2009 National Cup VIII Denver Regional: Recently-retired MLS referee Richard Heron returns...
Recently-retired Major League Soccer referee Richard Heron returns to his starting point, transitions focus to improving colleagues
For Richard Heron, a 13-year MLS officiating veteran, a trip to the National Cup VIII Denver Regional was a homecoming of sorts.
Not because Heron hails from the Denver area – he currently lives in Phoenix – but rather because it was through refereeing youth soccer games that he worked his way up the refereeing echelon to reach the professional level.
Heron, who retired from officiating in MLS at the end of the 2008 season, now transitions his focus to assessing and imparting his vast array of knowledge onto his colleagues and current youth referees that desire to reach the next level.
"This is where I started," Heron said. "I started refereeing youth matches when I first became a referee, and I worked my way up to the pro level – both indoors and outdoors. Now I feel as if it’s time for me to move onto something else and impart my knowledge by assessing and instructing referees coming up [the ranks]."
And he did just that during the National Cup VIII Denver Regional.
Arriving in Denver on Friday for the event, Heron also conducted a two-hour meeting and clinic with all National Cup VIII Denver Regional referees. He reviewed a number of U.S. Soccer Federation-mandated topics that are relevant to the game, including 100% misconduct, assistant referee involvement and also dissent.
"The clinic went very well," Heron said. "My objective is to go around, give referees feedback, help them as much as I possibly can to become better referees and to impart so much knowledge that I’ve acquired over the years as a referee at the pro level. If I can make one person to be a better referee, then I’ve done my job."
Heron is not a stranger to Denver, as he has refereed numerous MLS games in the city, including a July 4 contest in 2000 that was played in front of 53,126 fans at Mile High Stadium.
"You can't hear yourself," he said. "That was the first really big crowd of my career. I had goosebumps when I saw that many people in the stands. You blow the whistle and the crowd was screaming and the players can't hear. It's an atmosphere that's incredible."
In addition to his MLS track record, Heron also boasts an impressive history refereeing MISL and NPSL professional indoor soccer games, with over 400 contests under his belt.
Although his main focus is assessing and instructing, Heron also took the field on Sunday as the head referee for the Colorado Storm U-15 Boys Royal vs. Cisco SC White Lightning Black (Ariz.).
It was a fitting addition to his time at the National Cup VIII Denver Regional.
