Steve Ballentine
presents Art Smith with this year's award. |
|
2006 SCYSA Referee
of the Year
A referee is rarely considered a
hero on the soccer field. Invariably, he or she is considered
just a prop on the soccer field without any personal stake
in the game being played. Objectivity and fairness will
deliver this person into the shadows of play, and it seems
the only time he or she ever garners any real attention
is when something goes wrong. It’s an unfortunate job
where the less that is said about that person’s impact
on the game probably means that the referee is excelling
at his job. The referee is often vilified by the losing
team and overlooked by the winners. But those who organize
the game of soccer, the ones who recognize the commitment
and dedication it takes to mediate two halves (and sometimes
more!) know that there’s no more important position on
the field than the one with the whistle.
SCYSA knows better than to pass up the
opportunity to celebrate the dedication and hard work
that goes into refereeing the game of soccer. Like the
dedicated coaches who must be educated through certification
classes, referees also undergo extensive training to deliver
their services to South Carolina’s soccer players. That’s
why this award is perhaps the highest honor bestowed to
anyone participating in the game of soccer in South Carolina.
Art
Smith knows the necessity of education and preparedness
when it comes to refereeing. With a resume that’s the
envy of all our referees in South Carolina, Art Smith
has garnered experience that proves that he’s not only
on top of his art, but also fully committed to this beautiful
game we all love. He’s represented South Carolina at the
youth Regional tournaments and doesn’t limit himself to
just blowing the whistle. As the treasurer of the SCUSRS
club and an associate instructor this past year, he knows
the importance of contributing his time and energy to
SCYSA any way he can in order to keep the game growing
and succeeding for our children. Because he believes that
certification is only the beginning of referee education,
he is known as the “go to” guy when it comes to those
fine details of the game. Perhaps it’s his voracious reading
habits, devouring books on soccer and refereeing, studying
the game as a scholar.
It’s testament to his strength that he
transcends the youth leagues to take on the toughest players
participating in South Carolina—the amateur soccer. His
trustworthy, reliable and self-motivated approach sets
an example for everyone in the game, and his desire to
become a state referee so that he can assess to that level
and help others attain a state badge is another example
of the insight demonstrating his unselfish nature.
South Carolina Youth Soccer Association
is thrilled to bestow the highest honor on Art Smith,
the SCYSA 2006 Adult Referee of the Year.
