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Code of Conduct


Uniform

You are a professional referee, and expected to approach your commitments in a professional manner. While wearing the correct uniform (and wearing it correctly) will not make you a better referee, you will make a better impression when you first arrive at the field. Why dig yourself a credibility hole by coming to the game improperly or poorly dressed? ("ugh! Will you look at that! We've got a winner of a ref tonight, boys and girls")

The referee uniform consists of:

  • Black shoes (soccer cleats are ideal). The usual minimal white manufacturer markings ("Adidas", or the swoosh) are not a problem.
  • Referee socks (black, with three white stripes... and they are pulled up and worn properly!). No shinguards.
  • Black referee shorts.
  • A referee shirt (buttoned up, and tucked into the shorts - this is not the time to be a fashion statement). The club supplies a black shirt, and no team in the league wears black (your shirt must be a different colour than either team, and of the goalkeepers). However, the OSA (and the League and the Club) allow you to wear a referee shirt of any colour, as long as it is different from the teams, and as long as all three referees (assuming you are assigned AR's) are wearing the same colour.

Code of Conduct

(from the Ontario Soccer Association)

To ensure a safe environment for all Soccer participants, referees have been given special responsibilities and are therefore expected to act with professionalism and courtesy at all times. There is an OSA Board approved "Code of Conduct" for Ontario Referees contained in the following document:

1.1 Game officials having certain privileges through and by The Association, with respect to the game, shall realize and respect their responsibilities and duties to The Association and the game. The Association endorses the Canadian Soccer Association's "Code of Ethics" for Game Officials.

Specifically Game Officials shall:

a) Conduct themselves with dignity both on and off the field of play and shall, by example, endeavour to inspire the true principles of fair play and earn the respect of those whom they serve;

b) Not cause The Association to become involved in any controversial matters and shall abide by the rules and regulations of the jurisdiction in which they officiate;

c) Adhere to all standards and directives;

d) Always be neat in appearance and maintain a high level of physical and mental fitness;

e) Study the Laws of the game and be aware of all changes, and shall enforce all said Laws and changes;

f) Perform their designated responsibilities, including attending organized clinics and lectures, etc., and shall assist their colleagues in upgrading and improving their standards of officiating, instructing and assessing;

g) Honour any appointments made for and accepted by them unless unable to do so by virtue of illness or personal emergency;

h) Not publicly criticize other officials or any soccer association nor shall they make any statements to the media related to any game in which they were involved;

i) Be subject to disciplinary action for not complying with this Code of Conduct.

Assignments

At the pre-season meeting you will provide your availability for the summer (to the best of your knowledge, of course), and the number of assignments you wish to receive per week. At the start of the season we will provide you with your assignments for the full summer. You should expect to work one game per week - and more frequent games are possible.

No-shows are taken very seriously - and subject to Discipline. When you accept an assignment, you are making a commitment to the Club, and to the players.

Accepting assignments

When you receive your schedule review it in detail, and ensure you can make each and every assignment. If you are unable to accept an assignment, "turn it back" at the earliest opportunity, so our Referee Assignor can schedule another referee for the game.

Cancellations

Sometimes real life intrudes: Your family expects you to attend a recently-scheduled family activity, your friends call and ask you to go to a movie, you catch the flu, your soccer coach schedules an extra practice or a make-up game. What to do?

Cancellations happen, sometimes for good reason, and sometimes for poor reasons. Last-minute cancellations are a major disruption. One cancelled referee can cause dozens of last-minute phone calls, as we search for a replacement, or as we re-assign other referees to cover your absence. If you have to cancel, do not delay: give as much notice as possible.

How to avoid disruptive cancellations

  1. First, as was stated earlier, examine your schedule carefully when you receive it. We will not be amused if you received a schedule two weeks ago and only now you discover that your family made plans at the start of the summer to be at the cottage for a week, starting tomorrow.
  2. Second, if you can't make a match, you can't make it: that's reality and we'll deal with it. But you must phone and let the Assignor know, so that we can either assign another referee, or we'll notify the coaches so they'll not delay the start of the game hoping a referee will show up (albeit late). No-phone & no-show is bad bad bad....
  3. Third, you will never be penalized if you cancel for a good reason. Soccer commitments, family commitments, illness - these are all thrust upon us without warning at some time or another. Life happens. Let us know as soon as possible.
  4. Fourth, a commitment is a commitment - this is one of Life's Lessons: If friends phone at 5PM and ask if you want to go to a movie tonight but you have a match at 6:30, then you have a decision to make - and remember that in accepting that assignment you made a professional commitment. You might say no to your friends, you might try to negotiate with your friends to go to the 9:30 movie, or you could call the Assignor and ask if another referee is available - but remember that you have made a commitment and may still have to cover the match. "I got a better offer" and canceling at the last minute is extremely disruptive, and is seriously frowned upon.

Cancellations are tracked. Referees who have a track record of last-minute cancellations should expect to see a serious reduction in the number of games you are assigned.

Additional games

Assignors love it when referees phone up and say "I have nothing planned for tonight - got any matches?" Not only may you be assigned a match tonight, you may get a reputation as the go-to referee when someone phones in with a last-minute cancellation. More matches ==> more pay.

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Last Updated: Thu Jan 07, 10