Overview
NRDP’s Referee Coaches, Referee Mentors, and Referee Trainers support the organization’s mission of developing Nebraska’s soccer referees by offering a variety of instruction, evaluation, and support opportunities. We work with referees of all ages and experience levels to improve their refereeing experience. In addition, we strive to build relationships with Nebraska’s soccer coaches, clubs, and even spectators so that we can understand their needs, address their concerns, and enhance their understanding of soccer from a refereeing perspective.
Performance Evaluations / Assessments
An “assessment” is a type of evaluation of a referee’s on-field performance. It is a formal process that involves a Referee Coach/Mentor observing a referee as they officiate a match, and then helping the referee reflect on their performance after the match.
Who We Are
Referee Coaches
A Referee Coach provides expert instruction and coaching to Grassroots and Regional Referees. On top of their many years of soccer and refereeing experience, NRDP’s licensed Referee Coaches undergo many hours of training in instructional best practices, coaching skills, soccer theory, and more. Among many other responsibilities, Referee Coaches perform match evaluations (assessments) for Grassroots Referees who wish to upgrade to a Regional Referee license, and for Regional Referees who wish to maintain their license.
NRDP’s Referee Coaches are:
- Jason Francois
- Jim McVay
- Matthew Seem
- Brent Wilson
Referee Coach candidates are selected by the State Director of Referee Development. Candidates must be Referee Mentors who have demonstrated consistent excellence over at least three years of service. Each candidate must successfully complete US Soccer’s First Time Referee Coach Course.
Referee Mentors
Referee Mentors provide guidance and instruction to all Grassroots Referees, including those who are working toward a Regional Referee license. NRDP’s Referee Mentors have demonstrated excellent leadership skills, and they have a knack for observing referee performance and offering useful, relevant feedback. Referee Mentors assist with referee instruction and training, and they can perform development and guidance (D&G) assessments.
NRDP’s Referee Mentors are:
- Jeremy Berven
- Tom Blazek
- Jim Buscher
- Dave Glatte
- Lori Hill
- Wayne Wilson
Referee Mentor candidates are selected by the SDD in coordination with the SRA and SYRA. Each candidate must successfully complete US Soccer’s First Time Referee Mentor Course. If you are interested in becoming a Referee Mentor, contact the SDD.
Referee Trainers
NRDP has recognized an opportunity to improve our connection with a subset of our Grassroots Referees. Specifically, our least-experienced and youngest referees need more support than what we can provide via Referee Coaches and Referee Mentors. We began the Referee Trainer program in 2020 to get more trained individuals onto the fields to work directly with those referees who need hands-on assistance the most. Referee Trainers are not licensed by US Soccer. Rather, NRDP selects, trains, and monitors Referee Trainers, and we have developed all of the instructional materials, policies, and processes in-house.
Referee Trainer candidates are selected by the SYRA in coordination with the SDD and other NRDP members. Successful candidates are individuals with a passion for refereeing and an ability to provide guidance and support to referees who are beginning their refereeing journey. There are no specific age or experience requirements. If you are interested in becoming a Referee Trainer, contact the SYRA.
Contact Us
For questions or comments about the coaching/assessment program, please contact Brent Wilson, State Director of Referee Development, at brent.wilson@nrdp.soccer.