This past May, I was refereeing a Long Island Junior Soccer League game when I felt a twinge in my right knee while running.

The decision whether an athlete should be allowed to play or should sit out after injury is always an interesting one to observe from afar.

As coaches, parents, and teammates, we can go a long way to helping those in need by recognizing possible signs of anxiety or depression

For me, there are five ways that refs can improve and I will describe each way here in order of importance.

If you are running a team or league it's best to have a clear policy in place at the start of the season for a lightning safety protocol, identifying safe locations, and guidelines for resuming play.

The innocence of those other U-9 games were completely lost in this one. There were many fouls in the game and the comments made by the so-called adults during the match were rather sad.

In these games, the ref can be more of a teacher than an enforcer and I tried to emulate Willy Wonka (the Gene Wilder version).

What is it about the World Cup that arrests me so? What I am chasing every four years?

While I continue to grow older, the ages of those playing soccer remains the same. As a referee, I'm in the same boat as teachers in this regard.

I believe in the value of the FIFA 11 program to reduce ACL and lower extremity injury rates, and make better soccer players.

Anson Dorrance, gave me an invaluable piece of advice when I first started coaching. He advised me to give the girls on the team the first 10 minutes of practice.

Whatever the level of the athlete, team and coach, learning and enjoyment should always be crucial considerations of the training and game environment.

For a book that's chock-full of insight into playing successful soccer, "Masters of Modern Soccer: How the World's Best Play the Twenty-First-Century Game" stands out.

For many athletes, whether an elite professional or a recreational athlete, dealing with the possibility of missing a really important event can create significant psychological challenges.

Why is it that I might be a relatively average looking guy but I look very good in my photos, including the images in this space? It's because that I'm good at Photoshop.