Details

They say it's all in the details and in the world of soccer refereeing that is certainly true.

We talk a lot about the "big decisions" that you, as a referee, must make throughout the game. But anyone who watches a great referee perform knows that its not just the big decisions that separate the good from the amazing. If you pay close attention to that referee you will see small actions form a certain synergy that helps his or her game go smoothly. We'll dig deeper into each element in later posts but for now let's just look at a few easy ones:

Manage your assignments. Especially during the fall season we find ourselves inundated with games. You could practically do several games every day if you were so inclined. That makes it easy to forget about a match or double book yourself. Try your best to keep track of it all. If you have to turn-back an assignment do it as soon as possible and always be polite.

Appearance. Haven't we all heard this one before? Then why does it always come up again? Because people still show up looking shabby. This one is easy and does you a lot of good. Just try it, trust me.

Preparation. It shows when you have done a little research about the two teams before showing up. You seem in control when you know what's riding on a game. Having all your gear with you , allowing enough time to show up to the game and doing a proper pre-game gives creditability to you as a referee. Never do a game that is above your fitness level.

Learn. The is a host of information out there. If you really want to do a great job at this you need to become a student of the game. Don't know where to find more information? Reach out and we'll guide you in the right direction. It's great to see that weird situation in the game that no one knows how to handle and then see a confident referee educate everyone on how it should be resolved.

I'm thinking next week we'll take a close look one of the Laws of the Game that can help us focus on the details. Happy Refereeing!