Contrasting Socks from Other Team?

[coachrefparent]

But they are paid to referee this kid's game, so I expect more. Since, like your name implies, I am a referee/parent/coach, I've been on all sides of the equation (although I haven't been able to be just a parent for awhile now), and am respectful to the referees during the game. I have tried to teach the head coach on how to talk to referees during the game, letting him know that yelling about a call is useless. That it is best to ask what the foul is for and move on. To speak to the AR near you to ask to keep eyes on X or Y from now on...

Yes, you should expect more than volunteer refs, but people expect too much. Most of the referees under the age of 60 have full time lives and jobs, or are in school most of the year. They love to help out and make some money to cover expenses. They are paid about $10-$15/hr after travel, equipment and related expenses, at best. Most work hard to keep up on the ever changing nuances in the laws. Some referee like it's 1975. Watching a typical match they may make 3-5 errors a game (mostly in judgment or perception, and a few in interpretation/knowledge on tricky scenarios).

Compare that to NFL or highest level soccer matches, who are paid thousands of dollars a game, and make just as many mistakes or more (in the NFL they have 7 officials all with whistles).

Couple all this with the reality that most observers and many coaches have no decent grasp of the LOTG, there are always disagreements. But it's a bunch of kids playing soccer. Everyone needs to relax. Including the pompous a-hole referees out there and in here (not directed at soccer dad& ref) that expect youth referees to dedicate their lives to knowing every possible nuance in interpretation and application of the LOTG, and still make fewer mistakes than those paid to do so at the highest levels of sport.