Massachusetts Adult Soccer

Please tell us a bit more about yourself, how you got your start with soccer, and what led you to become a referee.

I grew up in many places. I started playing soccer in Germany at 6-years-old where my dad was stationed at an Air Force Base and continued to play throughout elementary, middle, and high school. I have been a referee for 21 years. I became an official at 16-years-old. Prior to attending the University of Central Florida, I was playing, studying, and officiating. At college, I couldn’t devote my time to all three opportunities successfully and skipping college studies was not an option. This forced me to make a decision. I did not feel I could excel at playing to the same extent as I could officiating. As a result, I put my playing career to the side. I also really enjoyed officiating and made some money doing so as a college student. I felt that I had the potential to become a better referee than player.

Who or what encouraged your refereeing career and what aspired you to become a national referee?

I was pushed into becoming a referee by my parents.  The club I was playing for needed officials for the younger teams. I took the coursework at the local library, going an hour each weekend over 6-7 weeks. My mom likes to take credit for all my subsequent success. 

I am not sure when I aspired to become a national referee, but this likely coincided with my upgrade to state referee and being invited to join the Florida Soccer Referee (FSR) Development Academy. I had always been registered with FSR but around the time of my state referee upgrade, I was also selected to receive an invitation to the Development Academy. Over the weekend at the academy, we had to write out goals and our timelines to accomplish them. I find there is power in putting a goal to paper. The goal becomes tangible, and you then give yourself a timeline to strive for.

What skills are the most important to becoming a successful referee?

The skills to becoming a successful referee start with knowledge of the laws of the game. Be a student of the game and take the time to learn the laws and nuances. Additionally, be an effective communicator… with teammates, players, assignors, etc. Being an effective communicator does not necessarily mean speaking a lot but instead, getting the most out of what is said. Next, the management of emotions: your own feelings in the moment, projecting what is needed at the right time to have the appropriate effect on the match. You also need to manage the emotions of the players. Finally, physical fitness: maintain a program for yourself to build or maintain your fitness. You don’t referee to get fit; you get fit to referee.

What is the most difficult part of being a referee? Why?

The challenges of being a referee vary depending on the phase of refereeing you are in. In the early stages, you are building confidence in your own abilities. You are making mistakes and learning from them.

In the middle of your career, there is the pressure of performing at high-level games. At this time, you also need to have the patience to trust that if you put in the work and continue to hone your craft, the opportunities [for advancement] will come.

At the professional level, you have confidence in your abilities and knowledge of the game, so the biggest challenges then become the travel and time. Referees, as opposed to assistant referees, are employed full-time by PRO. They must attend more camps, but most do not have a 9 to 5 job. Assistant referees are more likely to work a traditional full-time job (in addition to officiating) and then travel to officiate a game over the weekend. Given the country is so large, you almost always need to fly to every match, whereas in England the distance to an in-country professional match is at most a four-hour drive. Further, if you have a 40-hour traditional work week, you must do your physical training, match prep, officiating, and travel to the game itself outside of traditional work hours. To accomplish all of this, you must have a strong support system and a flexible employer otherwise the distance and time dedicated to maintaining the necessary skillset at the highest levels of the game can lead to physical and emotional wear over time.

What advice would you give someone who is interested in becoming a referee?

Simply put, take the course. Being a referee is not for everybody, but you won’t know until you try. If the game means something to you, then it is worth this connection over time. Playing on a team, your team is your community, but once you are a referee, the entire referee organization is your community. I have found a lot of worth leaning into this community for the love of the game.

What accomplishment are you most proud of?

I have been very fortunate in my career and in this year in particular with respect to my accomplishments. I am most proud of having worked the League 1 USL Final, USL Championship Final, Open Cup Final, the MLS All Star Game, as well as the MLS Cup. As a body of work, that gives me a lot of pride. I have also been named the USL and MLS Assistant Referee of the Year Awards in varying years. The body of work as a whole provides a lot of satisfaction.

What is the most rewarding part of being a referee?

Some of my most fulfilling friendships have been made through refereeing. Many of my closest friends are referees. While rewards and plaudits are appreciated and not considered insignificant, it will be the friendships I have made that will last the longest. Eventually, we all will need to step away from the game on the field, but my friendships within the referee community will endure. Friendships like this take only a phone call and the relationship will pick up where you left off to support you through whatever is needed.  Through traveling as a referee, I have made many connections throughout the country that I know are strong and will last over time.

What about soccer is special to you?

You can travel anywhere in the country or in the world and find someone to have a conversation with about soccer. The game binds us as individuals and binds us across cultures. Sometimes, as people, life can be dulling, but nothing dulls the passion for the game around the world. I think this is a beautiful thing, that people can have such a positive passion for something that binds us all together.

Ian McKay is a professional MLS Assistant Referee. You may also recognize him from one of our State Cup games or maybe even a league match.  If you or someone you know is interesting in becoming a referee, sign up now.