REFEREE MECHANICS

REFEREE MECHANICS Excerpts from the 2008 USSF Guide to Procedures www.lompocayso.org/Referee%20Guide.pdf Central Oregon Soccer Officials Association Meeting Presentation September 19, 2012 Mehdi Salari

GENERAL MECHANICS • USSF outline to standardize officiating techniques, signals and mechanics. • Tested and used at youth, adult, professional & international competition. • While every Official will have their own style of conduct, the goal is to keep individual styles within a recognizable and common boundary. • An Official’s style should not interfere with the flow of the game, result in unclear communication, or cause undue attention to the Officials. • Best way to learn Referee Mechanics … is to watch more experienced Officials working a game. You can’t learn everything in a book or from a presentation.

GENERAL MECHANICS --- WHISTLE • It is neither required nor expected that the whistle be used for all stoppages and restarts of play. • A whistle demands attention and should be blown when such attention is needed. Uncontested stoppages (as when a ball clearly leaves the field) should not be whistled — a voice and/or hand signal by the referee or a flag by the assistant referee will normally be sufficient. • Referees should also be alert to the need for variations in the length, force, and tone of their use of a whistle to indicate different types of stoppages or different degrees of concern for the event that has just occurred. • In the diagonal system of control, referees should take every opportunity of less activity on the field to make eye contact with each of the AR and confirm game status.

GENERAL MECHANICS --- HAND SIGNALS • All referee hand signals are given with the arm straight at the indicated angle or direction, with the fingers fully extended. • AR flag signals follow the same pattern with the flag held as an extension of the arm. • Referees should be aware that various hand or arm gestures and facial expressions can have unintended, negative meanings in matches. Care should be taken therefore in the use of such gestures or expressions. • Because of time constraints, we are not be able to cover the procedures & mechanics of 4th Officials; or the variations in the dual system.

PRIOR TO THE GAME • Arrival at the Field • Should ideally be there a minimum of 30 min. prior to kick off • Inspections & Instructions • Field: Markings, Safety, Conditions • Game Balls • Greet & introduce yourself to Coaches • Rosters • Player Equipment (inspect at walk around) • Talk with Ball Handlers or Clock Operators (if indicated) • Coin Toss and Sportsmanship talk with Captains • The crew can work together to handle these tasks • 15-Minutes Before Kick-off • Referee resolves issues of questionable equipment, uniform, … • Prior to Kick-off • Referee & AR enter field together • AR Flags furled • Shake hands at midfield • AR: Final inspection of nets • AR: Assume position with 2nd to last defender • AR: Count players and unfurl flag if ready to start • Referee: Makes eye contact with each AR before starting game

GAME MECHANICS

Mehdi’s 2-cents: • Try and referee with a smile. • Enjoy yourself, the players & most importantly the game. • Do not take yourself more seriously than the level of game you are calling. • Take your time and allow things to process in your mind or see if an advantage develops. • Very rarely do you have to make an instantaneous signal, whistle or call. • Work as a team and utilize everybody on the crew. • Do not try and call a game entirely on your own. • Check in with your crew at every dead ball. • Expect to make mistakes and learn from those mistakes. • Making a mistake, or blowing a call does not make you a bad Referee … repeating the same mistakes over and over does. 2010 5-A Boys State Semi-Final Match Mike Cleavenger (4th), Pat Evoy (AR1), Steve Kurzer (R) and Mehdi Salari (AR2) Thanks for your attention. The End

REFEREE MECHANICS