The National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) has named Dr. Joseph Machnik as the league’s Director of Officials.The Director will work with individual conferences and regions to ensure that schedules are accurate, collaborate with United States Soccer Federation (USSF) and Puerto Rican Football Federation (Federación Puertorriqueña de Fútbol/FPF) local assignors to assign referees for all NPSL games, issue notices to members regarding cards and suspensions, oversee disputes being reviewed by the Discipline/Rules Committee, and review and update NPSL referee documents.

“NPSL and over 80 members all over the country welcome Joe Machnik as the NPSL Director of Officials,” NPSL Commissioner Michael Hitchcock stated. “In Joe Machnik, the NPSL, our teams, and our supporters are adding one of the country’s top soccer leaders to the league’s front office.  Joe brings a great deal of experience and expertise to the NPSL that will benefit the league on and of the field.”

Machnik brings literally decades of experience in several areas of the game to the fastest-growing national soccer league in North America.

Machnik is an accomplished coach, best known for his time with the U.S. Men’s National Team at the 1990 World Cup.  He also served as a head coach at the collegiate level for New Haven College/University of New Haven and Long Island University before moving on to the professional level.  He was the Head Coach/Vice President of Player Personnel for the New York Arrows of the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) in addition to serving as the MISL’s Director of Operations and Director Operations/Commissioner for the American Indoor Soccer Association (AISA).

Since 1977 Machnik has been the President and Director of the No.1 Soccer Camps.  He also boasts a decorated career with Major League Soccer/Soccer United Marketing.  He served in a variety of capacities from 1997 through 2011, including Vice President of Game Operations, Director of Officiating Services, and Assistant to the Commissioner for On Field Competition.

He is a highly decorated official that currently serves in a variety of roles, including Match Official Coach for the Professional Referee Organization (PRO), National Assessor for USSF, National Assessor for the National Intercollegiate Soccer Officials Association (NISOA), and Assignor for the North East Conference (NEC).

Machnik has served as a distinguished FIFA and CONCACAF Match Commissioner for the past eleven years, presiding over international friendlies, Gold Cup matches, and World Cup qualifiers.

“I have been watching the growth and development of the NPSL since my retirement from Major League Soccer,” Machnik added. “Commissioner Hitchcock and the Board of Directors have made the NPSL the fastest-growing league in the U.S. and I am most proud to be involved, working along with U.S. Soccer to provide quality officiating to its fast- paced up-tempo games.”

The addition of Machnik represents a major moment for the NPSL, bringing one of the most decorated soccer leaders in the history of the American game to a league experiencing unprecedented growth.  Machnik has received a laundry list of awards, including the prestigious Walt Chyzowych Memorial Award (2005) and being named to the National Soccer Hall of Fame (2003) as a NISOA inductee.

After a season with what seemed a record amount of red cards shown, some consistency in the leagues officiating is welcomed. To me, this addition demonstrates NPSL’s commitment to bettering their product and increasing standards.