Mark Geiger
Encyclopedia
Mark Geiger is an Association football referee, from Beachwood, NJ
. He officiates in Major League Soccer
in the United States
and Canada
. His other occupation is as a secondary school
mathematics
teacher.
since 2004. He has officiated in CONCACAF
tournaments since becoming a FIFA
referee in 2008, and has officiated Gold Cup
and other international tournaments and fixtures. Geiger was selected for the CONCACAF U-20 Championship
in 2011, where he was selected to referee the final.
In 2011, he was selected to officiate at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup
in Colombia
during July and August of that year. He officiated the Group E game between eventual tournament champions Brazil
and Austria at Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez in Barranquilla
on 1 August. He then took charge of the Group B game between Uruguay
and Cameroon
at Estadio El Campín
in Bogotá
, on 5 August. He was appointed to the Round of 16 match between Spain
and South Korea at Estadio Palogrande
in Manizales
on 10 August. Finally, he was selected to referee the Final with American Assistant Referee Mark Hurd and Canadian Assistant Referee Joe Fletcher, between Brazil
and Portugal
at Estadio El Campín
in Bogotá
. This is the first time an American has ever been referee at a major men's tournament final.
Geiger was selected as the Major League Soccer referee of the year for the 2011 season.
at Lacey Township High School
in Lanoka Harbor
, New Jersey
. He was among 103 recipients of the Presidential Math and Science Teachers Award in 2010.
Beachwood, New Jersey
Beachwood is a Borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population increased to a record high of 11,045....
. He officiates in Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. His other occupation is as a secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
teacher.
Career
He first took up refereeing in 1988. He became a USSF National Referee in 2003 and has been officiating in Major League SoccerMajor League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
since 2004. He has officiated in CONCACAF
CONCACAF
The Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football is the continental governing body for association football in North America, Central America and the Caribbean...
tournaments since becoming a FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
referee in 2008, and has officiated Gold Cup
CONCACAF Gold Cup
The CONCACAF Gold Cup is the main association football competition of the men's national football teams governed by CONCACAF, determining the regional champion of North America, Central America, and the Caribbean.The Gold Cup is held every two years and when it does not fall the same year as an...
and other international tournaments and fixtures. Geiger was selected for the CONCACAF U-20 Championship
2011 CONCACAF U-20 Championship
The CONCACAF Under-20 Championship was expanded to 12 teams beginning in 2011. The tournament determined the four CONCACAF teams that participated at the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup to be held in Colombia. In addition, the top three finishers from Central America or the Caribbean, in addition to...
in 2011, where he was selected to referee the final.
In 2011, he was selected to officiate at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup
2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup
The 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup was the eighteenth edition of the FIFA U-20 World Cup since its inception in 1977 as the FIFA World Youth Championship. Colombia hosted the tournament between 29 July and 20 August 2011, with matches being played in eight cities...
in Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
during July and August of that year. He officiated the Group E game between eventual tournament champions Brazil
Brazil national under-20 football team
Brazil national under-20 football team, also known as Brazil Sub-20 or Seleção, is considered to be the feeder team for the Brazil national football team.-Competitive record:...
and Austria at Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez in Barranquilla
Barranquilla
Barranquilla is an industrial port city and municipality located in northern Colombia, near the Caribbean Sea. The capital of the Atlántico Department, it is the largest industrial city and port in the Colombian Caribbean region with a population of 1,148,506 as of 2005, which makes it Colombia's...
on 1 August. He then took charge of the Group B game between Uruguay
Uruguay national under-20 football team
Uruguay national under-20 football team represents Uruguay in international football competitions such as FIFA U-20 World Cup and the South American Youth Championship.-FIFA U-20 World Cup:Iturbe | goals2 = Polenta...
and Cameroon
Cameroon national under-20 football team
-Appearances:-Honors:*African Youth Championship** Winners : 1995** Runners-up : 1981, 1993, 2009, 2011** Third Place : 1999*Jeux de la Francophonie** Third Place: 1997** Fourth Place: 2001, 2005-Squad:...
at Estadio El Campín
Estadio El Campín
The Nemesio Camacho Stadium, commonly known as El Campín, is the main stadium of Bogotá, Colombia. It is the home ground of the Independiente Santa Fe and Millonarios association football teams....
in Bogotá
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
, on 5 August. He was appointed to the Round of 16 match between Spain
Spain national under-20 football team
The Spain national under-20 football team represents Spain in international football at this age level and is controlled by Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain.-FIFA World Youth Championship Record:...
and South Korea at Estadio Palogrande
Estadio Palogrande
Estadio Palogrande is a multi-purpose stadium in Manizales, Colombia. It is currently used mostly for football matches. The stadium has a capacity of 36,553 people. It was built in 1936, and was expanded in 1994. Once Caldas plays its home matches at this stadium and won the Copa Libertadores in...
in Manizales
Manizales
Manizales is a city and municipality in central Colombia, capital of Department of Caldas and part of the region of Colombian Coffee-Growers Axis, near the Nevado del Ruiz volcano....
on 10 August. Finally, he was selected to referee the Final with American Assistant Referee Mark Hurd and Canadian Assistant Referee Joe Fletcher, between Brazil
Brazil national under-20 football team
Brazil national under-20 football team, also known as Brazil Sub-20 or Seleção, is considered to be the feeder team for the Brazil national football team.-Competitive record:...
and Portugal
Portugal national under-20 football team
The Portugal national under-20 football team is the national under-20 football team of Portugal and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal....
at Estadio El Campín
Estadio El Campín
The Nemesio Camacho Stadium, commonly known as El Campín, is the main stadium of Bogotá, Colombia. It is the home ground of the Independiente Santa Fe and Millonarios association football teams....
in Bogotá
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
. This is the first time an American has ever been referee at a major men's tournament final.
Geiger was selected as the Major League Soccer referee of the year for the 2011 season.
Other Occupation
Geiger teaches MathematicsMathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
at Lacey Township High School
Lacey Township High School
Lacey Township High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school located in Lacey Township, in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States, as part of the Lacey Township School District. The school opened its doors in September 1981. Residents of Lacey Township previously attended Central...
in Lanoka Harbor
Lanoka Harbor, New Jersey
Lanoka Harbor is an unincorporated area located in Ocean County, New Jersey. Politically, it is part of Lacey Township.Murray Grove is a Unitarian-Universalist retreat and conference center in Lanoka Harbor, traditionally considered the site where Universalism in America began....
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. He was among 103 recipients of the Presidential Math and Science Teachers Award in 2010.