1. AYSO National Referee Program - 503
Avoiding TROUBLE
(Seeking Success 1)
Instructor Notes
Presenters introduce yourselves, welcome your audience. Give them a bit of an idea of your AYSO background. Encourage participation in the session. Tell them we are going to be talking about how to keep a match out of the “trouble” zone.
AYSO National Referee Program - 503

2. Ask the participants if anything looks familiar in one or more of these three images. A comment about perception being reality might be good along with the idea that as referees how we approach a match has a lot to do with that perception.

3. Introduction
We don’t want “Trouble in River City” We’ll discuss on-field management techniques and pre-game preparations
Survey class for experience and badge level
Discuss what “trouble” means in the context of a soccer match and in the context of different age groups. Ask for class thoughts on this.

4. Challenges
What challenges do you have to overcome to have a successful game?
Ask for input on what challenges may occur:
Field conditions; playing conditions; relative team strength, physical level of play, previous rivalry, coach/player/spectator dissent, problem players, lack of three neutral referees, outside interference, spectators coaching players, increasing intensity as the match progresses, etc

5. Success by Avoiding Trouble
Thinking Ahead
Togs
Treat w/Courtesy & Respect
Time
Team
Tactics
Two Cents Worth
Trivial
Temperature
Threatening
Trouble with a capital “T”
Quick review of the “T’s” that will be covered.

6. Thinking Ahead Are you mentally prepared for the game?
Are you properly fueled and hydrated?
Do you know anything about the teams? Their coaches? Their players?
Ask for anecdotes from the class regarding matches where lack of preparation affected the match.
Discuss preparation techniques and tools.

7. The New AYSO Ref Shirt

8. Togs Wear the correct uniform Look professional
Ask the referees what this means to them, and what it means to make a first impression.
Impress on the class that a referee who does not look the part is in the hole before he or she ever blows the first whistle.

9. Treat w/ Courtesy & Respect
Introduce yourself to the coaches
Player check-in
Interaction with parents
Emphasize that courtesy and respect is not a one-way thing. It should be demonstrated by the referees to the coaches, players, and parents, just as it is expected from the coaches, referees, and parents toward the referees. As a referee, be the one to set the tone.
Ask referees for techniques they have used to “introduce” themselves to the players, coaches, and parents.
Talk about how the initial interaction can set the stage for everything that follows. The courtesy and respect you initially offer will give you something to draw on if things get testy.
Remind referees that courtesy & respect are not only what a referee should be granted, but are what a referee should offer to our AYSO “customers”, the players, coaches, and referees

10. Time Arrive in advance Start, half & end on time
Effect on players, coaches, parents
Emphasis on this slide is:
1. The effect starting or ending late has on every other game that follows
2. The need for everyone to be respectful of everyone else’s time
3. Being on time is one more indication to the players, coaches, and spectators of the professionalism of the referee crew.
4. Arriving in advance means you have the time to properly introduce yourself to the coaches, to check the field and the players. It means you have time to get on the same page with the other referees.

11. Team Importance of Referee team Teams playing AYSO Team
Working together
Communication
Teams playing
AYSO Team
Points to make or questions to ask:
How do you “get together” as a ref team at the start of a match?
Give examples of referees working together as a team during a match.
How many different ways can a referee team communicate with each other during a match?
What role do ARs play in controlling a match?
How do the teams (style of play, relative skill, level of fitness, personality, coaches) determine the nature of a game?
How can you use the AYSO team (at the game, at your Region/Area/Section/National) to improve you as a referee and to improve your contribution to AYSO and its players?

12. KIDS AYSO Team COACHES REFEREES PARENTS
Remind the class that there should always be a team on, and at, the field whose mission is to see that the kids have a fun, safe, and fair game, and that team includes all three legs of the AYSO team triangle.
PARENTS

13. Tactics Voice - Players Whistle Signals Eye contact with ARs
Discuss referee to player voice interactions as a means of match control and of delivering information (encouraging and warning)
Discuss variations the use, and non-use, of the whistle, and the effect of variations in the whistle “voice”.
Review the importance of clear and decisive hand signals.
Review the importance of referee eye contact with ARs - both for “getting it right” as well as for contributing to your work as a team.

14. Touchline Referee Assessment

15. Two cents worth What is/is not appropriate for on-field talk? Players
Coaches
Spectators
Give examples of the on-field conversations that may go on during a match:
1. Player to player – same team, opposite teams
2. Coach to player, and player to coach
3. Referee to player, and player to referee
4. Referee to coach, and coach to referee
5. Spectator to player
6. Spectator to referee, and referee to spectator
7. Spectator to spectator
8. Coach to coach
Discuss which of these conversations may be a problem. Discuss how to manage the potentially problematic conversations.
Discuss the use of Ask, Tell, Remove

16. Trivial Trivial offenses Trivial dissension
The Laws of the Game are intended to provide that games should be played with as little interference as possible, and in this view it is the duty of the referee to penalize only deliberate breaches of the Law.
Constant whistling for trifling and doubtful breaches produces bad feelings and loss of temper on the part of the players and spoils the pleasure of spectators
Give/get examples of trivial offenses or dissent.
Compare trivial to non-trivial – in the context of different age groups, levels of play, and game situations.
Discuss how stopping the game for trivial events affects the game.

17. Temperature Temperature on the field Temperature along the touchlines
Keeping things well below the boiling point
Ask the class to give examples of what is meant by the “temperature” of a match and how you can gauge it?
Ask for examples of how you can control the temperature of a match. Voice, whistle, foul calls, cards, working as a ref team, engagement with the coach, etc.
Teaching points:
Is it harder to dial the temperature down at the start of a match, or toward the end of a match? How do you get control early?
How can the coaches help you, or sink you?
What things impact the “temperature” of the players?

18. Threatening What threatens game control? Players Coaches Spectators
Have the referees give examples of things that threaten control of the game.
Ask the referees how they recognize when something threatens their control of a game.
Ask the referees to give an example of something that threatened a game that they did not recognize or react to at the time., and what was the outcome.
Discuss how a referee team should deal an event or action that threatens game control.

19. Conclusion But we applaud you for all you do for the kids of AYSO!!
Don’t’ forget to thank everyone for their contributions to AYSO and especially tor what they do for the kids. Without them the game would not be Safe, Fair, and Fun.
Encourage the referees to continue their badge advancement. Remind the we always need more Mentors, Instructors, and Assessors. And that their Regions and Are as have programs in place to assist and sup port them in all these endeavors.