Chas Denonno - A Referee's Journey

[Psyatika]

I have had this going for quite some time, and now that i can post here regularly again, i will post it up here.

Thu, 9th Sep 2004 12:50

A little about myself:
I am [as of the date of this post] 21 years old. My parents were both born in Australia (my late mother was Aboriginal), and one set of grandparents were born in Sicily (the non-Aboriginal ones :P ) I, however, was born in New York City, in Little Italy. I played a bunch of sports starting when i was 11, and took up football (the real kind, with a round ball) when i was 13, as a goalkeeper. I'm pretty good, and played semi-professionally last year.
I began to referee Basketball when i was 14. I tried to enter courses for American Football, but was denied for being under the age of 18. When i turned 18, i began training to become an American Football referee, which i am still doing to some extent, although my primary focus is Football.

Tomorrow evening is a big day, as it will be the conclusion of training, meaning i will receive my first badge! It's only an American Youth Soccer Organisation Local Badge, but it's a start!

Statistics:
Career Appearances
Men (Amateur):
-Referee: 48
U19 Boys
-Referee: 10
U19 Girls
-Referee: 47
-Assistant: 5
U14 Boys
-Referee: 4
U14 Girls
-Referee: 11
-Assistant: 34
U8 Boys
-Referee: 1
Total:
-Referee: 121
-Assistant: 39

Discipline
Yellow Cards: 34
Second Yellow Cards: 1
Red Cards: 8


Milestones
1st Cap as Centre Referee: 19 September 2004
25th Cap Overall: 8 January 2005
50th Cap as Centre Referee: 5 March 2005
100th Cap Overall: 22 May 2005
AYSO Intermediate Referee: 14 November 2005
100th Cap as a Centre Referee: 25 February 2006


-Chas

 

[Psyatika]

Posted: Fri, 10th Sep 2004 22:55

Wow, a lot of things happened tonight.

First of all, i had my last training course. It was easy, as i expected, and the final exam was a breeze. I am now officially a referee, complete with my first badge!

After everything was done i was speaking with the three refs who were at the course. I talked about little details of the rules, drew up a diagram of the Van Nistelrooy goal in the Euros v. Czech Republic (the one many debated was offside), random things. They then asked me which division my child was in (parents tend to officiate in the division in which their child plays). "I don't have a child, i'm only 21." i said, "I hope to one day turn pro, and i'm volunteering here for experience."

With this, one of the referees immediately claimed me for his division because he wants good referees (which they have decided that i am). The good news is, this referee's division is girls U13s, meaning that i would get to officiate U13s instead of the U10s i was expecting to handle!

After this, another of the refs walked out with me and asked me why i'm not refereeing for travel teams (where i would get paid), and i told him that i figured i would need to start as a volunteer if i expect to get aything like that. He gave me his email address, and told me that he would gather information and give it to me about taking another course in October (an 18 hour course) that would certify me as a regional USSF referee.

I really hope the opportunity comes my way, as i would love to move up as quickly as possible. But in the meantime, i am happy to volunteer with the Under 10s (or apparently the Under 13s!)

I will scan a pic of my badge as soon as i can!


-Chas

 

[Psyatika]

Posted: Sat, 11th Sep 2004 09:28

So here it is, my first badge! Keep in mind that "regional" is in the sense that a region is smaller than a city.

 

[Psyatika]

Posted: Sat, 11th Sep 2004 09:59

(someone asked about the referee colours in the USA)
It's strange.

The official colours for referees in the USSF are Yellow and Red. One can wear Yellow with black stripes or Red with Black stripes.

The AYSO (which is under the USSF, mind you) uses Yellow and BLACK, NOT Red. So my Red kit is useless in the AYSO. They gave me a Yellow kit, and i already had an official one, so i have two Yellow kits to use.

I was told by one of the refs that the AYSO is allowing Blue kits this season, so i may go out and get a Blue kit with black stripes and bring it to matches where i won't have assistants (unless the assistants also wear blue, since we all need to match).

Oh, and by the way, i now have two of everything since i had already purchased the official 11 piece referee kit for the USSF, and i just received an additional set of equipment from the AYSO.


-Chas

 

[Psyatika]

Posted: Sat, 11th Sep 2004 10:04

Someone on another forum:
By the way...uhm, maybe I haven`t read the text so well, but do you gonna tell everything about your matches like...uhmm...whats the name on it... :? Prewiews it`s called! Are you going to make those?

~Cheers

I was intending on doing match reports here, since eventually i would have to submit them anyway, so i figured i'd make a copy and post it here as well.

For AYSO matches, referees do not keep score (football is educational at this level, not competitive), and only report cards issued or any action that needs discipline (like coach's dissent). I think this is up to U13s or so. Therefore, i would not be submitting a match report to the AYSO, even for the U13 matches. However, i will still keep record of the match for my own practice, and i will also report here.

My girlfriend took a picture of me with my new badge in the red kit, so i can post that one up as soon as she gets it developed.


-Chas

 

[Psyatika]

Posted: Mon, 13th Sep 2004 15:31

My first two matches will be this Sunday morning!

Head Referee for the Girls' U13 Division
NEXT SUNDAY, September 19th.
Are you available? We try to play each game with a center ref and two
assistant refs. There is a need next week for an asst. ref for the 8:30 game and a center ref for the following game at 9:50.

The field is a new artificial grass field at 138th & Amsterdam.

In case it isn't obvious, i said yes, and my debut will come on Sunday morning, as an Assistant ref, followed my first match in the middle!


-Chas

 

[Psyatika]

Posted: Sun, 19th Sep 2004 05:43

My first two matches are coming up...first one is just 106 minutes away! I am definitely ready...it's 12 year old ownage time, referee style!

(i really hope i don't have to card anyone...my final instructor said he just gave out his first card the week before, after 6 years of reffing, and he also does U13s)

(but now that i think about it, i'm doing U13s to start, so maybe my case is different. and if those little kids think they can push me over because it's my first day theyre in for a surprise, cuz i really like my shiny new yellow card ...only kidding of course, but i'm definitely not afraid to use it)


-Chas

 

[Psyatika]

Posted: Sun, 19th Sep 2004 14:49

Sunday 19 September 2004

Hey,

Thought i'd be doing two matches today. Turned out i'd end up doing FOUR matches, back-to-back!

All four matches were U13s (or U14s, whatever they're called).

Showed up for the first match and got rid of the nerves as an Assistant Ref. Made one call for offside the whole match.

Then my big match: match two was as a main referee. I blew late on a couple fouls, and the poor girls got confused when i'd use hand signals, so after a few minutes i started making signals AND explaining what they mean. Game ended something like 3-1, and the team with 1 had one disallowed because the assistant raised his flag after the goal had already scored, and i went with his judgement.

Then i went back to being an assistant for the last two matches. I signalled offside on what ended up being a goal, but the referee overruled me, since he thought the offside player was inactive (looked to me like she distracted the goalkeeper enough to help the goal, but i guess the referee had a better angle)

So now:
Career Appearances
-Referee: 1
-Assistant: 3


-Chas

 

[Psyatika]

Posted: Wed, 29th Sep 2004 22:24

My girlfriend finally got the picture developed.

-Chas

 

[Psyatika]

Posted: Mon, 11th Oct 2004 08:55

Hey,
Had a couple weeks off. As they immediately promoted me up to U13s when i started, AYSO had already made the schedule before i could get on it. I am a "floating" ref, which is actually now working out very well.
Yesterday i was to be an assistant in two matches. The first one was really good (i made my first offside call, where the kids actually trapped a striker who was camping on her end, which i thought was impressive), the second one i'll get to in a moment.

In the third match of the day, the main referee was running late, so i was asked to fill in, so i did (strangely enough, i've got something like 15 matches in the next 6 weeks as a result of filling in for people as the floater. Well, i'm not complaining.). The match was fun...the main difference i notice between me and other referees in the division is that i am a lot faster...a LOT faster. And i tend to sprint up and down the pitch (granted, at 21 i'm the youngest referee by far, and the only one without children, and it's not that hard to sprint for 30 minutes at a time with a bunch of 7th and 8th years, but still...). I know sprinting is bad because it means you're out of position, but i'm never really out of position...i just tend to sprint whenever i'm meant to jog. I made one strange call...a striker with no help was tripped by a defender, but stayed up and could have run for goal despite being triple teamed, so i called it back for the foul. I could hear people talking about advantage, so at the end of the ensuing play i took a wide run to centre so i could pass close to the assistant referee to let her know that the 12 year old was triple-teamed with no help, so i felt she would be better off with a restart than trying to take on three players. The best option would have been to call advantage and see if she can get a shot away, and if not then make the call, because she would have been past all three defenders had she not been tripped.

Now, that last match as a AR...in the second half the other assistant and i switched positions, which is normal, as in most cases, the AR is a licenced referee who has a child in the league, and is therefore not allowed to line up in the child's offensive half. In this case, my end was in the shade and very cold, so we switched so that we both could have the sunny side of the pitch. That, and so we both could get abuse from the coach on that side as well.

This man was shouting at his players (coaches are there to provide positive instruction, not point out mistakes loudly and in front of everyone to embarass the player). He argued almost every call in the match, to the point where i had to tell him to stop arguing if he wants to avoid being dismissed. Rather than stop, he tells me that he has a right to disagree, and that he doesn't get paid to be there (last i checked, no one in AYSO gets paid, and everything is paid for with registration fees and sponsor deals). He yelled at (someone who i hope is) his daughter for not wanting to go into the game for the last 15 minutes. At the end of the match i went to the referee and let him know, but it didn't matter because 1) the referee heard it all too and was going to submit a report, and 2) the guy was already coming at us to shout some more abuse. I submitted a report as well, since i had the best listening position and could provide more details as to what he said and did. His attitude had an effect even on his players, who seemed very nervous and edgy, which resulted in the first yellow card i have seen on this level, as a player very badly tripped a player after she had already passed the ball away. I will be warning the coach and alerting the other referees before every match his team plays from now on, in order to prevent him from repeating these actions (this is apparently not the first time he has done this in the 4 week old season).

I won't let that little incident ruin my experience, as i still had fun and learnt a lot from being in the centre. I've got better at anticipating the ball's location, staying in my half when i feel the ball is about to be cleared right back to where i am, staying back for the goal kicks if i think the ball is going to be turned over. I tend to let a lot of physical stuff go, but always give out verbal warnings during and after the incidents. I've got better at watching for holding and the like, not just seeing the ball and players' feet. It should be fun again next week

Career Appearances
-Referee: 2
-Assistant: 5


-Chas

 

[Psyatika]

Sunday 24 October 2004
Thought i had two matches today, but actually had three (this is why you show up to matches early...the extra match was scheduled 90 minutes before what i thought was my first match!).

The matches went alright...the worst was the second match. These four random "thugs" or whatever decided to take a break from freestyle rapping and smoking pot in their mom's basement to attend the match. They all sat just about on the touchline on (of course) my side of the pitch. I told them to back away from the line, which led to 50 questions about why they need to move. One of the "thugs" nearly got hit in the head by the ball right about then, so that answered that. They were shouting at the players (who, by the way, are TWELVE YEAR OLD GIRLS), and harassing the officials, to the point where i had to raise my flag and step onto the field to alert the referee that they are causing more trouble than she had initially assumed. The police were called (by cursing on NYC Parks Department grounds, they were technically breaking the law) and they eventually got bored and went back to their gin and juice and their unemployment cheques (before you call me racist, keep in mind that i'm half black...this isn't about race; it's about stupidity, which i do not tolerate.). Some of the kids were a bit shaken by it all, but for the most part it didn't really affect their play. I guess on the bright side of it all, at least the "thugs" showed a bit of interest in football

Career Appearances:
Referee: 2
Assistant: 8

-Chas

 

[Psyatika]

Sunday 31 Oct 2004

Halloween, and two more matches as an AR. Nothing really exciting to comment about, except that in the match after my two, the ref crew was pleased that i pointed out that one of the team's goalkeepers was wearing the same colour as the rest of the team just before the opening whistle, so the problem was quickly sorted and i was given honourary fourth official status for the match, which i wore proudly as i sat on the ground a few metres away from the pitch

Career Appearances:
Referee: 2
Assistant: 10


-Chas

 

[Psyatika]

7 November 2004
I was supposed to have 3 matches as an AR today, but due to the New York Marathon, one of the referees was unable to make it for my second match, plus the center ref for that match had to leave before the match could start, meaning that i had to not only be the center ref, but the ONLY ref for the match. It was fun yet, as i am quite easily able to keep pace with the youth players, and i just had to a bit of extra running to judge offside position (of which there were none in this match...just my luck). Nothing out of the ordinary from today's matches, but next week should be my big test...literally.

On 14 November, i have four matches, all in a row, starting at 830 in the morning. The first three are as Assistant Ref, and then the last one is not only as the Center Ref, but the two ARs are none other than (gulp) the Head Referee of my division AND the Division Head! And to add to the fire into which i'm about to leap headfirst, the daughters of both of these important people are playing in the match. Nonetheless, it should still be a fun experience.

I contacted someone at Chelsea Piers about joining up to referee the Winter Leagues they have there. Youth Leagues start in December, but given my ability it shouldn't be too short of notice. Adult leagues start in January, but i may not have the proper qualifications as of yet. See you next week.

Career Appearances:
Referee: 3
Assistant: 12


-Chas

 

[Psyatika]

Whoops, didn't post for a couple weeks, so here's the run-down:

14 November 2004
My four matches were quite smooth and easy, including my "final exam". Called a lot more handballs than normal, and nearly was driven to give my first yellow card because a girl wouldn't STFU about her teammate (the GK) handling the ball outside of the area. Honestly, i had the wrong angle to see if she did, but the AR on that side saw it and raised the flag immediately, so there really was no question. The conversation basically went like this:

Me: Handball, free kick to Green.
Girl: What? Handball?
Me: Yes, handball.
Girl: That isn't handball.
Me: It's handball.
Girl: No, it isn't.
Me: Handball, free kick to Green (reaching for pocket).
(at this point the girl goes away)

I guess you had to be there...

Career Appearances:
Referee: 4
Assistant: 15

 

[Psyatika]

21 November 2004
Final week of the Fall season. Only one match scheduled for me, but ended up doing two, both as AR. This week was "silent sunday", meaning the parents and coaches could not shout at the players, meaning a much easier time for the referees and a much more fun experience for the players. My personal favourite player (defined as the one i talk to the most) scored a goal in one of the matches i was not refereeing, so i was happy for her.

After the matches, there was an awards ceremony for those involved in the league. They wanted to honour the referees at the beginning and single me out for being the only volunteer without a child in the league and the only person in the league who travels from outside of New York, but no other referees actually showed up to the ceremony, so i was singled out twice .

I finally received return messages from different winter leagues, and i will be remaining in AYSO, but changing regions, joining the Brooklyn AYSO to referee in U14 and U16 girls matches. I'll be back in the Spring to return to U13s in Manahattan, most likely.

A bunch of weeks off, and then some real tests as i get my first matches at the U16 level. Am i ready?


Career Appearances:
Referee: 4
Assistant: 17

 

[Psyatika]

Finally received my assignments for the upcoming Winter season. I have committed to all the league's matches (3 matches per week, 8 weeks), beginning on 8 January. I may not have to actually officialte in every match, because the league might be able to find another referee to join me, but i let the league know that they won't have to worry if they can't find another referee.

 

[Psyatika]

8 Jan 2005
Opening day of the AYSO Winter Season. I didn't know how long it would take me to reach the gym in Brooklyn, so i left New Jersey at 8 in the morning, needing to be there by 11:00. The PATH train is a fast trip into NYC, and apparently it was only three stops on the NYC subway to reach my Brooklyn destination, so i ended up at the gym around 9:30 Apparently it's a good thing i was so early, because the boys U19 division was having its matches, and when i got there, they all assumed i was the referee for the next Boys match, because no other referee had turned up. So i ended up officiating in that match, as well as my scheduled three.

For the first time, i actually took down notes during the match. I had written up the data sheets for my matches before arriving, so all i had to do was fill them in with the proper data. I only tallied the goals, since i wasn't sure i could write anything else down fast enough. By the second match or so, i was getting pretty fast with documenting goals, so next week i might try to also write down the number of the scoring player. I don't want to waste time doing it, because technically i don't need to keep the stats during the match, so i'm adding a little bit of extra duty at a time until i'm comfortable. Practise makes perfect, after all.

PS the last match was my 25th cap!

Appearences:
-Referee: 8
-Assistant: 17

 

[Frostwolf]

Great work, refereeing does seem interesting when on a non-competitive level. Nice read.

 

[Psyatika]

Thanks mate!

15 Jan 2005
Just had my regularly scheduled three games this week. It went alright, but for some reason in one of my matches, the ball decided that it really fancied me, because i was hit about 10 times! At halftime, a couple players from one of the teams said that i'm always in the way and standing in the wrong place, so i asked them where else i should be if they expect me to do my job. In the second half, i was hit about 5 times, each time was on a rather poor clearance that managed to fly in my direction, and each time i shouted to the players in question "was i in the wrong place?" The matches were fun regardless.

My January 22 matches soon to come.

Appearances:
Referee: 11
Assistant: 17

 

[Rochester Rhino]

even though i'm never taken a corse ot got my license, i've refed a game or two and got paid, in are region rdysl, the referees get paid and it's like $20 a game, so it's good money.