Like it or not YOU as the coach are the 1st line of defense against referee abuse.  You set the tone for your players and parents.  Sideline management is a difficult but necessary skill for Coaches, ultimately you are the one responsible for the team during the game and season.  That is not to say you have the ability to make a parent act correctly but it is to say that you will support the Referee with your parents/players and engage the board and administrators 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 should NOT be expected to get every call correct.  World class referees admit they get multiple calls wrong in every game!

How big of a deal is it? US Soccer has created a Referee Abuse Prevention program and instituted multi-year and even LIFETIME bans, yes you read that correctly, for referee abuse. You can read more about that program here.

So how can you help?

• Remain calm and not argumentative 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.