So you want to try soccer refereeing? Maybe you've seen your friends making some extra money on weekends and you'd like to give it a try. Maybe you had a referee in a game and thought, I can do as good as that ref! Or maybe some coaches or parents have encouraged you because they know that when you start to referee, you'll become a better player.
But you've heard the horror stories about crazy adults who think it's their place to scream at teenage referees. Maybe you've gone on You Tube and watched those"crazy soccer parent" videos. Maybe your parent or coach is one of those crazy people and you aren't sure it's worth it for you to try. I'm here to tell you that it is worth it and that this book will help you have fun with refereeing while you make money and improve your own game.
This book is for you if:You're a teenager who has started or is thinking about starting to referee youth soccer games and you're nervous about being screamed at by an adult for"bad" calls.
You're the parent of a teenager who thinks it would be cool for your soccer-loving child to make some money refereeing soccer games on the weekends, but you have heard about"crazy soccer parents and coaches" who can make life miserable for young referees.
You're an adult who cares deeply about the future of youth soccer in America. What you will learn by reading this book:
- Why studying the "laws of the game" and passing a test is only one part of the journey
- Why adults yell at youth referees and what you can to do to prepare yourself for the first time it happens
- How to handle coaches and spectators who misbehave (the players are rarely the problem!)
- How to prepare for that first game and your first season
- The "rules of engagement" when dealing with assignors
- What you should insist on when working with adult referees
- Why studying not only the rules but also the backstories of the top referees in the world is so valuable
- Why refereeing has so many benefits (besides the money) for teenagers
Eric Highsmith (referee and referee instructor) and Jesse Rosenthal (referee and referee assignor) also contributed to the book.