REFS NEED LOVE TOO
An honest perspective from the 3rd team on the pitch... the referees. Through humor, analysis and education, we are slowly changing how people view referees and officials in all sports. We care and have a love for the game as much as any player or coach. Sometimes even more. Youth soccer (proper football) is a multi-billion $ industry in the US. Tremendous money is spent on players, competitions, travel etc., but almost nothing spent on developing the next generation of referees. I hope that this Podcast inspires, educates and humanizes the next generation of referees for their own development and appreciation from the players, coaches and spectators they need to work alongside.
REFS NEED LOVE TOO
Latest Episodes
You Can Save A Life By Starting A Conversation - Dr. Skye Arthur-Banning Discussing Mental Health in Sport Part 2
You can love sports and still admit this: the culture can be brutal on mental health. I sit down with Sky Arthur-Banning to talk about why sport is one of the best places to spot distress early, reduce stigma, and build real support networks fo...
Adaptive Soccer, Real Impact with Dr. Skye Arthur-Banning - Part 1
A retired Army Ranger captaining Team USA after a traumatic brain injury. A World Cup coming to Georgia that most soccer fans do not even know exists. A version of the game where the toughest calls are not about memorizing rules, but about unde...
Inside SOCAL Soccer League's Plan To Address America's Grassroots Referee Shortage with special guest, Michelle Chesters, Executive Director of SOCAL Soccer League
Youth soccer can’t function without referees, yet too many leagues treat officials like an afterthought until the shortage hits. I sit down with Michelle Chesters, Executive Director of SoCal Soccer League, to talk candidly about what it really...
Heat, Hustle, And The Referee’s Limit & Guest on the Powershift Mindshift Podcast with Coach Jay
Four games. Full sun. Ninety degrees. And not a single real break between assignments. We’re talking about the part of soccer nobody wants to face until it goes wrong: extreme heat, overloaded referee schedules, and why the current setup can pu...
How Three Young Referees Are Helping Launch An HBCU Soccer Program
You can feel it right away: this isn’t a normal college soccer conversation. We’re talking with Morgan Dunham, Zachary Eggeston, and Kingston McDonald as they help launch the brand-new Tuskegee Golden Tigers men’s and women’s soccer programs, s...
Fan Mail
just finished this podcast and I couldn’t agree more. As a follically challenged adult, I often wear a hat. At a regional event it was brought up with the mentor saying “You don’t see Premier League referees wear a hat.” I thanked them for the feedback and went about the event. I’m 52 and am working towards my regional badge. When I’m getting an assessment I will forgo a hat, otherwise it’s about protection and being able to see. One of our state reps is tolerant of young referees not having black shoes right away. Shoes are expensively and he gets it. By year 2, absolutely you should have black shoes. Socks not pulled up is a big no-no that many of us are working to correct from younger refs.
Ladue, Missouri