California SRC South

CORE Session:

Topic: The Art of Refereeing and Managing Games at Different Levels
Date: September 15, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Location: North Torrance High School
3620 W. 182nd Street

Join us for the September 15 CORE session as we welcome National Referee Coach Kia Dehpanah who will share “The Art of Refereeing and Managing Games at Different Levels.”

Refereeing is more than applying the Laws of the Game. Learn how to adapt your approach, communication, decision-making, and game management to different levels of play.

Whether you’re developing as a referee or working at the highest levels, this session will provide practical tools to help you manage the game—not just officiate it.

Congratulations, Austin Cozzi!

A huge congratulations to Austin Cozzi on his first PRO2 referee assignment as a National Referee! On the field with Austin is Emmanuel Padilla (AR1), Conrado Garcia (AR2) and Kevin Pantaleon (4th Official).

Austin took charge of LAFC2 vs. Sporting KC2 with members of the State Referee Committee (SRC) there at the match to support and cheer him on as he takes this exciting next step in his referee journey.

This milestone is a testament to your hard work, dedication, and commitment to your development. We’re proud of you, Austin!

This weekend, Penny Rehm, Director of Female Development, and Rick Rehm, Director of Assessments, paid a visit to San Luis Obispo to mentor referees at the CCU Tournament.

Thank you to CCU and all participating referees for the warm welcome and commitment to learning.

NEW & EXISTING REFEREES — WE’RE HERE TO HELP!

Whether you’re just getting started or looking to advance to the next level, we’re here to help guide you through your referee journey.

Have questions or need help with your next steps? Private message us or email Penny Rehm at [email protected] to be directed to the right person who can help you.

Don’t know where to start? Just ask!

What do you do on a Saturday night?

We referee!

Paxton Wolf, Ana Valdez, Logan Bryant,
Nicholas Zarshenas

Great seeing so many San Diego referees at CORE!

We had a fantastic turnout as we reviewed the latest law changes and continued learning together. Thank you to everyone who came out and made it a great evening!

Thanks to our educators Fabio Tovar, Dennis Vargas, Rick Rehm and Kia Dehpanah.

National Referee Coach Spotlight:

Behind every great referee program are great National Coaches and Referee Coaches.

Their leadership, experience, and commitment to developing referees continue to raise the standard across our program.

Today, the SRC is proud to spotlight one of our outstanding National Referee Coaches: Thomas Bobadilla.

Thomas Bobadilla, whose passion for coaching comes from a desire to give back to the game that has given him so much. Through mentoring and teaching, his greatest reward is seeing referees grow in confidence, achieve their goals, and leave the field with a smile.

Thomas is inspired by the joy and passion of young players, knowing the future of soccer is bright. One of his proudest moments was sharing the field with his daughter, Zenia, as they refereed matches together.

Thomas’ advice to referees:
Have fun and stay humble.
Never stop learning or improving.
Stay fit and prepare for every match.
Be your toughest evaluator, welcome feedback, and always give back to the game.

“Success comes from preparation, perseverance, and a genuine love for the game.”

ATTENTION FEMALE REFEREES!

Join the Female Development Program!

Save the Date

The next Regional Fitness Test is October 25!

Congratulations to Salvador Reyes and Viviana Diaz, US Soccer National Assistant Referees from Cal South on being selected for the USL Final in Flint, Michigan on August 1, 2026!