[grizzlierbear]

Nothing will make it a more pleasant experience if those around you are motivated and dedicated to the principles of fairplay. I hope that your local soccer association is a strong, vibrant group that meets regularly to assess and discuss officiating in practical game and man management techniques. Use the coaches and players for positive feedback. Game management techniques and reviewing videos of yourself and others are part of an insightful program. Certainly many soccer associations and clubs are in various stages of referee development but every effort must be made to SUPPORT the referees with ongoing training, mentoring, evaluations and assessments. Seek out all avenues and do not let ANYONE take away what is a truly rewarding experience. As our colleague GreyHound, points out there are numerous venues to obtain information. I would like to suggest "The Corsham Referee Site" run by Julian Carosi in the United Kingdom. He has an excellent site including diagrams and articles that will give you a great insight into the questions you asked. " Asktheref.com" is a US based site that has worked hard to address some of your concerns and has a Q@A session that you could find useful.