Las Cruces Soccer Referee Association Board Meeting August 14, 2002

 

 

Room 200 Gerald Thomas Hall, New Mexico State University

 

Present were Robert Gage, Kevin Riedel, Andy Bristol, Bill Lindemann, José Diosdado, and Rick Hendricks

 

 

President Robert Gage called the meeting to order at 1810 hours

 

Gage led a general discussion of the U6-U8 referee situation covering the following points:

 

1)     LCSRA will handle assigning.

2)     A simplified electronic report form will be devised and added as a separate link to the LCSRA website. The form will record game number, field, teams, and both referees' names and numbers on a single form. Instruction in the proper use of this form will be included in the Grade 11 clinics.

3)     No cards are to be brought to the game.

4)     There will be a separate link for U6-U8 game assignments and a separate list for Grade 11 referees.

5)     The number for the first Grade 11 referee will be 1000

6)     A "no show" for a scheduled U6-U8 will result in a fine of $10.

7)     On-going training is required for Grade 11s as it is for Grade 9 and below.

 

Lindemann stated that he was going to convene a meeting of Grade 11s approximately two weeks into the season to see what issues have arisen. Grade 11s will be invited to attend the regular monthly LCSRA meetings, but will not be required to attend.  He will stress that Grade 11s are to teach U6-U8 players and coaches what a foul is, stressing that this is an instructional environment. Mentors will be supplied for the first weekend.

 

Riedel indicated that he was going to send out a global e-mail requesting conflicts. He plans to use the conflict sheets turned in for last season unless he gets an update.

 

Gage reported on the High Noon Soccer League board meeting of August 13, indicating that the board was moving toward making a proposal to require one certified referee for each team at U10 and above.  He also reported on the e-mail discussion among members of the High Noon board regarding a move to have referees enforce the city's nonsmoking regulations. In his e-mail to the High Noon board, he stated that it was his view that the referees were only responsible for activities ON THE FIELD.

 

After a general discussion, it was decided that future monthly meetings would take place in a classroom at Las Cruces High School.

 

The meeting adjourned at 18:50.

 

Rick Hendricks, Secretary

August 17, 2002

 

 

 

 

Las Cruces Soccer Referee Association General Meeting August 14, 2002

 

 

Room 200 Gerald Thomas Hall, New Mexico State University

 

President Robert Gage called the meeting to order at 1907 hours

 

 

A motion to accept the minutes of the previous meeting (June 12, 2002) was made by Trey O'Donnell and seconded by Al Porter. The motion passed on a voice vote. Gage read the report prepared by Treasurer José Diosdado (copy filed with minutes). 

 

 

Director of Development

 Bill Lindemann led the training session.

  1. High Noon Soccer League was billed more than $800 to pay for the recent Grade 8 referee clinic, which netted only five additional referees, four of whom are now Grade 8: Jason Harvey, Brandon Aday, Annj Barber and Veronika and Vendula Strnadnova. There was one Grade 9, David Barber.
  2. Grade 9 referees are qualified to referee U14 and below recreational teams.
  3. In the future there will be no more Grade 8 clinics; referee training will begin with an eight-hour Grade 9 clinic with the opportunity to upgrade to Grade 8 through an additional clinic.
  4. The week of August 29 there are to be four Associate Referee (Grade 11) clinics for U6-U8 referees. Grade 11s will be certified to referee short-sided youth games.

 

Lindemann then conducted a review of High Noon rules and regulations

 

  1. No pass cards, no play. The only exception is a letter from either President Lisa Willman or Registrar Madeleine Wright.
  2. On the first weekend, the cards need not be laminated, but a note should be made in the game report if they are not.
  3. Stress SAFETY, SAFETY, SAFETY.
  4. No earrings may be worn. Taping of earrings is unacceptable.
  5. Be strict on substitutions. There should be made at the middle of the field and the player leaving the game should be off or nearly off the field before the substitute comes on. Work with the coaches on this. Tell them BEFORE THE GAME what you expect.
  6. If you are assigned to do a U6-U8 game, read the rulebook for that level BEFORE THE GAME. The rules for the small-sided game are posted on the High Noon website.
  7. There are some referees who have had two or fewer hours of training in the last twelve months.  They are being notified individually. Recertification requires five hours of training. The testing for 2003 recertification is to be done in October. We will take the test and grade it together. This will count for one hour of training. If anyone is uncomfortable with exchanging papers, accommodations can be made.

 

Gary Manley stated that LCSRA is not going to report local referees who are short on training. He emphasized that the five-hour requirement was for a twelve-month period not a calendar year. Gary has the testing material and you can make an appointment with him. Tests are available in Spanish. There are one hundred questions this year. The physical for those required to take it will probably be in October.

 

Rich Richins indicated that U10 games would be played on either High Noon 11 or 12, which will be divided into two fields each and labeled "north" and "south."

 

Lindemann said that the referee shirts ordered through LCSRA could be picked up at Soccer Connection when they were ready.

 

Gage issued a call for mentors for the first week of U6-U8 play.

 

A video showing part of the Korea v. Portugal game from the 2002 World Cup was shown. It demonstrated the issuing of a yellow card against a Korean player for persistent infringement in which the referee counted out for the player that his foul was the third he had made. It was noted that the television commentator did not know what was happening. FIFA had instructed all referees for the World Cup to be mindful of persistent infringement and to indicate the accumulated fouls in some manner. It was noted that another method used was to point to the spot on the field where previous fouls had occurred when cautioning a player for persistent infringement.

 

Diosdado then reviewed fouls that could count as persistent infringement when there were three of them.

 

    1. Kicking
    2. Tripping
    3. Pushing
    4. Illegal tackling
    5. Holding

 

Age discretion must be used. At U14 and above these fouls should be counted and remembered. It is appropriate to issue a yellow card to the "team" after three different players foul the same opposing player. The procedure in this situation is to card the player who commits the third foul. The fouls should be shown to the player by pointing to the places where previous fouls occurred or my counting the number of fouls.  Coaches and players should be advised at check in that you will be paying attention to persistent infringement.

 

 

Director of Referee Assessment

Gary Manley said that there was a $10 late fee if recertification tests were filed with the state after November 30. Recertification has these elements.

 

1.     Completion of registration form

2.     Physical (if required)

3.     Payment of annual fee

4.     Test consisting of one hundred questions

 

The tests must be processed within five days. He noted that you could access the New Mexico Referee Association's file on you at their website by entering your last name and Social Security number. The state is also maintaining an e-mail to help keep referees better informed.

 

The Far West Regional in 2003 is in Hawaii. The cost per referee will probably be about $400. There is to be an emphasis in attracting qualified youth referees in the eighteen to twenty-seven age group.

 

Las Cruces will be the future site of a regional referee academy for upgrades.

 

 

Mesilla Valley Soccer League Liaison

Gina Martinez reported that there would be a 10% raise for referees doing Mesilla Valley Soccer League adult games. Manley pointed out that MVSL needs to be aware that in the future they will have to sponsor referee clinics to provide opportunities for Grade 9s to upgrade to Grade 8 because Grade 9s cannot do adult games. If MVSL can get twelve potential referees to sign up, a clinic can be held in Spanish.

 

 

First Vice-President (Scheduler)

 Kevin Riedel gave out his new e-mail address: kevriedel@aol.com. He wants conflicts NOW. Tell him the days, teams, and problems you have that he needs to consider for scheduling. Please tell him the type of conflict, for example, simply a scheduling conflict, trouble you had with a particular coach, or a conflict of interest. Also give him a wish list of the kind of games you would like to do.

 

Play for U6-U8 begins on September 7.  Let Kevin know if you can serve as a mentor that weekend for the new Grade 11s. Andy Bristol is going to be the assignor for U6-U8.

 

Schedules will usually be posted the Monday or Tuesday before that Saturday's games.

 

 

 

High Noon Scheduler

 Rich Richins said there will be a very light schedule of night games this season, probably one night per week and will begin at 6 PM. The referee needs to be at the field at 5:30 PM.

 

Richins demonstrated changes to the electronic game report form. There will eventually be a password protect for the database of game reports. The password will be OFFSIDE.

 

New Business

1. The new meeting place for monthly meetings of LCSRA will be Las Cruces High School. The first meeting in the new location will be on September 11 in Wing A, Room 6, which is on the south side of campus.

 

2.     For game-related problems, call or e-mail President Gage directly rather than use the remark field on the game report.

3.     Lisa Willman commented that the High Noon Soccer League is serious about the PAYS program.

4.     Any referee assault, verbal or physical, must be reported to Gary Manley. ALL referees involved must file an incident report.

5.     Players are no longer allowed to tie up their sleeves, but use common sense on this one.

6.     Remember that we are beginning the season early. It is still brutally hot. You may temporarily halt the game for a water break if you or the players need one.

 

A motion to adjourn was made by Al Porter and seconded by Allan Jackson. The motion passed on a voice vote, and the meeting adjourned at 2100.

 

James Sherk won the door prize.

 

 

 

Rick Hendricks, Secretary

August 27, 2002