| Soccer is an active and exciting international game played by people of all ages and skills. In LMYA, soccer instruction is offered to children of kindergarten age and above. The goal is to teach players the strategies and techniques of the game while concentrating on good sportsmanship and enjoyment. In LMYA, safety is emphasized. Since soccer is a body-contact sport, some control must be exercised to prevent players of mismatched skill and size from hurting each other or gaining an unfair advantage from their size. The youngest age groups have a coach on the field to promote safety and fair play. Starting with second grade group, parents will also notice that the referee has become more important in the control of the game. The role of the referee is to see that everyone has a good time by enforcing the "Laws of the Game" and by making sure that no injuries are caused by illegal equipment.
In LMYA anyone can, and in fact is encouraged to become a referee. Currently, there are over 30 referees in the LMYA soccer pool. You all probably know some of them. They are your children or your neighbors children or even a few dedicated parents. They all had to be twelve years old to start and they all had to take a referee training session.
You as parents can help support our youth referees and set a good example for your players. Each year we unfortunately lose good referees because they are discouraged by the verbal abuse they must endure. Remember that these young referees are doing their best to keep the game safe and fair, without unduly interrupting the flow of the game. They are having to watch the ball, watch the players, know where the lines are, and make split second decisions regarding fouls, complicated off-side rules and the like. They cannot always see everything on the field, but they see more of the play than the spectators and even many players. Please support the referees, accept their decisions without argument and encourage your players to do likewise. Teach your children that they are responsible for their own level of play and that few games are ever won or lost on referee calls. Teach your children (and yourselves) to accept those calls they may disagree with as part of life. Complaining about a referee, or blaming them for losing the game for us does not promote personal responsibility or good sportsmanship. Set a good example. Should there be a concern about a referee, please call the Referee Coordinator to discuss the problem; do not yell at the referee. Do not hesitate to compliment a referee whom you feel has done a good job. Also, do not hesitate to volunteer as an adult referee, and encourage your child to avail themselves of this excellent experience.
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