Respect the Call Education: Supporting Referees

Supporting referee development includes setting clear, consistent expectations around behavior and ensuring referees—especially new and young officials—know they are supported.

The Respect the Call education videos provide a shared framework for understanding:

• Emotional outbursts vs. dissent
• When dissent requires action
• When behavior becomes offensive, abusive, or unsafe

This education is particularly important for under-18 referees and new officials, who may still be building confidence in match management and authority.

We encourage you to:

• Reinforce the escalation framework during local education sessions
• Use the language consistently when supporting referees after matches

These videos help normalize appropriate responses and reinforce that referee safety and support are non-negotiable.

Part 1. Respect the Call: Understanding Emotional Outbursts and Dissent

Part 2. Respect the Call: Managing Dissent with Confidence and Clarity

Part 3. Respect the Call: Responding to Abusive Language and Behavior

Thank you for continuing to invest in referee development and retention.

Head over to our nhreferee.org/rap page to learn more!