Massachusetts selections to the 2013 Region I Championship Tournament

** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FROM THE MSRC ***

With special thanks to the Massachusetts State Referee Committee, and SYRA Brian Treanor, I am pleased to relay the last of three announcements appointing referees to the 2013 series of Regional tournaments for Massachusetts!

The final tournament to be announced is the preeminent event for teams and referees in Region I. The Region I Championships bring together the winners of the State Cup tournaments held throughout the 15 state region consisting of state associations from Maine to Virginia. The teams at this tournament are vying for the title of Region I Champion which earns them the right to compete at the US Youth Soccer National Championships in Overland Park, Kansas. Referees attending the regional tournaments must be at the top of the youth soccer ranks. This 5 day tournament is a demanding journey that tests a referee's fitness, endurance, refereeing ability, and the ability to acquit themselves well off the field. Referees who do well at "Regionals" may be selected to work as a Referee or Assistant Referee at the 2013 US Youth Soccer National Championships.

Without further delay, here are the members of this year's delegation:

Referees:
Thomas Belanger 

Anthony Brossi
Erin Cappellucci
Jordan Cavaco
Nikolas Coelho
Nathanael Dewhurst
Nicholas Grimard
Scott McGrail
Ian McKay
Max Perkins
Eric Schreiber
Igor Senic
Kristin Sundberg 

Assessors:
William Carey 

Elie Nassif
Ed Rae 

Alternates:
Alex White 
Karl Sundberg
Alex Fusco

Brian Treanor will be leading the delegation once again this year as the head of delegation without a role as referee or assessor.

Massachusetts selections to the 2013 Region I ODP Tournament

** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FROM THE MSRC ***

With special thanks to the Massachusetts State Referee Committee, and SYRA Brian Treanor, I am pleased to relay the second of three announcements appointing referees to the 2013 series of Regional tournaments for Massachusetts!

The tournament to be announced today will be the Region I ODP Tournament. The Region I ODP Tournament is part one of a two part competition that will lead to the crowning of the Region I ODP champions. The tournament will take place from June 7 through June 9. The Region I champions will advance to take part in the National ODP Championships. Referees attending the Region I ODP Tournament may be selected to work at the Region I ODP Finals which take place shortly after the round robin leg on June 7-9. A referee appointed to the Region I ODP Finals may be selected to advance to the ODP National Championships.

I am pleased to announce that this year's Massachusetts referee/assessor delegation to the 2013 Region I ODP Tournament will be:

Referees:
Anthony Brossi
Joseph Welsby
Erin Cappellucci
Emma Saporito
Jordan Cavaco
Nikolas Coelho
Nicholas Grimard
Karl Sundberg
Brad Weitzel
Fouad Madkour
Zachary Mintz 

Assessors:
Lukengu Jean-Pierre Musanda
One assessor TBA 

Alternates:
David Rodriguez
Mello Barros
Alex Fusco 

The head of delegation for the Region I ODP Tournament will be Anthony Brossi!

Congratulations to all on this significant milestone in your refereeing and assessing career!

A Hopeless American View

Well I am back and mostly recovered from my experiences at the Region I tournament in Lancaster Pennsylvania over the last week or so. There are several stories to share, some funny, some very serious. The first one however was an indication of just how myopic the American view of the sport is.

Here is the scenario:
I was asked to assess a variety of matches over the week. This particular one was a "boys" U-19 match between Eastern PA and Virginia. As some may know these teams are tremendously skilled, and I took note of at least one US National pool player. Also noteworthy was the fact that the referee was a National candidate.

After about 19', play was excellent and moving at a breakneck pace with the referee doing a tremendous job in understanding that the players were there to play, and managed them to perfection in my estimation. In that time the referee had (2) match critical decisions, managed through what could have been a caution, and each team had no fewer than (3) goal scoring opportunities each.

As I was standing there enjoying the match, a parent of one of the teams came by and asked me, "Is there any score?" I replied "Yes, it is currently nil, nil."

He stopped and look perplexed for a second and reflected by stating, "Good, I haven't missed anything" as he strode away.

Wow, I thought to myself. With all that had happened in the match so far, to say they haven't missed anything was stunning. It demonstrated how so many see the game today, any game today, as the only excitement is scoring.

I firmly believe that is why ice hockey has poor acceptance as well, and frankly if it was not for the fights, would be on par with soccer in the US.

Imagine if we counted a goal for 7 points, instead of 1? Can you see the headline? New England Revolution 14, Chicago Fire 7. On some level that does seem more appealing I guess. Maybe not.

I suppose that's why no one likes chess either, or an even better sports analogy is bicycle racing. I mean, most of the world this month is watching the Tour de France (go Team Radio Shack!), and when I bring it up to most, I get a blank look expressing, "What are you talking about?"

Maybe it's me ... I guess I have patience for matches that have no scoring or immediate results. Maybe I just really enjoy the tactics and strategy that go into a match, or something like the TDF. It is truly amazing what goes into such a competition (just look below or here at a Team Radio Shack meeting), and to dismiss it without appreciation is incredibly short sighted, and I hate to say, when it comes to sports, incredibly American.

LIVE from Lancaster PA, it's Kicking Back!

Friends ... I am beat.

It is early morning day 4 of the tournament and it has been a whirlwind.

Days 1 thru 3 are generally the same where referees and assessors will work 3 matches in a day, sometimes 4 in the case of assessors. You are up early (5 or 6 AM) to get ready for the day, and usually down late (midnight) after the meetings, post meetings, post meeting debrief with your delegation, and late night meetings over specific incidents.

Last night a few of us were up to 2 AM discussing the finer points of laws 3, 4, and 5 and how you must restart for equipment changes versus injuries versus bleeding. It was a surprisingly riveting conversation that demonstrated just how convoluted interpretations of the laws can get.

BTW to save everyone from getting a flat spot on their head in finding the CURRENT interpretation of the LOTG (i.e. Advice to referees), a link can be found here at the AYSO site ... not ANYWHERE on the US Soccer site. Check out section 5.8 and 5.9 specifically to get a flavor of the discussion (noting they had recently changed).

Today is semi-final day here, and as I write this at about 7 AM, I can see some unhappy campers. Today is the first day that selections are made and some players, referees, and assessors have not "made the cut."

JAFO puts it well in their post "Testing ones mettle", as these certainly are the times that try men's souls. Soccer is life, and right now THE game has dealt some a tough road to hoe for the foreseeable future to sort out what they believe may be a refereeing issue.

Dear hearts, let me opine that refereeing is an extension of ones self, and to really sort out why one may not have received assignments as a player, referee, or assessor today should invoke some deep introspection to think about what is going on.

As a referee and assessor in regionals past there have been times I have not received such assignments, and it was very refreshing to sit, reflect, and watch a match ... for a change. Going through a tournament like this is a pressure cooker that some distance, and perspective can aid greatly in helping ones understanding of the game, and themselves. Some of my greatest personal victories have come from my most epic failures. This tournament provides great opportunities for both.

When you get down to it though, they might be one and other in disguise.

This time, Pennsylvania

As I write this, I am making my last preparations to depart for the Region I Championships in Lancaster PA.

While I certainly am not looking forward to getting up at 3:00AM (literally) and drive 7 hours to the final destination, I can say that I am looking forward to the camaraderie and experiences of the week.

Being away from my family for a week is no small thing, especially over the 4th of July. It is a great time for picnics and BBQ's and fireworks and stuff that makes lasting memories for years and years. When I was actively refereeing there was a span of half a decade that I did not see 4th of July fireworks because I was out refereeing at this tournament and I really missed those experiences with family and friends.

I write this not lamenting my decision to attend this tournament, but to convey its importance. For referees this is a critical tournament. For some it is the beginning of their "regional career", where they are exposed the very first time to teams outside of their state, or even an assessment for the very 1st time.

Others are at the end of their youth career. They have traversed the gauntlet of youth soccer and will got to Youth Nationals, essentially ending any significant involvement in youth soccer as a referee, until of course they come out the other end of the pipe and do what I am, and circling back around.

Most are in the middle, some know they want to progress and be that referee that goes to the Nationals soon, others might be saying, "Is it really worth it?"

In all cases, these are critical times for a youth referee.

Here is why my particular role, and those of the other assessors and instructors at this tournament are so critical, they have the ability to influence what happens next with these careers. Open and honest feedback is so critical in these cases. So too however is a positive disposition to assure the referee what they did is okay, and here's how you can change it for a different result.

It is pretty incredible to have the opportunity to be able to reach so many young, eager minds in one place, at one time. It's rather rare actually.

At this point, that's why I'm going, to reach those minds and hope to make a difference.

I will do my best to get a post in now and then when I am away, but no promises. In the mean time Nigel and JAFO may jump in and fill the void.

Keep and eye on @Kicking_Back on Twitter as well as I can assure you, that will be popping over the week.

A special thank you ...

So as life returns to crazy normal for me (as opposed to crazy crazy) and I get my thoughts together from the Region I tournament, I wanted to begin with a thank you. Over that faithful week in traversing from Boston to Barboursville and back again I learned more than a few things about myself, some others, and the game.

I want to extend a very special thanks to the entire refereeing and assessing team and administrators of the Massachusetts delegation.

For reasons I will detail in due time, I have just about not looked at a soccer ball for a period of time ... a somewhat long period of time. Some very smart administrators however saw me poke my head out of the sand about just wee much and promptly grabbed me. Kudos to them for recognizing when to strike with me. There was of course the matter of the "rubber meeting the road" however. Getting involved is one thing, being accepted for it can be another.

To say that I was worried about just how far the world has turned since I stepped off my Merry-Go-Round is an understatement that bears recognition to me. I was unaware, and very anxious just how folks were going to react to me returning in this context. Be assured that anxiety remains quite strongly in other contexts to this very day.

Those fears were completely relieved at the airport out to Barboursville. It was so rewarding to have the opportunity to be with such a group of talented individuals, and from the very jump, to be able to interact with them as a peer. I was then, and am now in reflection, humbled and thankful by their generosity, to the last.

So please let this be our entry point into the Region I tournament through my lens ... that of a former referee at this tournament, turned assessor.

Next stop ... when old red shirts turn blue.

Day 6: Enjoy the experience

Back in 1994 the Regionals were held in New Jersey. It was that year I learned this lesson the hard way. A lesson that all these experiences with the youth game should be enjoyed, because they are not around forever.

It was that year I was fortunate enough to be selected for Youth Nationals. I remember it clearly, I was in some shock as I stood in the parking lot just after leaving the fields after being told. My dad was near by, he was assessing at the tournament and had taken some time to watch me that day to make sure I was behaving myself. He didn't know yet, or at least didn't let on he knew about me going to Youth Nationals.

I was just standing there watching a match from a distance and the SYRA came up and said, "Well, I guess that's it." I snapped out of my daze and said something to the effect of, "Just what are you talking about?"

"That's it. You're done with the youth game after Nationals. Time for you to move on." He pated me on the back and he and my dad walked off discussing if it would be okay for my dad to watch me in Minnesota.

I just stood there dumbfounded ... and started to cry.

That was it? All that time, all those friends and experiences ... done? Years of refereeing flashed in my head.

Yes. That was it. It was just about the end of my competitive youth refereeing career.

I barely took the time to take it all in along the way. One day I was refereeing 6 a side matches in Walpole when I was 12 years old ... the very next it seemed, I was on a flight to referee in the most prestigious youth tournament in the US for me. It was too much. I continued to choke back tears for a few minutes just watching that match from the parking lot. Trying to cope with having to let that part of my refereeing career go.

So why do I offer such a personal story?

Just as a thought.

Take the time to enjoy the ride. It does not last forever, and may just end sooner than you may like.

Day 5: Not everyone is a winner - deal with it

So as the tournament wears on, there are some things that will become more clear if they were not already. Not everyone finishes first. Now this comes in a number of different forms that the referee has to deal with. Here are some ways to consider:

Teams that do not qualify for a final.
There is an old axiom that the toughest match is the semi final. Well that is generally true. Some equally tough matches are those for a chance to get into a semi-final. Those can be brutal. So before you start ANY MATCH, look at the standings and understand what each team has to win ... or lose. This foresight can be invaluable as you prepare for a match.

Parents of players on teams that do not qualify for a final.
This is somewhat corollary from the above, but has its own flavor. Regionals are a place that college coaches come to watch promising young players, and those players that a parent has berated a coach into coming to watch. I've said it before, college is expensive, and any edge that can be had, a parent will look for. As with any match, determine who those stars may be and protect them. It may be their chance to shine in front of a college coach. This is not to say that they deserve special treatment, all players are equal. However things may get a little more animated than usual ... and this may be a reason why. Just a thought.

Not all referees will get a final.
This is an obvious, but sometimes painful fact of a tournament like this. It may leave a referee sitting on the touchline for the whole day of finals. It may leave whole teams of referees from the same state sitting on the touchline. It can hurt ... and as I have personally experienced, it does hurt. Especially when you thought it should have been you doing that U-19 final.

Now I can not even begin to explain what goes into assigning stuff like this, It is a real black art to me and one I just assume leave that way. It is more than ability, more that politics, more than luck. It is just the way it is and a referee has to be aware of that.

My thought is to support your compatriots or one who are going out there that day. They will appreciate the support and remember it forever. It is truly an event to be selected for a final at the regionals, and that referee carries everyone from the state with them. Show them your support.

Referees are generally competitive animals and it can sting when one is not first. Just remember that these referees that you may feel competition with one day, are your brothers and sisters for all time. These relationships you make, can last a lifetime and tranced the game and everything attached to it.

Embrace the competitive spirit, but remember the human element and support your friends when they need it most. They will in turn, do the same when your time comes ... to be first.

MA SYRA to tweet semi-final and final assignments live!

As those who follow us know, as the round robin matches are over, the real nail-biting begins for the referees as the assignment for semi-final and final assignments are coming out tonight and tomorrow.

Each can be seen as an acknowledgement of a "job well done" for those referees who are selected.

Follow the Massachusetts SYRA (State Youth Refreee Administrator) here to keep up to date on all the action.

Stay tuned, this are getting good as we come down to the wire.

Day 2 of matches is down ... yet we are all still standing

I have to say that the area we are in for the Region I Championship is really beautiful. Above is a shot from both of the mornings here. Let me tell you that it gets *cold* here in the morning as the fog would indicate.

Despite this fact, by 11AM the heat is up ... and we are ALL baking.

Over the first two days it has been a stark reminder just how much fitness is required at a multi-day tournament like this. Each referee is generally asked to serve as a referee, and then generally as an AR for (2) more matches. These can include shorter halves for younger ages (e.g. U12) or "regular" halves for the older ages.

Now while refereeing multiple youth matches is nothing really new for a referee who has been through "the program" (a euphemism I sometimes employ to describe a referee who has transitioned from the youth to other levels of the game), to do so at this very high level of play can be daunting, and require amazing focus. It can be read in their faces and gait as they walk to a field.

That noted, the spirits are buoyed and it is so clear they love what they do.

Now sometimes silliness sets in as it did tonight at dinner and while we were waiting for the presentations to begin, some members of some delegations were counting how long it took for a plate from the buffet table to be picked up when it was done being eaten from.

No folks you just can't make this stuff up either.

It was timed to take from 8 seconds, to 22 minutes 36 seconds. We guessed an average was under 4 minutes though. It was pretty amazing, the staff at Marshall University is terrific. For the record too, we were not teasing these folks we were legitimately eating dinner and came up with  this silly game to pass the time. It worked, and was indeed very silly.

Something tells me as the week continues to wear on, we will get more tired and we will have more silly games to report on.

Stay tuned ... more to come as day 3 is on the horizon.

Day 3: Be ready for THAT question ...

So (Mr. or Ms. referee or AR), what did YOU think about the match?

Be ready with an answer to that one after each and every match. It can help jump start an assessment, and can be used as a tool to lead an assessor down a path that you as referee want to go down. Now, it may be short lived as if there is a topic an assessor wants to cover, they are going to cover it, but you can start things off on the right foot for your team by helping the discussion down the right path.

Here are some answers I would avoid, however each is free to use them at their own peril:

I was AWESOME today!!

I really stunk today, just fail me now.

Well aren't YOU supposed to tell me how I did today?

From a previous post I offered some thoughts about how to handle what might be a tense situation with an assessor. Taking a look back, here are the basic points:

1. Be calm. Assessors (believe it or not) are there to help, not to berate you. Engage in a dialog to understand where the assessor is coming from, and where you as referee, are coming from.

2. Be honest. If you blew it, say you blew it. If you did't, say you didn't. If you don't know, say you don't know. Nothing will get you into hotter water faster than saying something that is obviously not true to an assessor. Some may buy the BS ... the best will know better.

3. Ask - What would you have done? You might just get a blank look indicating they have no idea. Other braver assessors may say they don't know. The best will have a thought for you to ponder, as a single correct solution rarely presents itself in this game.

4. Say - Thank you. Assessors, as I said before are there to help, not just hang around. You can disagree with the assessment, think they got it all wrong in all aspects, and that they were a blind, clueless, ex-referee trying to relive their career through you. That might be true, every word ... but they took the time to try and help. Appreciate that fact if nothing else.

5. Think about it. There are times when a point in an assessment will not make sense until much later in life. Review those older assessment and rethink about that situation and how you would solve it the next time. It may just happen again.

6. Be your worst assessor. I became an assessor at a young age to try to think like an assessor and understand what they were after. I would perform my own self-assessment and try to come up with the questions they would ask. Sometimes I got it right, sometimes I got it wrong, but in all cases I was thinking about the match, and how I could make my performance better next time.


Getting an assessment after a whole day on the pitch can be no fun. I know this, been there, done that. Just be ready to answer THAT question, and consider the above points, and you'll be just fine.

Feeling hot, Hot, HOT!!!

Things have definitely heated up from this morning!

For any following on Twitter, we were seriously socked in this morning. You could not see one SIDE of the field from the other. It was crazy. But, just as the first kick was getting underway, the heavens parted and the sun shined in. It was a glorious day ... for about 3 hours, then frankly it got pretty freaking hot.

Lots of sunscreen passed around. I actually drained a 3oz tube on myself, yet to no avail as I am lobster red. I have a bunch of moisturizer and other balms and salves to see if I can salvage the situation. Rumour has it there is a pix floating around of it, so when I have it I will send it along.

It was pretty amazing though how plugged in the community was. When Brazil we3nt down to Netherlands today, the field were immediately buzzing about it. Similar with Ghana playing Uruguay. You could walk the fields and people were listening live on their smart phones and shouting things like "GOAL", or "RED CARD". It was pretty amazing.

More later, but we are off to dinner and the evenings meetings, debrief, and de-debrief. Which is I hope, brief =).

Day 2: Bring sunblock - and WEAR IT!!

Nothing will ruin a tournament (or vacation) faster than getting a serious sunburn on any part of your body. It's painful, debilitating, and dangerous. Let's take a look at something:

Now I'm no meteorologist, but something tells me that the potential for getting burned to a crisp is pretty high here. No one is going to tell you to put on sunscreen, you are going to have to do it yourself. Gone are the days of being "assisted" by an adult putting lotion over your face and neck as a kid. I do this today to my kids and it is really great fun ... they hate it.

Too much exposure to the sun can also cause heat stroke and exhaustion. Neither is fun and also can lead to serious health issues. This is on top of missing the entire tournament because you forgot to drink water, wear sunscreen and get the proper rest.

I'll be honest, multi-day tournaments are brutal. Back to back games with little rest in between can lead to disaster unless you are constantly vigilant about what shape you are in. It is also a good idea to watch out for your team, and have them watch out for you.

So while I am not a doctor (but did play one on TV once), here are some simple tips to think about:

Drink water, drink water, drink water. And when you are full, drink water.

Get the right amount of rest, or as much as you can at night.

When you don't have to be in the sun, get out of it.

If you have to be in the sun, wear a hat, sunglasses, and light clothing.

Oh yeah ... WEAR SUNSCREEN.

This stuff may seem remedial, but I knew a referee who was sidelined for regionals after day 1 because he got a burn on the top of his feet after taking of his shoes. He could not walk easily, never-mind run. His tournament was officially over at that moment.

Protect yourself form the elements. There are brutal consequences.

Houston: The Eagle Has Landed

I've always found traveling fun ... I have always found traveling with a group of referees even more fun. The opening volley of flight from BOS to CRW was good and generally uneventful, save a very positive run in with a member of the POTUS medical sweep team.

Each of the referees and assessors (save your overdressed author in the center of the picture) is impressive in each of their own rights. It is truly humbling to be traveling with them and all they have accomplished, and the things they will soon accomplish in this tournament and beyond.

This group seems very cohesive and there is a relaxed tone with a subtle anxiety, which is typical leading up to events such as Regionals.This anxiety has grown slowly for some ... and as I am going through this process as an assessor for my first time, I am not immune to it. As while I pen this before getting up at 5a tomorrow to start a very long day, it mounts for me too.

Weather is beautiful, even a little cold in the overnights but have been sparkling clear days. Even hot in same cases ... and yes I already have too much colour and haven't even been out to a field yet.

All and all however, an excellent start to what will surely be an excellent week.

I was able to find a net connection (in the room no less) and will be blogging when able ... and tweeting via the iPhone much more often.

Stay tuned, the fun is just beginning.

"You two are going to Top Gun ..."

"On March 3, 1969 the United States Navy established an elite school for the top one percent of its pilots. Its purpose was to teach the lost art of aerial combat and to insure that the handful of men who graduated were the best fighter pilots in the world. They succeeded. Today, the Navy calls it Fighter Weapons School. The flyers call it: TOP GUN."


Does anyone remember this, or am I really showing my age? Wait a second, please don't answer that ...


So here we are on the cusp of the 2010 Regional I tournament beginning. I found that in my experience as a referee, the tournament took on a heightened flavor when the World Cup was being played. This is based in my experience of 1994 when I was at regionals and watched the USA v. BRA match (match report) with a group of referees that had just worked really hard all week long ... anyone remember the bicycle kick that just missed the post from Balboa? Here we are again, a World Cup, a Regional Tournament, and I am going ... this time as an assessor.


It got me thinking about being selected for such a tournament and the emotions that went into it for me. It is very stirring, exciting and scary all at the same time. Maybe like Maverick and Goose going to Top Gun. Well, maybe like Goose going to Top Gun ...

Now you may have been thinking I was speaking purely about this from a refereeing perspective. I was not. I feel that way today as an assessor. Like referees, assessors are chosen for a variety of reasons, but among them, I would opine, is ability as an assessor to help guide referees.

This is a pretty awesome responsibility when I sit down and think about it. There are a great many lessons learned from the pitch as a referee. Many that I personally carry forward to this day off of my life. To offer such guidance to these developing referees takes some careful thought.

Over the next (6) days we will have a bit of a mini-series in things I learned from tournament play as well as some reporting on the goings on of the tournament itself. These posts are not "do as I do", but to provoke thought about what may make sense in a multi-day tournament context. Each reader is on their own to figure out how to use the information, and I offer it in that vein.

So sit back, relax, and come with me on a 6 day voyage to one of the premier youth soccer tournaments in the United States today, and all it has to offer.

West Virginia ... or Bust

Well ... it's that time again.

Where players are finishing up their spring seasons and getting ready to compete in State Cup tournament action to see if they will be representing their states, and maybe their regions.

Referees are tuning up from the winter off, or optimally, from a winter indoor season and themselves are getting ready to compete for the same coveted spots as the teams.

Referee assessors, if they are worth their salt, are indeed doing the same. Readying their understanding of the particular tournaments and refreshing themselves about the laws of the game all in the knowledge that they will have the opportunity to mold some (probably) younger referees in the short days ahead.

This series of posts will deal with the lead up to, and details of, the 2010 US Youth Soccer Region I Championships. (Look here for the official website and here for Region I tournament information.)

My goal is to get more behind the scenes that would be typical, in a way that will protect the anonymity of the folks that I will be interacting with ... if they so choose, and give some insight along the way that some may find helpful. Others I anticipate will not, and that is okay too as sometimes learning what *not* to do from others is a valuable lesson.

So hang on, and lets see what develops.