A significant highlight for the Referee Program at NT Soccer in 2025 was our supervision and match official appointments for three TOSL U8 Festivals hosted at Eglinton Park.

Overall, a total of 21 of our Club Referees were involved across the three festival dates, and in this article we want to take some time to look back at one of our biggest achievements from last year.

Sharing these reflections is a common occurrence after games for Club Referees at NT, as there is no better way to reflect and learn from lived experiences than by discussing them with others.

Below, we’ve selected a few quotes discussing some different aspects of their officiating experiences at the festivals.

What was your mindset going into your first U8 TOSL festival game?

“I didn’t really know what to expect, but I was pretty nervous as it was my first real ref experience outside of a recreational division,” said Anjali.

Owen was excited to have the opportunity to referee at a level higher than the recreational matches he regularly officiates. However, considering the fact that these were festival matches, Owen said “I was also slightly nervous due to the fact that this was my first time refereeing competitive games.”

In contrast, our more experienced Club Referees had an approach oriented mentality towards the festival matches.

“My mindset was to give the best experience to the players, letting them play as much as possible while keeping player safety as my first priority,” said Jared.

“Positivity. Ensure the players are having fun while developing their skills in a safe environment,” replied Kate.

What kind of energy or atmosphere did you notice from the players, coaches, or spectators during the festival, and how did it affect you?

“I was surprised by the energy levels of the festival, particularly by how many spectators came to watch each game on the sideline. This created an intense environment that I was not expecting and made me a bit more nervous heading into my first game. Despite this, I believe I benefitted from this intense energy and felt it made me get more into the game, and encouraged me to make sure every call was accurate,” said Owen.

Kate stated “Many of the coaches took the festival very seriously. They were quick to react to decisions that didn’t go their way, or complain about the rules. I made sure to speak to the coaches and explain the rules before each game, as well as explaining any decisions made on field. During my games the spectators were respectful and cheering was positive.”

Describe a challenging/impactful moment during the festival that you experienced. Discuss how you responded/received it?

For Anjali’s second match of the festivals she was refereeing tier one boys. “It was a much higher level than what I was used to. I made sure that at minimum all my fundamental calls (kick ins, retreat line) were enforced well to make up for the fact that I wasn’t sure if I was going to get every foul call right.”

“One of the festival dates was quite hot, and after a long day of reffing I was feeling really fatigued. I knew that staying composed was essential, not just for the accuracy of my calls, but also for maintaining fairness and control of the game. It became a mental game as much as a physical one for me, and I was proud that I could stay calm under pressure and finish strong,” said Leni.

If you are interested in learning more about refereeing at North Toronto, check out our Club website HERE. 

By Leni V. – Club Referee & Ben R. – Club Head Referee