About the SRC
About The SRC
The mission of the Ohio North State Referee Committee is to set policy for Ohio North referee administration, instruction and assessment and hear any disciplinary issues that may arise.
State Referee Committee (SRC) meetings are open sessions. If you wish to address the Committee please contact the State Referee Administrator to have your name placed on the agenda. State Referee Committee meetings are currently being hosted Zoom.
Upcoming SRC Meetings
7:00 PM SRC Zoom link available upon request
Next meeting on Sunday February 2025 :
Voting members of the SRC (Executive Committee):
State Referee Administrator - Tom Chapman
State Youth Referee Administrator -Michael Farmer
State Director of Referee Development - Jeff Mellen
State Assignor Coordinator - Wayne Wilson
Adult representative - Lorand Cibi
Representative District Referee Administrator - Rick Hanna
Non-voting members of the SRC:
Secretary - Zachary Bastin Treasurer - Kalman S.Toth
OSAN President- John Gyekenyesi
District Referee Administrators
Akron – Rick Hanna Canton - Dave Habib
Cleveland - Tom Lewis Firelands - Alexander Casey
Mansfield - Rick Hanna Toledo – Aaron Wolfe
Youngstown - Christian Freeborough
Tom Chapman
State Referee Administrator
3872 Norman Avenue NW
Canton OH 44709-2563
(C) 330-243-5055
The State Referee Administrator (SRA) is responsible for oversight of the referee program and administration activities in Ohio North. The SRA is currently Tom Chapman. The SRA manages the State Referee Committee (SRC), the officers of the SRC, and functions as the liaison between the state and US Soccer's Referee Program. With the exception of the SYRA, he appoints all other positions on the State Referee Committee and is ultimately responsible for the processing of all referee related registrations, the financial management of the State Referee Committee, and serves as chief executive for Ohio North SRC.
The State Youth Referee Administrator (SYRA) is responsible for youth referees within Ohio North. Referees who've not yet reached their 18th birthday are nor required to pass a NCSI background check or complete the US Safe Sport certification. The SYRA, Michael Farmer, assists all youth referees with other issues of preparation and readiness for matches. He also leads the selection of referees chosen to represent Ohio North at various Youth Soccer tournaments outside of Ohio North.
The State Director of Development (DRD) fulfills the duties of the former State Director of Instruction and Assessment. Jeff Mellen is a National Referee Coach our Director of Development. He is responsible for coordinating all US Soccer referee instruction in Ohio North. This includes entry level referee courses and Field Training Sessions (FTS), re-certification courses, upgrade clinics and the state level intermediate or advanced clinics held each year. Jeff has direct oversight of the Referee Coaches and Referee Mentors within Ohio North and is charged was assisting and verifying upgrades and promotions for referees who wish to advance.
The State Director of Operations (DRO) manages several business functions within the State Referee Committee. Bill Roth, is currently the DRO. Many of the duties include those formerly assigned to the the Registrar. He has administrative supervision of Ohio North's portal to US Soccer's Learning Center (LC). Responsibilities include managing courses within the LC, assisting with compliance of licensing requirements, technical support for LC issues, or other "day-to-day" business functions that may be required for the SRC or assigned by the SRA.
The State Assignor Coordinator functions as a liaison between The SRC and assignors. All assignors are also independent contractors licensed through Ohio North State Referee Committee and by US Soccer. Questions regarding an assignor, clarifications of assignor functions or interest in becoming an assignor should be directed to the State Assignor Coordinator, Mr. Wayne Wilson.
The Representative District Referee Administrator is a member of the Executive Committee selected from the serving District Referee Adminstrators (DRAs) by those DRAs. Rick Hanna was selected for the 2025 registration cycle and is the voting representation of the DRAs and referees on the Executive Committee of the SRC.
District Referee Administrators (DRA) are appointed to each district to coordinate local referee registration and other activities. They serve as local representation for the referees of their district on the SRC. They also coordinate with the District Referee Mentors to assist in the facilitation of Field Training Sessions for new referees.
Manager of Special Programs, is Cheri Clifford. She oversees projects sponsored by the State Referee Committee for special use by and for referees. These programs may arise as developmental or social. They are typified by administration for US Soccer fitness testing for promotion or referee specific training opportunities offered throughout the year. She also leads, with the DRD, Ohio North's women's initiative for female referees within the state.