National Title for Student Referee

“It’s an uncommon thing to enjoy, but I love being a referee,” says Bradshaw Morel ’25. The SNC first-year was recognized as one of two Young Referees of the Year for 2021 at the US Youth Soccer Awards Gala this past January in Kansas City, Mo.

The Milwaukee-area native, who’s double majoring in political science and business administration, was in his dorm room when he learned he’d won Wisconsin’s Young Referee of the Year title. The national award had seemed a long shot at first, but the dream came true for Morel and he celebrated with family over Thanksgiving break.

“It felt refreshing that the hard work and dedication I put in for the past seven years was noticed and appreciated,” he says.

Morel has been a soccer aficionado for most of his life. He started playing when he was six years old and has been reffing pre-teen and teen level games since he was 12.

“I took a natural liking to soccer because I understood the complexity and beauty of it,” Morel says. “It’s just the game I have always known and loved.” What he loves the most about the worldwide sport? Its fluidity. It’s an experience that never truly stops, a relentless shift from defense to offense and back again.

Morel doesn’t stop either. He invests much of his free time in improving his referee skills and increasing his knowledge of the game. He reads rulebooks several times throughout the year and watches as many educational videos and documentaries as he can. Being recognized at a national level has only fueled his inner fire to get better.

Refereeing is not always a smooth experience. Morel has made mistakes and seen complicated calls arise. But that’s all part of the game. “There are times when a hundred people are looking at you and expect you to make a call,” he says. “It’s uncomfortable, but getting used to that feeling helps you from freezing up.

“As a player, I always dreamed of a thrilling game in front of a large crowd,” Morel explains. “I was refereeing a tournament playoff game three years ago, a close back-and-forth with constant action, and I had never felt more invested in a game.” Afterwards, several people complimented him on a job well done, including the coaches and a high-level referee in Wisconsin.

“Being a referee doesn’t always mean that everyone is screaming at you, but it does mean that no one is cheering for you on the sidelines,” Morel says. “It’s a thankless job, which is why receiving compliments means so much.”

Morel originally intended to play soccer at the collegiate level, but an ACL injury at the end of his senior year of high school caused him to rethink his options. He decided to join St. Norbert’s ROTC program instead and also plays intramural sports, including soccer, on campus. College hasn’t slowed his referee career down any, either. In fact, he refereed nearly every weekend last semester. He plans to upgrade his referee license and will start overseeing adult-level games.

March 17, 2022