FCArmstrong

How do we give the next generation of referees the opportunities they need to grow and develop? How do we let them focus on the game and not on the external factors that prevent them from feeling safe?

I spent the past weekend working the Plum Kickoff Classic for PA West Travel teams. These are teams where the players play in their communities and the coaches are volunteers. This is what grassroots soccer was when I grew up. Grassroots soccer is still the best way for kids to get outside and experience nature, their physical growth and their mental development on their own by playing the beautiful games in their own community with their friends. In it’s simplest form the game of football requires a ball, players and a space. The kids can determine the boundaries and goals and play in their own yard, the neighborhood baseball diamond, a tennis or basketball court. I have played the game as I grew up in all of those settings which allowed me to learn how to master my touch on the ball and pass accurately into spaces, goals and teammates. This weekend on the official side I was blessed to work with some young referees who are playing high school soccer and learning how to be USSF referees. I love these opportunities that allow me to share the insights into the art of refereeing.

If you are following my journey on the pitch this fall, I’m not coaching, but instead wearing stripes, pink, yellow, green, black, blue, red, carrying flags, using whistles and laughingly hoping to never issue a “soft red” card. Only in the commonwealth–could the PIAA continue to find more ways to denigrate “the spirit of the game” in order to pretend they know more about soccer than FIFA or the NFHS.

$21 in 2024 is the issue.

Pay in 2023 was at $88/game for most of my games. Several schools paid me $90 as an independent contractor. Other schools paid me $110 and I could use a diagonal system of control. They even slipped in mileage. Why would anyone want to be a PIAA official for school sports when there are other games to cover?

No Diagonal System of Control so Big School ADs can have a Control Tool during contract negotiations? Small schools in central and rural parts of the Commonwealth also have no reason to try harder to develop officials from their former athlete pool.

The real reason for no PIAA mandate for 3 officials and a diagonal system of control came to a head on August 15. I recall when a certain group of Athletic Directors appeared to support a trial of using the diagonal system of control like I used in Wisconsin and like USSF and FIFA. Now I realize that was all for show and there was no interest in making the change because the current system allowed the PIAA and AD’s to have control. Instead of agreeing to a new contract that raised this seasons pay $7 per official, the Northern Athletic Directors Association of Western Pennsylvania acted as a monopolistic enterprise and chose the nuclear option. The NADA chose to not honor a two-year long contract negotiation and then pretended to narrate the negotiation as a surprise demand. They instead went nuclear and offered to go back to the 2 man system to agree to the pay, but make a power play against the officials. They did not explain that the negotiation began in June of 2023.

These same NADA leaders have not taken an active part in recruiting Jr. Officials, leaving the burden on the chapter and officials. They have not offered locker facilities to change and shower pre or post game. They have not offered a travel stipend for those of us that have to travel from work or coaching our team to get to their game time with barely enough time between our initial life committments. They have not offered to modify the schedule and bundle boy/girl varsity games to get quality 3rd teams out on the same night for two games to minimize travel expenses. They don’t realize that the play dates schedule is not ideal for young athletes. They are not following proper recovery periods for athletes. If these NADA leaders chose to have Monday and Thursday play dates- the athletes would benefit, the game would benefit- this would give the student athletes 2 days off between games allowing a chance to recover between games.

If these same NADA AD’s were concerned about costs and player safety–they could then allow boy/girl JV play dates for only the teams that have JV teams. It is not realistic to play JV and then varsity 11v11 games for schools that are on the headcount bubble. As a coach I’ve seen too many JV teams only have 9 true JV players, forcing a varsity player or two to pull double duty on the same night. It is not realistic for teams with under 30 players rostered to play JV and Varsity on the same night. There should be guidelines in place so schools can match up boy/girl JV only nights with just two referees and an option to play 9v9 or 7v7 based on roster sizes instead of school classifications to ensure players at the junior varisty level are getting at least 8-10 (approximately 1 per week) games in per season. If we put player safety, community building and being role models for our young athletes first we will realize we are putting players at risk by playing too many games when playing both JV and Varsity combined. Inertia is very strong in western PA, just like the football programs. The athletic departments commitment to American football just like when I played 30 some years ago is very strong and stubborn. What did the NADA leaders do? They chose not to be leaders, but unite as part of a monopolistic enterprise. They chose the path of least change and no dialogue.

Why am I writing my story? I need it to be told as both a coach, an official and a soccer person who cares about developing healthier communities. The real story needs to be shared and as an individual I choose to share my story so the next generation will not need to suffer this same way.

What did the NADA do- they sent out a letter stating that they were surprised when it was brought back up in 2024. NADA said they believed that they were in a contract with the WPIAL and not independent contractors who are aligned in a geographic territory. The officials chapter which the PIAA requires me to align as an independent contractor are not employees of the District 7 governing body- WPIAL. I choose not to do playoff games because District 7 has continued to pay less than our chapters game day rates out of principal. The playoffs are not an honor if you ask an official to take a pay cut. If you truly want the best referees and you truly want to improve the game on the field then you need to join the role model mindset. Stop being a member of a monopolistic enterprise.

The facts are the referees are united to create a better environment for referees of the future. There is no room for 3 whistles in the future. There is a place to get student athletes to look at this as something they can do through college. In the mean time, I’m looking forward to improving my golf game.