The National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) is proud to announce the 2023 NPSL Referees of
the Season. The honorees include Devlin Creighton (West Region), Steven Shidla (Midwest Region), Casie Anderson (South Region), and Balvir Cabrera Garcia (East Region).
“The NPSL is pleased to recognize these referees from each of our four regions,” NPSL Director of Officials & Health and Safety Paul Scott said. “This season these individuals have stood out from the other officials in their respective areas to be honored by the league in partnership with U.S. Soccer. They are up and coming with aspirations to make it to NWSL and MLS. In fact, almost all the U.S. refs in MLS have come through the NPSL. We are proud to be a part of referee development in this country with competitive games and through the referee events we hold.”
Devlin Creighton (West Region)
From their U.S. Soccer nominee for the award:
“Devlin has consistently performed well in all of the matches he has worked this season. Additionally, he has taken on the role of senior referee and mentor to many of the younger referees who are starting out in the NPSL, serving as a fourth official whenever asked to help guide new referees into the league. He has maintained an excellent attitude toward training and performing, and his behavior off-field is exemplary. He is a role model to the younger referees in our program, and continues to demonstrate the personality traits and habits required to officiate at a high level.”
Steven Shidla (Midwest Region)
From their U.S. Soccer nominee for the award:
“Steven had 3 NPSL middles in the Midwest Region, which is tied for the highest volume of middles in this region. His assignments included a match that included multiple misconduct decisions, multiple penalty decisions and a send-off decision. I assessed him on this match and deemed that all of his decisions were correct. Steven has been a quality regional level referee for several years and may have been overlooked in his referee career thus far. He has not received the same education nor opportunities that many of his peers have received. Despite that, he outperformed them this summer.”
Casie Anderson (South Region)
From their U.S. Soccer nominee for the award:
“Casie lives in an area of Florida that does not have many referees. When the National Referee Coach in the area moved to another state, the area lacked a confident mentor and an administrator. Casie has stepped up to both continue as a mentor and now an administrator to help with the referee program. She keeps up-and-coming referees involved in officiating, and helps as the Assignor to cover matches and provide feedback.”
Balvir Cabrera Garcia (East Region)
From their U.S. Soccer nominee for the award:
“Balvir was selected for many important matches this season. Off the field, Balvir is a role model to his fellow officials with dedication and hard work to improve as a referee. He is professional in all aspects of his life, and has high aspirations as on official. Additionally, he serves as mentor to the up-and-coming officials, providing his valuable feedback at mentoring events and in-game interactions. He recently became a USSF Certified Referee Coach, and is focused on developing the next batch of high performing officials especially for underserved populations.”
