CLUB HEAD REFEREE - GORD ARROWSMITH
Contact Gord regarding all general referee inquiries including
interpretation of rules, referee decisions, preparation of reports,
uniform issues,
training, discipline, etc.
e-mail: whitbyrefs@rogers.com
REFEREE GAME ASSIGNOR - VINCE HATHAWAY
Contact Vince ONLY to schedule or cancel games.
e-mail: whitbyscheduler@rogers.com
Scheduler's phone - emergencies only
905-668-0623
DO NOT call on residence phone line
You will be contacted if games are cancelled
There is no need to call.
Please check the website as well.
If fields are not closed by the Town, proceed to your game.
| NEXT PAY - TBA |
This clinic is FULL
This clinic is FULL
This clinic is FULL
Now that Christmas is over it’s time to look forward to getting back onto the field and refereeing. With that in mind, I am compiling a list of referees who would like to referee for WISC this year. Please go HERE and complete the form if you wish to be considered for referee positions
Please also keep in mind that you MUST register with the Ontario Soccer Association every year to be eligible to referee. I will notify everyone when it comes time to register. We will have an Outdoor clinic before the season. At this clinic you will have to show proof of your OSA registration.
This year is going to be a very exciting year for the Whitby Iroquois Soccer Club. Our new dome is scheduled to be built and is expected to be ready for our 2008-09 indoor season. Priority for refereeing indoor games, as always will be given to those referees who help us during the outdoor season.
Have a happy and safe time during the winter months. I will be keeping in touch my email.
If you have any questions do not hesitate to send me an email
Please remember that everyone MUST register with the Ontario Soccer Association to enable you to referee for Whitby. For all C4 referees under the age of 16 as of the 1st April the registration fee is $25, C4's over 16 the fee is $40. You must show proof of your registration when you attend the Refresher clinic. If you do not register by 1st April 2008 the OSA will charge you a $15 late fee. So please do it NOW.
It is your responsibility to get games. DO NOT wait to be phoned.
If you are cancelling a game, do not assume that a voice message left is sufficient. Please be sure you speak to someone directly. Last minute cancellations cause inconvenience for everyone
and result in too many games not being covered.
Only very real emergencies justify late cancellation of a game assignment.
Please make sure your schedule permits you to accept a game before doing so.
If you are unsure of a game assignment, send an e-mail
for confirmation or leave a message that you require confirmation.
Check out your uniform & equipment to make sure
you are ready for your next game assignment.
Ensure that you attend your game
dressed in the recognized and proper referee uniform
and using only the proper equipment - whistle, match pad, stop watch, badge.
When on the field - indoor or outdoor:
No hats, no visors, no sunglasses, no long pants, no clipboards, etc.
Use the Flash to Bang method to monitor lightning for evacuation of the playing field to a safer environment. With this method the seconds are counted from the time a flash of lightning is seen until a clap of thunder is heard. When this number is 30 seconds or less, evacuation of the field should get under way. Lightning awareness should begin with the first flash of lightning seen or thunder clap heard.
Large enclosed structures (substantially constructed buildings) tend to be much safer than smaller or open structures. If the game is inside a stadium, encourage all players and coaches to go to the dressing rooms. If however, such a building is not available, fully enclosed vehicles such as cars, trucks, buses, vans, fully enclosed farm vehicles, etc. with the windows rolled up provide good shelter from lightning. Never stand under trees, in an open field or under an umbrella.
The game should not be restarted until 30 minutes after the last clap of thunder was heard or the last flash of lightning was seen.
"If you can see it (lightning) flee it; if you can hear it (thunder) clear it."
Click here for more information on field closures.
A player must not use equipment or wear anything which is dangerous to himself or another player (including any kind of jewellery)." FIFA Laws of the Game 2007"
It is the referee's discretion as to what she/he deems safe or unsafe equipment which a player proposes to wear for the game. The referee is at the field, can see the item and so is the sole person who makes the decision.
To assist referees in guiding their decisions:
For clarification, an item which is not on the compulsory basic equipment list on page 15 (FIFA Laws of the Game 2002) may be worn by a player providing the referee approves.
A number of items which players have proposed be allowed to be worn in games have been permitted by some referees and alternatively disallowed by other referees. This has caused some confusion. As much as possible, we do want to encourage participation by as many players as possible, while creating a safe playing environment.
With advances in technology, many pieces of equipment have been designed to enable a player to compete and/or increase mobility. Referees may allow such pieces of players' equipment.
Common sense must prevail when decisions are made regarding the equipment worn by players.
Examples:
Standard eyeglasses are considered a medical necessity and may be worn;
A referee would typically request that tape or a bandage be applied to secure the ends of a "medical alert bracelet" instead of having it removed or covering the symbol;
A soft headband made from terrycloth or similar material is preferable to metal or plastic hairclips;
Bandannas are not accepted since headbands are readily available and bandannas have been associated with the wearing of "colours";
All types of jewellery must be removed - if for some reason, for example a ring cannot be removed, tape should be applied around the finger.
Hard plaster casts are rarely approved for play due to the nature of their construction;
Types of knee supports vary greatly in their construction, condition, amount of padding and other factors which make it impossible to apply blanket approval for use in games. Referees are instructed that they may allow a player to play with such a support based on an evaluation of the equipment on the day of the game including a visual examination and/or by touching the equipment.
The decision of the referee may include:
a) acceptance of the player's equipment;
b) indicating needed adjustments (eg. more padding); or
c) non-acceptance of the player's equipment.
Referees are advised that a fully covered (padded or with sleeve covering) knee support with no exposed metal or plastic should be accepted.
A player who is proposing to wear a knee support should ask the referee to inspect the equipment well in advance of the scheduled kickoff of the game so time will be available to make adjustments to the level of padding if needed.
Referees are encouraged to work with the team trainer to indicate to the trainer what needs to be done in order to minimize the time required to make the adjustments.
The decision of the referee is final on matters concerning the equipment used by players.
When a referee follows the OSA protocol for inspecting players' equipment, and the referee is officiating a sanctioned game where the players are registered and the referee is also registered, then that official will be protected by the OSA Insurance Programme for liability.
By some branches, advising their members to disallow all knee braces, without following the OSA protocol (as the specific event referee assigned to the game is the person responsible), this has created a potential liability issue for the OSRA and its branches which you may want to be aware of and deal with before the outdoor season begins.
If a referee disallows a knee brace, then it is likely (at some point perhaps soon) we will have litigation filed against the OSA/OSRA by a parent whose child has been told variously, yes you can play and no - no knee braces at all. In fact, during a discovery hearing, an official may be asked, why did you disallow the knee brace? Answer: Because my branch told me to disallow all knee braces. Did you look at the knee brace? No, my branch indicated not to allow knee braces.
In this circumstance, the branch and OSRA would then be responsible for advice provided, "to the contrary" and it is likely the plaintiff would also name the official, branch and OSRA in the suit The OSA Insurance would not, however, be in effect since the official has not followed the protocol and the OSRA has not advised its members to follow OSA policy.
Since the advice being offered by some of the branches to not allow knee braces is also well known in the larger soccer community, following the protocol, but disallowing the knee braces anyway, is also not an option.
Taking this further, since neither the OSRA Provincial Body nor its branches are incorporated nor as far as I'm aware is there a D/O liability policy in effect, persons on the executives of either the branch or provincial body would have to fund the cost for their own defence and possible settlement costs if such a suit was filed.
In order to prevent this from taking place, please inform the branches that providing advice contrary to that of the OSA results in total responsibility for that advice falling on the individuals involved.