Before the match begins, while the teams are just warming up, a Positive Referee is also warming up.
On the Sidelines
It’s as simple as having a chat with the parents and spectators while you’re adjusting your socks, tying your shoes, or tucking in your uniform.
Be casual and approachable and let them know that you’re human.
People have been trained to dehumanize the referee over decades, but these walls can break down as quickly as just sharing with them your name, a little bit about you, about why you referee in the first place, and reassuring them that you are there to look out for the safety of all the players on the field.
If you’re a volunteer, let them know that. If you’re paid, reassure them that you are impartial and that you have no associations with either team, their players, or their coaches (as you shouldn’t) and have no incentive to call the game in an unfair manner.
With the Coaches
Soccer coaches are competitive in nature, and more-so as you go into higher age ranges and in certain leagues. But sometimes they need to also remember that the safety of their players is of utmost importance, and that you, as the official on the field, are in charge of ensuring that safety is upheld and that the players are protected.
You should also let them know why you’re a referee, and that you’re not out on the pitch to be the bad guy or to punish either team, but that your role is to maintain a fair competition and that their respect of the officiating staff can set the tone for the game either way.
With your Fellow Referees
If you a part of a 2- or 3-person crew, ensure that they also know that you are a Positive Referee, and that you have a different approach to officiating. While the rules of the game must always be upheld and certain situations must always be addressed, the attitude of fairness, respect, and protection of the players is always at the forefront of all interactions with the players on the field as well as any coaching staff or spectators on the sideline.
Also encourage them to introduce themselves to the sidelines and the coaches so that it sets the tone that this is a different referee staff, and that the way they may have engaged with past officials (i.e. yelling, ridiculing, etc.) is something they may no longer feel comfortable doing once they actually know you as a person and what your motivations are for being the referee of this game.