The Square Life

He's not blind, he's not deaf, but he is a ref. And despite the frequent upset fans, cussing coaches, and unruly players, he loves it. Alex Kreloski is a soccer official contracted through the United Soccer Federation, so he's qualified tobe a referee for Major League Soccer games. He sat down with me to share a few of the ups and downs of life as a referee.

Why did you become a referee in the first place?

I was playing soccer and I really enjoyed the game, but I got sick and tired of poor officiating. I wanted to help improve the program by adding my insight. I've been officiating for seven years now.

Have you been a ref for any sports besides soccer?

I was a ref for basketball, but I decided not to do that anymore because I'd some times get the mentality mixed up. In soccer, you can play through a lot of things, but basketball is more of a stop-and-go game. I didn't like the ticky tackstuff I had to call. I'd rather just let ‘em play.

What did you have to do to become a referee at the pro level?

I had to go through a three-week lecture-based training course. After that, I started officiating at low-level youth games and worked my way up from there. I also have to go through two intense physical tests every year. Being a soccer official is more physically demanding than most sports. They want us to run two miles in twelve minutes, so you don't see too many fat soccer refs.

How do you deal with people (fans, coaches, players) who disagree with your calls?
When I was a player, I would yell at the refs too, but now I realize how hard it is. I have to keep in mind that a lot of spectators don't know the game well enough to understand why I make certain calls. As a referee you are under the microscope, but as a player or a coach you aren't. If they make a mistake, people just move on. But once a ref makes a bad call, you're under the knife.  Nobody can look past that. I tell the players, "I'm going to make some bad calls just like you are going to make some bad passes. We're just going to roll with the ball."

What was your first game as a referee like?

You know that uncomfortable knot you get in your stomach when someone yells at you?  That's what it felt like. And it wasn't just the players. It was the coaches,the fans-everyone was screaming at me. I realized I couldn't just run away fromit-I had to deal with it. Standing in the middle of a huge crowd and having people personally attack you is not a familiar feeling for most people. My first year, I was ready to quit because of the pressure. But the more games I did, I learned how to deal with it better.

Have you ever had any embarrassing moments as a referee?

Once I was backpeddling and did a complete backflip and crashed to the ground. I've also collided with players, and the ball has hit me in the face and knocked me down. Looking clumsy like that on the field is embarrassing because everyone already thinks you're an idiot.

What are some important things you've learned about how to be a good ref?

You can't let your guard down or get lazy for even a few minutes in a game because youmight miss something. You have to learn to read the game and anticipate what may happen. That helps you be in the right position to make good calls. You can't just chase the ball-you have to anticipate where it's going to go and what the players are going to do with it. Also, each ref is different. It's all about your own personality. You hear about people wanting all of the referees to be consistent, but you can't, because everyone has a different feel of the game and you're going to let some things go that others won't.

Does being a referee help you in your everyday life?

Definitely.  I've learned to stop and listen to people instead of just reacting right away.  I don't get stage fright anymore. I'm a better communicator. I have more confidence and I've learned to overcome fear. It really has changed my life.