http://minnesotasrc.com/

just an excellent job all 'round
Thanks,
Marc Silverstein

Wow, I learned a lot from this. A very good job indeed.

Thanks for posting, this is great.

I really can't wait for their next edition

My daughter's team was the U15 girls team discussed at the end. I remember that situation clearly and remember telling the ref he missed the call and was terrible!

referees like players are not above making mistakes.

I thought the discussion on throw-ins at the youth level was interesting. I am a lawyer by trade and so I take a very rigid view of the Laws of the Game. I have a huge problem with youth refs that do not call back players who make a bad throw-in and really hate it when refs give youth players a second chance.

It was interest as the other day I got into a discussion with another coach who told me my views did not embrace the spirit of the laws and refs should allow play to proceed. I am glad the ref commission agrees with my point of view.

Man Soccer Boy, I certainly hope you REALLY didn't tell a referee officiating a youth game he was terrible. Tell me you didn't do that?

I wouldn't be surprised if he did.

It is the parents and coaches that constantly complain about the calls a young referee does or does not make during a game that deters young referees from wanting to continue officiating.

I can tell you, Soccer Boy, if you actually complain to referees at your games as much as it appears by your comments on this board, you wouldn't have made it to the halftime whistle if I was refereeing your games because I wouldn't have put up with it for very long.

In my 25 years of refereeing, I have NEVER seen a referee change a call because a coach complained about the call. So, why bother to yell and complain about a call?
There is a much, much better way to approach the situation of a call you may not agree with.

CL, that is why I only train and not coach. Back in the day, I would usually reserve the comments for after the match.

Serioulsy, the officiatig has not kept up with the level of play. I see refs showing up to matches looking like complete slobs and are more concerned with what they are doing later that night and not what goes on in the match.

Refs also need to know the Laws and enforce it. For example, at my daughter's U14 match, they were up by 7 goals late in the match. The ref was not calling pushing from behind, etc. There was also a hand ball worthy of the Paraguayian National Team. The ref call it off and said, "You are up by many goals. I am jot calling any hands balls."

This stupidity goes against the letter of the Laws AND the spirit.