coachrefparent
GOLD
Is there any written Cal South or Presidio rule that forbids a referee from handling a match involving a club that he/she is affiliated with as a coach or parent of a team/player in the Club?
"Conflict of Interest"
- Thread starter coachrefparent
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I found the CSL rule
http://coastsoccer.com/CSL-rules-2016.pdf
3. Any CSL Gaming Circuit game refereed by any administrator, parent or relative of a player in the same game shall be forfeited by the relative’s team unless such referee is approved by both teams in writing on the Match Report prior to the game being played.
I always feel that I would be unfair to my child's team for me to referee their game, I know the types of fouls the players commit and know what to look for on each one of them.
http://coastsoccer.com/CSL-rules-2016.pdf
3. Any CSL Gaming Circuit game refereed by any administrator, parent or relative of a player in the same game shall be forfeited by the relative’s team unless such referee is approved by both teams in writing on the Match Report prior to the game being played.
I always feel that I would be unfair to my child's team for me to referee their game, I know the types of fouls the players commit and know what to look for on each one of them.
Stop reading if you have read this from me before --
My son's team was playing a local summer tournament game, last on the Saturday schedule. Only two referees showed up, but another team from our club had played the game on the field right before us, and their coach was staying to watch our game. He is also a long-time local referee, doing women's league on Sundays and high school games that don't interfere with his club team's season. The two refs who showed up knew him from that, so they asked him to be the AR on our side of the field, wearing his club coaching kit. After he called the other team offside once, they complained, so the three referees agreed that he would not call any more offsides, just balls in and out. Of course, in the second half, one of our guys scored a goal from a close-to-offside-or-not situation, and our guy just smiled, the center smiled back, and the goal stood.
GunninGopher
SILVER ELITE
I'm fairly new to competitive refereeing, and avoiding even the appearance of a conflict of interest was of great concern to me when I started. I give my assignors specific information about what I see as a a conflict of interest. Basically it is:
Flight: I don't do any games where my daughter is in a competitive group (i.e. Flight)
Age/Gender: No restrictions except as above as my experience/rating dictates
Club: I don't CR games for my daughter's club and would prefer to avoid them all-together
Coach: I don't work games that involve my daughter's coach or other coaches in her competitive group and try to avoid coaches that she might encounter as a player (difficult to ensure).
Before I accept an assignment I check for the above as much as practical.
I'm also take care to ensure my refereeing doesn't interfere with her progress and options. While I think I do a pretty good job and try not to get in over my head, I want to avoid the possibility that a coach out there would think I was unfair to his/her team and would not give my daughter unbiased treatment.
All that being said, I've known someone on a team or sideline for over 1/2 the league games I've done. Some former team-mates of my daughter, brothers/sisters of friends, friends of mine or hers, coaches she's worked out with and et cetera. It is unavoidable because for league play, referees tend to work games near where they live. If you're involved in the sport or community in your area, you going to know people on the sideline or in the game. Of the people I personally know on the sideline, before kickoff I probably already know whether they'll think I'll have done a good job or not.
This is a great thread! Hopefully there is some thoughtful dialogue before it gets hijacked. I'll be interested in hearing about what other situations people would recommend referee's avoid, particularly if they still have a child involved in the sport.
Flight: I don't do any games where my daughter is in a competitive group (i.e. Flight)
Age/Gender: No restrictions except as above as my experience/rating dictates
Club: I don't CR games for my daughter's club and would prefer to avoid them all-together
Coach: I don't work games that involve my daughter's coach or other coaches in her competitive group and try to avoid coaches that she might encounter as a player (difficult to ensure).
Before I accept an assignment I check for the above as much as practical.
I'm also take care to ensure my refereeing doesn't interfere with her progress and options. While I think I do a pretty good job and try not to get in over my head, I want to avoid the possibility that a coach out there would think I was unfair to his/her team and would not give my daughter unbiased treatment.
All that being said, I've known someone on a team or sideline for over 1/2 the league games I've done. Some former team-mates of my daughter, brothers/sisters of friends, friends of mine or hers, coaches she's worked out with and et cetera. It is unavoidable because for league play, referees tend to work games near where they live. If you're involved in the sport or community in your area, you going to know people on the sideline or in the game. Of the people I personally know on the sideline, before kickoff I probably already know whether they'll think I'll have done a good job or not.
This is a great thread! Hopefully there is some thoughtful dialogue before it gets hijacked. I'll be interested in hearing about what other situations people would recommend referee's avoid, particularly if they still have a child involved in the sport.
coachrefparent
GOLD
Thanks for that. As I read it, Coast only bars a referee from working a game where the conflict is with a player in THAT GAME. So this does not necessarily bar refereeing a game for a CLUB that the referee is associated with.
I know that many youth referees cover games that their own club is playing in, as these game are usually close to them. Last year, a youth referee covered our game as an AR, and he was on a different team competing in the same flight as us. I personally knew him and joked before the game as it was his first year as a referee. He was the best referee of the group... I also know coaches that referee and handle games where teams from their own club play.
I'm still wondering if there are any documents setting forth a specific policy for Presidio/SDDA. I've never seen anything in writing setting forth a policy in this regard from any of the S.D. referee associations.
CalSouth: Under the Code of Ethics of Cal South, members, volunteers, etc., are to "ensure duties are discharged ... not tainted by conflicts of interest" and "conflicts of interest shall be mitigated by open and public disclosure." Note, Referees are considered "associate members" under the Cal South Bylaws.
Presidio: Can't find any ... Presidio's website is old and needs some serious updates.
So ... arguably yes under the general prohibition of Conflicts of Interest, but its not in black and white and open disclosure is mandated. On the other hand, SCDSL does forbid it (for center referees):
SCDSL: "Center referees may not officiate games in which they have an affiliation through a) their child currently plays for the club they are officiating for b) they are a paid member of the club they are officiating for c) they are a volunteer at the club they are officiating for."
The SCDSL does not limit the prohibition to a "team," (G2001 Academy) but applies it to the entire "club" (e.g. Arsenal, Surf, Pateadores, etc.)
From a practical standpoint, the rule should not apply to AR's because the failure to have an AR means the Home Team is going to appoint a club linesman or two. Since the duties of the AR are more-or-less advisory (FIFA Laws) [please, let's not have this debate again], the conflict of interest is minimized significantly.
Because Presidio must abide by Cal South's rules and Cal South must abide by USSF's rules, you can get there by starting at the top (USSF):
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
In addition to the U.S. Soccer Federation Polices 531-1 and 531-6, officials should take steps to prevent any appearance of a conflict of interest.
An active official may serve on the administrative committees or board of a competition or State Association (except as restricted by U.S. Soccer Federation Policy 531-1). An active official may officiate in a competition or State Association while also being a member but should adhere to the following:
In addition to the U.S. Soccer Federation Polices 531-1 and 531-6, officials should take steps to prevent any appearance of a conflict of interest.
An active official may serve on the administrative committees or board of a competition or State Association (except as restricted by U.S. Soccer Federation Policy 531-1). An active official may officiate in a competition or State Association while also being a member but should adhere to the following:
- Source: http://www.ussoccer.com/referees/resource-center/refereeing
- Disqualify themselves from participating in any disciplinary proceeding in which the subject is a team, player or other person where there is a vested interest
- Disqualify themselves from participating in any disciplinary proceeding involving a game where they served as a game official
- Not officiate in any match where there is a vested interest
“Vested interest” is defined as when the official or a member of the official's family (spouse, child or parent) or that person’s team may be affected by the outcome of the proceeding or match.
coachrefparent
GOLD
If this happened 5 weeks ago, would you ask for a forfeit if you didn't approve of the referee in writing?