During its history, the WMSOA has developed a set of protocols to perform ordinary responsibilities and address unusual challenges.  These methods of officiating have been derived from several sources, including the NFHS Rule book, the USSF Instructions to Referees, and the procedures advocated by NISOA.  Collectively, these protocols define the way in which the WMSOA members officiate from the time they arrive at a match site to the moment they leave that place.

PRE-GAME NOTICE

The WMSOA officials assigned to a match should communicate with one another several days before the match via telephone or e-mail.  Brief communication before a match should be used to confirm the assignment and game arrangements.

 

ARRIVAL TIME

WMSOA referees should arrive for and depart from assignments in timely fashion.  Our referees should arrive at the site of a match at least thirty minutes before kick-off.  The time before the match should be devoted partly to a brief pre-game conference of the crew. 

 

ATTIRE

Ideally, the referees will be attired in their uniform or most of that uniform when they arrive at the match site.  Such an appearance upon arrival conveys professional preparedness to referee.  Moreover, a dressed official does not have to change clothes in a public parking lot and, thereby, risk embarrassment that reflects badly on the entire Association.  If an official must change at the site of a game, he or she should ask to use a locker room or a rest room to change clothes.

 

Of course, all members of a crew should be dressed identically.  Ideally, the choice of jersey should be made during an e-mail exchange before the match.  Similarly, a choice of uniform in the event of inclement weather should be made at that time, too.  In any event, the crew of officials should appear always as a team.  Relatedly, they should dress like a team.

 

ENTRY

The partners should enter the field together about fifteen minutes before the scheduled start of the game.  The officials should leave their equipment bags between the bench areas at the midfield line to convey properly the appearance of neutrality. When convenient opportunities occur, the partners should introduce themselves to the coaches and the site administrator and sign payment forms.  At these times, special game rules should be discussed in the presence of the entire crew and both coaches.  Also, the partners should inspect the entire field.  Of course, special attention should be devoted to the goals, nets, corner flags, and field markings to ensure that the players can function safely and controversy will be minimized.

 

If only one of the partners is at the game site fifteen minutes before the scheduled start of the match, he or she should proceed to the field and attend to pregame responsibilities.  Remember, the officials are responsible first and foremost to the schools who organize the matches. 

 

MIDFIELD ACTIVITY

The coin toss should be conducted at midfield about five minutes before the scheduled start of the contest.  Of course, both officials should be preside at the coin toss.  After the toss, the captains should move with their teams to their respective benches for the final instructions of the coaches.  The referees should confer briefly before moving to proper positions for either pre-game activities or the beginning of the match.

 

The midfield circle should be the meeting place of the crew on three occasions.  In addition to the coin toss, the partners will meet there at the conclusion of first half play and at the end of the match.  After meeting at midfield at halftime and at the end of the game, the crew shall proceed toward the bench sideline to rest or to observe team handshakes, respectively.

 

POST GAME DUTIES

The team handshakes at the end of the game must be observed.  MIAA rules require observation.  The handshakes should be viewed from the field, not the area between the benches.

 

After the match and post-game handshakes, the referees must attend to post-game responsibilities and, then, shall depart the field together and promptly.  Specifically, officials must sign game reports, if a caution has been issued or a player or coach has been sent off. 

 

DEPARTURE

Again, the crew should convey the appearance of a professional team by leaving together and doing so in neutral fashion.  Specifically, referees should not chat with a coach, player, or spectator about the match, unless such a conversation is necessary and initiated by a coach or the site administrator.  Moreover, the crew should be very careful to avoid comment about the match as they leave, especially as they move among players and spectators.

 

The referees of a Junior Varsity match that is contested before a Varsity game should remain at the site at least until both officials assigned to the Varsity match have appeared.  Ideally, one of the officials of the JV game should remain at the match site during the first half of the Varsity contest.

 

COVERAGE

During the match, each official should respect the ability and responsibility of his or her partner.  That is, the partners should not override one another in any way.   Each referee should allow the other to exercise judgment on all play in his area of coverage, especially activity directly in front of the official.

 

Importantly, however, crew members must be prepared to help one another in several situations.  Most notably, when the Lead official must attend to an offside/onside judgment, the Trail official may better observe other activity across the field.  Similarly, after the ball has been played toward goal and the Lead official must cover action around the ball, the Trail official should observe post-pass or -shot action around the passer or shooter.  Most notably, the Trail official often can see very clearly play on his side of the pitch.  If he or she is notably closer to action than the Lead, the Trail official should make a call without hesitation.  Also, often, the Trail official can observe most easily a ball that strikes football goal post apparatus above a soccer goal and, hence is out of play.  The Trail should make that call quickly.

 

CONFERENCES

A conference of referees is appropriate when an odd play occurs or atypical circumstances develop.  If an official believes that important issues should be addressed, the referee should proceed in one of two ways.  First, the official should discuss those matters during a time-out, an injury stoppage, or a half-time.  Secondly, if necessary, unusual incidents or developments should be discussed in a timely, private conference on the field during a time-out called by an official.  In any event, these conferences should be conducted beyond the purview of players, coaches, and spectators.  Relatedly, they should be quiet discussions, rather than heated arguments. 

 

Furthermore, these conferences should result in some sort of joint decision of the officials, although the judgment of the referee of the match is crucial. Of course, decisions about an unusual play or odd circumstance may be questioned by coaches, players, and spectators.  In such cases, the decision rendered by officials will be accepted more happily, if the verdict enjoys the enthusiastic support of all members of the officiating crew.   Importantly, however, the match referee, who covers the touchline located in front of the team benches, shall have ultimate authority in all match issues.

 

Relatedly, many decisions of great significance about unusual developments should be made jointly in a private conference of the officials.  For example, the referees should confer to decide if field or weather conditions warrant or require a cessation of play.  Similarly, if a contest is problemed by considerable, demonstrative dissent, a fight or the threat of a fight among players, or a material disturbance by spectators, the referees should confer and decide jointly that the match should be terminated.  Also, referees may confer logically about a decision to send off a player, if both officials viewed clearly the action that prompted the penalty.

 

SIGNALS

The National Federation of High Schools recommends the use of IFAB signals.  These signals are illustrated in the NFHS Rule Book.  NFHS signals should be used regularly during all contests.  Sometimes, the players in lower level games need an explanation of the decision of any official.  Moreover, typically, the action in such matches is slowed naturally by fouls and out-of-play balls.  Consequently, an official has opportunity to explain his call completely without disturbing the flow of a sub-varsity game.

 

In slight contrast, WMSOA referees use exclusively IFAB signals during varsity matches.  These signals include three "points" with an extended arm.  First, an extended arm is used to designate the restart location for a kick-off, a goal kick, a corner kick, or a penalty kick.  Similarly, IFAB recommends an extended arm point to indicate the direction of play after a foul, after a ball has crossed a touchline, and before a direct free kick.  The extended arm should be held upward at a 45 degree angle for this signal.  Thirdly, IFAB requires that an arm be extended vertically for an Indirect Free Kick and held in that position until the kicked ball is touched, again.  In each case, all of the fingers of the pointing arm should be extended, too.  

 

Also, most such points should be accompanied by a whistle!  Certainly, if the ball clearly has left the field, no whistle is required.  However, if the ball has only slightly departed the field, that fact should be noted by a whistle.  Also, all action that prompts a Direct or Indirect Free Kick, a kick off, or a penalty kick should be whistled as well as signaled.

 

The use of IFAB signals is recommended by the WMSOA to promote continuous action and inconspicuous officiating in high level matches.   Generally, the WMSOA wishes to have our referees call quickly and definitively fouls and kicks and, then, allow the players to be the center of attention.  In turn, the regular use of NFHS foul signals, which require the players to delay play momentarily and cause spectators and players to watch referees, is discouraged for varsity play.

 

Of course, if a player or coach wishes to know the nature of a foul, the calling official should offer both a verbal description and a clear and appropriate NFHS signal for the infraction to be penalized.  The signals for fouls are noted in the NFHS rules book.  They should be practiced, memorized, and used appropriately by WMSOA members.

 

EXCHANGES WITH COACHES

When the officiating crew enters the field before the match, they should introduce themselves to the coaches of both teams.  At that time, the Head Referee should remind the coaches to ensure that their respective players are uniformed and equipped properly for play.  Also, time-keeping arrangements should be clarified.  Finally, any peculiar features of the field, including the absence of technical areas, should be discussed.  The referees should attempt to spend equal time with the coaches of both teams to ensure the appearance of neutrality.

 

During the match, the Head Referee should answer briefly any question posed by a coach, especially during a stoppage of play that enables a thoughtful reply to a question.  However, neither referee should respond to frequent questions or dissent.  Also, the head Referee should inform both coaches of the scorer and timing of a goal. That should be done immediately after the goal.  Similarly, the concerned referee should inform immediately and thoroughly both coaches the cause of any caution or send-off, especially if an explanation is requested.

 

After the match, the Referees should accept graciously any sporting gesture offered by a coach, but should not discuss greatly any element of the match with a coaching staff member.