Feeling a little off after refereeing last Saturday's match?
Tired of getting harassed from the sidelines?
Want to learn more "tricks of the trade"?
Thinking of hanging it up and becoming a (horrors!) coach?
Looking for an answer to that perplexing refereeing question?
Just want to improve?
Maybe we can help.
We are developing improvements to our referee mentoring program for
this fall. The idea is to provide a positive environment where referees
can learn from their more experienced colleagues before, during, and
after their games. We're not talking about critical assessments here.
Learning to referee is sometimes stressful enough. We intend to provide
informal observation and friendly advice. Check out the goals of our
program:
Make resources available to volunteer referees:
through informal on-field observation;
through informal advice and consultation off the field;
via electronic media such as the Web.
Facilitate the job of referee coordinators:
by providing contacts to refs from other divisions;
by publishing referee information of general use.
Encourage referee education and development:
by sharing knowledge, experience, and wisdom;
by advertising referee clinics and advanced courses;
by offering opportunities to ref in different gender/age
groups.
Here's what we will do:
Provide mentors for referees who specifically request them, and
in general for all candidates for Intermediate (old Area) level badges
and above.
Assign experienced refs to observe lower-age group games on a
drop-in basis. Such refs will assist the regular referee team by
helping with sideline control and by offering supportive advice. We
hope to assign 2 or 3 upper-level refs to each age/gender group.
Encourage higher-level refs to act as mentors and to referee in
at least one lower-level age group at some point during the season.
Find assignments for refs looking for a more challenging age
group.
Here's what you need to do:
Want a mentor? Send
a
message, and we'll arrange one for you.
Want to be a mentor? Tell
who you are, and we'll figure out how you can help.
Want to try a more challenging game? Let
know and we'll see what we can
do.
(With
special thanks for help on this page to Menlo Park AYSO Region 109!)