The Indiana Soccer Small-Sided Referee program continues to add new referees to its pool to curb the acute shortage of referees thanks to efforts by George Perry, ISL Commissioner/Director of Competition and Steve Franklin, Indiana Soccer Director of Coaching Education.
The Indiana Soccer Small-Sided Referee Program is reaching a significant milestone in the community’s dedication to fostering the growth of soccer through the development of new referees. Many thanks to the following member clubs for hosting, and or registering to host a Small Sided Referee Clinic in their respective communities: Batesville, Blue River (Shelbyville), Boilers (Lafayette), Central Indiana FC (Marion), Cutters (Bloomington), Columbia City, Delaware County (Muncie), FC Pride (Lawrence), Fort Wayne Sport Club, Fort Wayne United, Greenfield Area Soccer Club, Indiana Fire Academy (Westfield), Indiana Impact (Greenfield), Indiana ODP, Indiana Southwest SC (Jasper), Indy Premier (Noblesville), Kokomo Soccer Club, Komets SC (Mooresville), Merriville YS, Monrovia FC, Muddy River (Decatur), Mudsock YS (Fishers), Noblesville United, Orbit FC, Pendleton Youth Soccer League, Putnam County (Greencastle), Rangers FC (Auburn), Richmond Premier SC, Rush County YS, St. Francis, St. Joseph YSA (Ft. Wayne), Union County YS (Liberty), Vigo County (Terre Haute), Washington FC, Zionsville YS.
Celebrating the addition of 1,283 new Small-Sided referees since 2022 and 238 new refs in 2024 alone reflects these organizations’ commitment to providing quality training and support for officials. With each new referee, the soccer community becomes stronger and more vibrant, ensuring fair play and sportsmanship on the field. Congratulations to all involved in this successful clinic, and best wishes to the new referees as they begin their officiating journey! The goal is to have these Small-Sided referees gain confidence so they can take the USSF certification and work any game, 4v4, 7v7, 9v9, 11v11.
Special thanks are due to all club administrators and coaches for their pivotal roles in hosting the courses. Their dedication and efforts undoubtedly enrich the local soccer community and provide invaluable opportunities for the new referees to contribute to their community’s soccer scene by providing skilled referees to officiate matches. Such collaborative initiatives play a vital role in fostering the growth and sustainability of soccer at the grassroots level. This collaborative effort is vital for the continued growth and development of soccer at all levels.
A good example of this is Indiana Impact and Greenfield Area Soccer Club. Thank you to the tremendous support of Julia Prigg and Bobby Holden, where they recently held a class to increase their referee pool by 37 Small-Sided referees.
To assist these new referees and the referees we already have who work diligently to help grow our game, Indiana Soccer, our clubs, and referees are working together to create a positive environment for our teams to play. We would like to see an environment where coaches coach, players play, and spectators enjoy the game, all of us staying in our lane. Creating a positive learning and playing environment is the best way to help our children grow and enjoy the game.
Let’s ALL be a part of the solution instead of being a part of the problem!
A huge thanks to George Perry, Indiana Soccer ISL Commissioner/Director of Competition and Steve Franklin, Indiana Soccer Director of Coaching Education for their roles in facilitating the Indiana Soccer Small-Sided Referee Course. Their dedication and support are instrumental in ensuring the success of such initiatives. Click the link below to learn more about hosting a course.