EVALUATING REFEREES – GUIDANCE NOTES

 Who should make the evaluation?
 Any competent person with a sound knowledge of the rules of the game; preferably a non-playing team manager, coach or other official but if this is not possible, the team captain.

When should the evaluation be made?
The day after the match, at the earliest.

How should the evaluation be made?
 Evaluators should try to clear from their minds the normal English meanings of ‘Good’, ‘Satisfactory’, Acceptable and Deficient and accept that they are being used only as labels for arbitrary grading levels.
The referee starts every game with a clean sheet and a Good evaluation, irrespective of any preconceived ideas of his ability. It must be only because of faults or failings demonstrated in the specific game being evaluated that any other grade is given.

The following section gives an outline of the criteria for the four grading levels. 
The degree of difficulty should not affect the evaluation of the referee; this is taken into account when the overall performance of each referee is assessed at the end of the season. In an Easy game where the referee is not tested, he should still receive a good evaluation if he is error free or near it. 

What criteria should be used for the evaluations?

Good should be awarded to a referee who has demonstrated overall control and consistency, dealing firmly with the exclusion and penalty fouls and other important incidents.  Failure to penalise one or two exclusion fouls or penalties and for other minor failings does not mean that this level has not been achieved.

Satisfactory is the second level of achievement and should be awarded when the referee has not shown full consistency and firmness and/or has clearly failed to penalise at least 3 or 4 exclusion fouls or penalties.

Acceptable is the third level and should be given to a referee who has shown inconsistency and who has clearly failed to penalise several exclusion fouls or penalties.

Deficient is the lowest level and should only be given when, after serious consideration the evaluator is satisfied that the referee has failed to penalise many exclusion fouls or penalties and/or has shown a great lack of consistency and firmness and/or lack of knowledge of the rules to such an extent as to affect the outcome of the game.  This is such a serious evaluation that a written report is required within seven days detailing the full circumstances of the evaluation.

How is the degree of the difficulty of the game decided?

Difficult – a very physical game or with many technical fouls irrespective of the score

Medium – a close game but without a lot of physical play or technical fouls

Easy – a one sided game or one without the need for significant intervention by the referee

Independent Assessors
 Where an officially recognised independent assessor is in attendance at a match (including a delegate), such person(s) shall complete the referee evaluation.  In this situation, the competing clubs shall not be required to complete an evaluation, nor shall any evaluation submitted by a club be considered.

Deficient Evaluations
 Where a club (including any representative team) awards a deficient evaluation to a referee, that club shall be required to submit, within seven days of the match a detailed report of the full circumstances leading to the deficient evaluation.

The report must be sent to the appropriate secretary or match secretary of the league or competition concerned. The ASA Water Polo Committee reserves the right to confirm the evaluation or otherwise and to examine the performance of any individual referee or delegate in appropriate circumstances.

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