We are underway for the 2022 summer season! Lots of games to referee and enjoy. Please be kind to your assignors by keeping your availability up to date and responding quickly to your assignments. They need your help.
The new season has brought many irritable players, coaches, and spectators to the fields. As you can read in the attached memo from Soccer Nova Scotia, we have already had misbehaviours on the fields directed toward the referees. It has to stop!
We all know that the best way to manage on the field is with your personality, talk to people, and listen to them as long as they are respectful. When the behaviour of the participants begins to affect the proper running of the game, begins to erode your control, or displays a lack of respect to the officials or other participants, you must act. If the issue is with spectators that are being rude to players or referees, you may ask the coaches of the teams to assist you with these unruly people. We are in this together and they are being negatively affected as well.
Use your cards, you will be supported. In the best interests of the game and the participants, use the power that you have been provided in Law. Law 5 states "The decisions of the referee, and all other match officials, must always be respected." We understand emotion and the desire to have clarification and this can be done respectfully, but you do not need to accept dissent.
I hope we do not get to the point where there is a loss of control or respect but if you do, you may have to terminate the game and go home. We want a good image of our game and for it to be a place where all can participate feeling safe and respected.
We must do our part to help make it 'The Beautiful Game!".
Take care,
Carman and Kate - SNS
Wil, Scott, and Wendell - SCB
