The P.E.I. Soccer Association has started a new pink jersey initiative for young referees.

It came about as a way to help protect referees from hurtful comments from coaches and spectators. It is also designed to help keep the referees from leaving the game.

Nick Murray, the referee co-ordinator for the P.E.I. Soccer Association, said the program allows officials who are 13 and 14 years old to “stand out a little bit.”

“People will know they’re new referees and that’s why they have these great nice bright pink shirts and green whistles,” he said.

The shirts are meant to show the referees are new and to signal to spectators to not be too harsh.

“It’s just the general confidence can be eroded a lot of the time, not necessarily in a nasty way, but if referees are questioned or they’re second-guessed, then sometimes that can deflate the confidence a little bit, so that’s why the retention issue is always an issue,” he said.

Kieran Shipley, who is 13, has been a youth referee for two weeks and recently refereed his first game.

“It’s a pretty good idea, so people aren’t too hard on the refs.”

Shipley said he’s seen people in the past be harsh with the referees. “Especially the older ones who are more experienced, they make some sketchy calls and the parents and coaches can get pretty riled up.”

Shipley said he feels “a lot safer” from that criticism in his pink jersey.

Murray said this season has been busy and more referees are needed.

“We have a large number now of teams at the under-11 age group, so the idea is there are so many that we need referees to referee those games,” he said.

“Those players are learning, so it was an ideal opportunity to introduce new referees who are also learning to referee those games, so it works well on all counts.”

He said more than 60 kids took the referee course this year, more than triple the usual number.

Murray said the number for overall referee registration nearly doubled this year.

“I think our overall referee registration went up from like 70 to 130 this year, which is a testament … to the success of what the program is trying to achieve.”

Murray said the young referees may get another level of enjoyment from the game, even though they’re not playing, and he hopes they will continue to play in the future.