Competitive Match Assigning & Training for advancement
When I was trying to advance my skills as a referee I quickly learned there’s true pageantry to reffing at a high level. It’s like being a conductor and the music made on the field is either beautiful & peaceful or out of tune and out of sync. The role of “reffing” at a high level isn’t taught anymore, match control, common sense, game flow, man-management. This program is designed to recruit and advance the refs who want to conduct not just sing.
Elite Side Referee's sole purpose is to advocate, assign, advise, and advance soccer referees looking to perform and reach a high level of officiating. ESR assigns more than 70% of Northeastern Oklahoma’s most competitive, high-level matches requiring the most developed, trained, and confident referees. ESR is aligned with the largest and most desired competitive club in WSA who has committed to support and assist in the ESR mission. ESR officials will receive mentorship, advancement training, online curriculum, monthly performance review, competitive assignments, protection, travel opportunities and increased game fees based on the category of ref achieved, bi-annual assessments at no additional costs, and finally, every referee in our “entry” category is equipped with a bright arm-band indicating they are completely off-limits to verbal abuse of any kind from ANYONE during their “entry” level training. This will help us keep our younger more inexperienced referees for a longer period allowing us to train them properly and building their confidence instead of ditching the uniform after 2 games. ESR referees will be supported but also held to a very professional, performance-based expectation to stay within the program.
97% of soccer referees are labeled "grassroots" putting everyone in the same pool as a referee. We assign ECNL, GA, MLSnext, NPL, SemiPro, these are the top games with the top pay – the referees need to match that level of competition and in most cases don't. 40% of grassroots referees aspire to be developed, mentored and protected and as the assigning partner to this program, that's what we'll do.
