At 12:00 PM 01/03/2003 -0500, Brian Smith-White wrote: > And it doesn't exactly take a PhD to recognize that US soccer >referees aid, abet, encourage, and support the fragmentation of US >soccer via willingingly rushing to join the myriad of oversight >organizations each claiming ultimate authority for their version of >soccer.

I plead guilty to doing USSF, Futsal, NF, various forms of indoor and aspiring to do college ....

Would US soccer be better off if we all picked one and only did that one?? As best as I can tell, the various versions of soccer are much more alike than different (frustratingly so, in fact) ... I would love it if the FIFA/USSF rules were _the_ rules. I think the young players will become better prepared for competition on the world stage(s). But how do we get there? NFHS seems to be moving towards USFF (altho' usually with a couple of years lag time) -- but I don't have a long enough history in the sport to make an informed judgement.

Is the strategy to try to develop the best refs and program for a particular program -- let's say USSF -- and let the other programs wither away as excellence gradually dies out in the other organizations as USSF refs refuse to work in those programs until they conform to the FIFA/USSF umbrella? Or is there some way to encourage cross-fertilization from the grassroots by refs who work/support multiple organizations to eventually unite them all? (I would think that if even the Lutherans -- I was raised with the synod/conference differences being almost as great as Protestant/Catholic -- can figure out how to come together then something secular like soccer should be able to.)

Just an idle mind a-wonderin' ....

-- Glenn

--------------------------------------------------- Work is for people who don't referee soccer. --------------------------------------------------- Glenn R Sogge -- Referee: USSF, NFHS/IHSA (Illinois), USFF State (Futsal), AYSO Regional, USSF Assignor email: [log in to unmask] | http://soccer-ref.quietfire.com South Elgin Tornadoes Soccer Club: http://www.tornado-soccer.com