Coaches Program

Heartland Soccer Association’s vision of the Referee Coach program is to reinforce and extend the education process received from the “New Referee” and “Referee Recertification” instructional classes through game observation, evaluation and constructive recommendations as well as for a referee to gain more self confidence, increase the awareness of the game around them and to encourage them to better themselves.

Referee Coaches are experienced certified referees and will observe and evaluate referees and the referee crew during part of a match (minimum ½ of a match). Referee Coaches will also take those less experienced referees that are being paid to sit, with them and engage them in discussion about the game being observed.

Referees will be observed and evaluated by the Referee Coach in the areas of: 1) Knowledge of the “Laws of the Game”, 2) Exercise of Judgment, 3) Positioning/Mechanics, 4) Working as a Crew, 5) Attitude, 6) Control of match and 7) Appearance.

The Referee Coach will complete a short evaluation of the observed referee(s) indicating individual and crew strengths, weaknesses, while also recommending and reinforcing proper technique and interpretation of the Laws of the Game. The Referee Coach will go over this information when they visit the observed referee(s) briefly at halftime or end of the match.

Copies of the evaluations and recommendations will be given to each observed/evaluated referee. In the future, copies will be given to the Kansas SYRA, Kansas SRA, and Heartland referee assignor.

From this evaluation/education process, Heartland Soccer Association will be able to follow a pattern of referee progress toward improvement through multiple evaluations over a one year process. Heartland Soccer Association may use the referee evaluations to reward a referee with better league/tournament assignments.

It is Heartland Soccer Association’s goal that through the Referee Coach program, in each 8 week season, a minimum of 384 referees (some referees would be seen more than once) will be observed, evaluated, and instructed/reinforced as to the proper application and conduct as they relate to the “Laws of the Game” thus increasing the quality of referees who belong to the Kansas State Referee Association and work Heartland Soccer Association games.

This Referee Coach program is not intended to replace the job of referee assessing, but to enhance it through the further identification of qualified referees by not only Heartland Soccer Association Referee Coaches, but by the Kansas SYRA and Kansas SRA (through the review of observation/evaluation forms), who might be interested in further advancement up the referee ranks.

If you are interested in having a Referee Coach observe you, or becoming a Referee Coach, please email [email protected]