In the early 60's, I was lucky to go to college with a dozen
or so guys from Canada, who readily shared what they knew on how to play hockey and soccer with a passion. Later, in the late-70's, I helped co-found a local community soccer league on Chicago's southwest side; was the first President of the Beverly-Morgan Park Youth Soccer League. Although most of us didn't know what we were doing, we donned every hat imaginable in the first few years, including refereeing. We grew from 40 to 850 kids in three years. At that point, realizing that we had many similar goals, we turned to AYSO for guidance. A very good move.

The soccer bug took hold again in 1996, in San Jose, CA, becoming a USSF licensed referee at age 51 and U10 boys coach again. 3 yrs later I upgraded to a Grade 7 and, due to uncontested weight gains and a few sprains here and there, decided to forego the push on upgrading to a 6 and can readily proclaim to have been a happy 7 for 7 years; . I'm a Mentoring Program Coordinator in a local league where we utilize an in - the - game mentoring methodology, and, elsewhere, officiate middle school, high school, Y league and adult league matches.

After running a couple of league-sponsored field clinics for clublinesmen, I rediscovered the desire to teach in a more formal way---which lead to becoming a USSF Instructor, something that I thoroughly enjoy today as much as officiating. It is my love of both teaching and officiating that has led me into Mentoring new referees. It fulfills a deeply imbedded urge to impart the art of the basics of officiating soccer.

SoccerRefereeMentors.com was designed to nourish and sustain new referee development, particularly, but not exclusively, through the efforts of educational mentoring and mentor leadership at the fields.

SoccerRefereeMentors.com focuses on the brand new referees who, after successfully completing the licensing class, prepare for their first games and for those relatively new referees who very much want and need our attention.

WE URGE local leagues to schedule scrimmage game(s) during the licensing class----->prior to completion of the course. The energy from having officiated is brought back into the class, making discussions with the Instructor on proper field inspection - signaling - positioning - offside - eye contact, etc., with the Center Referee extremely relevant.

The notion of preparation permeates the reason for this website. "It's Your Call !" is a booklet also dedicated to just that. Both the website and the booklet have a dual focus: assisting new referees through qualified, trained mentors to learn how to rapidly improve their skills as a soccer official. And, mentors successfully role modeling ideal center referee performance within the 4 Golden Opportunities present in every game. Achieving these goals will find improvements in other important areas of concern like retention and upgrading.

I author the SoccerRefereeMentors.com website and the booklet, "It's Your Call !," on my own. Truth be known, however, there are many, many referees who have already schooled and mentored me, some still are even though they might not know it. Recognizing them, unfortunately, is tough, because the website and booklet took many 180 degree turns prior to arriving where they are today. Early on in the writing process, I was blessed to have the editorial guidance of Karl Dewazien, State Coaching Director for the California Youth Soccer Association since 1978 and author of numerous popular coaching booklets www.FUNdamentalsoccer.com .

Karl dedicated many hours to reviewing drafts, met with me several times, always to support and encourage. To everyone else who has helped me, a general and heartfelt thank you goes out to all.

Professionally, I own a specialty corporate catering company, Uncle Tommy's Ice Cream Catering www.TheIceCreamGuy.com, San Jose, CA, bringing ice cream and pastry desserts to company picnics, ice cream socials, health / fitness fairs, tenant appreciation day and fire evacuation drills(makes people a little happier to leave the office knowing that there's ice cream waiting for them outside). It's the perfect counterbalance to being a soccer referee, everyone loves to see me coming!