Nobody likes the referee
Negative opinions about the people who play competitive soccer may be the main reason for the shortage. What are all the reasons behind this problem and what is being done to solve it?
By Elle Young | Reporter
Tyler Dalsin is on the road and is still scheduling referees for soccer games. His phone vibrates constantly throughout the day with texts, emails, and calls from referees saying that they are available, or unavailable, or making complaints about coaches, teams, and parents. Without Dalsin and those like him, none of these club games would be possible. He works constantly, no matter where he is or what he is doing, he is responsible for communicating with clubs and referees and making sure that every game has the required number of referees.
“If I’ve got games that aren’t filled I’ll go out and ref myself.” –Tyler Dalsin, assigner
Referees are needed for the competitive soccer season in Minnesota but they are often treated poorly by those on the sidelines which can make it hard to keep consistent numbers from year to year. From May to July, more than 50 club games happen every weeknight, and those are just the ones that Dalsin is responsible for. He is also responsible for multiple tournaments throughout the summer and helps other organizations when they are desperate for referees.
“If I’ve got games that aren’t filled,” Dalsin said, “I’ll go out and ref myself.”
Dalsin grew up playing soccer then became a referee. He graduated from Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois with a bachelors in sports management. From there, he went on to be a post-game interviewer for the Minnesota Lynx and Timberwolves. Once COVID-19 hit, his job was almost impossible to do so he decided to make his part-time job of assigning officials into a full-time job.
The numbers of referees fluctuate from year to year but are often lower than what would be ideal. A main reason for this is referees being yelled at by parents, coaches and players. The other most prevalent reason is the lack of confidence that referees — especially young ones — have. They are afraid of making the wrong decision and what the consequences of that would be.
Players have differentiating views of referees. Cole Jaxx has been playing competitively for six years and thinks referees deserve the slander that they receive. He has had multiple disagreements with referees and it has become heated enough that his father was once asked to leave the game. He explains that the stereotypical view of referees is people who are lazy and ignorant, he argues that most referees match this description and that is part of why people dislike them so much.
“It seems awful, games are hot and sunny and parents get on my nerves.” — Jasmine Nimis, player
While players often seem to disdain referees, some do empathize with the job that they have to do.
“It seems awful,” player Jasmine Nimis said, “Games are hot and sunny, and parents get on my nerves.”
She admits that while there are many referees that seem to be bad at their jobs, they deserve respect because it is something that they choose to do and without them, she wouldn’t be able to play competitive soccer. Nimis explained that while it does seem very rude when her teammates would talk back to referees, oftentimes it was necessary because the ref was calling the game unfairly but other times their team suffered consequences such as yellow cards or harsher reffing when the referee reacted to being talked back to.
Damian Deniz was a referee for four years and explained that most of the time he received respect from coaches, players and parents in that they did not yell at him or question his decisions.
“In some instances when the game isn’t going their way,” Deniz said, “They tend to act out.”
This often makes the game harder to ref, especially for the referee closest to those acting out. If the rude remarks become too much, referees do have the right to ask a player, coach, or parent to leave the game. But, if a ref doesn’t have the confidence to stand up to a coach who may be years older than them, the referees sometimes choose to deal with the abuse for the game.
Deniz explained that higher pay, less requirements and a lower entrance fee could help retain referees. Referees are paid varying amounts ranging from $20 to $80 per game based on the age level, but with how they are treated, especially in younger games where parents are more prone to yelling, many of them would appreciate higher pay. Referees are also required to wear a uniform of a yellow jersey, black shorts, and black socks, as well as know all the rules of the game and make the correct calls on the spot. To become a referee, players must pay about $80 for the classes, $60 dollars for the uniform, and $30 for a background check if the referee is over 18 years old.
Dalsin explained that while there are downsides to being a referee, there are initiatives being taken to make it better. TCSL, one of the biggest leagues in Minnesota, has started an initiative called The Sideline Project. This project has the goal of creating a better environment for players and referees throughout the club season. They provide sample emails that can be sent to parents and coaches urging them to “take the pledge” to improve the game day experience. The hope is that the initiative will continue to improve conditions for referees and players so that club soccer is a better environment and it is easier to retain referee numbers.
