Sharing responsibilities as a referee

Share the responsibility with other officials, coaches and captains so that you closely involve them in creating a sporting environment for the game. This will contribute to their motivation and enjoyment of the game as well as yours. 

SPACE FOR OWN SOLUTIONS 
As a referee, you don’t have to bear all the responsibility on your own. Involve athletes and coaches, so you give them the space to solve situations themselves. That way, you’ll have to intervene less and you’ll notice that the game runs smoother. 

SHARING RESPONSIBILITY IS TAKING RESPONSIBILITY 
If you give someone explicit responsibility, then the chances of that person taking responsibility are much higher. Therefore, think about the cases in which you expect a coach or captain to take responsibility and discuss this beforehand. This way you can 
they ask for cooperation during the contest. 

PRACTICAL TIPS 
– Make arrangements about the responsibility at a quiet moment, so you can talk and discuss it quietly and not have to do this later in the heat of the moment. 

– Make a list of important points of attention and risks in advance, so that you create a kind of ‘responsibility checklist’ for yourself. 

– Also tune the communication process, for example whether the captain is the only one allowed to ask questions and within what limits a coach should remain in the communication to the players. 

– Ask the cooperation of athletes or coaches during the game to get something done, because behavior changes sooner if it comes from the players or coach themselves. 

– After the game, evaluate how those involved experienced the sharing of responsibility. For example, discuss a specific situation that you found difficult, so you can learn from it for the next games.

You can do this by optimizing your performance as a referee, through succesful and flawless communications with your assistants on the sidelines to make the right decisions. Check out the soccer referee communication system by AXIWI and discover how you can improve your game!