Nova Scotia welcomes FIFA referee Beaudoin
22.01Soccer NS is excited to welcome FIFA referee Marie-Soleil Beaudoin to Nova Scotia. Beaudoin is from Quebec City, QC, but spent most of the last 8 years in Guelph, Ontario and in British Columbia. She brings with her an array of accomplishments, experiences and above all a deep passion for the game and refereeing. �We are very fortunate to have her skills both on and off the field,� says Carman King, Soccer NS Referee Development Officer. �Her knowledge and understanding of the game as it is played at the top level will benefit players, coaches and officials alike.�
Beaudoin is one of only 14 officials (seven referees and seven assistant referees) across the entire country who are currently certified as FIFA referees. There were many defining moments that allowed her to reach that level but one special opportunity that stands out was being named to the Boys U15 CONCACAF tournament in the Cayman Islands in the summer of 2013. Beaudoin did not have her FIFA badge at the time but Canada Soccer trusted she would do well. This was a special appointment as typically at the international level, female referees are appointed to female tournaments and male referees are appointed to male tournaments. Of the 60 referees at this tournament, Beaudoin cracked onto the sheet along with four other females. Not only did she exceed her expectations in being appointed to the tournament, she performed so well that she was chosen to referee the final match. �I think it made it a little more special that it was actually a woman referring a boys� final,� says Beaudoin. �I actually had some local women that came to talk to me and said �you know I�ve always loved the sport but I never thought about refereeing and now that I see you, I think I could do it.� As a referee, that is so rewarding.� In light of her achievements, in 2014 Beaudoin received the Ray Morgan Memorial Award from the Canadian Soccer Association, presented to the referee who has shown the greatest progress at the national and international levels.
Now 2015, Beaudoin finds herself in Halifax working as she accepted a new position at Dalhousie University. She will be refereeing in the NSSL Premiership and Tier 1 league. No matter what level she officiates, Beaudoin says she loves the challenge that comes along with the position. �It doesn�t matter which game I do whether it�s an international game or a local game. I�m always going to have butterflies at the start and it�s a constant challenge to make the right decisions,� says Beaudoin. �You strive to get the perfect game but that�s never going to happen. So that continuous challenge to strive to get better and better is something I enjoy.� Preparation is a major component Beaudoin focuses on to meet these challenges on the field. Before officiating her first NSSL Premiership game, she talked to local officials to learn about the players and teams. She stresses the importance of getting lots of information before the game so she knows what to expect. In international matches, Beaudoin says mental preparation has been key. �FIFA provides mental preparation tools like podcasts that we can listen to, it�s 20 minutes of relaxation and focus. I use a lot of visualization,� says Beaudoin. �Trying to be as prepared as possible is important so when things happen on the field, you know exactly how to react.�
Beaudoin is a very welcomed addition to our Soccer NS community and will prove invaluable to players, coaches and especially fellow referees. �Her experience in high level training courses and games will bring a wealth of knowledge and understanding to the officials. The expertise that she has from her education in nutrition and physical wellness will also be a valuable resource,� says King. �She is a role model to our female referees, showing that with hard work and dedication, making it to the top of the game is possible.� At the top of the game, soccer has taken Beaudoin from Jamaica and the British Virgin Islands to the United States, across Canada and beyond. Now residing on the East Coast, she looks forward to new challenges and opportunities the beautiful game provides.
Source: Soccer NS
Source: Soccer NS
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