Comprehensive NCAA Soccer Officiating Clinic Notes

Corner Flag Technique & Assistant Referee (AR) Sprint Mechanics

• Corey’s trademark move: grab the corner-flag post while sprinting past it
  • Purpose: maintain full speed to the goal-line, then use the flag as a brake to avoid crashing into sign-boards
  • Accepts that he has broken “five or six” flags; argues it is cheaper than injured ARs
• Instructional point: never decelerate in last metres; judge that you can only stop after the ball is out of play
• Environmental awareness: water-logged corner during the clip = sudden loss of footing

Peripheral Vision & The “Two-Step” Back From the Line

• Demonstration: look straight ahead, raise two fingers just outside central vision; step backward → now visible in peripheral vision
• On the touch-line:
  • When play is immediately left of the AR, take 1!\text{–}!2 steps backwards
  • Opens field of vision = see ball touch + offside line without turning the head
  • After pass is made (or play moves away) return to normal position on the line
• Video clips show Corey performing the micro-backpedal & instant re-entry sprint

VAR System Structure (World-Cup Example)

• Roles in a WC booth (for non-MLS refs to understand scale)
  • VAR (lead) – e.g.
  • AVAR1 – watches live feed while VAR scrubs replay
  • AVAR2 – solely checks offside lines
  • Supervisor/Coach – oversees, can call “Program!” (= use the broadcast angle)
  • Two video operators (one each side of booth)
• Communication principles
  • Field officials stay silent unless asked for factual info
  • AR instructions: “Look strong, look confident, hold your flag” – but do not offer opinion (inside / outside) when referee has the angle

Penalty-Area Decision (Inside v Outside)

• Referee rule of thumb:
  • If absolutely sure ➜ award PK with strong whistle & signal
  • If any doubt, place foul outside: better for later video review & credibility
  • Never guess in front of “30\,000,000+ viewers”
• AR discipline: sprint to flag for the signal after identifying ref’s call; do not over-run & force a correction on live TV

Division I – II – III Overview

Raw numbers (2023)

• Division I: \approx800 programmes; \approx60\% women
• Division II: \approx500 programmes; gender split nearly 50/50
• Division III: \approx500; men’s % highest of the three

Typical profiles

• D II:
  • Many ex-NAIA schools; heavy international recruitment (age 24 freshmen not unusual)
  • Fewer scholarships, lighter travel, LARGE rosters
• D III:
  • Almost entirely local/domestic players
  • No athletic scholarships, long bus rides, afternoon kick-offs

Referee implications

• D II / D III often more physical than D I (older, stronger players)
• Higher substitution count = fitness for repeated sprints
• No 4^{th} official → AR1 must manage benches & substitutions alone
• Lower pay → newer refs cut their teeth here, but professionalism expectations identical

Assigning & Logistical Challenges

• Early afternoon kick-offs (fields without lights) → officials leave day-jobs early
• Double-headers sometimes scheduled to justify travel (e.g. 4.5-hour Atlanta → Statesboro)
• Assignors may lose “A list” to PRO / USL matches; D II/III need deep referee pool

Referee & AR Positioning – Clip Take-aways

• 86’ in heat = temptation to conserve energy; still must anticipate next phase
• Guideline: in 1-goal game cheat toward trailing team’s penalty area (more game-critical)
• AR flag discipline
  • No guitar-hero “play-on” signal: keep running, optionally whisper “She’s good” on comms
• Mass confrontation management
  • AR jog into scene & form triangle; use whistle + voice
  • Meet halfway, not “slow-walk & chat”
• “Foul + bad language” at D II/III: address publicly if loud; religious schools will report!

Managing Fighting / Bench-Clears

• NCAA codes: BB1 (minor), BB2 (major), “Fighting” = straight red
• AR protocol when ref misses:
  • Sprint in, observe, do not physically separate; record numbers
  • Post-incident: pull referee to quiet zone; deliver concise facts: “Red #8 punched White #12 – fighting – both red.”
• Notification script: to BOTH coaches & official scorer
  • “Coach, Red #12 sent-off for fighting (BB2). Restart is ____.”

NCAA 2024 Rule Changes & Points of Emphasis

DOGSO Handling

• Outside PA = red (unchanged)
• Inside PA:
  • Only red for deliberate/cynical “goalkeeper-style” save (e.g. Suarez 2010)
  • Normal, non-deliberate handballs = PK + no card
  • SPA-style blocking of a promising shot in PA also no card

Penalty-Kick Encroachment

• Retake only if encroachment clearly impacts kicker/keeper OR encroacher plays ball
• Minor foot over line with no effect = keep outcome
• NCAA does NOT adopt IFAB 8\,s keeper rule; manage verbally

Clock Management

• Stop clock for misconduct only if the carded team would benefit from stoppage
• Do not auto-stop at 30 s for attacking free-kick; treat like any other restart

Coach & Bench Decorum

• Distilled test: Personal, Public, Provocative
• Yellow / red progression tools; shoulder-to-shoulder communication preferred
• Coach entering field to protest = at minimum caution

Player Mis-identification

• 58 protests in 3 years
• Best practices:
  • Isolate player physically before card
  • Cross-check electronic or paper match report post-game (photo if printer down)

Handball Interpretations (Corey’s red = penalise, green = play on)

Illustrative clips:

• Liverpool v Tottenham (arm above shoulder) = PK, no card (promising shot)
• USA-Mexico friendly “supporting” arm: not penalised – fall caused by trip; no scoop motion
• Christian Pulisic accidental arm control → goal disallowed

Video Review in NCAA

• Permitted for: goal/non-goal, PK, red card, mistaken identity
• D II/III schools increasingly have 1 broadcast camera; still valuable for protests
• Remember to signal TV box; referee should frame decision as “confirmed” / “changed” when back on field

Miscellaneous Practical Tips

• Tape on cards must match card colour; never store religious tokens with cards
• Wear comms? Delegate “touch” cue on free-kicks to opposite AR to keep eyes on drop zone
• Any player or sub entering field to celebrate ➜ mandatory cautions (NCAA)
• Take pictures of scoreboard/stat sheet before leaving venue
• SEC anecdote: loud single shout “REFEREE!” that echoes = public dissent → caution

Statistical Quick-Hits

• Approximate incident frequency for a referee doing 30 matches
  • Penalty kick decisions: 1 every 5 games
  • Red cards (all types): 1 every 10 games
  • DOGSO: 1 every 30 games
  • Handball judgements: \sim5 per game → most practiced, least classroom-discussed

Take-Home Mantras

• “Anticipate the next phase” – sprint early, not late
• Professionalism at every division: arrive early, fit, in uniform, enforce language standard
• When in doubt on PK location: outside; on handling inside PA: yellow at most
• Use clear, confident body language; public perception matters in the VAR age
• Keep the game, players & image SAFE: fitness + positioning + decisive communication