We asked 10 referees each the same question: “What is a mistake you made when you were a new referee and how could you have avoided it?”

This is how they answered.

Etienne M

“I didn’t review the tournament game rules because I assumed all are the same, and I made a substitution mistake and coach got mad at me. I should have read the tournament rules and had a good pregame with my referee crew so we can all be on the same page.”

Kevin A

“As an AR, I used to have an issue focusing too much on the ball when it was near the touchline, hence losing the second to last defender. I didn’t know how to scan effectively then. Scanning and using peripheral vision fixed that!”

Jacob W

“Not requesting someone to watch or mentor me sooner. I could have avoided it by building my relationship with my SRC earlier on and requesting mentors to watch my games.”

Diego E

“I used to not always introduce myself to coaches before the game, this caused problems when the games got heated. An easy fix would always try to have a small conversation with coaches to show them your personality before the game!”

Will D

“I would say I made every mistake under the sun, literally every single one. If I had to narrow it down to one though, I would say that I had very poor flag mechanics and always raised the flag with the wrong hand. I guess a part of that is because I didn’t read the LOTG until my 3rd year of refereeing.”

Sloan M

“Getting overly involved. Let the kids play the game. No need to get involved if you are not needed. Getting overly involved puts everyone’s eyes on you and you the become the center of attention. Let the kids showcase their skills while only involving yourself as needed.”

Dmitrii F

“I made a mistake early on where I blew the whistle too early and did not scan to see where the ball is going before making a call. I could’ve avoided it if I would have been aware that the goal is empty and that it is a huge advantage for attacking team and that I should have delayed my whistle.”

Zach T

“One mistake I made as a new referee was solely relying on my Apple Watch to keep track of time and it died during the match, and I had to ask my AR how much time was left. I could’ve avoided by either wearing a second watch or by ensuring my Apple Watch was sufficiently charged prior to the match.”

Jason P

“Getting to games with minimal time to prepare physically and mentally does not put you in a good position to give the particular game you are working your best or close to your best. I know it’s tough on tournament weekends, but I try to minimize my time in ref hq and move to the next field quickly if I have a game break. This lets me still be able relax and catch my breath but I’m early enough in case my position changes within the ref crew that I can change my preparation for the match.”

Lincoln S

“One day I showed up to my last day at Disney and didn’t bring flags because I assume someone would and no one did. We ended up having to borrow a pair from a nearby field. So I now make sure I bring my flags all the time.”

These are just a few tips from some of our most seasoned referees. Want to share your own experience? Let us know here!