From March 31st to April 11th, 2 female Class 1 Referees participated in the "2023 Dallas Cup International Youth Soccer Tournament" held in Dallas, USA.

The Dallas Cup is a big tournament with teams in various age categories from U12 to U19. The referees in this competition also vary from grassroots to international levels. They officiated many matches with referees who meet for the first time and learned the importance of communication skills through the games.

Comments

SONE Miu, Referee
I had participated in the Dallas Cup first time. It was also my first time to go abroad, so I was a little nervous, but the local volunteers and referees from many countries warmly welcomed me, that’s why my nervousness quickly subsided. When the tournament started, I was surprised by the scale of the tournament, and I was moved by the enthusiasm of the players, teams, and spectators for football, which were different from those in Japan. During the matches, I learned how to convey what I want to say in a straightforward and smooth manner because I cannot communicate in Japanese, and that words are not the only way to convey. I still feel that there are still a lot of things to do during the 10 days. I will continue to devote myself to further growth without ending this experience with good memories.

KATSUMATA Misaki, Referee
It was my first time to go abroad and I was worried, but I was able to have a good experience with the support of many people, including referees from other countries and local staff. I was overwhelmed by the atmosphere of the game and the strength of the competition between the players when they got the ball. Also, I felt a sense of accomplishment when I was able to communicate what I wanted to convey. Through these two weeks, I felt the fun of soccer and the fun of refereeing. I also interacted with referees from other countries and was inspired by their refereeing and behavior. I want to make use of this experience in my refereeing activities so that I can return the favor.

YAMAGUCHI Hiroshi, JFA Referee Manager
The referees were able to recognize "what is lacking now?" Also, they were actively working on the challenges that were made to recognize in the next game. By participating in the tournament, I believe that the referees gained hints for further growth as a referee and as a member of society. I would like to express our sincere appreciation to those who had supported us on the participation to this tournament.