HOUSTON, Texas – After just a few days into Concacaf’s Elite Referee Course taking place this week in Houston, Texas, Senior Manager of FIFA Referees Kari Seitz is impressed by the level of commitment shown by Concacaf Director of Refereeing Brian Hall and the Confederation to develop and improve its referees.
The course kicked off on Tuesday, January 21 and will conclude on Monday, January 27 in which 54 Elite Men and Women Referees and Assistant Referees, plus 10 Talented Advanced Referee Program (TARP) participants, are taking part in a week-long program that includes Seitz and Head of FIFA Refereeing Massimo Busacca.
“We have a positive relationship with Concacaf. I’ve seen the commitment of Brian and his team and what a great advantage that is for these referees. Brian motivates referees to be their best and it is clear there is a commitment,” said Seitz in an exclusive interview with Concacaf.com.
Among the notable advancements from Concacaf in recent years is the growing number of women referees receiving opportunities to referee both men’s and women’s Concacaf competitions.
“In Concacaf, you see that women referees are treated the same, they are included and from my perspective we all benefit from that. We cannot prepare women referees without competitive games and in Concacaf they have that opportunity. These women referees are giving their best and when they get to FIFA matches, they are prepared. But most importantly, it is because they put the work in and they earned it,” said Seitz.
In her work with the attendees at the Elite Referee Course, Seitz is emphasizing to referees the importance of fine-tuning even the smallest of details, and making sure the referees learn what it takes to become one of the best not just in Concacaf, but throughout FIFA.
“The message I try to transmit is that refereeing is about being consistent in understanding football, understanding the laws of the game and continuing to get better. That’s our foundation. We focus on the difference of being a good referee and being a great referee. It comes down to details, like using your personality and always being prepared. That is how you can differentiate yourself. There is a lot that goes into managing games, so you have to understand yourself and I think we are being creative in bringing in new information for them,” concluded Seitz.
