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Field Marshal

General

The Field Marshal Program is intended to empower one individual from each team to speak up on behalf of the referee among their fellow parents/spectators.   Abuse from team officials and spectators has grown towards youth referees and new referees over the years. This abuse can come in many forms but specifically, is verbal abuse which is personal, provocative, and public, in regards, to the referee’s on-field performance that may cause the referee to quit or abandon the game. This is unacceptable behaviour towards any referee and must be addressed as a priority particularly if soccer is to keep an adequate supply of referees.

Specifics

  1. All teams participating in CMSA league play, must designate an individual at each game (one from each team) to act as a Field Marshal.
  2. The individual acting as the Field Marshal (FM) must be named on the team’s game sheet. Teams will receive an official disciplinary notice (and fines where applicable) when they do not list the name of their Field Marshal on the game sheet (see Section XVII.3.D - Discipline Notices and Fines).
  3. The orange arm band provided by CMSA is required to be worn by the individual who will be identified as the Field Marshal during the game. CMSA Field Marshal arm bands are available at no cost for pickup from the CMSA office.

Responsibilities

  1. The Field Marshal is to position themselves in the middle of their team’s spectators’ seating area.
  2.  The Field Marshal is expected to monitor the behaviour of their team’s spectators.
  3. The Field Marshal is expected to act on behalf of the referee(s) by reminding their spectators to keep any comments to themselves and refrain from vocalizing any complaints during the game.
  4. The Field Marshal is expected to diffuse any potential problems that may arise during the game by either being visible or calmly speaking with the individual(s) involved.
  5. The Field Marshal is expected to deal with and act on, any inappropriate comments, gestures and/or general unsporting behaviour directed at any of the players, team officials, referees, spectators or any other individual by their team’s spectators, but careful to avoid any direct confrontation. If someone is still hostile after being asked to refrain from any unwelcome behaviour or actions, try and gather as much information to provide to CMSA but without putting yourself in a dangerous situation. Contact the facility staff or security if you need assistance.
  6. The Field Marshal is not expected to put themselves in any situation that may compromise their own safety and asked to contact CMSA info@calgaryminorsoccer.com.
  7. The Field Marshal is expected to support the referee(s) when requested by the referee(s) to do so.
  8. Any questions, comments, complaints or concerns regarding the referee(s) should be submitted through the CMSA Referee Evaluation Form which can be found on the CMSA website under the “Coach/Manager” tab.
  9. Any incidents that may have occurred before, during, following the game, on or off the field, which include a spectator, the Field Marshal may be contacted by CMSA to collect more information regarding the incident in question.