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Why Become A Referee?

One of the most frequently asked questions is "Why would I want to be a referee?" Referees are often on the receiving end of criticism, sometimes quite harsh. People will sometimes yell at them, and the fact that the referee may actually be correct in everything they did, does not diminish the risk that this may happen.

Within LWYSA, we are aggressively working to reduce the number of times that referees are criticized in this manner. And, overall, the experience of referees within LWYSA is quite good, with increasing numbers of parents and coaches offering an understanding "Thank you" - even if they have disagreements with the decisions made by the referee.

So why then, would a person volunteer to put themselves in a position in which they may be criticized like this? Each referee is unique, and does so for their own reasons. Below we offer a variety of those reasons. Perhaps one of them will ring true with you, or a family member of one of the players on your team. If it does, we encourage you, or them, to try being a referee. Sometimes people are surprised, and find they truly enjoy the experience.

I want to support the program my child is involved in.

Whether you sign your child up for soccer, or scouts, or Indian Guides, or any of a number of excellent programs - you understand that kids programs need people to be successful. They need people that will give their time to work through the details of a program. Sometimes that work is behind the scenes. Sometimes it is on the front lines. It is often a sacrifice to re-arrange your schedule so that you can be there when needed, but without SOMEBODY willing to do so, programs don't happen. Being a referee is one way that you can support your son or daughter. Maybe you don't have the time to be there regularly like a coach. Maybe your job takes you out of town a lot. Using our online scheduling systems, you can work with a tight schedule because you can squeeze in games almost any day of the week. And, if something comes up at the last minute, we have ways to handle that too. There are very few volunteer opportunities that are this flexible.

I want to support the coach of my team.

Coaches want to be able to concentrate on teaching the game. They arrive at each game with a plan and want to make certain your son or daughter have the best chance to succeed. HOWEVER, if no referee shows up, the coach is faced with a new challenge. Who will ref the game? Will he or she need to step in and ref half a game? Our priority system means that a team that is supplying a referee gets focus from our assignors. We'll do everything we can so that if we are short of referees, its not YOUR team that is missing one. This gives your coach peace of mind so that they can concentrate on what they signed up to do - coach the team.

I want to learn more about the game.

Even though soccer is becoming more popular, there are still many adults that don't know the rules and for whom the game is a bit of a mystery. When you become a referee, you not only learn the rules but you begin to have a greater understanding of the game. As you officiate more games, and as you attend education sessions, you'll start to understand and see different "systems of play" and begin to really develop an understanding of "The Beautiful Game". If you are a coach, you should know that some coaches who finally took the plunge into Reffing found that being a referee let them see the game in a new way and consider it to be an ongoing coaching clinic, enabling them to learn from the middle of the games they ref. Some Coach/Referees will tell you they learn almost as much from reffing as they do in some coaching clinics.

Being a ref is the "best seat in the house"

Have you ever found yourself watching a game and asking "What just happened?" As a referee you get to be close to the action. You get to see, up close, all the moves being made by players and get a new appreciation for the skill and athletism that is out there. You get to hear the players communicate with each other. They actually talk, a lot. There are words of encouragement -- and other words too -- but all of this adds to the thrill of the game. You get to be right there and see all the subtlety that is lost when you view a game from a distance. You can take what you observe in the games you referee, and it will add a lot to your understanding and appreciation of what you see happening during your own son or daughter's game.

Its a way to force myself to exercise.

Almost all of us could use an exercise program. Being a referee will get you out and walking, jogging, or even running - no matter what the weather. No excuses for yourself. Many of us can use that little extra push. You choose the level of game you want to officiate and that helps make sure that you are not "over-doing it". Do you LIKE being a ref and want to take on a more challenging level? If that's the case, knowing that you have a U16+ game that you want to work next month just might give you that extra incentive to get out there and be more diligent on your exercise program.

Its a way to earn a few extra dollars.

The vast majority of referees are NOT in it for the money. However, it would be wrong to say that there isn't money to be made. Year-round referees that work on competitive matches can easily make a $100-$200 during a week of games. That can add up pretty quickly. U14+ youth games pay $40-$60 for a center referee and about 2/3 of that for an assistant. Quite a few referees put these earnings into their vacation or Christmas gift accounts - and end up with a nice little sum that helps them make a holiday just a little bit easier. In these tough economic times, many companies are cutting back on overtime that some people depend on. Being a referee can fill in part of that gap.

I want to demonstrate to my children that you can always learn new things

Children see what their parents do. By going out and taking on new challenges, even when those challenges are difficult, you can be a great role model for your kids. When you become a referee, you suddenly have a whole new set of experiences that you can use for teaching "life lessons" to your children. By attending classes, both initial and recertification, you demonstrate that "school" is not something limited to children, but something that is a part of life, no matter your age. By dealing with the inevitable complaints that come your way, you have an opportunity to teach your children how to deal with unpleasant things. Some things are to be ignored - and some things require constructive action.

I want to prove I can be a better ref than the last one!!!

Yes. Some referees become referees because they are frustrated at the quality of officiating and just want to prove that they can do a better job. Frankly, its easy to stand on the sidelines and be critical. There's no risk involved there. These are referees who are willing to put their words on the sideline into action by taking a class, getting out there, and demonstrating that they really do know the game as well as they think they do. IF you are one of these, AND you really do think you can do a better job - then you owe it to the game to get out there. Talk is cheap. To be honest, there ARE quite a few referees that started for this very reason. Some of them have risen to top levels. So yep, you are welcome too!

So, there you go. The above is a collection of some of the different reasons people become referees. Regardless of the reason, our programs need referees. LWYSA encourages you to take a risk... step out there and try being a referee for a season. Maybe its not for you, but you won't know for certain until you try. Its entirely possible that you will surprise yourself and find that this is something that brings you satisfaction and enjoyment. If you have any questions, we encourage you to scan our Frequently Asked Questions. If your question isn't answered, just write a note to the LWYSA Referee Director and we'll get you an answer.