Far West Regional Championships 2010

By now everyone should know that New Mexico is hosting the Regional Championships this June. All parties involved are very excited for this great opportunity! Planning has been going on for months now and there is still a lot to be done. We'll need all the help we can get to make sure NM is well represented at this event.

The tournament will be held June 21-27 at the State Farm Soccer Complex. For information on the tournament you can click here to check out the Region IV website. We are looking for "soccer buffs" to help out with the field marshal volunteering; if interested please email Jeff Eschenburg and let him know you'd like to help out. If you are interested in representing NM as a referee, read on for the details...

2010 FWR Referee Requirements

As the host state for FWR we will have the unique opportunity to provide extra, or "standby", referees for the tournament. These referees will be in addition to the normal group that is selected to go to FWR so it gives us more slots and more opportunity for you to get the experience of a Regional-level event! Although you will not be guaranteed game assignments as a standby, you will be held to the same requirements as any referee selected for FWR. This means a dedication of time and effort leading up to the tournament. Please do not apply if you are unable to meet the requirements.

There will likely be 10-15 standby and 10 normal referee slots available. If you are unsure about the process by which referees are selected to go to FWR you can read the earlier blog about how it works here. Some new things this year:

• All referees who would like to be considered need to email me (Kris Grano) by April 1st.
• After I have verified you meet the basic requirements you will receive an email with an application to complete and return.
  
• Final selection as standby or normal referee slots will be dependent on experience, grade level, performance and attendance of meetings/training sessions. I will not hold it against you if you are not able to attend meetings because you are not in the metro area.
• All referees within the metro area will be required to attend a combination of at least six of the following meetings: Game of the Week, NMSRA Running Group, FWR Referee Meeting or other training sessions made available for this purpose.
  
• Referees selected to attend FWR will be required to be available throughout the tournament. This means you can't apply and only want to do morning games, etc.
  
• Referees out of the Albuquerque area will be provided a hotel room free of charge.

Please don't hesitate to ask if you have any more questions about this process. I would ask that you review this document fully before emailing me questions as the document should cover most of the frequently asked questions.

Off the Pitch

Steve Schafer, DRA - East

With soccer season taking a winter break, your challenge is to maintain your referee fitness. Waiting until the spring soccer season to workout is a recipe for disaster. What to do with snow on the ground?

Several referees I know downhill ski (or snowboard). While it’s not quite the same cardiovascular wise as refereeing, downhill skiing is still a good workout. Just walking in those boots from the parking lot should count for something. Along with the ski areas, several stores in ABQ rent ski equipment. You should probably take a lesson if you have never skied before. Also, realize downhill skiing is not cheap. Along with the equipment, ski area lift tickets typically cost >$40 for the day.

I do a lot of cross country skiing. While it’s not as fast as downhill skiing, it is less expensive (no lift ticket) and can be more of a workout. A more advanced form of cross country skiing, skate skiing, is a huge cardiovascular workout. Going up the road to Sandia Crest (536), you can ski on the trails starting at 10k, Ellis, or the Crest parking lot. Note, there is a $3 parking fee. REI has information on trails, rental equipment and lessons.

I also do a lot of snowshoeing. I use the same trails as for cross country skiing. Snow shoes today are made of modern materials (aluminum and Kevlar), are reasonably priced (~$100) and are much smaller than traditional (wood and gut) snowshoes. Snowshoeing requires little skill or coordination (that’s why I can do it). You don’t need lessons to snowshoe. Just walk or jog with a wider stance to avoid tripping yourself (okay, some coordination is needed). REI has rental snowshoes available.

Tell me your workout ideas. What do you do off the pitch (besides 12oz. curls) to stay in shape?

You can email Steve Schafer with workout ideas or questions about this article.

Teamwork

This video is a great example of teamwork between the AR and the Referee. Let's look at a few things that they did correctly in this example:

• Position. The referee is in a good position and close to the point of contact. Although the ball starts to go upfield, the referee makes sure to keep facing the two players who have the potential to make contact. Note that the camera starts to follow the ball. We as referees must keep our eyes on the two players for a few seconds to make sure there isn't contact after the ball leaves.
  
• AR Focus. The AR also does a good job to stay focused on the players in front of him. In the case of a long ball and fast break, the AR has to take on more responsibility. Fight the urge to "watch play" and turn your eyes away from players.
  
• Eye Contact. Before the AR puts up his flag he makes eye contact with the Referee and assesses if there is a potential for advantage. Should the AR see the possibility for advantage, he can choose to not raise his flag unless there is serious misconduct.
  
• Making the Call. When the decision is made that a foul occurred, the Referee correctly acknowledges the AR's flag and stops play for the foul. At this time the AR would communicate with the Referee should further action be needed (caution). In this example, the simple foul is sufficient due to the nature of the contact.
  

Good work Clayton and Seth!

Last One?

The long season got even longer for three NM college (NISOA) referees this past Friday. Orion Stradford, Steve Schafer and myself drove in the middle of the night to Denver for a NCAA match between Grand Valley State (MI) and Northern Kentucky. The game before ours went to overtime and then kicks from the mark, so we started pretty late. By the time we completed our overtime periods and started the kicks it was nearly dark! It was a nice game and great opportunity. Our local 4th Official was nice enough to join us for a big steak dinner before we started another late night drive home. Orion and I had games the next day... talk about dedication!

NCAA Playoffs

Talk about a long season! A good year for NM area college teams means extra opportunities for the local referees. This year Ft Lewis (men and women) and UNM (men) made it to the NCAA tournament. Doing games this late in the year in Colorado can only mean one thing... SNOW!



Bob Croft and myself braved the cold and snow but much like New Mexico weather, this snowy scene was quickly replaced with blue sky and sunshine not much more than 20 minutes after this picture was taken. It was a good thing it stopped because we could barely see the lines!

Big Games Ahead

As different as MLS is from what we do every week, it is still fundamentally the game of soccer and therefore has some similarities. Many of us are winding down the season and preparing for the last few tournaments before we kick back for the winter. Others are getting ready for the State HS tournament or post-season college matches. Guess what? MLS referees are getting ready for the post-season, too.

Read the Week in Review 31 and see how each referee gets ready. Note that they prepare regardless of whether or not they know they are getting an assignment. Kevin Stott notes that "the idea of continuing to strengthen the referees must continue whether you are directly a part of the match or not." So get out there and provide feedback and, most importantly, support your fellow referees. Try not to be upset if you don't get the final match you had set your eyes on; instead, congratulate those who get the opportunity!

Maintain During the Off Season

Seems like it was only a few months ago that the season was just beginning. Well, we are fast approaching the end. With the HS State Tournament ending next week and season play for other leagues drawing to a close, you might find yourself with more free time. Rest will be needed for many of us with injuries but take care not to rest too much.

You've worked hard during the season and established a fitness "base" even if you were only getting fitness from your games. The hardest part of working out is getting past the first few challenging runs where your legs hurt and lungs burn. Don't lose that base! Taking the time to exercise a few times during the week will ensure you are ready to go next year. Try some of these tips:

1. Balance some recovery time with your workouts. With as many games as you've likely done this season you need to have a few off days.
   
2. Mix it up. Add some bicycling, hot yoga, swimming or another low impact workout to your routine. Lifting weights can help strengthen your muscles and prevent injuries. Plus, don't different activities makes working out more enjoyable.
   
3. Find a friend. If you find a workout buddy you're more likely to get a good workout and actually get out there to do the workout. Motivate each other to work hard!
4. Set a goal. Maybe you want to better your fitness test results from last year or just feel better at the beginning of the spring season. Whatever it is, set a goal and work towards it.
   

A little work during the off season will pay off next year! If you are looking for some workout ideas geared towards soccer referees, click on this link. On Page 7 you'll find the article Fitness Workouts to Increase Speed and Endurance by Greg Dugas.