive it
USSF Referee Dept. Survey
Reality isn’t necessarily anything like we perceive it

3. USSF Referee Dept. Survey of FIFA, Nationals State 5/6 and Referee 7
1. Show me the Money
4. Pathways
2. Bad Dog? (SRC)
5. Consistency
X. Other Stuff
3. Barriers

4. State Associations “added” Fees for Registration
34 of 55 State Referee Associations reporting (and where are the rest?)

5. State
Grade 5
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
Grade 9
Alaska
$50
$45
$40
$20
Arizona
Colorado ???
???
Cal North $0 $5
Cal South ???
Hawaii
$10
Idaho
$15
Montana
New Mexico???
Oregon
$120
$95
$65
Utah
$87
$42
Washington
N/A
Wyoming
This does not paint a complete picture. Example, South Texas – charges $10 to recert, but you pay $30 more for the recert clinic.
Perhaps income / expenses divided by referee #’s gives a bit better picture?
34 of 55 State Referee Associations reporting (and the rest? [NC $80-$100])

6. “USSF Fix” - Nationwide Standardization based on
USSF Mandate or Direct Registration?
If Mandate (Standard Fee / Grade, etc.):
How enforced?
Standardize other fees, such as clinics, assessments?
If Direct Registration:
USSF does not currently have the technical infrastructure nor staff
However, does USSF sends money back to SRCs?
How much? Consider USSF dropped the Guide to Procedures, Referee Administrative Handbook, Laws of the Game and distribution of Badges / Guide = no decrease in registration fees
Maybe $$$ back via Member Services Request – to reimburse for coffee bought for a visiting FIFA referee?

7. Personal Perspective on the Survey
[My Story – sure you want my opinion on ANY of this?]
1986 – I became a referee (CAN) [Alex Para]
1994 – I was first aware there was a SDA (CAN) [Fernando Alvarez]
1996 – I was first aware there was a SRA (CAN) [Jeff Allen]
1999 – I was first aware there was a SYRA (CO) [Jerry Shirley]
2000 – I was first aware there was a SDI (CO) [Jackie Murray]
2007 – I was first aware there was a SRC (WA) [Ram Prasad] {only after 21 years}

8. Bad Dog… Summary… does / is your SRC… (1) Lack Oversight ~36% say YES
(2) Lack Quality Control ~39% say YES
(3) Aligned with USSF ~16% say NO
(4) Financially Irregular ~19% say YES
(5) Lack Consistency ~41% say YES

10. (1) Do you believe that there is a general lack of oversight of your state referee association/program? ~36% say YES
(2) Do you believe that there is a general lack of quality control in the administration of your state referee association/program? ~39% say YES

12. (3) Do you believe that your state referee association is in alignment with the U. S. Soccer referee Program policy? ~16% say NO
(4) Do you believe that there is financial irregularity in your state referee association/program? ~19% say YES

13. (5) Do you believe that there is a general lack of consistency in the administration of your state referee association/program? ~41% say YES

14. (1) lack of oversight… enforce USSF Bylaws & Policy?
(3) is in alignment… enforce USSF Bylaws & Policy?
(4) is financial irregularity… enforce USSF Bylaws & Policy?
Washington – believe we fully comply with all USSF Bylaws/Policy reporting requirements.
Washington – all WASRC Bylaws, Policy, Financial Records, Business Plans, Meeting Agenda & Minutes, Procedures, Audit Findings, etc. are up to date and available online.

15. (2) lack of quality control… ?
Washington – general lack, no I don’t think so. Bylaws/Policy, etc. is followed 100%.
Washington – Could we do more in areas like assessment / instruction consistency? Sure, just need the qualified additional resources. Could USSF Help?

16. (5) lack of consistency… ?
Washington – general lack, no I don’t think so. Bylaws/Policy, etc. is followed 100%.
Washington – We find a consistency problem, we update Bylaws/Policy, etc. as appropriate.

17. Do you feel the leadership appointments and management of your state association/program is politicized? ~49% say YES

18. Rules for being on the Washington State Referee Committee (is this what you mean by “Political”?)
Only people who can be Kind to Others.
For those folks who find this difficult, find ways to move them farther and farther form the core of the SRC.
Only people willing to Speak with One Voice (Likely the SRA, but whoever).
Following healthy discussion as needed, have the whole SRC behind everything that is communicated.
Technical directors might communicate "policy" one-on-one to individuals, but just repeating what has all ready been agreed and communicated to all.
Huddle, huddle, huddle. No Technical Directors silos.  This is true teamwork and achieves "same page" unity.
The SRC is like NATO.  An attack on one is a declaration of war on all.
Fight like siblings, not adults, as adults can cause too much harm.
Don’t ever show disappointment in other members (likely volunteers or under compensated).
Have a formal Business Plan, overall and by each Technical Director, and Budget to your Business Plan (mostly events).
SRA is the Project Office Manager.  Everything done by the SRC is a Project with:
Tasks, Initiatives, Deliverables and Progress & Reports
Monitor & adjust, Move resources & budget where necessary
Remember - you are spending your memberships money.  If they knew, would they approve?

19. Have you ever had an assignor use assignments as leverage to control your development as a referee? ~67% say YES
I did a dry-run on this question at a local clinic in WA. Assignors present scattered like coach roaches or dived under their chairs.

20. Barriers

21. (1) FIFA, Nationals - Did you encounter a barrier while attempting to register as a referee in the past?
(2) States, etc. - Do you believe that the policies and procedures in your state referee association/program create barriers to becoming a referee?
(3) States, etc. - Do you believe that the policies and procedures in your state referee association/program create barriers to re-certify as a referee?

22. FIFA, Nationals - Did you encounter a barrier while attempting to register as a referee in the past?
~23% say YES
If just as FIFA, Nationals then what, Game Officials registration???
Game Officials is not my circus, not my monkeys,
However….

23. (2) States, etc. - Do you believe that the policies and procedures in your state referee association/program create barriers to becoming a referee? ~28% say YES
(3) States, etc. - Do you believe that the policies and procedures in your state referee association/program create barriers to re-certify as a referee? ~26% say YES

24. Washington State on Barriers:
Is it Costs? We do what we can for the Student / Referee
However, we are not an “Endowment Foundation” and must cover our costs.
Is it Clinics? We do just about everything we can to make clinics accessible, short and online as appropriate

26. (1) FIFA, Nationals - Is there a clear pathway for referees to develop from Grade 9 to Grade 1 ~63% say NO
(2) States, etc. - Do you feel that there is a clear and defined pathway for referees development and advancement in the current referee landscape? ~53% say NO

27. Can’t help with Grades 4+, However…
(1) FIFA, Nationals - Is there a clear pathway for referees to develop from Grade 9 to Grade 1 ~63% say NO
Can’t help with Grades 4+,
However…
USSF??? (Grades 4+, recent years):

28. (2) States, etc. - Do you feel that there is a clear and defined pathway for referees development and advancement in the current referee landscape?
Washington State:

30. (1) FIFA, Nationals - Have you ever felt that some assessors deliberately held a referee back creating a barrier in there personal referee development? ~63% say YES
(2) States, etc. – Do you feel there are special interest/gatekeepers that can yield considerable power and have a negative impact on referee development? ~56% say YES

31. Held Back / Negative Impact:
My personal experience / opinion (highest Grade was as State):
I believe this happened to me:
CAN, CO & WA ( )
I believe this no longer exists in Washington State
I can provide the names of those above but suspect folks around at the time know the names too.
John Murillo (CAN), Greg Todd, Debbie Wood (CO), Robert Miller (WA)

32. Held Back / Negative Impact:
Washington State:
2012 – 105 Grade 7 & 55 Grade 6+
2017 – 530 Grade 7 & 78 Grade 6+
(this includes 60 NEW Grade 6s for )

34. (1) FIFA, Nationals - Do you believe that there is consistency of message by instructors that use U.S. Soccer created instructional materials? ~42% say NO
(2) States, etc. – Do you believe… State… lacks consistent application of curriculum for referee education? ~33% say YES

35. (1) FIFA, Nationals - Do you believe that there is consistency of message by instructors that use U.S. Soccer created instructional materials? ~42% say NO
I’ll assume that this applies only to FIFA & National instructors, therefore:
Not my circus, not my monkeys

36. (2) States, etc. – Do you believe… State… lacks consistent application of curriculum for referee education? ~33% say YES
As USSF only provides materials for New Referees & Upgrades, etc. and little specific to requirements for Annual Recert, leaving States are left to cobble together whatever they can create or find that maybe is useful

37. USSF Referee Dept. Survey Questions…
Not (significantly) Commented on here

38. Have you ever paid an assessment fee to an assessor that was more than the stipulated fee? ~13% say YES
Washington – this could have happened in the past but now we only accept assessment requests / assessor pay through our online system. [and of course, properly recorded in Game Officials]
Assessments arraigned by USSF/PRO - Not my circus, not my monkeys

40. Have you ever paid an administrative fee in addition to your registration fee to register with your state referee association during your progression to the current grade? (and How Much?) ~43% say YES
(WA) FIFA, Nationals, pay like everyone else, until Grade 4+
Is there an issue here? Washington State - FIFA & Nationals pay $0

42. Do you believe that the current referee program in the country reflects the current soccer landscape of the United States? ~28% say NO
Even if this was 1% NO, I have no clue what their issues are …

43. Are you an active…
Information Only – closely matches actual “population”

44. How long did it take you to reach your present grade?
For FIFA, Nationals:
Not my circus, not my monkeys

46. (1) Would you be in favor of changing the registration cycle
(1) Would you be in favor of changing the registration cycle? Why do only FIFA, Nationals get this question?
Recently (rumor) the Referee Committee voted this down after consulting with????
(2) Washington agrees with most except for the N/A’s. Thank you for asking…