Special Points of interest

• Interview with John Corbett
• Referee of the Month: Joey Knoff
• What Does Refereeing Mean to You?
• Referee Mentor Development Program
• Who’s Who: Jim DeBrabander

Welcome to the December issue of the MRC newsletter. We hope all of you and your family and friends are staying safe.

Many of you have already finished your recertification process. We have a lot of recertification clinics scheduled for December. So please visit our website to start the recertification process. You can find the recert information here.

November marked the beginning of the Referee Mentor Development Program Cohort #3. As you may remember from previous newsletters, two groups of referee mentors went through a virtual training over spring and summer this year. The training for these two groups of mentors ended in September. Along with other mentor candidates, those who participated in the development program earlier are currently going through the U.S. Soccer Referee Mentor certification process to officially become mentors in Spring 2021. The third cohort of trainees are those who are not instructors or assessors yet. But they may mentor referees locally or are interested in becoming a U.S. Soccer mentor in the future. They will have online monthly trainings for six months. After successfully completing the training program, they will be invited to take the U.S. Soccer mentor certification class. Below, you will find an article by Jeremy Wittrock, one of the mentor candidates.

We also have our second mentor workshop. These monthly mentor workshops provide mentors with opportunities to deepen their understanding of the Laws of the Game and FIFA Considerations. In October, the workshop focused on offside, particularly interfering with an opponent. In November, we focused on the illegal use of arm. These 90-min sessions are interactive and help mentors familiarize themselves with how the Laws and Considerations are expected to be applied. 

As always, our December newsletter is full of exciting stories and information. We are featuring John Corbett as the MRC member of the month. Our regular content includes Referees of the Month and Who’s Who. We are featuring Joey Knoff as the Referees of the Month, and Jim DeBrabander for Who’s Who. As was mentioned last month, Nichole Kramer-Kiuchi has started her referee coach certification class with U.S. Soccer. She is going to share the recap of her first session in her article. Ken Wikle has an article about assistant referees. Nick Balcer also talks about the importance of report writing.

https://twitter.com/michiganrefereeBeyond this newsletter, please be sure to follow our Twitter (@MichiganReferee) and subscribe to our YouTube Channel.

Inside this issue

• Corbett Interview
• What’s in a Name?
• Referee of the Month: Joey Knoff
• What is Your Call?
• Referee Coach Class
• What Does Refereeing Mean to You?
• Referee Mentor Development Program
• Assessing the Severity of an Offence: Part 6
• Who’s Who: Jim DeBrabander
• Assistant Referee Chronicles
• Message from Marilou, Lynn, and Julie Tobin, OSI

For the November newsletter, we interviewed our State Director of Assignors (SDoA), John Corbett.

When and how did you become the SDoA of Michigan?

In 2015, I became the State Director of Assignors after interviews with Carlos Folino (SRA) and Francisco Villarruel (SYRA). The interviews were difficult because instead of asking specific questions that gave direction and boundaries to my answers, they simply asked “why do you want to be the SDoA?” It was up to me to decide where to start and how much to say. In retrospect, I believe that was the best challenge to lead with. Most of being the SDoA is what I bring to the referee and assignor community- not the mechanics of being the SDoA. There is no structure to hide behind. It is up to me to make my services relevant to the assignors I serve and the referees all assignors serve.

How were you involved in Michigan soccer before you became the SDoA?

I have 3 daughters who played select and premier soccer. I was the team manager for their teams simultaneously. That was my first serious introduction to playing soccer, as I have never played on a soccer team. I was (and continue to be) involved in Michigan soccer at the ground level. I helped create and organize the Grand Valley Soccer Officials Association (GVSOA). I am an administrator with the association. I meet with club administrators, team officials, and parent groups to explain law changes and answer their general questions (not questions about specific prior decisions by a referee).

My first contact with the USSF and MRC occurred in 1996 when I complained about referees not showing at games (and perhaps a call or two…). I accepted the challenge to become a USSF referee. When I got to the first class, I found the person I complained to was the class instructor. After assigning for a club for three seasons, I became certified assignor with the USSF. A short time later I was asked to teach USSF assignor certification classes to new assignors. I am a regional premier assignor as well. I cross-certified with AYSO as a regional referee. Concurrently I upgraded from 8 to 7. The following month, after a game, I was invited to apply to become an assessor. I did apply and became a USSF assessor. Within 2 years, I was invited to mentor training to become a USSF mentor. I completed training and in turn trained other referees to mentor. The local league accepted my presentation to pay mentors game fees for mentoring because it took them away from games and money. I am a member of the Grand Valley Soccer Association board as the GVSOA referee representative. I have been a referee instructor for many years. I enjoy the challenge and face-to-face connection with the people in classes. I taught referee classes to middle school students who wanted to work their school’s recreational soccer games.

What are your major responsibilities as the SDoA?

I have two major responsibilities: keep the certification and recertification materials current, and be available to assignors to support and assist assignors, troubleshoot for them, and certify new assignors. In order to accomplish these, I keep open communication with the assignors on what they need to excel in their work, and what hinders their efforts. And then deliver what they need to excel.

What do you enjoy the most about being the SDoA?

I work with a group of people who are supportive and push me to improve what we do and how we accomplish our goals.

What is your referee background? When did you start refereeing?

I became a grade 8 referee in 1996. I upgraded to grade 7, and cross-certified with AYSO as a regional referee. I have worked in recreation leagues at all age levels, select league games, premier games, Super Y games, State Cup games and a semi-pro game. In retrospect, and with some embarrassment, I believe I have made almost all the game mistakes a referee can make. And for that reason, also believe I have a link with referees I teach/mentor when we discuss errors a referee can make (and survive!).

What is the best memory of being a referee?

Actually, it is a collection of memories. I never played soccer. Younger referees and more experienced referees worked with me during (and between) games during my first three seasons how to apply the LOTG. During a class, my instructor commented the LOTG are not published in hard cover. These referees taught me why.  Without their help I don’t believe I would have found personal achievement in working games or received upper level assignments.

What makes a good assignor?

Surprisingly, it is the responsiveness of the assignor to the referees, teams, and clubs he/she assigns for that is the most important. Secondly, it is knowing where to find the answers and presenting them. Rarely are all games played with full crews as originally scheduled. Timely responsiveness resolves many issues and reduces the temperature on the remaining ones.

What can referees do to help assignors?

At the most basic level, keep their availability current and accept assignments as received that match their availability. Each time they can accept assignments outside their availability, or give a substitute’s name who can cover a turned back assignment are greatly appreciated by the assignor.

Besides being the SDoA, what other roles do you have in the soccer world?

In addition to the roles previously mentioned, I am a back-up assignor for State Cup games. My  relationships with referees frequently extend outside soccer, but only exist because of  soccer.  I am often asked (and agree) to write letters of recommendation to current and past referees for job applications, college applications, and applications to the Air Force Academy. At the request of the referee, I have verified game assignments and performance for federal background checks.     

What advice do you have for young aspiring referees?

Decide which levels of competition you would like to receive game assignments, and work for them. Ask assignors, experienced referees, and others what you need to accomplish in order to be recommended to receive assignments leading to your goals. Ask more experienced referees to give you feedback on your pre-game, game, and post-game behaviors. Realize you are your best advocate. No one expects you to be perfect; but part of your progression includes making fewer mistakes. Do not forget as you progress in game assignments, you are expected to give back to the game. Accepting less competitive assignments, giving constructive feedback to referees and assignors, are ways you can help others follow in your footsteps. Just as you are following those that preceded you.          

Thank you, John.

Thank you.

I started refereeing when I was 13 years old. I was just refereeing local recreational games at the Midland Soccer Club. At the time I was playing travel soccer on a team coached by Rob Camilletti, who was and is a well-known ref in the area. He encouraged all of us to become referees so we could gain a better understanding of the game and so we would learn to respect referees. I remember my first game as a referee being absolutely terrifying. It was a U7 match and there was only one referee on the game. My dad was there to watch and make sure things went smoothly (and drive me of course). While I’m sure the game went fine, I cried most of the way home, repeating to my dad that I didn’t know if I could keep reffing. He tried to calm me and encouraged me to try it again the next weekend on my games as an assistant referee on a U10 match. Seeing as I’m still a referee, that match must have gone much better than my first.

Fast forward about seven years; I was lining up before one of my college matches and Ron Grobbel was an AR. I asked him about how I could get involved with State Cup soccer and after following up with him the next day, I got my first invitation to a State Cup weekend. After a couple years of work, I was invited to my first US Youth Regional event in 2017. I was asked back to Youth Regionals in 2018 and 2019, and both years I was selected to represent the Region at the US Youth National Championships as an AR.

I’ve been a referee for over ten years and it wasn’t until my first trip to US Youth Nationals that I realized that I wanted to go AR track with my referee future. I’ve spent time watching people like Adrienne McDonald and Nick Balcer work their way through the ranks of refereeing, from youth, to semi-pro men’s, to professional matches. Through the US Youth Soccer Referee program, I’ve had the fortune to learn from the very best referees in the country, with their continued mentorship I aspire to follow in the footsteps of Adrienne and Nick.

COVID-19 has affected all of us and it has put plans and aspirations on hold for a lot of us, but we will come out of this stronger, faster, and more knowledgeable than we were in 2019. Following the advice my dad gave me as a teenager at the start of my referee career, remember to stick with it- the days are brighter on the other side.

In order to call offside and judge balls over the touchline and goal line, the AR has to discipline themselves to be in the best location to observe the ball in relationship to the line in question. For offside, the assistant referee must be precisely position themselves even with the next to the last defender or the ball whichever is closer to the goal line.

An AR should be a yard off the touchline as he/she runs up and down the field. This gives the best view for judging the ball over the touchline.

In amateur and youth soccer, having enough room on the touchline can be a problem. Spectators and coaches want to be up too close to the line. As part of the officiating team, you are responsible for the safety of the players. Spectators in lawn chairs too close to the touchline present a safety issue if they are too close. If they are on the touchline, they may obstruct the AR’s view or be in his way as they try to run. An AR needs to keep their eyes on the field constantly. Switching their gaze from the field to coaches, spectators, or substitutes is a distraction that may cause the AR to miss a call.

Before the game starts, go over to the touchline and inspect how close spectators are seated. Move them back politely so you have room to run and see the touchline the entire length of the field and you won’t have to run on the line or inside the field to do your job.

The top priority for the AR is calling offside in the half of the field for which they are responsible. Signaling for a player who is to be called offside is accomplished by stopping, standing at attention, and raising the flag straight up in the right hand, and waiting for the referee’s whistle or alternately for the referee to wave the AR down.

Making an accurate offside call is a matter of correct positioning, concentration, and a thorough understanding of Law 11. The most important element in correct positioning is staying exactly even with the second to last defender or the ball as play occurs.

Being a yard off either behind or ahead of exactly even can cause the AR to make an incorrect decision due to a visual phenomenon called parallax. Two players who are exactly even (which is onside) will appear uneven from an angle due to parallax. To make an accurate offside determination, the AR must view the opponents directly even with them along the touchline. While this situation may not come into play when a player is two yards or more offside, as players get faster and more adept at making runs on goal they will be “dead even” with the next to the last defender when their team mate touches the ball in their direction. A properly positioned AR is the only way a correct offside call can be determined.

New ARs have the most trouble staying even with the second to last defender. The tendency to “game watch” when there is not an immediate attack  in their end causes them to lose their position (even with the second to last defender) and if the ball is kicked quickly forward they lose the call. Game watching in other situations even in their end can lead to the same result.

An AR needs to keep in mind that concentrating on the position of attackers in relationship to the second to last defender is their top priority. Even when the ball is close to the AR’s touchline threatening to go out of play, the AR must be able to anticipate an offside call if the ball is kicked forward. This creates one of the most challenging situations for an AR, even one who is correctly positioned and concentrating well.  In the final analysis missing a throw in call would be less critical to the game than missing an offside call that led to a goal.

One method of mechanics that helps performing the job of an AR is sidestepping. Sidestepping allows an AR the ability to use their peripheral vision to see more of the field while moving. Turning and sprinting immediately takes a good part of the field over the AR’s shoulder out of view. A ball near the touchline over the AR’s shoulder may go out unobserved if he/she is turned sprinting. A player behind an AR while turned and sprinting may commit a foul or a serious misconduct. If the referee is watching the attack, they may not see this either. The result is neither official sees the incident and it is totally missed. This may result in serious subsequent misconduct. Sidestepping is a skill that needs to be practiced and developed as part of an AR’s regular skills as well as using peripheral vision to see as much of the field as possible.

Running (sprinting) a ball to the goal line is another habit ARs must develop. A ball hanging on the goal line cannot be properly judged from 20 yards up field! A corner kick or goal kick signal made by an AR 20 yards up field does not sell the call especially if the ball hung on the goal line first. Even if the AR cannot sprint as fast as the ball travels (Who can?) sprinting to within a yard of the goal line for a corner kick or goal kick visually sells the decision even if the AR arrives there after the ball has left the field.

A situation that makes running to the goal line with the ball especially important is when the ball is between the goal posts. Judging whether the ball has completely crossed the goal line inside the goal is a critical game event. The ball may completely cross the goal line and reenter the field either in the hands of the goalkeeper or from a rebound off the cross bar or goalpost. A well-positioned AR is our only hope. The referee may be 20 yards up field and he will look to his AR for help. If the AR stopped running towards the goal line when the ball was kicked, they may be of no help to the referee. Sprinting to the goal line is the only hope grassroots referees have to make this call.  The worst thing that can happen to your game is to not award a good goal because the officiating crew is not positioned correctly for a goal.

Please reach out to us!

If you have any referee-related stories to share or someone you think should be featured in this newsletter, please reach out to us at sdi@michiganrefs.org.