Soccer coach chosen for national championships
By Chris Bennett
Correspondent
The evolution of Elkhorn’s Dylan Seitz’s career as a soccer referee is fascinating and, perhaps, a bit humorous.
In 2009, after taking a class through the United States Soccer Federation, Seitz was assigned to referee his first game.
Seitz expected to earn extra cash. He did not expect to chase butterflies in his stomach.
“It was just a rec game, I think in Elkhorn and, to be honest, I was kind of afraid to get out of the car,” Seitz said. “I was so scared. You don’t know what to anticipate.
“You’re afraid of people yelling at you – specifically, parents and coaches, and also you’ve got to be the responsible one out there. I was like 13 or 14 at the time.”
Seitz put any nervous jitters behind him and is now at the point where he is thanking all those who helped his progression as a soccer referee.
Seitz is one of 97 referees who, based on performance at the state and regional levels, officiated at the games of the 2015 US Youth Soccer National Championships July 21-26 in Tulsa, Okla.
Each of the four regions of the USYS sent its top 24 or 25 referees to the national tournament.
Seitz graduated from Elkhorn Area High School in 2013, and played defender for the Elks’ soccer team. He also played club soccer with Elkhorn Soccer Club. Seitz attends UW-Whitewater and is majoring in accounting.
Being in charge on the pitch can be a lonely job, one filled with equal parts accolades and abuse. Seitz is grateful to those with Region 2 of US Youth Soccer, and is also appreciative of the support offered by the Wisconsin State Referee Committee.
“I also want to thank the many mentors and experienced referees I’ve been working with,” Seitz said.
Once he got out of the car, Seitz quickly moved past his refereeing butterflies. He earned the Elkhorn Soccer Club’s Referee of the Year award in 2010. He was named the 2011 Wisconsin Young Male Referee of the Year.
“I got kind of recognized within our state, and I started to get more competitive games,” Seitz said.
Referees move along during the postseason the same as teams. Seitz refereed Wisconsin Youth Soccer Association matches and matches at the US Youth Soccer Region II Championships June 20-24 in the Fox Cities Area.
“As we referee those games, they judge us on our performance,” Seitz said. “They picked 25 to go on and move on to nationals, based on performance at the regional level.”
It is the third year Seitz refereed at the regional level, and the first year he is moving on to the national level.
Region 2 of the USYS is comprised of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio North, Ohio South, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
Seitz is certified as a referee through the USSF. USYS is a member of the USSF Youth Council, the governing body for soccer in the United States.
USYS is a national organization of more than three million registered youth soccer players between the ages of five and 19, more than 600,000 volunteers and administrators and more than 300,000 coaches.
Seitz’s sights are set on someday refereeing professionally in the United States. Major League Soccer and the two leagues below the MLS – the North American Soccer League and United Soccer League – offer plenty of opportunity.
Being a referee at youth matches on a national level is a stepping stone for Seitz’s goals.
“I’m very honored to get chosen to be one of the top 25 referees in the Midwest,” Seitz said. “I feel really honored. It’s just an exciting opportunity.
“Guys with more experience are trying to reach the same goals – I’m honored to reach the achievement at such a young age.”
