Head Referee Role

Head Referees are invaluable in assuring professional conduct, organization, and representation of OWPRA at tournaments to which OWPRA referees are assigned. Below is a list of duties for Head Referees.

• Contact OWPRA’s supervisor and confirm that you are able and willing to serve as the tournament’s head referee.

• Contact the tournament director (often the head coach) and inform them that you will be the tournament’s head referee and will need a game schedule as soon as it’s available.

• Contact the referees assigned to the tournament to find out their availability. Notify OWPRA’s supervisor immediately if a referee is unable to attend a tournament.

• Coordinate any hotel accommodations. See the compensation page for criteria to qualify for overnight accommodations. If any referees qualify and choose to stay in a hotel, contact the host to make the reservations.

• Once you receive a copy of the game schedule, make the referees’ game schedule. Send the information to the referees and copy the supervisor of officials on this email.

• At the conclusion of the tournament, determine what each referee should be paid for the tournament — including “travel” if appropriate. Information on game fees and travel compensation can be found on the compensation page. Forward this information to the tournament host and Cc the Supervisor of Officials.

• Absent extraordinary circumstances, you should be present for all games played during a tournament. As the head referee, you should be available at all times to coordinate any protests and clarify any interpretations of the rules.

• A protest can be filed any time during a game by a team’s coach. A protest that is filed during a game should be resolved immediately. A coach may also file a protest any time within 5 minutes of the conclusion of a game. Protests are resolved by a “tournament games committee” if one has been appointed. In the absence of such a committee, the protest is resolved by the referees. As the head referee for the tournament, you should be available to participate in and/or arbitrate (if necessary) the decisions regarding any protest(s).

• Report immediately by phone to the supervisor of officials any serious incidents that occur during a game. These would include a red card administered to a player or coach, misconducts, serious injuries and protests. If in doubt about reporting an incident, err on the conservative side and notify the supervisor of officials.