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| Michelle Pye, who works GNAC matches in Canada, has been a FIFA referee for 11 years. |
These Q&A's are intended to heighten awareness for this critical aspect of amateur sports while celebrating the efforts of those individuals who are giving back to the game through the avocation of officiating.
This initiative is part of a comprehensive strategy by the NCAA DII Conference Commissioners Association to 1) bring attention to the crisis-level shortage of officials affecting amateur sports and 2) promote the benefits and rewards of officiating by implementing a national recruitment effort within the division.
For more information on how to become an official, we encourage you to visit the following links or reach out to your local officiating organization:
Now, on to our Q&A with FIFA (and GNAC) soccer referee Michelle Pye:
Name: Michelle
Pye
Hometown:
Kamloops, B.C., Canada
Years
as an official: 22 (11 as a FIFA referee)
Highest
level reached: FIFA referee (now a FIFA instructor)
Describe
your competitive background in the sport of soccer.
I
played youth soccer from the age of 5 until 18 and then played recreational
women's soccer for a few more years!
What
was it that attracted you to the officiating world and how old were you when
you first started officiating?
I'm
not sure when I started, if I really thought of it as a long-term part of my
life, but as I got more and more involved, I really enjoyed the challenge of
refereeing and the fact that every game, regardless of the level, was a
challenge. I have met great people from all over the world through officiating
and have had so many amazing life experiences that I will never forget. I was
later than most when I started refereeing as I was already in university and 19
years old. Many referees start at age 12 or 13.
What
were the initial steps you took to pursue a career as an official?
My
mom actually saw an ad in the Kamloops newspaper when I was 19 years old and so
I took the course in order to make some money while I was going to university.
I definitely didn't have any aspirations of going anywhere in refereeing … it
started out as a hobby to make some extra money!
What
do you remember about your first “real” assignment as an official?
I
remember going back to my hometown about two years after I started refereeing
to do my first men's league game. I was sooooo nervous, that I tried to come up
with any reason I could to get out of the game (sick, injured, dog died). Long
story short, I put my game face on, went out and did the game, and it went
really well. That was probably the beginning of the addiction I had to keep
doing games!
Describe
your ascent to earning your FIFA badge. Was this always a goal of yours, or did
it evolve over time?
I
definitely didn't start out wanting to be a FIFA referee. I enjoyed refereeing
and was pretty good at it, so I seemed to get opportunities over the years.
Before I knew it, the opportunities in my province became opportunities in my
country and in 2007 I was nominated to the FIFA list as a referee. To be
honest, I really wanted to be an assistant referee, because I felt much more
comfortable on the line. My director of officials told me, point-blank, that I
wasn't very good on the line, and that I was a better referee! And 11 years
later, I guess he was right!
What
was your reaction to learning you were selected to work the 2015 Women's World
Cup hosted by Canada?
Because
of the time change between Vancouver and Zurich (FIFA headquarters), I actually
found out when I woke up one morning to an email on my phone! I think the
biggest feeling I can remember was relief ... hahaha. The whole process leading
up to the final selection was, of course, very stressful, and I was just so
happy that I hadn't let down all the people who had believed in me and
supported me over my entire career.
As an
official in any sport needs to become a rules "expert,” what approach did
you take to learning the rule book inside and out?
As
with anything, it is important to constantly review the Laws of the Game in
order to stay up to date. With so many law changes over the last few years,
sometimes I'm not actually sure if I really even know them all! Lol
Can
you outline a typical officiating year in terms of the number (and
classification) of events you typically have on your calendar and the travel
involved?
My
busiest year, by far, was the year leading up to the 2015 Women's World Cup.
August of 2014 -- U20 Women's World Cup in Montreal (1 month); October 2014 --
Central American Games in Mexico (2 weeks); February 2015 -- Algarve Cup in
Portugal (2 weeks); April 2015 -- Final Selection Seminar in Zurich (2 weeks); June 2015 -- Women's World Cup in Canada (1 month).
What
have you found to be the biggest challenge as an official?
For
me personally, maintaining an elite level of fitness 12 months of the year has
meant training 5-7days every week. I stepped away from the field in 2011 to
have my daughter, and then again in 2013 to have my twin boys. Returning to
match fitness after pregnancy was very difficult and took a huge amount of
commitment and sacrifice by not only me but by my family as well.
Describe
an aspect of officiating that the average person or fan doesn’t
realize?
It
don't think people realize how much we want to get every decision correct, and
that we really don't care who wins.
What
advice would you give to someone who is interested in pursuing a career in
officiating?
Officiating
is definitely a difficult, but rewarding career that teaches many valuable life
skills that would serve anyone well. My advice would be to sign up for an entry-level course and start out by
doing local games in their area.
What
has been the highlight to date of your officiating career?
For
me, walking onto the field for the first time at the Women's World Cup would
definitely rank very high up there in terms of accomplishments. Having come
back after having twins, to be among the best referees and the best players in
the world was really something I am proud of.
Your
husband, Alain Ruch, is a national-level referee in Canada who also works GNAC
matches. What are the officiating discussions like in your household?
Lively
and animated! Haha!
Previous GNAC Officiating Q&A's:
Previous GNAC Officiating Q&A's:
