Bob Sumpter has spent a good part of his life and effort seeing that Soccer thrived in Georgia, and in the United States.  His special talents and accomplishments are as an Administrator, Volunteer, Officer, Referee, Referee Instructor, and Referee Assessor in youth, adult amateur, professional, college, and high school programs.

 

Bob's career started in 1967, as a volunteer Parent-Coach and Referee in one of the first leagues to organize in Georgia.  After that first year his refereeing and participation in Georgia expanded to include the Georgia Youth Soccer Association, the Georgia Amateur Association, the Georgia Youth Soccer Referee Association, the Georgia High School Association, the Georgia Soccer Officials Association, the Georgia Intercollegiate Soccer Officials Association, and the Fulton-DeKalb Referee Association.  Bob also served  GSSA as Director of Referee Instruction, as a Referee Instructor, and as a Referee Assessor.  

Bob served as GSSA Executive Secretary and in his nine-year tenure led the state office into an effective, full-time, professional organization.  Bob received the "GSSA Silver Boot Award", and is the inaugural member of the GSSA Soccer Hall of Fame".  

 

Outside of Georgia, Bob served as a USYSA Regional Representative, as a member of the USSF Referee Committee, as USSF Director of Referee Instruction, is still a USSF National Referee Instructor, and authored training programs and materials still in use nationwide.  He represented the USSF Referee Program to the National Federations of Great Britain, Holland, France and Germany.  He received the "USYSA Region III Life Member Award”, and the USSF "Eddie Pearson Memorial Award".  As a professional Referee in the North American Soccer League for eleven years, he officiated in two league championships and received their "North American Soccer League Referee Service Award".

 

As a long-time college referee, he officiated two NCAA National Championships.  Bob served NISOA as National Director of Instruction for 14 years, as National Rules Interpreter for 18 years, and as Director of the National Referee Program for 5 years.  He served as an advisor to the NCAA Men's and Women's Soccer Rules Committee for 18 years, and was awarded the "NCAA Letter of Commendation" in 1993.  Bob represented the NISOA to the Soccer Federations of the Soviet Union, Italy, Greece and Australia.  He still authors their yearly instructional videotape on college rules changes.  NISOA awarded Bob both their "NISOA Honor Award" and their "NISOA Hall of Fame Award".  A long-time high school Referee, Bob officiated a number of state championship games over the years.  He served as an advisor on the NFHS Soccer Rules Committee for 18 years, and recently authored three complete curricula for their NFHS Officials Education Development program.

 

Bob's first love has always been youth soccer. His efforts have helped the growth, development, organization, quality of play, and enjoyment of Soccer in a positive and tangible way.