Roger Morton is one of the giants of soccer officiating in North Carolina. He has been a tremendously successful soccer referee, assessor, and referee instructor. Growing up in Rocky Mount, NC, he recalls officiating youth basketball at the local YMCA on Fridays and Saturdays followed by watching ACC basketball in the evening. At a young age he knew he wanted to be a referee, and during his senior year of high school, the sports director of the YMCA recommended he learn soccer as it was the “hottest new sport and they are going to need officials.” Thus, he has spent the last 45 years as a sports official, including time at the NCAA and NAIA levels in soccer. Under the tutelage of William Utter (NCSHOF, 1997) his journey began following a high potential beginning in the sport of basketball - he was the youngest NCAA Division I basketball official, at 19 years of age when he worked for the MEAC conference. He has been an avid supporter of North Carolina youth and adult soccer and North Carolina Soccer Referees. Since 1983, when he first joined as a referee, he has assisted in the recruitment of officials to expand the organization to meet the ever-growing need of qualified soccer referees. In his position as president of Triangle NC for 20 plus years he has been instrumental in doubling the size of the chapter to over 200+ members becoming the largest single chapter of NISOA. Roger is a firm believer in referee education and continues to provide incredible education and training to NC Soccer Referees. Through this training and support, many NC Soccer Referees continue to move to higher levels of officiating within national and professional ranks. No one has a deeper passion and respect for the game, players, and coaches. He continues to serve the game as referee, administrator, and referee assignor. Here are some of his many accomplishments:
U. S. Soccer
Collegiate Soccer
High School
Education
In his position as President of TISOA, he works closely with the commissioners, athletic directors and coaches of multiple conferences including the ACC, Big South, Conference Carolinas, Southern, South Atlantic, USA South and others to ensure that the best trained and experienced officials are provided to work their soccer games. He continually recruits year-round at various youth local, state, regional, and national tournaments seeking out the very best up and coming referees to groom for the collegiate level and beyond. He is very passionate about the game of soccer, and he seeks to instill this passion in others that he mentors.