REF stoppage in 11th min 15G Impact vs FCU

Ref stops match early to speak with coaches regarding parent behavior. The FCU coach and the FCU parents were particularly chirpy during this match. FCUSA Impact parents were well behaved from my perspective. I don't think I heard Lower even once!

[ugahenne]

What I recommend for any soccer parent out there is to talk to their kids, 1 on 1, asking for an honest description of how they perceive the parents during a match. I went through this with my son and it was VERY humbling. If you think those kids even think one bit that your "cheering" is helpful in ANY regard you're far off. Most kids would actually prefer no parents at all or at least just as quiet spectators (think Tennis, when the quiet signal goes on). Most parents are totally projecting some kind of "this needs some football stadium atmosphere" bullshit into a kids game that couldn't be further from it.

[wayne]

That was a very easy way to include the coaches and that was there warning, Parents are the worst when it comes to yelling at kids and refs, anyone who doesnt like it can go get certified and start working games. You will have a whole new out look.

[timothyhale]

As a retired player I was a hot head a lot of the time but when my son played I told him you will not disrespect the refs argue or mouth off as bad calls happen all the time there human and we all make mistakes that being said I think today's refs put up with more than they should I'd never let my kid be a ref in today's soccer parents are just plain rude some coaches are as well but nowadays people care more about winning then treating the game with the respect it deserves

[devojose]

Having reffed I can usually ignore the comments from players, coaches and parents but at the end of the day I’m a person and going through a verbal assault every game makes it hard to have fun doing what I enjoy. People forget referees have feelings too and are not perfect. No one comes into your job and rips into you whenever you do something they disagree with. Respect the refs, there’s a reason why more and more are quitting.

[gfyyoutube]

The worst part of youth sports, the parents.

[NateDieckman]

There is a referee shortage across the Nation. Just saying....

[andrewsmith]

I was the AR on a tournament semi final for U12 Girls. The parents on the visiting team started up on the very first foul the second the Center blew the whistle. He stopped, walked over to the seats and told them to zip it or they leave. It was the first call of the game! The parents were acting like it was an entire afternoon of bad calls. Overreacting and ignorant parents are a scourge.

[robertbarker]

Most of these comments reflect the fact that they are missing the point of what's going on. The players listen to their parents comments during the match; the coaches are oftentimes way over on the other end of the field. The constant barrage of criticism from their parents, over the course of a match, riles up the players. The parents undermine the authority of the referee crew by saying things like "Call it both ways", "You're terrible, horrible", "Ref you don't know what you're doing", "Ref control the game!". The players will start acting on it if they hear it on going and unchecked. If the garbage from the parents is bad enough and comes often enough, the players will start fouling harder and harder. That is how games get "out of control". If the ref doesn't get the parents to keep quiet, kids end up getting hurt.

And before you start in on the referee keeping up with the U15s and U16s, the older refs are out there in the first place because the younger refs don't put up with the crap from the parents and quit; the older refs are all that's left. It's nothing for a 60+ year old ref to have to work 3 or 4 games on a Saturday or Sunday because of the shortage; if they don't work, your kids don't play. Full disclosure - I have played at every level of the game short of getting paid for it, and have been a USSF licensed Coach (since 2003) and Referee (since 1976).

[naidyob]

This is the reason referees are in short supply i am behind the ref 100% i have removed lots of parents for doing the same

[jacksonrhodes]

I like that ref, it is very annoying as the player not even the ref, but when a parent is saying bad things about something it gets frustrating. Good for him

[wow]

All these videos on YouTube, there has been a shortage of referees for the past 3-4 years. It’s no surprise, it does not look to slow down.

[arsenalgunners]

People's comments on here are ridiculous. "Thick skin?" Since when is it ok to treat people like trash? USSF recruits referees at age 13. The things I've heard people say to 13, 14. 15 y/o refs are just nuts. Would you tolerate anyone talking to you like this outside a game? What about your kid? You "thick skin" types apparently lack the wherewithal to stand up for yourself. You are number 3 on the list of problems, right after (1) parents & (2) coaches.

[MegaDeansy]

Good call, ref - except the guy he spoke to didn't exactly go out of his way to get the message across !

[Dani-itsy]

Good thing. He seems to be the only one caring about putting a good example for these children. Many parents should be a shamed of themselves nowadays for how they raise their children. What kind of morals they teach them.

[javiermorales]

The worst part is when parents have no clue how the rules of soccer go.

[gavinsingh]

I was a ref...was. Stopped for this reason. The strange thing is children are ok with your calls.

[MrJking]

I thought there were only douchenozzles in Little League seesm to be the same way in Scoccer.

[ozarked]

As a referee I never asked the coaches to deal with the parents. If the parents are a problem for the referee they're more than likely a problem for the coach as well. My method was to deal with them direct. The first time I asked them nicely to stop. The second time I warned them it wouldn't be tolerated. The third time they're gone. 99% of the time the warning works. Twelve minutes into the match is fairly early for the warning but I once told a coach fairly early in the game that I had already done 4 games that day so I was tired and lacking patience. It would be in his best interest to not be a problem for me today. It worked.

[keithmcphail]

one of the reasons that we put the team and the parents together, with teams on opposite sides of the field. it's obvious who the culprits are and easy to chastise/warning and then ask to leave if warranted.

[jackbaribeau]

Love how confused they look, yet everywhere they gelanceerd they are being told that this is their responsibility....because it is