YOU as the COACH are the 1st line of defense against referee abuse.  You set the tone for your players and parents. Ultimately you are the one responsible for your team’s conduct throughout the game and the season.  Sideline management is a difficult but necessary skill for Coaches.  That is not to say you are responsible for a parent's or player's choices but that you will support the Referee, their calls, and engage the board as necessary to help you address inappropriate behavior.

Remember, those referees are parents of players and are just as anxious about doing their job as you are about yours.  They are not professionals and they shouldn't be expected to get every call correct.  World class referees admit they get multiple calls wrong even in the same game!

How serious is it? US Soccer has created a Referee Abuse Prevention program and instituted multi-year and even LIFETIME bans. Yes you read that correctly. You can read more about that program here.

So how can you help?

• Remain calm and avoid arguing with Referees.
• Have the expectation that Referee errors are part of the game and something to play through rather than get upset about.
• Set clear expectations with your parents and players before games.
• Report and address inappropriate behavior rather than letting it go unaddressed, bring in Division Commissioners and administrators as needed.
• Pay attention to your sideline during the game and take preemptive measures if you see something escalating.
• Perhaps enlist a Team Manager or an Assistant Coach to help you manage sideline behavior.