A day-long meeting Saturday of various elements of the confederation's referees' community at the Home Depot Center in suburban Los Angeles started the region on the path to Brazil, reviewing past programs, determining new policies and setting future goals.
The meeting was held amid InterLiga tournament games at the Home Depot Center and two days before the U.S. Soccer Federation began its weeklong referee instructor course Monday, part of the FIFA Futuro initiative.
"We are very pleased with the progress made during the CONCACAF Referees Committee meeting," CONCACAF General Secretary Chuck Blazer said. "The gathering provided us an excellent opportunity to chart our course for the next several years as we expand the size and scope of our referee program."
"Together with FIFA and our member associations we are developing a referee development plan that will yield measurable results between now and 2014."
Besides planning the program to develop referees for the 2014 World Cup, CONCACAF also set in motion other priorities.
The confederation will expand the elite referee program to include assistant referees, with the course to be held in the lead-up to the 2009 Gold Cup. Courses will be introduced for referee assessors and a special emphasis is to be placed on fitness training and nutrition.
Other policy and planning accomplishments included clarifying and solidifying roles within the referee division with the introduction of the FIFA Referees Assistance Program (RAP), outlining preparations for match officials for 2009 CONCACAF competitions such as the U-17 and U-20 championships as well as Champions League and beach soccer tournament, and a review of RAP courses in 2008 with consideration for 2009 schedules and priorities.
