From the Evansville Courier Press, December 21, 2008
As a player or a coach, there are only so many variables you can control during the course of a soccer game — a call that a referee makes (or doesn't make) is not one of them.
Longtime Duke University soccer coach John Rennie used to always say to his players "do not let what you can't control affect the things that you can" with a referee's decision being one of the major factors you can't control.
Here are some reference points about dealing with referees or assistant referees (linesmen) that could assist players, coaches or spectators:
'Working' the refs: As much as athletes and coaches probably feel that 'working' the refs is glorified by watching ESPN, the idea of shouting at the referee during the game becomes more of a hindrance and distraction to the officials and your own players. As a player, arguing with the referee or even getting yellow-carded for dissent are signs of a lack of mental toughness or focus.
As a coach, it is worth referencing that at higher levels, crowds are so large and loud that the officials can't really hear you anyway. In most levels of professional soccer in Europe, the technical area (coaches and substitutes) is actually located in the stands — so you don't see coaches roaming the sidelines as much as you might see here in the U.S.
Don't 'cry wolf': The coach who complains about every call gets tuned out pretty quickly by an official, and now the coach has lost a forum to even discuss a call with the referee. Understand that the more professional you behave toward the referee during the course of the game, the better chance he or she will lend their ear if there is a concern you need to have addressed.
Use your captain's role appropriately: One of the reasons why the captain of a team is asked to wear an arm band is to distinguish themselves from their teammates. The captain is the only player who should address the official about anything relating to the game, and the coach should encourage any contact between the players and the referee be through the captain. I think a good practice for coaching youth players at an early enough age for a teaching opportunity is to substitute any player other than the captain who addresses a referee, and/or substitute any child who has a parent that is too vocal in their criticism of the officials. Knowing that, could help make your player (and maybe their parent) mentally tougher in learning how to deal with adverse situations when a call doesn't go their way.
Being offside is not 'your' interpretation: The laws of the game actually read that a player who is offside is deemed in the official's interpretation that an attacking player was in an offside position. Regardless of what you may (or may not) have seen, if the referee or assistant referee (linesman) was in the proper position — in line with the last man on the defending team — it is not a worthwhile argument to debate whether a player was in an offside position or not. In most cases, I tend to debate whether an 'AR' was in line with the last man more so than whether a player was offside or not — if the 'AR' was not in the proper position, they wouldn't have the vantage point to make the correct call.
If you are going to voice a concern with an official, don't make it opinion-based: In all cases in the laws of the game, the rules state either a clear definition or that it is in the referee's interpretation — meaning that 'your' opinion doesn't matter in relation to the rules. Make sure that any dispute you have with an official mirrors your own understanding of the rules, and don't allow it to become a 'he said, she said'. You will always lose a debate with an official that isn't supported by fact.
Set a good example: Whether you are a coach, or a parent spectator, understand that your players or your own child will mirror the way you treat the officials. Why should your players or own child show respect to the official if you don't? In most cases, the coach or parent spectator that shouts and screams at the official regularly isn't showing a lot of respect to their team, its players or even themselves by doing so. Set an example that you would like your own child to follow, and hopefully this is a life lesson that transcends sport.
As a player or a coach, there are only so many variables you can control during the course of a soccer game — a call that a referee makes (or doesn't make) is not one of them.
Longtime Duke University soccer coach John Rennie used to always say to his players "do not let what you can't control affect the things that you can" with a referee's decision being one of the major factors you can't control.
Here are some reference points about dealing with referees or assistant referees (linesmen) that could assist players, coaches or spectators:
'Working' the refs: As much as athletes and coaches probably feel that 'working' the refs is glorified by watching ESPN, the idea of shouting at the referee during the game becomes more of a hindrance and distraction to the officials and your own players. As a player, arguing with the referee or even getting yellow-carded for dissent are signs of a lack of mental toughness or focus.
As a coach, it is worth referencing that at higher levels, crowds are so large and loud that the officials can't really hear you anyway. In most levels of professional soccer in Europe, the technical area (coaches and substitutes) is actually located in the stands — so you don't see coaches roaming the sidelines as much as you might see here in the U.S.
Don't 'cry wolf': The coach who complains about every call gets tuned out pretty quickly by an official, and now the coach has lost a forum to even discuss a call with the referee. Understand that the more professional you behave toward the referee during the course of the game, the better chance he or she will lend their ear if there is a concern you need to have addressed.
Use your captain's role appropriately: One of the reasons why the captain of a team is asked to wear an arm band is to distinguish themselves from their teammates. The captain is the only player who should address the official about anything relating to the game, and the coach should encourage any contact between the players and the referee be through the captain. I think a good practice for coaching youth players at an early enough age for a teaching opportunity is to substitute any player other than the captain who addresses a referee, and/or substitute any child who has a parent that is too vocal in their criticism of the officials. Knowing that, could help make your player (and maybe their parent) mentally tougher in learning how to deal with adverse situations when a call doesn't go their way.
Being offside is not 'your' interpretation: The laws of the game actually read that a player who is offside is deemed in the official's interpretation that an attacking player was in an offside position. Regardless of what you may (or may not) have seen, if the referee or assistant referee (linesman) was in the proper position — in line with the last man on the defending team — it is not a worthwhile argument to debate whether a player was in an offside position or not. In most cases, I tend to debate whether an 'AR' was in line with the last man more so than whether a player was offside or not — if the 'AR' was not in the proper position, they wouldn't have the vantage point to make the correct call.
If you are going to voice a concern with an official, don't make it opinion-based: In all cases in the laws of the game, the rules state either a clear definition or that it is in the referee's interpretation — meaning that 'your' opinion doesn't matter in relation to the rules. Make sure that any dispute you have with an official mirrors your own understanding of the rules, and don't allow it to become a 'he said, she said'. You will always lose a debate with an official that isn't supported by fact.
Set a good example: Whether you are a coach, or a parent spectator, understand that your players or your own child will mirror the way you treat the officials. Why should your players or own child show respect to the official if you don't? In most cases, the coach or parent spectator that shouts and screams at the official regularly isn't showing a lot of respect to their team, its players or even themselves by doing so. Set an example that you would like your own child to follow, and hopefully this is a life lesson that transcends sport.
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