State Referee Committee Meeting

Minutes of 11/28/07

Present: Carl DalBon, Jim Brown, Jesus Zornoza, Dean Myshrall, Jerry Korn, Chris Sinko, Craig Richardson, Mark Wantroba, Judy Whelan, Kathy Zolad, Mike Connor, Rick Eddy, Bill Foley, Jessica Hyde, Scott Sanderude, Tom Scagliarini, and Sue Schultz.

ARA Meeting

Recerts:

Mark Wantroba stated that three were done and they added 1-2 more.

Craig Richardson stated his are done already, having one clinic so far.

Scott Sanderude stated Southwest numbers and clinics are not matching up. We are missing Greenwich and Fairfield.

Mario stated NC district has one coming up.

Chris Sinko – has one recert to make up. Loves the online testing.

Bill Foley – four recerts. Some confusion with the bridge clinic, two people that made a mistake here.

Jerry Korn all is fine.

Jim Brown:

He is looking for input for the Male and Female Youth Referee of the Year Award to be given out at the CJSA President’s Dinner. Provide him with names by end of December. We need to recognize our referees. We will be in need of many referees for the Premier League and need to start looking now for a clinic assessment and recognition.

Region I Youth President Meeting regarding referee training brought up standardized testing for referees for Region I.

Jesus mentioned that Region I felt that the federation will be making a decision regarding the referees and state organizations. Some felt that they should be separate and others felt that they should be separate organizations. We need to run two programs. Region 4 – the West Coast is behind using the AYSO model using only certified referees for youth matches. Adult matches use certified by USSF. Referees – adult and youth are two different structures and it is more work for us. Kathy does not see how it benefits other referees or CJSA.

Jesus also mentioned that their was resolution of Ridgefield concerning referees. In an audit they were told by State that Referees are employees. Provide them with money for defense. Use a CT Labor lawyer. The Fairfield case does not affect the Ridgefield one as the State does not agree with what the IRA says. Employees rather than 1099. It is the IRS vs CT Department of Labor. We have nothing in writing. Jesus has asked for this.

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Minutes 11/28/07

Jesus stated that with the youth referees there is paperwork but with the adult referees there is no paperwork.

DRA’s – find out how your clubs are going to pay their referees so we can be pro-active.

Recerts: Through different feedback we are finding that people are speeding through it rather than spending time on it.

We will need to address the attrition rate of referees. We do know this based on how many retests we have had, as well as how many failed tests and how many people attend. We can compare statistics.

Entry Level Certificate: We need to stress the need to recert. Every year you have to attend a clinic. Another Intermediate clinic will be held in March. The Federation is changing its clinic in New England, April 12, 2008. Any candidates should be sent to Jesus to attend this clinic or send to Jim. The Oakwood Academy Tournament will be in need of 16 referees from seasoned grade 8 or grade 7.

Jesus cannot overstate the need to recruit more referees. The same referees are doing more and more.
Jim is looking for referee clinic lists, Region 1 nominees. They will be needed for the finals at Kirkwood in June or July and the finals for the Region 1 Director’s Cup.

Entry Level Assessors Clinic: Anyone who would make a good assessor sent names to Stan sometime in March. Requirements are in the Administrative Handbook.

DRA meeting at the AGM – Tom Mattera sent out emails to all with this information. Time and date will be sent out as soon as possible. Let him know if you can attend or have someone else attend in your place.

Jim stated that we have been looking at cost efficient programs, together with normal process and certified testing and then monitor them. We are trying to take out of the entry level clinic those items that do not need to be there. Seven (7) dates are hard to get. Looking into more field and less classroom.

State Referee Committee Meeting

The minutes were handed out.

Jesus stated that around 900 certificated for recerts. Most clinics will be completed by next month.

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Minutes of 11/28/07

Jim Brown, SYRA had no report.

Steven Wollins, SDI Report. Jesus stated that Steven Wollins has resigned effective at the AGM in January. Need input for a new SDI. Dan Rooney and Kathy Zolad will make a selection and let them know.

Motion was made by Jesus Zornoza, seconded by Jim Brown to have Jessica Hyde attend the IIE course in Minnesota from January 31 – February 3, 2008 as a replacement for Steven Wollins. We will pay $150 registration fee plus four days per diem upon successful completion of the course as well as her airfare. Vote: Yes – 6. Motion passed.

John Collins had reported 260 assessments should be 266/267. Most we have ever had. US Soccer has stated that Ed Rae is our instructor for the Association Assessor course in the winter. We could use the CJSA conference room for the course. We cannot use the Education Center Room. Parking will need to be arranged with FSA and Malibu fitness.

Assessor/Instructor Clinic – deadline by US Soccer on 1-21 and we will benefit us both.

We need tournament feedback sent to DRA and ARA’s so they are aware and then assessments can be arranged for the referees. We can then determine who is strong and then they can focus more on them.

There will be a DRA meeting on January 26 in the Boston Room (by pool) at 11AM. It is a closed meeting.

Jesus Zornoza would like to revisit the whole subject regarding assessments – you would be surprised at the number of assessors and the number that are failing. Jesus will present something on this subject in writing at our next meeting.

Carl DalBon, Jim Brown, Jerry Korn take care of most of the assigning of the referees. Want to know how to get hold of people for an educational assessment. Also most of the referees do not submit supplemental reports with the Referee Report. This is purely an educational issue. Many issues come up with bad assignments of referees. Al Bell felt that assigning is different and sometimes it is made worse by assigning the wrong referee to a game. Some arrive late. John Collins felt that referees are becoming too comfortable and arriving just in time for the game or late.

A discussion on ESL Stamford League lawsuit suing Al. Referee insurance is a necessity. Al’s lawyer is seeing that the referee did a poor job. Referees are independent contractors and therefore he is the person that should be sued. This happened in 2003.

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Minutes of 11/28/07

Most referees need to write better reports. Several incidents in SW district where they wanted to send them to discipline and they went back to the referee for a supplemental report and they did not want to do it.

Some referees are taking one game and then a better one comes up which they decide to take instead. Need to know that they cannot just change their assignment.

Kathy wants to address the reporting issues. A report will come in and based on what was in that report charges of assault and abuse cases were determined to come from the report. The Federation has defined abuse, a statement may be impolite but it is not abuse. Need to be pro-active so that referees can submit a good report.

Abusive language and dissent – we need to stress this issue. There is a different between the two. Carl will modify the course to stress this.

Meeting adjourned at 9:15 PM.

Respectfully submitted,
Gerry Koppe