Stories of the Soccer Green Card
Ever since Richard and Bob came up with the Green Card concept in Miami, Florida back in 1997, Richard has worked to develop and implement its use in recreational youth soccer.
Being a volunteer referee for youth organizations as well as paid for South Florida High School games, Richard had a lot of opportunities to put the Green Card concept in practice in both fun and competitive settings, and the results were definitive in both situations.
Players would, instead of look for opportunities to ‘get away with’ fouling opposing teams, look to exhibit positive sportsmanship anytime possible. It turns the player’s motivation from just winning the game by any means necessary to playing the sport in a more fair and positive manner, knowing that recognition was also possible for good sportsmanship.
Collecting Stories since 1997...
Back when it was first introduced by Richard and Bob, they maintained a weekly newsletter for the local area AYSO soccer program, with which they were both volunteers.
The stories we’ll detail on this page are from Richard’s own experiences in refereeing and using the Green Card in soccer games to make the games a more positive experience for the players, coaches, and the crowds of family and friends watching the game.
As we gather new submissions of recipients of Good Sport Awards, we’ll update this page so you can see new moments of positive sporting recognition and the greater impact it is having on the sport and the players.
Here's Just Some of These Stories So Far...
The First Soccer Green Card Recipient
At the first Soccer Green Card Area meeting, Richard told those present the story of the first Green Card he ever awarded:
In fact, the very first [Soccer] Green Card ever issued, I’ll tell you the story. We were so excited about the concept… Bob lives right near St. Brendan and drove by and was honking his horn. I look over there and Bob’s on the side of the fence and he has some Green Cards.
St. Brendan was playing somebody and the score ended up around 14-0. St. Brendan got destroyed. But all during the game, the goalie for Saint Brendan, which was getting shot at like 100 times (it was 14 goals scored, but she’d saved probably 60 of them), she made great saves and dives.
Not once did she get up and scream at her defenders. Never once did she complain. Never once gave up on playing the game all the way through and was covered in dirt at the end of the game.
I said this is like an unbelievably perfect situation. So the kids are getting together. It was the last game of the season. The kids are shaking hands. Everybody on the St. Brendan team is like you know [feeling down].
Anyway, I say, “Before anybody goes any further, I want to issue a Green Card to the goalie of the St. Brendan team for not giving up and showing a good attitude the whole game. I want to thank her for doing that. It was a good sport.” I gave her the card and she started crying and all the kids on both teams applauded the goalie. And I got goosebumps I said [to myself] “Wow, that’s like so cool.”
The next morning, I get a phone call from the coach of St. Brendan High School. In my 8-10 years, I’d never ever gotten a call from the coach of a losing team the next day thanking me for refereeing [their game].
He said, “I don’t know what that whole Green Card thing was all about, but that was the highlight of my career in coaching and it was the most positive thing that happened to my team all year I just want to call to just say thank you.”
Tony Suarez - Gulliver Soccer
Richard shares the following story of one of his earliest awards of the Soccer Green Card:
There was a kid that played at Gulliver who was on the national team. He was the only kid from Florida on the Under 19 National Team, named Tony Suarez, whose father actually started Miller Pond Park in Miami.
He was a tough ball player, the sweeper; he’s unbelievable, straight-A student, a big physical brute. I showed him the Green Card before the game and all he wanted to do the whole game was win the Green Card, and then ultimately did get one for pointing out a mistake that was happening on the field and he brought it to my attention and the coach screamed out, “You’ve got to give him a Green Card for that!”
So everybody bought into the concept the first time they ever saw it in a high school game.
And the reason was they’re all lining up to start the second half. As Gulliver had kicked the ball off the first half, they were lining up to kick off the second half, and he [Tony] realized that they already kicked off and said, “Wait a minute! We got to kick off the first half. It’s their turn to kick off the ball.”
So he noticed there was an unfairness going on. Without this [Green] Card, I don’t think he would have thought of that and pointed that out, but he was actually looking for an opportunity to be recognized for being good!
Feeling Inspired?
We would love to hear your story about implementing the Soccer Green Card in your matches to recognize moments of Good Sportsmanship!
Complete the quick form here and we can keep this Positivity going and show the world what it’s like to be a Good Sport, and that those moments deserve regard and recognition!