What the Assessor Looks For

By: Dave McKee* & Jim Allen**

In assessing the referee at work,the assessor observes how the referee handles the challenges presented by the players and the level of play, and not how he or she would have refereed the match. The assessor uses eight criteria to develop realistic expectations consistent with the level of the referee, the level of competition, and the level of the play. These criteria will be found in the back of the USSF Referee Administrative Handbook on pp. 45-49. The focus is on the referee's ability to control the match. At the end of the match the assessor must be able to answer the following questions:

Did the referee

enforce the Laws of the Game?
protect the players?
recognize and discourage cheating?
recognize misconduct, serious foul play, and violent conduct and deal with it?

recognize the level of play, the skill level,and technical nature of the play?

Did the players

respect the referee's decisions?
avoid the use of gamesmanship and cheating tactics to gain advantage?
maintain the flow of the game through quick restarts?

If the answers to these questions are all yes, then the referee deserves a good assessment. If the answers are no, he does not. By answering yes to these questions the assessor is acknowledging that the referee had control of the match. If the referee did not control the game,the assessor must be able to tell the referee why this happened.In making the assessment of the referee's success in the match,the assessor should give some weight to the referee's grade and experience,and to the level and quality of the match. The feedback should identify:

game critical situations which were not dealt with properly and a discussion of the options the referee could have exercised;
situations where the referee failed to recognize misconduct, serious foul play, or violent conduct;
situations where the referee was intimidated, embarrassed, or abused by players;
situations in which the referee failed to recognize intent and tactical play;
the failure of the referee to show confidence and strength in his or her actions;
situations in which cheating occurred;
incidents where skilled players were not protected, resulting in retaliation; and
incidents where lack of courage was evident in enforcing the Laws of the Game and upholding the Spirit of the Game.

In addition, the assessor observes the positive actions of the referee. These include, but are not limited to:

a strong personality and presence on the field;
good reading of intent or the degree of deliberateness (i.e., careless, reckless, or involving disproportionate force);
good foul recognition;
good use of advantage;
good use of the whistle and closeness to critical play;
intelligent field positioning and a flexible diagonal;
effective use of the assistant referees;
ability to communicate with players;
fitness and mobility;
ability to ignore appeals by players and coaches;
concentration for 90 minutes of play;
correct positioning on set and dynamic play;
clear, concise, and correct signals;
recognizing and dealing with gamesmanship; dealing quickly with dissent, misconduct, serious foul play, and violent conduct;
showing the courage of his or her convictions; and
recognizing the level of play and allowing the game to flow.

During the match, the assessor also observes the assistant referees and their ability to communicate effectively with the referee. Did the assistant referees:

participate in the pregame discussion and ask questions for clarity?
appear fit, sprint to the goal-line on all shots, and take the proper position on free-kicks near goal?
provide clear, concise, and correct signals?
have frequent eye contact with the referee?
protect the referee by observing play off the ball and behind his back?
provide correct assistance on offside and fouls, as required?
handle the substitutions and bench personnel correctly?
demonstrate courage and consistency in his or her actions?
project a professional image?
use only the proper flag mechanics?

If the answers to these questions are yes, then the assistant referees deserve a good assessment.If the answers are no, then an explanation is required as to what the assistant referee needs to do to correct the lack and improve his or her work. In addition, the assessor observes the refereeing team before the match, during the half-time interval,and after the match. This will include, but is not limited to,checking the field, nets, balls, and player equipment, and adhering to the game schedule to ensure kick-off at the assigned time.

The assessor's observations will also include recognition of actions by the referee to anticipate and head off problems. Ultimately, good referees orchestrate the match. This is made evident through the continuous flow of the game, with little attention being focused on the referee. A good referee can make a difficult game look easy. It is the combination of many things that result in match control and,therefore, an acceptable performance.

In evaluations involving promotion to a higher grade, remember that the referee's performance must match the guidelines for that level,not for that at which he or she is currently registered. In addition, the referee must be deemed to have been sufficiently challenged by a competitive match at the appropriate level.

Here are the basic standards that assessors use in their assessments of Grade 8 and 7 Referees and of Grade 6 and 5 State Referees. These are not meant to be inclusive. What might have been acceptable for a Grade 8 or 7 Referee is no longer acceptable at the higher levels.

TABLE OF OBSERVATIONS

FOR REFEREE GRADES 8/7 AND 6/5

LEVEL 8/7

DRESS AND APPEARANCE

Proper uniform and shoes shined
Neat grooming and current badge worn

PREGAME

Often arrives at pitch 15 to 30 minutes before match
Introduction to coaches often involves some socialization
Field and player inspections often rushed
Checks a ball and sometimes checks the nets

FITNESS

In single-man games sometimes stays in the middle of the field and has difficulty with offside.
Not always fit and mobile
Can sprint, but only when play demands it

ATTITUDE

Usually enthusiastic
Sometimes has rabbit ears and can be influenced by players, fans, and coaches
Shows respect to players and coaches
Comfortable talking to youth players

COURAGE, CHARACTER, AND CONSISTENCY

Timely use of whistle and basic foul recognition
Consistent in calls regardless of location on the pitch
Courage to deal with foul play, misconduct, and awarding penalty kicks
Courage to deal with dissent by players or coaches
Approachable by players
Appears to be honest and fair

POSITIONING, MECHANICS, AND SIGNALS

Positioning proper on set plays (goal kicks, corner kicks, kick-off, throw-ins, and free-kicks)
Positioning on dynamic play usually needs some work
Diagonal tends to be rigid, not flexible
Often caught in ball-referee-assistant referee position
Occasionally misses linesman flag
Uses approved signals, but is inconsistent in advantage signal and verbalization
Generally concentrates on the ball and is unaware of off-the-ball activity

ACCURACY OF DECISIONS

Basic foul recognition skills, but occasionally has difficulty reading intent
Limited understanding of tactical play
Sometimes has difficulty judging the difference between hard fair play and foul play
May overreact or under react in issuing cautions and send-offs
Overall makes consistent decisions and controls the match

GAME CONTROL

Because of lack of experience, does not always use indications of assistant referee to to full advantage
Must work at not appearing to be influenced by appeals
Capable of handling most youth games, but does not always recognize game critical situations
Reading of game and foul recognition generally in line with level of play
Use of cautions and send-offs accepted and game is controlled

LEVEL 6/5