Quick Reference Guide 

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• 2-3 Days Prior to Match

• 1 Day Prior to Match Day

• Match Day

• It’s Match Time!

• During the Match

• Post Match Responsibilities

• Example Pre-Match Meeting Script / E-mail

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2-3 Days Prior to Match

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• Review the LROC for your assigned matches

  • Click here for NVYSL's LROC​

• Review the table to get an impression of the expected level of competitiveness between the teams. Is it #1 v #8? Is it #2 v #3? Is it a known rivalry match? This will help you anticipate how the match temperature will raise.

• Review kit colors of the clubs to determine your referee kit choice. 

• Send an e-mail to your crew:

  • Introducing yourself

  • Summarize what you’ve learned from the first three steps

  • Let them know what color kit you would like the referee team to wear

  • Provide the bullet points of you pre-game

  • Let them know when you want to meet prior to the match - typically 30min.

  • Click here for an example

 

1 Day Prior to Match Day

 

• Kit ready?

• Referee bag packed

  • Whistles

  • Cards

  • Notebook

  • Pen/Pencil

  • Coin

  • Watches

  • Flags

  • Trash bag in case of rain

  • Snacks

  • Water

  • Bonus items: 

    • 2 Small cones for a “sub area”

    • Extra referee shirt colors

• Check the weather

 

Match Day

 

• Dress for success!

• Expecting less-than ideal weather? Wear layers:

  • Black long sleeves acceptable under your referee shirts

  • Black tights acceptable under referees shorts

  • Black beanie or USSF Referee hat acceptable

  • Recommend tech shirts and/or marino wool. Avoid cotton.

  • Marino wool running socks under your referee socks helps keep your feet warm when wet

  • Referee shirt must always be on top

• Footwear for running - consider black running shoes - they’re easier on your feet for multiple games than your soccer cleats.

• Arrive at venue at least 30 min prior to your first match

• Introduce yourself to the club officials at the venue - sometimes this will be your referee assignor / coach / mentor; field ambassador or marshal. This may be a referee table/tent at a tournament. They will ensure you’ve got the correct field assignments for your day.

 

It’s Match Time!

 

• At least 30 min prior, greet your team - this is when your authority as a referee begins - so look sharp!

• Pre match meeting with your referee team. Click here for an example script.

• Inspect the pitch

  • Goals centered and weighted down 

  • Nets attached on sides, top & bottom without holes big enough for a ball to get through

  • No standing water or unsafe sloppy conditions

  • Corner flags in place 

  • Consider adding midfield flags per Law 1 for 9v9 & 11v11 matches

  • Consider adding cones to mark out sub area and technical areas

  • Note line colors for your match 

• Introduce you and your team to the coaches as you collect the rosters

  • If the coach hands you a roster without numbers, politely hand it back and request the coach add the numbers

  • Home team coach provides at least 2 properly inflated balls

  • Ensure teams know which color lines are marking the pitch for your match

• Inspect the teams and provide them with any instructions

• 3 min prior to kickoff - Coin Toss

• 2 min prior to kickoff - walk to the center together as a team with the ball, shake hands, ARs run to their respective goals to verify goals still in good shape, run to their respective touchlines, count players, unfurl flags

• Match time - kickoff!

 

 

During the Match

 

• Have fun! Enjoy keeping the play safe, fair & fun for the kids.

• Communicate clearly - whistle, voice, arms, flags

• Lots of eye contact with your team

• Recorded match events

  • Goals

  • Injuries

  • Discipline

• Back each other up

• Halftime - reflect on how the first half went

  • Assemble as a team at midfield and walk off together with the ball

  • What went well

  • What to look out for

  • Match temperature OK?

  • One thing you and your team will do better 2nd half

• Full time

  • Assemble as a team at midfield and walk off together with the ball

  • Watch that handshake line for any shenanigans

  • Confirm the score with the coaches

  • Remember - you can still take disciplinary action post match

• Post Match Reflection

  • What went well

  • What to look out for

  • Did you and your team control the match temperature?

  • One thing you and your team will do better next match

 

Post Match Responsibilities

 

• Complete your match report

• Set a personal development goal for your next match

• Chat with your assignor / mentor / coach

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Example Pre-Match Meeting Script / E-mail

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Just like every match is different, every referee has their own unique personality and approach to refereeing the beautiful game. The more you referee and work with other referees, you’ll build you from the best of each of your colleagues. You’ll learn to adjust your approach in real-time to match the temperature and personalities on the pitch. This all begins with you and your referee team looking like you’ve worked together for 100+ matches. Seems simple and trite, but here’s an example of a pre-match e-mail I send that also serves as my “script” for my pre-game talk. Sometimes the match day schedule doesn’t allow for all the time we’d like to prepare. This helps ensure at least you and your team are on the same page.

 

Hi Referees,

 

I am your referee for two Cup matches this Sunday. The first is #1 Darbystown v #4 Ligenberryburg. The second is the 3rd place matchup. I want to take a moment to introduce myself and talk about the matches, as we prepare for it. While much of this will be repeated during my pre-match instructions, I like to reach out to our referee team to start the process early. My goal is that we all have fun: players, coaches, fans - and we as referees - we’re allowed to have fun too! 

 

Looking at these teams’ season, Darbytown’s only loss was to #2 FC Sandwich. Ligenberryburg was defeated 2-1 by. FC Sandwich & Lingenberryburg drew. As this is tournament play and the push for hardware, I expect a competitive and physical match. There’s only 2h gap to the 2nd match where both losing teams will undoubtedly be tired and frustrated. Match temperature management will be important.

 

Looking at their kit colors, let’s wear green shirts for these matches. 

 

As these are Cup finals, we must determine a winner. Per the Cup Competition Rules:

• Two 30min halves

• If tied:

  • Two 5min extra time periods

  • Penalties

• Please review Laws 10 & 14. If it comes down to Penalties:

  • AR1: I’d like you to manage the teams in the center circle and track kicker order & score

  • AR2: I’d like you with me in the Penalty Area managing the goalkeepers. 

 

Some important items that I would like you to focus on during the match:

• Signaling: I like us to do our best to signal together at the same time. 99% of the time this is easy to do. For out of touch, put the flag in the hand of the direction of throw and look for my subtle hand gesture - if we are in agreement: then both arms go up simultaneously. If not and in your quadrant - I’ll likely just go with you; in mine - please mirror me. Of course, if you saw something I clearly didn’t - let me know so that we make the right call.

• Positioning: focus hard on where you’re standing relative to the ball or 2nd to last defender. Resist the temptation to ball watch. If as a result you miss who should be doing the throw in or foul - that’s OK. I will back you up there, just follow my lead. Law 11 comes first… 

• Offside: 

  • Flag up when the player becomes involved in the play. That may mean they play the ball. That may mean they impede the defender playing the ball. That may mean they even come back from an offside position to do so. That may mean that the attacker and a defender / keeper are on a collision course - Safety first and flag up.

  • I will 99.9% of the time whistle immediately with your flag. 

  • If I miss it hold your position and - call my name: “Tom!” (not “Ref!”). I’ll quickly realize something’s wrong when I notice you’re out of position. If I made a mistake - I’ll whistle. But rarely I may disagree - in which case I’ll wave at you to lower your flag. 

  • Defender’s deliberate play - listen for me to shout “Defender! Defender! Defender!” When in doubt - raise the flag and let me decide.

• Complete your runs to the goal line. For goal kick, run to the flag; for a corner kick, run to the flag take one large step to the left of the arc - that’s how I’ll know you intend to indicate corner. Then we’ll signal together. This means you may be doing lots of running down the touchline keeping up with the ball to see the keeper clearly grab it, or it go out. But still go there. Things happen close to the goal line that can change matches and I don’t want you to miss the call.

• Goal scored: if the ball goes into the net and it’s a good goal (since you’ll have completed your run to the flag) turn around and do a quick jog to the to of the Penalty Area. I’ll make eye contact with you and know it’s a good goal from your perspective. If you have any question whether or not it is not a good goal - stand like a statue by the corner flag. I’ll come over and we’ll talk. Be sure to be keeping an eye on the celebrations when you do. Then…

  • Trailing AR: Immediately count the players of the scoring team. Give me a “thumbs up” 👍🏼 when I make eye contact if there’s 11 or less.

  • Lead AR: Count your players - I’ll look to you after the Trailing AR for a “thumbs up” 👍🏼 if there’s 11 or less.

  • If either of you count 12 or more players - we’ll manage it prior to allowing any subs and the appropriate restart. See Law 3.

• Fouls:

  • Right in front of you within 10-15 yards glance at me and if you don’t think I saw it - call it. Sometimes I see them too and will simultaneously whistle - but I may also give you an indication that I may not call it. If your 100% sure I missed it - call it and I’ll go with your call.

  • In the Penalty Area - always give me first crack. If you are 100% sure I was prevented from seeing the foul - then call it and we’ll manage the PK. 

  • Fouls near the Penalty Area lines - if it’s in - when I make eye contact with you - move to towards the goal line; out - move a few steps towards midfield.

  • Handling: it needs to be obvious handling. Hand/arm to ball - not the other way around - unless the arm is in an unnatural position or making the body larger. Ricochets or hard kicks from close range that hit a player in the arm is not handling - unless it scores a goal. Consequently - you’ll hear lots of calls for handball when I referee. You’ll also hear me say “Nope - not hands!” during the run of play. That lets folks know I saw it but I don’t consider it Handling per the LOTG.

  • Foul throw-ins. Call them all. Feet up, one-handed superspinners - call them all equally.

  • You’ll hear me talking to the players, reminding them to keep their arms down or jump straight up, etc. You are encouraged to do the same. We want to encourage and reinforce fair play to help keep the game flowing and prevent fouls from happening.

• Disciplinary Action:

  • Any time you feel a card may need to be given or you just want to talk to me about a situation, at any stoppage in play when I make eye contact with you - tap your patch with your hand. I’ll come over and we will have a private conversation.

  • I do not tolerate verbal abuse of my referee team. If you’re getting any - flag for foul, tap your patch and we’ll deal with it. Verbal offenses restart with an IFK…

• Substitutions: I will typically only allow substitutions from the center line provided the substitutes are there prior to the ball going out of touch. At every stoppage in play, I’ll look to midfield and at you. If you are signaling for the sub, I will allow the substitution. Of course, if we’re chasing the ball into the ”next pasture” that’s different. I prefer not to substitute from the bench. Once I allow the substitution, you can put your flag down. Players off at midfield before the substitutes enter the field. Give me a “thumbs up” 👍🏼 when the substitutions are complete and I’ll whistle the restart.

• During match communications - at every stoppage in play I’ll try to make eye contact with you. Sometimes I’ll give you a “thumbs up”👍🏼 . If all is good - give me one back. If you need to talk - tap your patch. If you need my attention - don’t hesitate to yell “Tom!” We’re not mic’ed up like MLS or EPL - we have to rely on hand signals and our voice.

• Please be sure to have a watch on to back me up for time. Back me up for goals and cards too in your notebook.

• Always remember: the right signal is always better than a fast signal. I don’t mind a “heavy flag.”

Please let me know if you have any questions. I’m looking forward to working with you.

 

Cheers,

Tom Hesbach

410.474.0639