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Referee Availability for League & Tournaments
As our local soccer community grows, the need for new and experienced referes continues. Join America’s Largest Soccer League. More details on referee meeting schedules, training, and education can be found on the Referee Classes page. Games are available at SCHEELS Overland Park Soccer Complex, Swope Soccer Village, Compass Mineral Sporting Youth Fields, and new GARMIN Olathe Soccer Complex. Sign Up to Become a Referee.
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We were proud to paint the fields pink during the 2022 Midwest All Girls Tournament powered by GameChanger in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness. This tournament helped raise funds for Verda's Place. Thank you to everyone for showing up and supporting such a great cause!
More about Verda's Place:
Cancer treatments often result in dramatic changes in appearance that present emotional obstacles for patients and survivors. Verda's Place, an appearance center for low-income cancer patients, helps develop self-confidence and aims to make the road to recovery more comfortable.
The Research Foundation has collaborated with Bra Couture KC to provide Verda's Place. Bra Couture KC provides funding for Kansas City area organizations that provide life-empowering services to uninsured and underinsured individuals who have been touched by cancer. Verda's Place, located in the Sarah Cannon Cancer Center at Research Medical Center, offers wigs, hats, scarves, lymphedema sleeves, bras, prosthetics and other items for cancer patients. Support is also available for utilities, food cards, medications, and nutritional supplements for these patients.
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Heartland Soccer Association
Celebrates 45 Years of Soccer!
9161 W 133rd Street, Overland Park, KS 66213
Phone: 913-888-8768
Heartland Soccer Association is recognized as one of the largest soccer leagues and tournament hosts in the country. We offer recreational to premier divisions, ages U8 through U19.
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Heartland Spring League Registration Opens Soon
Nov 1- Jan 3
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Heartland
Rainout Line:
(913) 307-3684
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Thank you so much for showing your support of Breast Cancer Awareness during the Midwest All Girls Tournament Powered by GameChanger by wearing Pink and sending in pics for us to share on social.
Here are the picture gift card winners:
KC Maynes
Julie Rutherford
Cason Owens
TJ Lipari
Allie Owens
Travis Feeback
Brielle Samack
Bob Walker
Ben Dang
Your gift card will be mailed to you.
(gift cards provided by our local partners)
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In soccer, the psychological strength of players is key to winning games and continuing improvement. Mental fitness is an often overlooked part of coaching, and many players are not aware of how big an impact their mindset has on their performance.
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This Month in History: October
24 October 1857 - The World's Oldest Football Club
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On 24 October 1857, a group of amateur footballers met at Parkfield House, in the Sheffield suburb of Highfield, and founded Sheffield F.C., the world's oldest football club.
The club was conceived by Nathaniel Creswick and William Prest, two members of a Sheffield cricket club who were looking for a way to stay fit during the winter. Creswick and Prest were also responsible for crafting the club's rules of play, which included no offside provision and introduced freekicks for fouls. The club formally adopted those rules on 21 in October 1858 and they were subsequently used by several clubs in the North of England. Sheffield joined the Football Association in 1863, but continued to use its own rules until it adopted the FA rules in 1878.
When the FA allowed professional football in 1885, Sheffield remained an amateur club, starting its decline. It currently plays in the Northern Premier League Division One South, which is the eighth level in the English football pyramid.
In 2004, Sheffield became one of only two clubs ever to have received the FIFA Order of Merit. The other club is Real Madrid.
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Register Now for Heartland Winter League 2022-2023
Registration closes Nov. 16th
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Go behind the scenes at Children's Mercy Park! Learn about the history of Sporting KC and take a look at the Pitch, Press Box, Broadcast Booth, Locker Room & more!
For more information contact
or 913-912-7578.
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2022 Tournament Team Numbers
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Border Battle '22 - 155
Midwest College Showcase '22 - 68
Heartland Spring Cup '22 - 139
KC Champions Cup '22 - 439
Mother's Day Classic '22 - 422
Kansas City Invitational '22 - 361
Heartland Open Cup '22 - 61
Fall Kick Off Challenge '22 - 252
Heartland Midwest Classic '22 - 171
Midwest All Boys '22- 209
Midwest All Girls '22 - 291
Heartland Invitational Girls '22 - 391
Heartland Invitational Boys '22 - 421
*In the last 12 months Heartland welcomed teams from a total of 17 states and Canada.
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Gather with friends and family where sophistication meets fun. Pinstripes combines Italian-American cuisine with the entertainment and excitement of bowling and bocce in Overland Park.
Athletes and Coaches get 20% off at Pinstripes.
Mention Heartland Soccer to redeem offer.
This offer is for dine-in only, valid through
Dec 2022. No minimum spend is required.
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Early detection is the best prevention
HCA Midwest Health is the official healthcare provider for Heartland Soccer Association and we work with parents and coaches to keep athletes safe and on the field of play year round, learn more about our services at www.hcamidwest.com
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and at HCA Midwest Health and Sarah Cannon Cancer Institute, we are dedicated to continuing to deliver world class care in the prevention and treatment of this disease. We want to take the time this month to celebrate survivors and their loved ones, raise awareness around the importance of early detection and screening, spotlight the advances in treatment options, and provide more information on our multidisciplinary approach to holistic care.
Here are a few fast facts you should know about Breast Cancer:
• One in eight women will be impacted by breast cancer in their lifetime.
• In the United States, it is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women
• After lung cancer, it is the second leading cause of cancer death.
• Every year in the United States, more than 250,000 women will be diagnosed breast cancer and 42,000 women die from the disease.
• Most breast cancers are found in women who are 50 years old or older, but breast cancer can also affect younger women.
• Men can also be impacted by breast cancer, but it is not as common. About 1 out of every 100 breast cancers diagnosed in the United States affects a man.
• Early detection is the most effective way of surviving the cancer. When found early, the chance of curing is promising; exceeding over 90 percent.
HCA Midwest Health and Sarah Cannon Cancer Institute provide a comprehensive range of early detection and prevention programs for breast cancer including mammography, clinical breast exams, enhanced surveillance, and genetic counseling and testing. If you would like more information about breast cancer, visit HCAMidwest.com/cancer.
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6 v 3 Possession with Constant Transitions
Play 3 teams of 3 in different colors. 2 colors combine and play against the 3rd color.
When the defending team wins the ball, the team that turned the ball over becomes the
defending team. It is always 2 colors v 1 color. Play with limited touches.
Coaching Points
• Maintain proper shape with the possession team (width and depth)
• Make the playing area as big as possible
• Make the defending team defend the entire area
• Defending team should maintain compactness and play pressure, support and cover
• On winning the ball, quickly transition into possession with new group
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Heartland Awards Night at
The KC Comets
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Now Accepting 2022 Kansas Youth Soccer Awards of the Year & Kansas Soccer Hall of Fame Nominations
Awards of the year available are:
Administrator
Young Referee (Female & Male)
TOPSoccer Buddy
TOPSoccer Coach
Volunteer of the Year
Competitive Coach
Recreational Coach
Save of the Year
Goal of the Year
Kansas Soccer Hall of Fame
Nominations in four categories.
Founder, Lifetime Achievement, Outstanding Achievement & Merit Award
Winners will be featured at the 2022 KSYSA Awards Gala which will be in February of 2023! More details on location and time are coming soon.
To nominate someone for a 2022 Kansas Youth Soccer Award or the Kansas Soccer Hall of Fame then please
Nominations for both due
November 2nd, 2022!
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KANSAS TEAMS BRING
HOME 3 NATIONAL TITLES!
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Orlando, Florida (July 24, 2022) – Three Kansas Youth Soccer teams return home to the Sunflower State with US Youth Soccer NCS National Championship titles! These are the most National Championships won by the state of Kansas in a single year and first title since 2015. It is the first girls NCS National Championship since 2001! So congratulate these 3 National Champion teams. |
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13U Girls National Champion – KC Legends Academy Red 09
Head Coach: Matt Iverson
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14U Boys National Champion –
Toca FC 08 MLS
Head Coach: Matt Gow
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19U Boys National Champion – Sporting Blue Valley Academy 03
Head Coach: Shawn Forcellini
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Become a Soccer Referee! Give back to the Soccer Community!
Do you enjoy exercise & fitness? Do you enjoy making your own schedule? Are you interested in making some extra money during your soccer weekends? Are you someone wanting to give back to your soccer community?
Become a Soccer Referee! Our soccer community is in search of more Referees so our players can play the beautiful game.
Click the below link 👇🏽 and follow the specific instruction to register for an Entry Level Referee Clinic.
CLINICS AVAILABLE IN OVERLAND PARK, WICHITA & TOPEKA!!!
Join the Referee Team this Spring soccer season and be apart of the Beautiful Game!
All currently certified referees from 2021 looking to certify for 2022 the process is all done ONLINE so visit the Kansas Referee website to get Re-Certified!
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The Referee Corner: Handling the ball again…
It wouldn’t be a soccer game if someone didn’t implore the Referee to call a handball at least once. We will be reviewing this offense during our monthly Referee meeting in October, and I wanted to share the current Laws of the Game regarding this offense in this installment of the Referee Corner. It won’t eliminate the appeals for handball, but it will give each of us a review on what the Laws consider to be a handling offense. Thank you again for taking the time to read the Referee Corner.
The current Laws of the Game (2022-2023) says the following about Handling the ball:
For the purposes of determine handball offenses, the upper boundary of the arm is in line with the bottom of the armpit. Not every touch of a player’s hand/arm with the ball is an offense.
It is an offense if a player:
•Deliberately touches the ball with their hand/arm, for example moving the hand/arm towards the ball
•Touches the ball with their hand/arm when it has made their body unnaturally bigger. A player is considered to have made their body unnaturally bigger when the position of their hand/arm is not a consequence of, or justifiable by, the player’s body movement for that specific situation. By having their hand/arm in such a position, the player takes a risk of their hand/arm being hit by the ball and being penalized.
•Scores in the opponent’s goal:
•Directly from their hand/arm, even if accidental, including by the goalkeeper
•Immediately after the ball has touched their hand/arm, even if accidental
The goalkeeper has the same restrictions on handling the ball as any other player outside the Penalty Area.
The illustrations from the Laws of the Game are:
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There is a definite understanding of which part of the body is not considered in determining a handball offense (the shoulder to the bottom of the armpit). It is much more difficult to determine factually when a player has made themselves unnaturally bigger.
If someone jumps up with their arms above their head, Referees are instructed to consider this a handball offense. If they are falling and use their arm to brace their fall, the decision making is more difficult.
The biggest challenge we have in youth soccer is when a player is using their hands to protect themselves. If the ball is coming to your face quickly and from a short distance, the natural instinct is to put your hands in front of your face (much better than getting a bloody nose). Should this be considered a handball? We are instructing our Referees to NOT call this as a handball.
What about protecting your chest area (girls) or your groin (boys)? Again, this creates the need for a judgement by the Referee. If the arms are extended from the body the decision will probably be a handball. If the arms are tucked into the body, it is not a handball.
This is the instruction we are providing to the Referees. Remember, looking at a picture is much different than deciding during a dynamic play (getting the snapshot at the perfect time). Referees are impartial and this could make a difference in their decision and yours also.
This month’s article reviews the Laws of the Game. We also shared the gray areas where the Referee’s decision making comes into play. The bottom line is that not every touch of the player’s hand/arm to the ball is an offense. We have defined when it is an offense and have shared the instructions we are providing to your Referees.
If you want to learn more about handballs you can download the IFAB application from either Google Play or the Apple Store (the app is free). Or, if you want to be empowered to make these decisions on the field, sign up for a Referee Certification class at https://www.kansasreferee.org/
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The Referee Blog
Facing the Refereeing challenge. We are not at 100% yet. Where do we go from here? What can we all do to get to 100%?
The Fall season continued in September with League games and multiple tournaments. As I traveled from field to field my first objective was to see how many fields had 3 certified Referees. We were not at 100%. There were some fields with club Assistant Referees (parents or siblings who agreed to help). The good news was that most of the fields had full crews.
The first challenge for the Referee community is to have a deep enough pool of certified officials to cover all the scheduled matches. There are any number of reasons for not being able to fully staff each and every match. Our young Referees have lives outside of officiating soccer. If you have been at the SCHEELS complex on a Friday night you know that just across 135th Street, there are football games at the Blue Valley stadium. Some of the Referees you see on Saturday and Sunday are attending these football games because that is what you do in high school. And we are still rebuilding our pool post-covid. In September we certified 135 new officials. The numbers are getting better, but we are not yet at 100%.
Is the problem solved when we have enough Referees to staff every match at 100%? No. This is just the beginning of the solution. The next step is to help these new Referees develop the skills needed to make the correct decisions. Experience and on-the-job training (mentoring) are the ways to complete this next step.
Every new Referee has a degree of anxiety when they do their first match. Let’s look at what the Assistant Referees are being asked to do.
•Notify the Referee when the ball leaves the field of play.
•When the ball goes over the touch line the decision is always a throw-in.
•Which team is awarded the throw-in? This is usually non-controversial.
•The AR signals the direction using the signal they learned in class.
•Sometimes this can be a more difficult decision when the ball hits off several players. Experience helps the AR make the correct decision.
•When the ball goes over the goal line the AR must make multiple decisions:
•Did the ball go over the goal line under the crossbar and between the goal posts? If so, this is a goal, and the AR notifies the Referee that a goal was scored.
•Did the ball go over the goal line and was not a goal. Now the AR must determine who last touched the ball.
•If it were last touched by the attacking team, the decision would be goal kick
•If it were last touched by the defending team, the decision would be a corner kick
•Determining if a player is guilty of an offside infraction.
•This is the primary responsibility of the AR. Offside decisions are hard to make because they can affect the outcome of a match. If a player was offside and scored, making this decision will result in the goal being disallowed.
•To correctly determine offside, the AR should be in line with the 2nd last defender or the ball, whichever is closer to the goal line. This is the most difficult skill to learn as an AR. You get engaged in the game and want to watch the area around the ball. When you do this, you can easily lose your position even with the 2nd last defender. We instruct the ARs to keep their primary focus on this 2nd last defender and swivel their head to watch the ball when it comes close to the touch line. It takes experience to be able to do this correctly consistently.
•What should the AR do when the ball gets behind the 2nd last defender? They should follow the ball because the ball is now the offside line. Again, it takes experience to understand what the correct position is and how to work to be in the correct position.
Making the decision means raising the flag. If you observe what happens when the AR raises their flag to indicate an offside infraction, your appreciation of the job of being an AR will increase. There are very few times when this decision does not elicit a response from the sidelines or from the coaches and/or players. New AR’s greatest concern is to make sure they get the decision right. There is a lot of information going through their minds (position of the attacker, position of the 2nd last defender, timing of the teammate’s touch and active involvement). It takes knowledge, confidence, and courage to raise the flag when they see all the conditions for the offside infraction are in place. Again, this gets easier with experience.
Every weekend the AR staffing will include a number of first-time officials. They have invested time and money to be a part of the game we all love. They are anxious about making decisions and want to make the correct decisions. They will miss some calls and they will make some excellent calls. Understanding what is going on in their minds as they get better means giving them the opportunity to make mistakes. Assistant Referees are just like the players. They will learn from their mistakes. If we allow them to learn and get experience, they might come back the next week. This is how they get better. If we complain about their mistakes, they might not come back next week. Then we will have to replace them with another brand-new official.
We are a soccer community. We can only get the maximum enjoyment from the sport we love when we all work together. Let the players play. Let the coaches coach. Let the fans cheer. Let the officials officiate. Doing this as a community will help us get to 100% and allow you the fans to not be pressed into duty when your goal is to sit down and cheer for your team. Thank you.
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Monthly Referee Meetings
Are you wanting to improve as a referee? How about get less grief? What about being considered for higher level games and state cup? Attending monthly Kansas Referee Program meetings is a great step to help all of that happen! Don't miss opportunities to hone your craft, win some fun prizes, make new friends and elevate your game as an elite Kansas soccer referee! Referees of all ages and experience levels are encouraged to attend!
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2022 Referee Meeting Dates
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Oct 17 (Monday) 7-8:30pm
- Nov 14 (Monday) 7-8:30pm
Meetings will be hosted at the SCHEELS Overland Park Soccer Complex Field House meeting room, 13700 Switzer Rd, Overland Park KS 66213
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Q & A with Jackson
When did you start reffing?
Spring of 2022
What made you decide to get certified to referee?
I decided to Referee when a field marshal at swope helped me when I was a club AR. He inspired me to give back to the game I love.
What is your favorite part about reffing?
My favorite part is making new friends and talking to field Marshals.
What is a life lesson you feel you have learned from reffing?
I learned that you always have to be confident in what you do and remain calm even in stressful moments.
What level of referee to you aspire to be?
I want to Referee for Junior state cup and long-term I want to be a high school referee and regional league referee.
Do you play soccer?
Yes, for Toca FC. I have been playing for 10 years.
Do you participate in any other activities?
I play soccer, baseball and basketball. I participate in school track and field and cross country and run long distance.
What was the last book you read?
Percy Jackson the lightning thief. It about a kid whose dad is Poseidon and has to go to a Special camp called camp half-blood where gods children go. My favorite part is when Percy fights the god of war.
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Kansas Youth Soccer Partners
with Fearless & Capable!
Olathe, KS January 14, 2022 – We are proud to announce that Kansas State Youth Soccer Association (KSYSA) has partnered with Fearless & Capable as its newest organization partner. The partnership between Fearless & Capable and Kansas Youth Soccer will focus on supporting female coaches, referees, and administrators across the state by providing the opportunity for meaningful mentorship from women across the country to the females working in Kansas.
Female coaches, referees and administrators will be able to join the growing Fearless & Capable membership program, and explore one-on-one mentoring sessions with a trained mentor to grow their skill sets in a holistic and supportive environment.
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US SOCCER COACHING COURSES COMING UP THIS FALL! |
Kansas Youth Soccer Coaching Education Department is offering multiple coaching courses this winter for soccer coaches to get more education to better their players on the field. Don’t miss out on these opportunities to expand your soccer knowledge during the off season and be a better coach come the Spring season.
ALL FEMALE COACHES COURSES AVAILABLE
Earn two licenses in one day instructed by Female Coaches for Female Coaches!
December 17, 2022 – Kansas City, KS
9v9 In Person Grassroots – 9:00am – 1:00pm
11v11 In Person Grassroots – 2:00pm – 6:00pm
To see what coaching courses are coming up please CLICK HERE.
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AB May
Academy Sports and Outdoors
AC Print
Barley's Kitchen and Tap
BFAME KC Entertainment
Burger Shed
Capelli Sport
Chick-fil-A 7500 W 135th St
Chick-Fil-A 15919 W 87th St Pkwy
Chicken N Pickle
CH Roofing And Exteriors
City Thrift
Dick's Sporting Goods
Drs. Hawks, Besler, Rogers & Stoppel
Easton Roofing
Fearless & Capable
GameChanger
Goodcents
Grimaldi's
Hasty Awards
HCA Midwest Health
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Hy-Vee
Jimmy John's
KC Current
Kansas City Comets
K.C. Hopps
Krusich Dental
Land of Paws
Levine Advertising
McShane & Brady Law
Menorah Medical Center
Molle Automotive Group
Museum at Prairiefire
Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt
Overland Park Regional Medical Center
Papa John's
PinStripes
Pittcraft Printing
Raising Cane's
Rob Ellerman and
Reece Nichols Real Estate
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Renewal by Andersen
Research Medical Center
Salty Iguana
Security Bank
Soccer Master
Sporting Kansas City
Sporting Kansas City II
Starting Point Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics
State Farm-Harlan Parker
The Merchant Fitness (Julah)
The Rub Bar-B-Que
Tick Tock Escape Rooms KC
Trace (Alpine Replay, Inc.)
Tropical Smoothie Cafe
TW Sportswear + Print, Ship & Signs
Urban Air
US Awards
Xfinity
Yokohama
Zaxby's
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Heartland Soccer Association is seeking action photo shots of kids of all ages and abilities playing soccer in Heartland League Games or Tournaments. Submitted photos may be included in Heartland Tournament, League and other promotional materials as well as social media posts.
Instructions for submitting photos:
All submitted photo files must be .jpg format, must be a minimum of 1,200 x 1,600 pixels, and no larger than 2 MB in size. Submitting a photo doesn't guarantee that it will be used.
By submitting a photo for consideration for use in Heartland Soccer Association promotional materials, you agree that:
1. You are the sole author of the photograph and control all rights for its use. The photograph is original. You have the rights to grant usage of the photograph as stated below. There has been no prior sale, publication or transfer of rights to the photograph. The photograph shall not contain any libelous or scandalous matter. To the best of your knowledge, the photograph's creation, publication and use shall not infringe any copyright, right of privacy or right of publicity, or infringe or violate any right of any third party.
2. You grant to Heartland Soccer Association all rights to use the photograph in any and all forms of media, including but not limited to electronic, digital media and print.
3. You allow Heartland Soccer Association the right to edit, revise, adapt and crop the photo as necessary.
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