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Brian Hall, a member of the men's soccer coaching staff at De Anza College, is known around the world--but not as a coach. Hall, just 13 years old when he officiated his first game, has built a reputation as one of the world's finest referees.
The 44-year-old Cupertino native was 19 when he became a linesman for the North American Soccer League. At age 24, he worked an NCAA Division I championship game. At 26, he became a national referee. At 31, he began an international career with FIFA.
The first American referee to work the final round of the FIFA World Cup, Hall has advanced further on the international level than any other U.S. ref in history. In fact, he is so well known that a U.S. Soccer website once marketed a commemorative jersey and other memorabilia autographed by Hall.
Recently, Hall's glossy resume became a bit longer when was selected Referee of the Year for the second time in three years by Major League Soccer. Hall, who has been with MLS since its inception in 1996, became the second referee in league history to run the middle in more than 100 regular season matches.
The MLS's announcement of Hall's selection was made on Oct. 25, four days after Hall concluded his 2005 MLS schedule by working the Eastern Conference semifinal at Soldier Field in Chicago.
Hall has officiated soccer games in more than 30 countries, in front of some crowds larger than 80,000.
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