LISRA FAQ

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Many ARs work games in their local Club.  This means you WILL KNOW a number of players, coaches and
spectators at games you officiate.

Some of you may prefer to avoid these games, which is normal, however, it is also discouraged.

First, as a new AR, you will ONLY be assigned to U15 games until you gain experience.  Avoiding
certain teams will necessarily severely limit the number of games you can officiate and will hurt
LISRA's effort to cover these games with full officiating crews.

Second, you MUST learn to deal with these situations properly.  The sooner you do, the better off
you will be.  Think about the experienced Center Referees who have officiated hundreds (and some
thousands) of games in their officiating careers.  No matter what, there are players, coaches and
spectators that they know.  You MUST be able to officiate nearly any game impartially and without
any focus on players, coaches and spectators.

Of course, there may indeed be legitimate cases in which you should not officiate a game.  If a family
member is involved in the game, such as a brother or sister who play in that game or a father or
mother who coach a team, it might be wise to avoid those games.  You can discuss any such situation
with your G9 Assignor (via g9@lisra.net) at the appropriate time. 

The AR Guide includes guidelines you must follow that will help you with the situation in which you
know participants and/or spectators in games you officiate.  These guidelines include:

--NEVER speaking with any of these people PRIOR to a game in which you are an official
(you need not be rude, but it is SIMPLE to completely AVOID them prior to any game.  You have
PLENTY of duties prior to that game and need to focus on them and NOT on the participants or
spectators)

--NEVER speak with any of these people DURING a match.  Again, if you are doing your job properly,
you have NO TIME to stand there talking to ANYONE!  They will see by your demeanor and actions
that you are completely focused on the game and TOO BUSY to pay any attention to them.

--NEVER speak to any of these people DURING THE HALFTIME!  This is time COMPLETELY DEDICATED
to reviewing the first half with your CENTER REFEREE and your partner Assistant Referee.  Halftime is
too short to waste a single second with players, coaches or spectators.

--KEEP ANY AND ALL CONVERSATIONS to the AFTERMATH of the game...AND DO NOT DISCUSS specifics
of ANY GAME with any player, coach or spectator.  Simply do not do it and excuse yourself from any
such questions...it's EASY!

BE SURE YOU READ THE AR GUIDE and FOLLOW ALL GUIDELINES.

BE SURE TO ADVISE YOUR CENTER REFEREE if ANYONE PERSISTS in trying to TALK TO YOU BEFORE or
DURING a match after you have politely asked them to stop.  Your CENTER REFEREE has the authority
and experience to deal with any such, RARE, situation.