Mastering Refereeing with Fewer Officials

1. Refereeing with Fewer Than Three

2. Course Objectives • Understand Diagonal System of Control (DSC) principles • Understand the priorities for referees • Apply those principles and priorities when fewer than three referees are available.

3. What Do Officials Need to Monitor? • Scoring of a goal • Ball over a boundary line • Offside • Fouls/misconduct • Technical infringements (on restarts)

4. Core Principle of the DSC Referees constantly vary their positions to maximize the likelihood that one is properly situated to judge any event that occurs • The referee always makes the decision • The assistant referees communicate (signal) what they have seen, assisting the referee to make a decision

5. DSC with Three Referees:Boxing Play AR2 Direction of play R Fouls and injuries Goal line AR1 Touch line Offside

6. Offside AR2 Touch line Direction of play R Goal line Fouls and injuries AR1 DSC with Three Referees:Boxing Play

7. DSC with Three Referees:Boxing Play Offside AR2 Touch line Direction of play Goalline R Fouls and injuries AR1

8. DSC with Three Referees:Four Eyes on Play AR2 R AR1

9. DSC with Three Referees:Where Should The Referee Be? AR2 Direction of play A D D A D A A D D A D A D A D A D A AR1

10. DSC with Three Referees:On the Diagonal? AR2 Direction of play R A D D A D A A D D A D A D A D A D A AR1

11. DSC with Three Referees:A Better Position AR2 Direction of play R A D D A D A A D D A D A D A D A D A AR1

12. DSC with Three Referees:Re-establishing Position with AR2 AR2 Direction of play R A D D A D A A D D A D A D A D A D A AR1

13. What Governs the Referee’s Movement? • Where must he be… • To observe what is happening now? • To observe what will happen next? • These can be contradictory demands! • The assistant referees help resolve the conflict • This is what makes refereeing with fewer than three officials hard! • Less information from others means more constraints on positioning • Referee can’t do it all by himself, so must prioritize

14. DSC with Two Referees

15. DSC with Two Referees • One is the referee, one is an assistant referee • A club linesman is used on the other touch line • This is the only acceptable configuration The dual system (two referees on the field with whistles) is not authorized for use in AYSO matches!

16. DSC with Two Referees: Positioning CL Touch line Direction of play Fouls and injuries R Goal line Referee will need to lead play to watch for offside AR1

17. DSC with Two Referees: Idealized Referee Coverage CL R AR1

18. DSC with Two Referees: Realistic Referee Coverage CL R AR1

19. DSC with One Referee • Recruit two club linesman • Never do a game solo without linesmen! • Physically and mentally taxing • Can’t watch everything • Must focus on priorities: goals, offside, fouls • Linesmen worry about ball into touch

20. DSC with One Referee: Realistic Referee Coverage CL R CL

21. DSC with One Referee: Implications • Coverage is shallower and narrower • Judging ball on goal line is next to impossible • Obvious offside (younger players) is easy • Judging close offside requires being ahead of the ball at both ends, which is impossible • Don’t call offside unless you are sure! • For older players, tight control is essential • Limit use of advantage

22. Restarts

23. A = Corner Kick Referee Side B = Corner Kick Club Linesman Side C = DFK RefereeSide D = DFK Club Linesman Side E = Penalty Kick Where Should the Referee Be? CL B Direction of play D R E C A AR1

24. DSC: Restarts with Club LinesmanReferee Position CL Direction of play A = Corner Kick Referee side R A

25. DSC: Restarts with Club LinesmanReferee Position CL B Direction of play B = Corner KickClub Linesman side R

26. DSC: Restarts with Club LinesmanReferee Position CL Direction of play C = DFK RefereeSide C R

27. DSC: Restarts with Club LinesmanReferee Position CL Direction of play D = DFKClub Linesman Side D R

28. DSC: Restarts with Club LinesmanReferee Position Direction of play E = Penalty Kick CL E R

29. DSC with Fewer than Three Referees: People Management

30. DSC with Fewer Than Three Referees:People Management • Younger players’ games • Focus on the adults • Have pre-game discussion with coaches • Older players’ games • Focus on players, not coaches/spectators • “Sign up” the players for low offside expectations • Limit use of advantage • Failure to detect fouls can lead to loss of control

31. Fouls Off-the-Ball • Identify problem players early • Be nearer to problem players • Take a wider position to see more • Ask AR (not club linesman) to watch players • Speak to players early; prevent escalation • Consider cautioning earlier than usual

32. DSC with Two Officials: AR Helps with Problem Players CL When play is here R AR1 watches players behind referee’s back AR1

33. Summary • Refereeing with fewer than three referees is a compromise • Use principles of the DSC to adjust position to compensate • Prioritize your duties and position yourself to maximize your ability to judge goals, offside and fouls And remember: the dual system is not authorized for use in AYSO!

34. Referees: Our Role in the AYSO Experience

35. Who are the Referees’“Customers?”

36. Everyone Plays! “Customer service is not a department, it’s an attitude” - Unknown

37. AYSO Ambassadors

38. Great Refereeing = Great Customer Service • The Game Matters! • We Honor the Laws of the Game • Nurturing New Referees

39. Tips and Tools • Use “The Triangle” • Teaching the Game • Embracing: Troublehsooters, “Help Desk.” • The Thank You

40. We’re AYSO Ambassadors!