Zero Tolerance Policy for Referee Abuse - Referee Follow Up

If you haven’t heard yet, UYSA has implemented a Zero Tolerance Policy towards referee abuse for sideline behavior. This is in regard to UYSA’s State Competition League. The initial notice was sent to all club leadership, parents, and coaches. A copy can be found on the UYSA blog or by clicking here. 

What does this mean for referees?

Keep doing your best work! We want referees to be respectful and understanding. We realize that you will have to be the bigger person in many circumstances, but we will rely on the referees to be the administrator of the game and be responsible with that power. If there are any instances that you feel needs to be brought to our attention, please continue to use the Game Comments Review Request check box when completing your Match Review and leave a note in the comments section to let us know what happened. We will review all of these games and start suspending sidelines if needed.  

Referees will continue to have the ability to clear a sideline if the sideline has become out of the control. We ask that you only use this option to safely continue the match. However, if a sideline is cleared by the referee, UYSA will review the Match Report, do some additional groundwork and make a determination for that team’s sideline for the remainder of the season. We recognize that there will be some level of interaction between the referees and the fans in most games and we ask that you use your best judgement. Please do not use this authority to clear an entire sideline for one comment. Please give coaches and parents warnings. Please be direct and clear with the coaches from the beginning. If you ever feel threatened or feel that the crowd has crossed a line, then absolutely feel free to dismiss the sideline before the match will continue. We know it will take time and commitment to change the sideline culture, but we are committed to doing it.

How will this work once a sideline is suspended?

For this to work, UYSA will send email notice to the referee assignor and the assigned referees prior to the match; informing them of the suspended sideline. The notice will include which team has a suspended sideline and instructions on how to enforce this suspension. The suspended sideline will be aware of their suspension and hopefully there should not be any discussion necessary with them prior, during, or after the match. 

When a team has received a suspended sidelines the only permitted people to be present at the game are the coaches listed on the game day roster/digital player card and a team manager for player safety/injury issues. All other spectators will be required to be at least 100 yards away from the field. If a suspended sideline is not complying, the referee should not start the match until the sideline is in compliance. If a sideline continues to not comply, the referees should call the match, fill out the game report and notify us of what occurred, and we will mark the game as a forfeit for that team.  

SRC Certified Assignors – In order for this to be successful, referee assignors need to assign referees to games with enough time for USYA to a send a notice to referees. This will be a team effort to make it work! 

We are working digitately to make the referee experience at all UYSA games and events to be positive and productive. This is an ongoing effort, and we will continue to pivot and adjust as necessary.

Yours Truly,

Utah Youth Soccer