An Estrie organization will be the first ever to strongly criticize verbal violence against young soccer referees by equipping them with body cameras for the upcoming season.
After witnessing inappropriate situations between adults and officials, most of whom were teenagers, Windsor Minor Soccer Association president Martin Tremblay decided to act.
The father has been in office for three years and wants to give the officers a feeling of security.
“In the last three years, cases involving parents have become very intense and have increased. We have problems retaining our referees. “At the end of the year I had two young referees leave the field crying and telling me it was over and they weren't coming back,” he explained at the end of Tuesday's thread.
Before pitching his idea to his club and Soccer Estrie in the fall, Mr. Tremblay was inspired by ball hockey surfaces that have fixed cameras. However, the size of the football field makes it difficult to use. Additionally, a portable device allows access to an audio track in the heat of the moment.
“In 2022, a small event occurred locally. It was a player injury and the parents believed that one of our players may have committed the injury intentionally. “The disciplinary committee asked us if we had any pictures,” he recalled, saying that at that moment he got thinking.
More safety
Wearing cameras is primarily for prevention. For Martin Tremblay, referee retention is a problem due to verbal abuse on the field.
“Those who are filmed tend to be more moderate,” he said. I really see it as a measure to appease our youth. […] It's boring having to put on a device like this, but it can provide a sense of security. Our referees are 14, 15 or 16 years old and some are adults.
An armband system previously used to distinguish underage officials had no impact, Mr. Tremblay stressed, as did Soccer Estrie signs on the sidelines urging respect. Last summer, workshops on the topic of decency were also offered at the stands.
“We have a 14-year-old linesman who was really attacked by his parents during a game. She left the field crying. For the rest of the season, when she saw this team coming, she wanted to change roles,” the president said.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY WINDSOR MINOR SOCCER ASSOCIATION
Mr Tremblay's daughter Kelly-Ann, in addition to being a player, is also a referee at Windsor. His impressions were important for this project.
“She told me a little about it. It was certain that there had been events for him too, said the father and assured that nothing bad had happened. […] She was able to tell me what was happening on site.
Revision
The discreet body camera is not a last resort, but rather gives the power back to the referees. They are the ones who decide whether a sequence deserves post-game review. Officials began the project without hesitation.
“The referee will assess whether a situation was problematic for him. This is viewed by a board member. If there is nothing, the images will be deleted. “If there is something special, it will be that we agree with the other clubs whether there is a reason for a warning, whether we call to find out what happened,” explained Martin Tremblay.
“This is a test we will do for next season,” he added. We hope it bears fruit. Otherwise everything has to be re-evaluated.”