Organizations across Ontario are investing in the development of their match officials. 

For some that means including the match officials in their strategic plans, in others it means developing full scale development pathways for match officials to work towards. 

The Match Official Club spotlight takes a look at the clubs and academies who are investing in the development of match officials and their reasons for doing it. 

This week features a look at Waterloo Minor Soccer Club (WMSC) with insight from Carl Horton, Technical Director. 

At WMSC we realize that for our game to continue to develop we must continue the development of our Match Officials. Each game that is played must have a match official and without providing our Match Officials with support and development we are not helping them be successful. With the continued support and development we hope to keep Match Officials in the game longer and provide all our members (players, coaches and Match Officials) with a better experience.

Match Officials also want to progress through the game just as players and coaches do. A match official that is starting will start within our recreational program and it’s then clubs role and responsibility to help each match official become the best that they can possible be. This may be to take control of a u18 Recreational game or one day be a National Match official. We want to provide everyone with the opportunity to become the best that they can possible be.

Yes, WMSC wants to see every Match official that is within our club reach the highest level that they possible can. WMSC understands that every person involved with the game has aspirations and just the same as Players and Coaches we want to push our Match Officials to the highest level possible, nothing would make us prouder to see a match official that starts within our U-10 Recreational Program taking control of a League1 Ontario or CPL game in the future.

Without a doubt!  At WMSC we have all levels of play from our Recreational Program through District, Regional, OSL and also OPDL. As the level of play increases we need to have Match Officials that can also manage and officiate these games. At the higher levels the game is played at a faster pace and if the officials are able to manage this accordingly it will only improve the level of play, hence providing a better environment for players.

For anyone to become better at what they do, at work, in life or in sports they need to be provided with feedback on a constant basis. This feedback is vital for match officials as well. Every player, coach and match official will have good and bad days, however if there is someone there on the side lines that provides them with feedback it will only make them better. In every performance there will be positives and negatives and to receive feedback will improve the Match Officials confidence. This should also be a two-way conversation as it provides the Match Official with an opportunity to ask the mentor questions, again this can only be a good thing for the Match Official in their personal development.

Yes. There is now an avenue for Match Officials to receive “continued” education. We have now moved away from Match Officials just attending a course, becoming qualified and then taking control of games without support. Match official’s now have the support within the Club system, the District and also the Province. Our hope is that this will now progress officials through the game and allow them to achieve their goals. This can only improve the game across all levels for everyone involved.

Communication has improved over recent years. It can always be difficult to connect with people due to busy schedules etc however we do now have lines of communication where we can get answers to questions that we have. Through email, phone to the District or Ontario Soccer we can always get our questions answered and receive advice with a 24-hour period which is great to see.

As a club we have now started to offer Match Official education both on the field and in the classroom through our Manager of Match Officials, Andrew Beney. We have also worked with the District and provided free facilities to allow the District Instructors to come in and work not only with our club match Officials, but other Match Officials within the area. We see collaboration key to the success of our Match Officials and we at WMSC will continue to work with Match Officials, Coach, Players, The District and Ontario Soccer to keep the game developing and moving forward in the correct direct. WMSC, Technical Staff and Administration staff are fully on board and support Ontario Soccer in LTOD, LTPD and Club Development. The future is bright!