Robert Sumpter's soccer career began in 1967 as a volunteer parent/coach/referee in one of the first leagues in Georgia, but ended up being a tenure filled with officiating, writing and award-winning accomplishments.
After his first year, Sumpter devoted his time to numerous organizations including the Georgia Youth Soccer Association, Georgia Amateur Association, Georgia Youth Soccer Referee Association, Georgia High School Association, Georgia Soccer Officials Association, Georgia Intercollegiate Soccer Officials Association and the Fulton-DeKalb Referee Association. He also served as Georgia Soccer's Director of Referee Instruction, a referee instructor and a referee assessor.
During his nine year tenure with Georgia Soccer, Sumpter served as our Executive Secretary and received the GSSA Silver Boot Award.
Outside of Georgia, Sumpter served as a USYSA regional representative, a member of the USSF Referee Committee, a USSF Director of Referee Instruction and a USSF national referee instructor. 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 and officiated in North American Soccer League championships and received the North American Soccer League Referee Service Award while serving them for eleven years.
Throughout his officiating career, Sumpter also officiated two NCAA National Championships, 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.
Sumpter also served NISOA as a National Director of Instruction for 14 years, a National Ruled Interpreter for 18 years and as Director of the National Referee Program for 5 years. He represented NISOA while meeting with the soccer federations of the Soviet Union, Italy, Greece and Australia and was in turn awarded the NISOA Honor Award and the NISOA Hall of Fame Award.
The NFHS Soccer Rules Committee had Sumpter as part of their team for 18 years and received three complete curricula for their NFHS Officials Education Development Program.
If this list of accomplishments wasn't impressive enough, in 1990, Robert Sumpter became the inaugural member of the Georgia Soccer Hall of Fame.