How to Become a Better Referee Below are some ideas on how to get "promoted" and work more challenging matches. Not all ideas are appropriate for all referees. Use what you think applicable. Ignore the rest.
- Set Goals every Game
- During the pregame, establish one thing that you will try to conciously do better this upcoming match. Ideas include: posture, deliberate flag mechanics, more eye contact, timing of signals, louder whistle, anything. Ask your crewmates to help and to comment.
- Reflect
- After every game, ask the other referees in your crew for feedback. If other referees watched even just a few minutes of the game, ask them too. Listen for ideas and digest later.
- Keep a Journal
- Keep a record of every game. Date, time, place, competition, gender, age, etc. Note something that happened in the game - a rare call. A tough PK decision. Your first red card. Anything. The number and level of matches that you have worked will be asked.
- Solicit Evaluations
- After the game, the coach gives you a compliment for a good game. Thank the coach and then ask them if they would mind visiting the Pensra website and submitting an evaluation. Tell the coach that this is how you get noticed.
- Get Mentored
- Some leagues pay for mentors. Some clubs pay for mentors. Pensra pays for mentors. Reach out to the assignor that you work for and ask.
- On Line Training
- CNRA
 has evening webinars for referees. There are many. Start with the Grassroots webinars. You can see the old ones on YouTube. But BEST to participate live during the webinar. Ask a question. The CNRA webinar software tracks who attends live and participates. That information is used to identify "up and coming" referees. Other organizations also run training webinars. For example USSF and NorCal Premier.
- Old School - Books
- Read. Actually read the LOTG. Study the Law Book. Find something called the "Considerations" and study them.
- Social Media
- There are bulletin boards, instagram accounts, and YouTube postings. Be cautious as these are not "official" interpertations of the LOTG. For official interpretations, visit the USSF and the FIFA websites. There is a wealth of information.
- Volunteer to get noticed
- CNRA has Referee Programs. The higher levels are by invitation. But the the first level is by self selection. Visit the Youth Referee Program page and sign up.
- More Assignors
- Most referees start with the local youth club and that club's assignor. You want to work adult matches? Probably a different assignor. You want to work the higher leagues? Probably a different assignor. You want to work middle or high school matches? Find those assignors.
- Referee Associations
- The San Jose Soccer Referee Association meets around 10 times a year in Cupertino. The meetings involve grouop discussions of the nuances of the Laws of the Game. Go to these meetings.
- Watch better referees
- In person or on TV. Watch where they move, how they move, their positioning and mechanics. Ask your self "Why?". And choose what to emulate.
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