Jim Kritzberg started as a referee in 1985 (California North) as his youth coaching was coming to an end due to SF Bay Area commute and very frequent domestic and international travel for work. This allowed for a few games (local adult) as referee in Hungary and Saudi Arabia. As his adult player "career" was coming to an end, he upgraded State Referee (now Regional) in 1996. His last assessment was to be the legendary Fernando Alvarez however one of the teams didn't show. He first met Brian Hall before moving to Colorado.

"Bribed" by work to transfer to Colorado in 1997. In Colorado until 2002, and again with very frequent domestic and international travel for work, was selected for Far West Regionals as a referee from 1999 through 2002. He became a Referee Instructor while there, attended "Esse" Baharmast's 1998 World Cup sendoff party.

Again "Bribed" by work to transfer to Washington 2002. He continued the very frequent domestic and international travel for work. Twice in Iraq as Reconstruction Project IT Manager, this time not allowed to referee local games.   

While in Washington he has received the following awards, recognitions, upgrades, and positions:

2003 - Referee at Far West Regionals representing Washington

2007 - Became an Assessor (Boise, ID Clinic)

2007 - Became President of the Tri-Cities Soccer Referee Association.

2007 - Assessor/Mentor at Far West Regionals representing Washington. He has been to just about every Regionals / Presidents Cup since including once at Nationals as Head of Delegation. 

2009 - Received the Washington Adult Referee of the Year award

2009 - Received the USASA Region IV Adult Referee of the Year award

2010 - Became a State (Now Regional) Assessor (Atlanta, GA Clinic)

2010 - Downgraded to State Emeritus Referee due to serious health scare.

2011 - Became a State (Now Regional) Instructor. Good ole ITIP. (Lake Placid, NY and Colorado Springs, CO clinics)

2011 - Received the U.S. Soccer Lifetime Member award

2011 - Retired from work

2011 - 2013 served as State Director of Instruction for Washington

2011, 2012 served as Region IV ODP Camp Referee Administrator

2012 - 2013 worked with the team of Werner Henn, Ken Robertson, Phoebe Russell (& Michael Day of Texas) to bring up our current WASRC Administration System

2013 to Present - Serves as the current State Referee Administrator for Washington

2011 to Present - Almost always asked to present at the U.S. Soccer Referee Workshops and Region IV State Referee Administrator Workshops

1985 to Present

I believe my first year of registration was 1985, Linda Velie taught the entry level course in Bellevue. 

The first game I ever Refereed was a Boys U12 rec game at 60 Acres in the fall 1985 after the entry level course. The first call I ever made as a referee was in that game and it was wrong. 

The boys had played for at least the first 10 minutes with no fouls and nothing to mediate. After 10 minutes or so there was an attack and I looked at the play and recognized the attacker was all alone behind the defense so I called offside. Just as I blew the whistle and had stopped running I looked toward the goalkeeper and noticed he and a teammate defender were standing on the post talking - no way it was offside, not by a mile. At that moment I realized I could probably never make a call that poor again so I may as well keep trying - and I restarted the game after apologizing to the 2 teams and dropping the ball to acknowledge my mistake. That first season I did over 100 Lake Washington club youth games for WSYSA. My involvement there grew into local games at the youth, amateur, HS, College and what was becoming the Professional Division. 

In about 1994 the first professional game I was assigned to was as a 4th official in the Tacoma Dome between Sounders and Colorado Foxes. The National Referee was a local (lived in WA for only a short time and moved again shortly after this game) and he struggled with control of the game all evening when finally, in full view of everyone in attendance, Coach Hinton stepped to the touchline and offered the Referee his glasses. As the rookie 4th official I walked to Coach Hinton and turned to face him and although he was pretty angry we both burst into laughter. I was finally able to stop chuckling and got Coach Hinton - and his glasses - back into his technical area by telling him "Coach Hinton, this is my very first game and I'm only the 4th official and if you don't help me out this will be my last game too." 

I continued running lines and in 1995 I began to be appointed as a Referee in the USISL and PDL in the NW. I did games for the Everett Bigfoot, Puget Sound Hammers, PDL games featuring Cascade Surge, Spokane Shadow and the Yakima Reds. 1995 was also the year of my first International Friendly between USA and England in May in Portland, OR. 

In the summer of 1996, I attended USSF National Camp for the first time in Philadelphia. I was the WA State rookie and went along with Oscar Myre, Mo Sagakhaneh and Mo Zarrabi. We had all been running and studying to be able to pass the fitness and written tests. Without their help I'm not sure I would have been able to be so successful. During the weekly get togethers they shared their previous experiences in games, training and testing for the benefit of all of us. 

After passing the running test at 1996 National Camp, I was eligible to be assigned into Sounders middles to accompany the lines I had been running up to that point. At National Camp in January 1997 in Florida, I was asked to arrive 2 days early to officiate some preseason games for Major League Soccer. I was assigned 3 lines in the 4 days we were there for camp, the one day I didn't have a game was our annual fitness test. After camp I began to receive MLS assignments onto the lines, including a playoff game. At MLS preseason in 1998, after a satisfactory first year as an AR, I was assigned as a Referee and during the regular season to my first MLS game in KC. From that point on I stayed busy with league matches for the MLS, Open Cup, USL, and international women's friendly games as I had been appointed to the International Panel of FIFA Referees in 1999. 

In 1999 one of the great highlights was officiating in the Women's World Cup which was held in the United States. For this tournament I was elated and honored to receive a first appointment to officiate in Portland, Oregon the match between Japan v Russia and later in Giants Stadium Australia v China. It was made all the more special to work that first game in person in front of so many wonderful friends and my own family. 

In 2001 it was an honor to support the efforts of a new women's league by becoming a Referee in the WUSA (Women's United Soccer Association). My involvement in this league was memorable on many levels but chiefly in support of the terrific women's players who were forging their own league to succeed in. 

There were many more special moments as a Referee which were made all the more memorable due to the fine people I am grateful to have worked with and gotten to know along the way. Over the years there were many memorable games, one local highlight was that along with Mo Zarrabi we were honored to officiate the first ever soccer game in the Clink together. 

After retiring as a FIFA Referee at the end of 2004 the final match of my career was the NCAA final in 2005 between UCLA and the University of Portland. By this time, I had been recruited to begin instructing Referees and AR's for FIFA at tournaments and workshops around the world. 

Again, there are many wonderful memories but maybe the one that stands out the most is from my visit to Tehran, Iran in November of 2008. Upon arriving (with no visa in hand but that's another story), I was asked what I would like to see while I was in Iran. Having done a bit of homework I innocently replied that I knew there was the biggest football match of the year near the end of my visit and I was really hoping to get to go to the stadium and watch this huge rivalry. Keep in mind that in Iran women are not allowed to attend football matches or be in mixed crowds. Of course this created quite a stir among the representatives there but on the 2nd to the last day the woman who was on the executive committee came to me to say it had been arranged. So at the appointed time she indicated that we should leave and I turned and said to the 10 Iranian women Referee Instructor's and Assessor's to get into the van to come along. For about 10 seconds you could have heard a pin drop in the auditorium. The immediate response was "Oh no, these other women cannot come to the match." My reply was, "Oh, well, I'm sorry, I misunderstood. I thought we would all go together and discuss the match. If they aren't going, then I will stay behind and be together with them." After much deliberation and phoning back and forth, the other women were told they could come along. This was the first live football match these women had attended in 30 years. A few of them had memories of attending matches as young girls but it had not been possible for so many years since then. When we arrived (just after the kickoff) we were ushered into the press box where nearly all jaws dropped upon us entering. The women Instructors and Assessors were taking pictures and texting them to all their friends during the match and afterward were so grateful to have been able to be present. The memory of the smiles and looks of joy on their faces while they were enjoying the football match live, in a stadium was and continues to be so inspiring. 

For someone who got involved because of questionable officiating in a women's game that boiled over due to ineffective leadership by the official, I have traveled far and met some of my closest friends, all because of an 18 panel ball and a whistle. 

List of some highlights as Referee: 

• • 1985 entry level clinic - first registered

  • 1996 First National Camp/National Referee/MLS AR 

  • 1997 MLS Referee 

  • 1999 Appointed FIFA Referee 

  • 1999/2003 Women's World Cup Referee 

  • 2000 Referee Olympic Games/Referee MLS ALL Star game 

  • 2002 Appointed to USSF Referee Committee 

List of some highlights as Instructor/Assessor: 

• • 2004 Appointed to List of FIFA Referee Instructors, USSF National Instructor/Assessor FIFA Instructor for a number of tournaments and training events and member association courses from 2004 - present including: 

• • 2006 Youth Women's World Championships 

  • 2007 Women's World Cup 

  • 2008 Olympic Games 

  • 2008 Youth Women's World Championships 

  • 2010 Youth Women's World Championships 

  • 2011 Women's World Cup 

And still ongoing: 

• • 2004 – present: International Match Observer for FIFA and CONCACAF - Champions League, Olympic Qualifying Tournaments, men's and women's World Cup Qualifiers. 

  • 2004 – present: CONCACAF Referee Instructor - for multiple Olympic Qualifying tournaments and member association events. 

Mrs. Betty (Elizabeth) Schmeck has served Washington State, Region IV and U.S. Soccer for nearly 30 consecutive years in various capacities such as referee, instructor, assessor, assignor, and administrator. She is well known for her services in the referee community in the State of Washington as well as nationally. 

As Player, Adult Administrator: In the inaugural season of the Washington State Women’s Soccer Association (WSWSA) in 1973, Betty played on the Renton Mudders. This was one of the nine original teams to form the Washington State Adult Soccer Association (WSASA). She also served on the WSWSA board from 1975 through 1982 in various chairs, secretary, rules, district commissioners, and referee coordinator. During the last five years that she played, she played on both over 30 and over 40 teams. Betty retired from the field in 1988 before the league had an over 50 league. 

As Referee: Betty was first registered as a referee in 1986 and had upgraded to State Referee by 1993, at the time one of six only women to hold a State Referee badge. Currently Betty is registered as grade 15 Emeritus referee. In 1991 Betty was assigned as AR on Seattle Storm FC vs Vancouver, a men’s professional match. Betty Represented WA at the Far West Youth Regional tournaments 1987 - 2001 either as a referee and/or assessor. Betty was invited as a guest referee at Alaska State Cup and Montana State Cup. For 1995 and 1999, Betty was invited to serve as both a referee and referee mentor to a Special Olympian referee and attended the Special Olympics World Games. 

As Assignor: First registered as an assignor in 1986, Betty was one of the original six registered assignors in Washington State and continues to assign today. Other highlights of her assigning role include; first assigned at the club, association level for two years, then assigned at the state level, 1991 to 1996. Assigned the Region IV ODP camps 1991 to 1996. Assigned the National level both the Adult Soccer Veterans Cup and Masters Football Cup. Assigned the Alaska Youth State Cup for SYRA. 

As Instructor: Betty was first registered as an instructor in 1988 and upgraded to State Instructor in 2001. As a State Instructor Betty was also appointed as assignor/instructor and asked to teach as guest instructor at clinics in many of the Region IV States. Betty was frequently a guest instructor in Alaska, Montana, Oregon, and Hawaii. Betty also taught at clinics throughout Washington State on numerous occasions, plus at a USASA National Workshop. 

As Assessor: Betty was first registered as an assessor in 1993, then upgraded to State Assessor in 1994, at the time being only one of twenty-four women in U.S. Soccer to hold a State Assessor badge. 

As Administrator: In addition to the previously mentioned administrative roles with WSWSA Betty served Washington State as:  

• • State Youth Referee Administrator (1991 – 1996)  

  • Chair of the State Referee Committee (1996 – 1999)  

  • State Referee Administrator, at the time the only female SRA in Region IV and one of two in the US (1999 -2013)  

  • Served on a State High School committee to promote recruitment and retention of sports officials in Washington State.  

  • National NISOA instructor and assessor  

  • Served on a National Committee in developing the USSF referee registration data base 

Awards (that I know about, I think there are many others): 

• • 2000 Washington State Youth Soccer Association Hall of Fame 

  • 2008 Washington State Adult Soccer Association Hall of Fame 

  • 2014 Washington State Adult Soccer Association Life Time Member 

As Mentor: Betty can proudly claim being a mentor to and supporting some of Washington’s past and recent crop of top referees – such as former National Referees Scott Lawrence and Will Niccolls, current National Joshua Wilkens and PRO Jeff Hosking. 

Professionally as part of the Boeing Company management team Ram has brought that professionalism and experience to the Washington State Referee Committee, serving as Chairman since 2003. Additionally, Ram started as grade 9 in 1984 for lake Washington Youth Soccer Association, upgraded to grade 8 referee in 1989 and first time registered with USSF in January 1990. He further upgraded to grade 7 in 1992. In between from 1984 and appointment to the SRC Chair Ram has managed soccer referee organizations at all levels. 

Roles held and contributions to soccer / refereeing by Ram Prasad: 

President – Redmond Youth Soccer Club – 1983 – 1984 

During Ram’s tenure they increased the youth participation by 17 percent and strengthened the Canadian Exchange program for Redmond Youth League. 

Referee/Player – Ram became grade 8 referee in 1989, achieved grade 7 in 1992. He officiated HS games from 1992 till present, College games from 1993 – 2008 and Special Olympic games at Fort Lewis for many years. He was a member of WSYSA Judicial Committee – 2002-2003. Ram has played soccer off and on from age 8 through 2008. As a captain of the High School team Ram lead the team to regional championship. He currently holds lifetime player card in the State of Washington. 

Vice-President Facilities – Lake Washington Youth Soccer Association – 1985 – 1986 

Ram was an acknowledged key in the transformation of the 60 Acres complex from an undulating cow pasture to a reputable Soccer Complex consisting of 16 high quality turf (grass) fields. He managed $100K plus budget, installed new turf, installed irrigation system by tapping water from the Sammamish slough waterways (grandfathered till 99 year lease expires with the County), introduced paint for lining the fields replacing use of lime, and introduced field rentals to adult leagues to supplement Facilities budgets. 

President – East King County Soccer Referee Association – 2001 - 2002 

Here Ram managed 150 plus member referee organization including a paid staff. Worked with the technical directors and initiated a number of steps to make many measurable improvements in operational structures as well as referee development programs. 

Chairman – Washington State Referee Committee (SRC) – 2003 – 2015 (present) 

Ram, by working with technical directors established operational infrastructure requirements to have Budgets and Business Plan in place before the start of the fiscal year. Worked with two association presidents to move the SRC to a non-profit independent entity. Ram has been managing SRC like a private business with business plan, budgets, policies, procedures and processes in place to make organization function more efficiently and transparent for accountability of SRC to membership. His goals have been to employ less and less touch labor in managing tasks by making use of automation technologies. During this period, and continuing, the referee population and revenue have increased appreciably: The measureable metrics during his tenure as Chair include as follow (there are several measurable statistics - some subjective and some objective):

• • From very beginning Ram worked with the Committee members to set specific goals for the organization to be a valued partner to serve the game of soccer and provide valued services to all levels of referees and games.  

  • The SRC has made many improvements in the last twelve years but objectively the most telling ones, during the period while he has held the position of chairmanship, are growth in referee population and revenues.  

  • In 2003, when he joined SRC, the referee population stood at 3734 and the fund balance of $94K in the treasury. At the end of 2014 data show referee population at 6,800 and funds balance of $428K in the bank – of which approximately $310K is invested in conservative and moderate growth & income mutual funds.  

  • In 2011 another significant accomplishment as chair of SRC was passing of the House Bill 1656. On behalf of soccer along with other sports officials the group successfully lobbied for this Bill with the State legislatures and succeeded in getting it passed. This Bill removed the uncertainty from the certain nonprofit associations where amateur sports officials were considered “employer” for unemployment insurance purposes. The new law makes it clear that they are not. Without it, the added cost of unemployment insurance would likely have been passed along to the leagues that contract with these nonprofit referee associations, which in turn would be passed along to those who sign up to play sports.  

  • The increase in referees, instructors, assessors, assignor’s population in each grade has moved up proportionately.  

  • In addition to the growth in referee population and revenues as noted above the SRC has made tremendous progress in the quality of referees by providing them high quality training at home as well as out of state where our referees were given opportunities to receive field as well as class room training by highly qualified instructors and assessors. 

The whole SRC membership is very proud of the transformation of the organization during the last twelve years – thanks to Ram and his work with all the technical directors. This organization is well set with a strong team to serve the referees and the games of soccer in the State of Washington. 

Mrs. Linda Velie has served Washington State, Region IV and U.S. Soccer for over 30 consecutive years in various capacities such as referee, instructor, assessor, assignor, and administrator. She is well known for her services in the referee community in the State of Washington as well as nationally. 

As Referee: Linda started her soccer referee career by becoming first registered in June 1981 as a grade 8 referee and then in 1982 she upgraded to grade 6 State and then to grade 5 State in 1987. Currently she is registered as grade 15 Emeritus referee (U.S. Soccer records only confirm back to 1986). Highlights of her referee career include 1989, the first female as referee in a Men's Professional game, attended National Camp in 1991 & 1992 and represented Washington in the Region IV Youth Championships 1982-1989. 

As Assignor: Linda started as an assignor in 1996, having previously assisted Don Baker in developing Referee Assigning Program (1986). She started assigning in the Region IV Youth Championships in 1990, then became the Region IV Youth Referee Administrator in 1993 through 2003. She also was an Assignor Instructor form 1996 on. 

As Instructor: Linda started as an instructor in 1985 (U.S. Soccer records only confirm back to 1992). One of her first students was Sandra Hunt. She attended the CONCACAF International Course for Referee Instructors in Colorado Springs in 1988, then became a National Instructor in 1996. During this period and continuing through today, she has taught all levels of instructors/upgrading instructors and intermediate to advanced training for referees locally in Washington and throughout the United States. Documents she edited or wrote include "Procedures for Referees and Linesmen" for Robert Evans, NDRI 1988-1989, the pamphlet for USYSA, "Parents, Coaches, Referees, It's the Players' Game" 1995 and the pamphlet for USYSA, "Operation GET REAL" 1996. 

As Assessor: Linda started as an assessor in 1982 (U.S. Soccer records only confirm back to 1986) and reached the grade of State Assessor in 1991. 

As Administrator: Linda was the Washington State Director of Instruction 1988-1991, State Youth Referee Administrator 2001-2003, (as above) Region IV Youth Referee Administrator in 1993 through 2003 and Referee Administrator for Region IV Girls ODP 1996-1996. 

Awards (there are many others): 

• • Linda was the Finalist in Everett Herald "Man and Woman of the Year in Sports Award" 1996

  • Inducted into WSYSA's "Hall of Fame" 1999

  • Recipient of The Golden Scarf Award by the Seattle Sounders 2010

Fred started his soccer career in 1981 as the required referee for his son’s team in recreational soccer.

Among Fred's lifetime achievements and contributions:

• • USSF William Scofield Memorial Award in 2008

  • Adult Referee of the Year for the state of Washington in 2003

  • USSF State 05 Referee (Now Emeritus)

  • USSF State 05 Assessor

  • NISOA National Official (Retired 2010)

  • NISOA Regional Assessor

  • Officiated at A league games and numerous Division 3 (semipro) in both Washington and Oregon

  • Assigned to numerous WA High School Semifinals and Finals

  • For most year, refereeing between 150-300 games per year

  • Chapter President of Columbia Soccer Association in Vancouver, WA for 6 years and the a board member until last year

Additionally, Fred has server in assistant administrator roles for the past Washington SRA and is very active in mentoring referees at all levels. 

Tim Busch has served Washington State for over 30 years in various capacities such as referee, Founding member, and administrator. He is well known for his services in the referee community in the State of Washington as well as nationally.

He started his soccer career in January 1978 as a grade 8 youth referee and then in 1982 he upgraded to grade 6 and then to grade 5 in 1987. Currently he is registered as grade 15 Emeritus referees.

He is the founding member of the Washington State Referee Committee and has served on the WASRC from its founding in 1992 and continues today after 20 years as president of the Washington State Adult Soccer Association, and also as the adult charter member of the United States Soccer Federation. He also founded and chaired the Northwest Soccer Academy from 1994-1997 in Bellingham, Washington. It was the forerunner of the later professional referee clinics offered by the United States Soccer Federation.

He has received many awards and recognitions: inducted into United States Adult Soccer Association Hall of Fame in 2007 and Washington State Soccer Association Hall of Fame in 2008, Special award from United States Adult Soccer Association for service on the USASA Vision and Strategy Task Force in 2009. He has been a member of the advisory committee for Seattle Sounders FC – MLS - 2009 – present and member of the Board, former team owner – Pacific Coast Soccer League – British Columbia and Washington. In 2010 he was voted Referee of the Year by the San Carlos League – Washington State.