Proactive Refereeing

Introduction Good referees are students of the game – They can ‘feel’ what’s coming next – That sense of what’s coming next helps them control the match Good referees anticipate what fouls are coming based on which player has the ball, and where it is on the field Good referees keep track of who is fouling and who is being fouled in order to proactively end persistent infringement 29/5/2012

Objectives of the Game and Principles of Play 39/5/2012

First: Be a “Student of the Game” The better you understand the overall game and coach / player tactics… … the better you will be able to read the game, anticipate play and be in the right place at the right time 49/5/2012

Attacking Team Score Advance Maintain Possession Defending Team Prevent Scoring Delay Regain Possession OBJECTIVES OF THE GAME (What To Do) 59/5/2012

Attacking Team Penetration Depth Mobility Width Creativity Defending Team Delay Depth Balance Concentration Composure PRINCIPLES OF PLAY (How To Do It) 69/5/2012

Objectives Change, Depending On: LOCATIONTEAM POSSESSING BALL 9/5/20127

Our Team’s Objectives LOCATIONTEAM POSSESSING BALL Our TeamOpponents’ Team Our Attacking Third Midfield Our Defending Third 9/5/20128

Our Team’s Objectives LOCATIONTEAM POSSESSING BALL Our TeamOpponents’ Team Our Attacking Third Score Midfield Our Defending Third 9/5/20129

Our Team’s Objectives LOCATIONTEAM POSSESSING BALL Our TeamOpponents’ Team Our Attacking Third ScoreRegain Midfield Our Defending Third 9/5/201210

Our Team’s Objectives LOCATIONTEAM POSSESSING BALL Our TeamOpponents’ Team Our Attacking Third ScoreRegain Midfield Advance Our Defending Third 9/5/201211

Our Team’s Objectives LOCATIONTEAM POSSESSING BALL Our TeamOpponents’ Team Our Attacking Third ScoreRegain Midfield AdvanceDelay Our Defending Third 9/5/201212

Our Team’s Objectives LOCATIONTEAM POSSESSING BALL Our TeamOpponents’ Team Our Attacking Third ScoreRegain Midfield AdvanceDelay Our Defending Third Maintain Possession 9/5/201213

Our Team’s Objectives LOCATIONTEAM POSSESSING BALL Our TeamOpponents’ Team Our Attacking Third ScoreRegain Midfield AdvanceDelay Our Defending Third Maintain Possession Prevent Scoring 9/5/201214

Being Proactive Before and During the Match 159/5/2012

“Refereeing is Thinking” A famous Ken Aston saying What does it mean? What would happen in your match if you couldn’t think well? 169/5/2012

If Refereeing is Thinking… Anything that affects your ability to think affects your ability to control the match 179/5/2012

The Impact of Fatigue Reduces your ability to think Reduces your ability to communicate Impairs your ability to make decisions Impairs your ability to control your emotions Affects you and the players 189/5/2012

The Impact of Stress Triggered internally (up for the game) Triggered in reaction to physical or vocal attack Exactly the same as the effect of fatigue 199/5/2012

Solution: Deal with problems early, when everyone is thinking clearly 209/5/2012

Before the Game Find out what you can about the teams: speed, style, skill, physicality, misconduct Eat, sleep, and hydrate properly Shake the coaches’ hands (“Wow, the ref’s human!”) Watch the teams warm up Shake the captains’ hands Evaluate the field and the weather 219/5/2012

During the Game Be where you need to be See what you need to see Call what needs to be called 229/5/2012

Times You Need to be Close to Play The Learning Time: – The first minutes of each half The Burning Time: – The last minutes of each half After a Goal: – Goals follow goals as do “frustration/getting-even” fouls Other Times: – Don’t be predictable in your positioning – move around!!! 239/5/2012

The Rest of the Time Pulse in (10 yards) and out (20 yards) as needed Look through play at an AR Move to get a good angle on potential trouble Stay out of the players’ way Anticipate where to be next Sprint to the point of hard fouls 249/5/2012

The best way to deal with foul play is to prevent it! 259/5/2012

Position Proactively for High-Risk Situations A player who is looking at you every time you see him Players around whom bad things “just happen” An unbalanced or lopsided match The star attacker and the “hard man” on defense 269/5/2012

Position Proactively for High-Risk Situations Midfield fouling (more are likely to happen here) Player far from his normal position You are fatigued You have club linesmen Hard fouls on attackers early or late in the match 279/5/2012

Persistent Infringement Dramatically breaks the flow of the game and the strategy of the targeted team Not sanctioned nearly often enough Repeated fouls by one player: caution for PI Repeatedfouls by multiple players against one opponent: caution for USB No magic number of fouls – the referee just has to recognize that the PI tactic is happening Very important to be proactive in recognizing PI 289/5/2012

Conclusion Reading the game (Objectives and Principles) gives the referee an idea of what’s going to happen next This allows the referee to proactively move towards the best position to be near play (anticipation) Understanding what players will likely do in a particular part of the field helps the referee watch for expected types of fouling Anticipation and foul recognition together help the referee control the match Recognizing and proactively sanctioning persistent infringement helps keep the match safe and fair 9/5/201229