Coaches, Parents,
These are unprecedented times for soccer in NTX. The Referee roles across NTX are down 40% from pre-covid and there is now more soccer being played than ever. Every assignor and league of every level is short on referees and while we have plan together and doing our best to recruit and re-engage the Refs on the GLASA we are still over 30 referees short from where we really need to be on a week to week basis.
We will no longer cancel games due to a Referee shortage, all teams will be asked to play their games as scheduled and in many cases you may not have a full crew, many may not even have a single Ref. While we continue to look at solutions and communicate with our Refs to find the reasons they are not able to work we will be asking coaches and parents to help step in where possible and needed, to get the games played by taking the roles of "Club Linesmen" and even Center Referees. I wanted to go through some guidelines for those situations.
Coaches:
Club Linesman
Spectators
I know this is not welcome news and rest assured we are doing everything we can to fix the situation. We are asking for your patience and cooperation. GLASA will have mentors working with our refs every Saturday to answer questions and try to give them more confidence in their ability.
Feel free to contact your Commissioner with any ideas or comments. I will personally be at Lake Park on most Saturdays if you would like to speak with me. If you have any comments regarding the Referees who work the games, please give them your positive re-enforcement, but direct any negative or constructive thoughts to our Director or Referees, Daniel Nunez at referee.director@glasasoccer.org for constructive follow-up.
Thank You for your patience and cooperation
Mark Grommesh
President
Greater Lewisville Area Soccer Association