Ref Base – Mentor Evaluations

You do a good job when sprints are needed to get to the corner. You tend to have difficulty maintaining position with the offside line. The offside line is dynamic, and you should be moving constantly to maintain a perpendicular view with the offside line. You tend to stand with your body facing along the touchline. We talked extensively about instead squaring your body to the field to maintain the correct view and position. This will also help you be ready to sprint when needed. You also tend to turn away and look at the ground after goals. Recognize this as a critical time for the officiating crew as misconduct can occur following the goal. Take a broad view of the field while the referee records the goal.

As discussed, you tend to make all signals with your elbow bent. This makes the AR appear unconfident in their call. Your offside call should be made with your right arm fully extended straight up (not bent at the elbow). Once acknowledged by the referee, complete the signal by indicating either the far, middle, or near third where the offence occurred. If your call will result in a goal being disallowed, hold the flag longer so everyone can clearly see why the referee stopped play.

Again, you tend to make your throw-in signals with a bent elbow. This makes the AR appear uncertain about their call. Your arm should be fully extended at approximately 45 degrees to your body. We spent time reviewing the correct mechanics together.

You did not wear a badge during our games together. You mentioned that you did not have velcro to apply the badge to your uniform. Referees are typically expected to supply their own velcro. You can get velcro pre-cut for badges at on-line referee sites or in-town at House of Soccer. You can also buy a piece of velcro at Walmart or similar store.

Malachi - We spent two games together. I gave you several points for improvement and would have liked to see a greater effort to implement my suggestions. When we lose focus or need a mental break during a game, we tend to look at the ground. You spend a lot of time looking at the ground. Work on limiting these moments and keeping your head up. You also tend to face your body up or down the touch line. This slows your ability to sprint when needed in the opposite direction and negatively effects your ability to properly judge the offside line. It also limits your general view of the field. Focus on squaring your body to the touch line. You also tend to bend your arm when making signals. This makes you look uncertain of your call and can lead to dissent. Work on using a straight arm when raising your flag for offside, fouls, or throw in. I suggest practicing your signals in front of a mirror.

Malachi seems to have difficulty focusing. He was yawning consistently through both matches. I gave him lots of attention, but he didn't seem to try to implement any of my suggestions. Recommend not assigning him to any more than one or two games at a time as his focus seems to struggle. Consider having him retake the basic referee class.