Sometimes it takes a while to finish things that we start. This post started in the middle of June. Sixty days later, I’m finally posting it. Since then the Western Pennsylvania Soccer Community has lost another great referee mentor, leader and friend. I’ve been lucky enough to know both of them over the years for two completely different reasons. One for non-soccer the other for soccer. In sharing this story of referee development I just wanted to add one more note of thanks to both Keith and Peggy.
https://www.swgfuneralhome.com/obituary/Keith-Renner
Instead of Peggy’s obit from 2024, I’m reposting her PG article.
https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/soccer/2015/11/21/Western-Pennsylvania-soccer-figure-get-Hall-of-Fame-nod/stories/201511210050
The United States of America is hosting FIFA’s Club World Cup. In Western Pennsylvania we have ended our normal recreational and competitive travel league seasons. This past weekend the Open Tournament capped the end of the 2024-25 season. The Open Tournament has been hosted by Edinboro University since I was a player for community club teams. When I was playing for Dunlevy, it was at Edinboro. When I started coaching with Bob, we took our Plum team to Edinboro. It allows grassroots players to experience dorm living and a weekend of soccer games on a college campus. I usually try to dip my feet in Lake Erie if time allows. This year after skipping week one for DMB in Cincy with the Belle, I made it for week two. I put my referee green and pink to work with new partners and some familiar ones.
What makes grassroots football so special? The parents who are doubling as coaches instead of paying the “competetive clubs” to develop their children. In the US the pay-to-play model has really taken over youth sports. Parents have been caught up in the FOMO of paying coaches to develop their children. I’m not sure why they have chosen the hands off approach. There is something special about taking the reigns and being a leader of your child and their friends. There is something in that shared experience. There are memories to be made. I understand most parents feel they do not have the experience to coach a sport if they have never played. Soccer is a sport where the game is the teacher. A coach is just a facilitator. The best coaches need to know how to frame the learning and step back to let the young minds play.
On the third team-the arbitro team-I am usually a player and a coach. I have been developing new officials for the past 10 years. I’ve been lucky enough to play this game for over 40 years. I look at my current time on the field as a chance to give back to the game. My entire Friday and Saturday were spent with U-12 boys games and the same 6 referees. It was nice to build on our teamwork over the course of 10 hours. I know going into this weekend that most of the soccer will not be very high level. I realize that the style of play will generally be very direct, even if the weather conditions are too hot for that much running. While the field size would be perfect if the teams developed their attack and possessed the ball. Most games resembled a whole lot of American football punts being chased down by forwards running at defenders. If the forward won the ball it would be a shot, if the goalkeeper caught the ball, it would be a return punt. Punt, Chase, Shoot, Repeat. Punt, Chase, Shoot, Repeat.
That reminds me of this song. Maybe we should get up a dance right now.
Eat, Sleep, Ref, Repeat.
A weekend at the PA West Open for a referee is similar to being at a rave.You Eat, Sleep, Ref and Repeat. Friday night starts with 2-3 games, followed by 4-8 games on Saturday and another 4-6 games on Sunday. This year I escaped the tournament on Saturday night. I was assigned an adult game at 10 am on Sunday morning back in Pittsburgh. I may have left out the hydrate part. Drink water, drink Gatorade, Drink water, drink water, drink Gatorade. Check your pee color to make sure you are properly hydrated. Overheating is no fun. Cramping is no fun.
Developing partners one game at a time. I’ve adapted my referee coaching game to follow my actual soccer coaching game. I ask my referee partners who are just starting out to identify one area of their game that they would like to focus on during the upcoming game. In leading my players, I realize I can only focus on one skill in one training week. Similarly with referees, there are so many moments of a game, that it is unfair to ask a new referee to be perfect throughout an entire game. I’ve had over 40 years of soccer to get where I am, 20 as a referee, 20 as a coach. I’ve been cheating on my development program, by cheating on my pregame speech. Thanks to Arbitro David Gerson in the ATL, I’ve been using his new cards at @refsneedlove–his cards allowed me to make sure my 3rd team was on the same page.
One of my partners–an 18 year old referee this weekend really stood out. I had the pleasure to run a line and assist as AR1 in a 1-0 game. The soccer level of play was not always the best. I summarize this when 70% of the players struggle with Key Quality #4- Execute with Optimal Technical Abilities. If players lack the technical abilities, referee decisions usually fall into lack of body control issues, more than deliberate fouling. Most of the decisions the 18 year old referee had to make were not soccer ones.
There was one soccer decision we both had to make, which led to the one goal. I had begun to raise my flag for an offside call in my defending end, but he applied a wait and see approach. The defender arrived to the ball first and played a through ball ahead to his forward. I put my flag down, he continued on with the counter attack. The ball landed just outside the attacking penalty area with a 1v1 between the forward and last defender. A quick dribble to the left and a shot to the near post — the ball snuck in the back of the net. Brilliant delay and no call.
The only other challenge of the game came from the sideline. Instead he had one coach with international level soccer knowledge trying to game the game against a grassroots coach. At half time he asked me what was going on between the two coaches. I quickly explained and he really chuckled when it came down to what ball was being used. He made a quick decision to let them both know he was in charge and picked the ball he wanted. As AR1, I assured him I had his back and he made the right decision. There is never a reason for a coach in US soccer to game the youth game. The game is for the development of the grassroots player.
6 Task of a US Soccer Coach
- Managing the Performance Environment
- Leadership
- Leading the player
- Leading the team
- Training Sessions
- Coaching Games
To further review the non-profit that hosts this event, please check them out at the following:
https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/251472257