Welcome to Soka 101, the podcast where we scratched the soccer riches you never knew you had.

Today, we're talking about the people in the beautiful game

who are always questioned, often maligned,

and whose judgment is constantly the source of controversy,

and yet they are essential to the integrity of the sport,

and we literally couldn't do it without them.

Yes, it's referees.

How does one qualify to become a referee

and giving the obvious downsides of the gig, why would anyone actually want to? My name's Ryan Bailey, joining me today to tackle this topic. We have Taylor Rockwell. Hello. Hello. I jumped the gun. Hello. Hello. Graham Ruffman. Hello, Ryan Bailey. Hello, Joe Lowry. Ahoy. Before we get into this topic, guys, I'd like to know if any of you've actually ever done any refereeing,

if you have experience with the whistle at your lips.

I have done it but a couple of times for kids at my wife's school,

and despite them being maybe like 12 or 13 years old,

I found the burden of responsibility very, very intimidating. Taylor, have you ever refereed? I have. I got my referee license when I was

like 14, I think, thereabouts. That was like one of my first jobs and I hated every minute of it.

So you didn't go work in like a diner or like in a store.

You went as your first job to be a referee.

Yeah.

Oh, cool.

Because it was like the club that I played for used like older kids in the in the travel

program to referee like three aside games basically.

And then I decided I wanted to wear the the black and white stripes of the yellow shirt

and get to wave a flag around.

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