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Why can't we be more open with the considerations used by our best referees? Why can't we tell the general public? Why can't we do a better job of educating those we need to understand the laws of the game and how to apply them?

It's time for referees and mentors to open up and bring other people in. It's time for clubs to invest resources in the referees who ref at their clubs. It's time for us all to do more to share our knowledge for the betterment of the game for everybody.

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I had so much fun yesterday reffing Futsal. It is similar in some ways to reffing soccer, but extremely fast paced and with some very unique rules. Although I had done it before, it has been a few years and there was quite a learning curve. If we want to speed up the game of soccer, we could learn a thing or two from our Futsal friends. It was non-stop action. 

I also will answer a letter from the mail bag about how reffing plays into my financial stability. It's not a full time job for me or 99% of referees, but it is a nice source of supplemental income. 

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A few weeks ago, I tried to pass the FIFA fitness test to become eligible for promotion to Regional. If you are not familiar, this is the next step in the path of promotion for referees here in the United States.

On the same day, I also participated in the on-field training course needed to become a Referee Mentor. I am only a few weeks away from completing all of my assignments and getting my mentor certification.

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Mistakes are learning opportunities. When we make a mistake, it gives us a chance to learn. 

All of the greatest athletes, entrepreneurs and and politicians have faced spectacular defeats and disappointments in their careers. That is not defines them though. Can you imagine if we let the Copa America and World losses that Messi experienced in his career define him? Crazy talk. He is the goat because who experienced painful losses and defeat and found a way to persevere!

When we make mistakes, we should consider it valuable experience that will make us stronger and more resilient over time. 

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The work you do pre-game can prepare you for success during the game. Have a routine or just a mental checklist of good things to do before the first whistle can settle your mind and body and enable you to do your best during the match as a referee. 

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It's time to break down the massive VAR controversary that broke the internet a few weeks back. It was so avoidable, it hurts. I'm going to talk about how it could've been avoided and what contributed to all of the Liverpool controversies on the day.

Additionally, I want to share the worst phrase you can say to me in Pre-game. It is almost always an indicator of a difficult match ahead. 

Lastly, we'll hit the mail bag. I got a doozy this week! ;->

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This week we'll go over the wonderful world of Middle School Soccer and many more topics including Body Cams and what I say in my pre-match conversation with players. . I sincerely enjoy getting to meet and interact with people from allover the world. If you have any questions for me, please send them to [email protected]

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It's time for transparency and openness. It kills me to hear all of the criticism of our fellow professional referees. I know people will say that they get paid well enough and that is part of the territory, but when pro refs look bad, it makes all refs look bad. This week, we'll take a look back at some of the most controversial calls of the first few weeks. 

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I just spent 2 days reffing at a local summer tournament. I enjoyed myself, made a great call and an iffy call, but there were also a few things that irked me. 

We'll also discuss referee uniforms and Safesport training. 

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I had the honor and privilege of speaking at the National Association for Women's Gymnastics Judges in Grand Rapids, Michigan this past weekend. It was their 50th anniversary and an all around amazing event. 

I spoke about referee / judge abuse, why it happens and how to potentially deal with it. The message was well received and I hope I was able to set them on a positive path forward. I hope I get to work with this organization and many others again in the future. 

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