SCRA Presidents Message

July/August, 2009

           

Hello to all of you and I hope you are as excited as I am for the upcoming tournament and CSL season. I can finally say that we will have plenty of games in the coming weeks for all of you so please update your calendars and double check them for accuracy to eliminate any turnbacks. If you have not refereed any games in a while, make sure your uniform still fits you. They have been known to shrink in the closet and the wrong time to find out is on the day of your assignments. Also, make sure your socks are not stretched out and still stay up. You may look real funny to the sidelines running down the field with one hand holding your flag or whistle and the other trying to prop up your socks. Please check everything out today, not later.

 

Oceanside Lightning Cup Tournament:

Even in sweltering temperatures, you performed your duties with enthusiasm and professionalism. The tournament director conveyed to me his compliments to our association for a job well done.  Likewise, I want to pass along those sentiments to all of you and thank you for all of your efforts. We certainly look forward to next year except without the heat.

 

United Cup Tournament – (Formerly Capo Cup):

Saturday& Sunday August 8th - 9th is slated for the United Cup. We are working with the tournament directors to load the final schedule in Arbiter and get the games assigned as soon as possible. We are striving to have the assignments distributed to all of you by Monday evening five days prior to the tournament. Please review the competition rules posted on the SCRA website and make sure you arrive at your field assignment at least 35 minutes before to allow for check-in and set-up.

 

West Coast Classic Tournament:

Saturday & Sunday August 15th – 16th is our next scheduled tournament. The prestigious West Coast Classic continues to grow in size and skill level each year. We are expecting to cover more fields than ever and look forward to the challenges and logistics of covering all the games without any glitches. Assignments should be out approximately six days in advance of the tournament.

 

Blues Cup Tournament:   

Concluding our fall tournament season for 2009 is the well respected and prestigious all female youth tournament: Blues Cup. Scheduled for Saturday, Sunday & Monday Sept 5th, 6th & 7th, the tournament prides itself on the high level of play and the reputation for some of the best female teams from around Southern California and beyond.   

 

State Referee Committee Changes:

The revolving door of change continues to unveil itself at the State Referee Committee. The latest news comes directly from Thomas Bobadilla who resigned his position as State Referee Administrator to focus on his new role with AYSO as National Referee Administrator. We wish Tom good luck in his new endeavor and thank him for all of his dedication and hard work as head of SRC. His replacement has yet to be announced.

      

West Coast Men’s Adult Soccer League:

The league is in full swing with seven teams kicking off the inaugural season. We are committed to rotating in referees that are interested and capable to handle higher level assignments. Feedback so far has been very positive and we continue to work with the league officials to improve communication and make changes where necessary.

 

Risk Management Update:  

As a reminder, we have scheduled two live-scan sessions for Thursday & Friday Sept 10th & 11th. The service is free of charge to SCRA members only. When posted on Arbiter, please accept one of the event evenings so we can estimate the number of administrators needed to conduct the live-scan sessions.  

 

Calendar of Events:

 

General Membership Meeting – August 4th - Norman Murray Center, 7:00 pm

 

United Football Club Tournament – August 8th & 9th

 

West Coast Tournament – August 15th & 16th

 

Blues Tournament – Sept 5th, 6th & 7th

 

KIDSAFE Risk Management Live Scan – Sept 10th & 11th, 6:00 – 9:00 pm  

 

CSL Season Begins – Sept 13th

 

In conclusion, please remember that you do make a difference and until we meet again, be safe, healthy and happy….

 

Sincerely,

Marcel Caruana

President

South Coast Referee Association