REFS NEED LOVE TOO

Send us Fan Mail Have you ever witnessed the harsh realities young referees face within the beautiful game? Our latest discussion brings to the forefront the pressing need to shield our youth officials from escalating verbal abuse and to foster an environment of respect on the playing field. Sharing my own presentation for Soccer in the Streets, I delve into the steep learning curve and alarming d...

Send us Fan Mail Ever felt the pulse of the soccer pitch quicken at the flash of a referee's card? The introduction of IFAB's blue card might just send that pulse skyrocketing. Join me as I navigate the nuances of this game-changing decision and share my unique perspective gained from mentoring fresh-faced referees. We'll examine the blue card's intended role in penalizing offe...

Send us Fan Mail I had the honor and privilege to interview Peter Manokski, President of the PRSA.  The PRSA is the Professional Referee Organizing body that represents MLS, USL, NWSL and CSA Referees. Recently, their membership has unanimously voted to authorize a strike if a deal is not made with PRO, their employer that represents the MLS. They are working to improve the working conditions for...

Send us Fan Mail I was absolute rocked to my core listening to a young referee describe the offensive verbal abuse she received at a High School Soccer match this past week in Southern California. Unfortunately,  these stories are far too common. In the moment, it can hard to tell what is common outbursts of emotion, dissent or OFFINABUS language. Additionally, it can be hard to summon the courage...

Send us Fan Mail This week we will look back at my personal  life as a referee in 2023, what I hope to achieve in 2024 and some of the new rule changes coming to the MLS next season . We'll end with a few notes from the mail bag. I wish you al the best in your upcoming 2024 season off and on the pitch! Happy New Year! Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Why can't we be more open with the considerations used by our best referees? Why can't we tell the general public? Why can't we do a better job of educating those we need to understand the laws of the game and how to apply them? It's time for referees and mentors to open up and bring other people in. It's time for clubs to invest resources in the referees...

Send us Fan Mail I had so much fun yesterday reffing Futsal. It is similar in some ways to reffing soccer, but extremely fast paced and with some very unique rules. Although I had done it before, it has been a few years and there was quite a learning curve. If we want to speed up the game of soccer, we could learn a thing or two from our Futsal friends. It was non-stop action.  I also will answer...

Send us Fan Mail A few weeks ago, I tried to pass the FIFA fitness test to become eligible for promotion to Regional. If you are not familiar, this is the next step in the path of promotion for referees here in the United States. On the same day, I also participated in the on-field training course needed to become a Referee Mentor. I am only a few weeks away from completing all of my assignments a...

Send us Fan Mail Mistakes are learning opportunities. When we make a mistake, it gives us a chance to learn.  All of the greatest athletes, entrepreneurs and and politicians have faced spectacular defeats and disappointments in their careers. That is not defines them though. Can you imagine if we let the Copa America and World losses that Messi experienced in his career define him? Crazy talk. He...

Send us Fan Mail The work you do pre-game can prepare you for success during the game. Have a routine or just a mental checklist of good things to do before the first whistle can settle your mind and body and enable you to do your best during the match as a referee.  Support the show

Send us Fan Mail It's time to break down the massive VAR controversary that broke the internet a few weeks back. It was so avoidable, it hurts. I'm going to talk about how it could've been avoided and what contributed to all of the Liverpool controversies on the day. Additionally, I want to share the worst phrase you can say to me in Pre-game. It is almost always an indicator of a d...

Send us Fan Mail This week we'll go over the wonderful world of Middle School Soccer and many more topics including Body Cams and what I say in my pre-match conversation with players. . I sincerely enjoy getting to meet and interact with people from allover the world. If you have any questions for me, please send them to refsneedlovetoo@gmail.com Support the show

Send us Fan Mail It's time for transparency and openness. It kills me to hear all of the criticism of our fellow professional referees. I know people will say that they get paid well enough and that is part of the territory, but when pro refs look bad, it makes all refs look bad. This week, we'll take a look back at some of the most controversial calls of the first few weeks.  Support th...

Send us Fan Mail I just spent 2 days reffing at a local summer tournament. I enjoyed myself, made a great call and an iffy call, but there were also a few things that irked me.  We'll also discuss referee uniforms and Safesport training.  Support the show

Send us Fan Mail I had the honor and privilege of speaking at the National Association for Women's Gymnastics Judges in Grand Rapids, Michigan this past weekend. It was their 50th anniversary and an all around amazing event.  I spoke about referee / judge abuse, why it happens and how to potentially deal with it. The message was well received and I hope I was able to set them on a positive pa...

Send us Fan Mail I had a blast connecting with Ahmed Rehan, a Grassroots Referee in Scotland. He is known as the The Football Referee on TikTok. Love his channel for raw behind the scenes footage of being a ref.  Support the show

Send us Fan Mail I had the absolute pleasure of meeting up with the guys behind the Marketing Mad Men Podcast. We talked AI, TikTok, Content Marketing and eventually worked our way into Refs Need Love Too. It was a fascinating conversation that I hope you will enjoy. Let me know if you want to hear the first half too!!! It's Marketing nerd stuff, but I think it's fascinating. :-> Supp...

Send us Fan Mail Using comms is so much fun!!! I wish everyone had the opportunity to do it. There are good reasons why pros use them every game. I totally understand the counter argument that it can affect your signals and normal unaided communication, but the pros outweigh the cons for me. We'll discuss that and more in today's episode. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail IFAb has graced us with the new LOTG updates that are coming for the 2023 - 2024 season which will begin in August 2023. Get up to speed with what is coming and let me know if you have any questions.  Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Discussing referee fitness with a top referee and fitness expert, Ben Mueller Support the show

Send us Fan Mail You can learn something new in every game. Learning opportunities are there in every match if you are willing to listen and be observant.  Support the show

Send us Fan Mail I recently read an interview with Mark Geiger, the new head of PRO here in the US. Mark ref'd for 14 years in the MLS and has had more international assignments than any other US ref ever! Here are some of his lessons and suggestions for aspiring referees. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail You learn something new every single game. It's always good to look back and analyze what went well and what could've been improved. Here's my raw analysis. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail It's a hard job. I think that's why I love it so much. The mental and physical challenges motivate me. I actually like that fact that is impossible to be perfect on the pitch. You can always improve. I also like that it's a job most people can't or won't do. It's an elite club or committed and passionate people who love the game of football. These are...

Send us Fan Mail My favorite podcasts: The Referees World Podcast Referees: The Final Whistle REFNEXT: The Referees Podcast Men In Blazers Total Soccer Show Facebook Pages The Referee Forum Soccer Referee Society Offside Ref Support UK Support the show