Command Presence
U.S. Soccer Federation Referee Program
Grade 6 State Referee Course
Most Competitive Games Within State and Region
Command Presence
o How referees show their personality
o Body language
o Verbal communication
o How referees connect with players and
coaches
o Getting their attention and cooperation
o Not about power or control
Command Presence
o How referees present themselves
o How they look
o How they carry themselves
o How they act
o How they speak
The Message
o Not just about the message, but the way the
message is delivered
o Will change with the momentum of the game
o Same approach does not work for all players
or game situations
o Portray all emotions in a positive manner
Confidence
o Confidence
o In yourself
o Felt by the players
o Developing a presence
o Look and act like a referee
o Must be convincing
o Developed through experience, knowledge,
and education
Body Language
o Eye contact
o Facial expressions
o Posture
o Arms and hands
o Presence and fitness
Eye Contact
o Strong eye contact
o Reflects confidence
o Keeps a player’s attention
o Avoiding eye contact
o Shows nervousness or a lack of confidence
o Players may lack confidence in their
abilities
Facial Expressions
o Positive facial expressions
o Can show your personality
o Can help defuse and prevent misconduct
o Can convey concern
o Negative facial expressions
o Can convey disinterest
o Can have poor perception
Posture
o Straight/upright
o Shoulders are back and chest is up
o Looks in control
o Does not look flustered
o Move with a purpose
Arms and Hands
o Keep gestures close
o Broadcast messages
o Stop sign
o Calm down
o Come here
o Good preventive tools
o Gestures should not replace verbal
communication
Presence and Fitness
o Preventive presence
o Close to play
o Presence lends conviction
o Getting there and showing urgency
o Overdone presence
o Gets there, but overuses physical presence
o Too aggressive
o Initiates contact with a player
Body Language
o Enhances verbal communication
o Broadcasts the message
o Translates the message
o Overcomes difficulty in addressing players’
emotions in words
Keys to Use
o Change to suit the situation
o Natural and fluid
o Okay to show displeasure
o Awareness of cultural differences
o Establishes relationships and control
o Shows confidence, calmness, firmness,
authority, compassion, or empathy
o Do not overuse or show off
Verbal Communication
o Process of sending and receiving messages
o Keys to successful verbal communication
o Appropriate tone and volume
o Keep it simple
o Words chosen for the situation
o Listen
Command Presence
o Command presence influences the game by
o Channeling and/or influencing player
behaviors and actions
o Giving options to manage the gray areas
o Sending appropriate messages in the
appropriate manner
o Opening lines of communication
Command Presence
o Command presence influences the game by
o Drawing the line in the sand
o Preventing escalation
o Ensuring the message matches the game
situation and moment
o Leading the referee team before, during,
and after game
Command Presence
o Command presence implementation
o Use 1-on-1 conversations
o Use stoppages to establish groundwork for
relationships
o Take care of the fouler and the foulee
o Make the first foul seem bigger than it is
Command Presence
o Command presence implementation
o Know when to use different communication
styles
o Remain calm but in charge
o Be dynamic and decisive
o Create trust between players and referees
Command Presence
o Be open and approachable
o Create trust
o Show respect
o Be prepared by doing your homework
o Be available by listening to fair conversation
o Adjust to the game, the situation, and to the
players
Review Question
o Which of the following is not a goal of
command presence?
o Showing your personality through body
language and verbal communication
o Showing players, coaches and spectators that
the referee has all the power and control
Review Question
o Command presence should be achieved
through which of the following?
o How you look
o How you act
o How you speak
o All of the above
Review Question
o While command presence is about the
message being delivered, is the process of
how the message is delivered just as
important?
o Yes
o No
Review Question
o Which of the following is true when it comes
to body language?
o It can enhance verbal communication
o It can send a message to multiple players
o It can be used to communicate with players
who speak a different language
o All of the above