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What's The Correct AYSO Answer?

Test Your Knowledge

September 2, 2010

I know that if the goalkeeper touches the ball with his hand after it is directly thrown to him by a teammate from a throw-in, I will give an indirect free kick. What if the goalkeeper deflects the ball with his hand and it goes over the crossbar? Or it goes into the goal? Should I call an indirect free kick in both cases?

Answer:

The ball is in play when it enters the field of play from a throw-in. And per Law 12 – Fouls and Misconducts, you’re right that if the goalkeeper touches the ball with his/her hands after he/she has received it directly from a throw-in taken by a teammate, you should award an indirect free kick to the opponent. However, the referee may invoke the advantage clause whenever an infringement of Law 12 occurs if there is a possibility of a goal being scored. In the scenarios you presented there is an opportunity for a goal to be scored, therefore the referee should consider waiting to see if the ball goes into the net. If the ball goes into the net, the referee should stop play and restart the game with a kick-off for the defending team. If the ball goes over the crossbar, the referee should stop play and restart the game with a corner kick for the opponent.

(See pages 21, 33, 44 and 66 in the 2010-11 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game).

August 26, 2010

I’m a U-8 certified referee. May I take the Intermediate Referee course?

Answer:

We want referees to participate in as much training as possible in order to keep learning about the game, the content of the Laws of the Game, the application of the Laws as well as the Spirit of the Laws and the Game. However, one must learn to walk before one can run so referees should follow a logical training path. The list of referee courses offered by AYSO is on page 19 in the 2010 edition of the AYSO National Referee Program manual.

The content of each course is presented with the expectation that the students have completed the previous course, in this case either the Basic Referee Course or the U-8 Official-to-Basic Referee upgrade course. If the student skips a level they will not be able to keep up with the instruction and will end up being confused and frustrated. We are constantly looking for new and improved ways to help our volunteers achieve higher levels of referee certification and the referee staff in your Region, Area and Section are always available to help you find the right course to take.

August 19, 2010

In U-6 and U-8 games, when should I stop play because of fouls?

Answer:

Referees should always aim to keep the games Safe and Fair so they can be a Fun experience for the players. When a player potentially fouls an opponent, the referee should consider if the action causes the opponent to lose control of the ball and/or creates danger to any of the participants- both results which make the game less fun. It is critical that at this age level that playing should always be a fun experience so referees should provide minimum interruptions and as much flexibility as possible. In other words, to keep the game fun, it is more important for the referee to focus on safety and fairness than applying the technical aspect of the Law.

There are few, if any, deliberate fouls in U-6 and U-8 games and it is more likely that the referee may have to stop the game to refocus the kids after they stop playing because of a distraction off the field of play. In U-6 and U-8 games referees should have fun explaining and teaching aspects of the game.

(See pages 15, 33 and 35 in the AYSO Guidance for Referees and Coaches 2010 Edition).

August 12, 2010

When I was checking players in preparation for a U-10 girls game, one of the kids told me that she had just recovered from a broken leg. I asked her if she felt safe and comfortable playing and she said yes so I allowed her to play. I kept looking at her play and I noticed that she was hobbling and players were giving her a lot of space as if they were afraid to hurt her. I decided that she should not play anymore because it was not safe for her and others so at the end of the “first quarter” I asked her to stop playing. She said no so, then I asked her coach who also said that there was no problem and she should be allowed to play. Fearing for her safety I did not let her continue playing. Was I correct in not allowing her to continue playing?

Answer:

Thank you for caring; referees need to make the safety of players their top priority. Asking the player if she was okay to play and bringing awareness to the coach was the right thing to do. However, referees do not have the authority to tell players that they cannot play without a justified reason. If the referee has evidence that the player is seriously injured he/she may stop play and ask the coach to have the player examined and then removed from the field of play. Once the coach has the player examined, they decide, hopefully conferring with the player’s parent, if it is okay for the child to continue playing. The coach has the responsibility to obtain a Participation Release Form before allowing a player to participate in games following a known serious injury which required professional medical attention.

(See pages 21 and 67 in the 2009-10 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game and page 69 in the AYSO Guidance for Referees and Coaches, 2009 edition).

August 5, 2010

What are the factors or elements known as the “Four Ds” that referees should consider when evaluating a situation where a player possibly denied an obvious goal scoring opportunity by committing an offense punishable by a free kick or penalty kick?

Answer:

Law 12 states that a player guilty of denying a goal scoring opportunity should be shown the red card and sent off. This situation does not happen often especially in youth games and it is challenging to evaluate. This is why four elements have been identified to help the referee team make good evaluations of possible denying of a goal scoring opportunity.

Below are the “Four Ds” and a couple of additional points that are critical to understand in order to correctly determine these situations.

Distance to goal – there is no specific distance but the closer the foul is to the goal, the greater the possibility of having an obvious goal scoring opportunity. The higher the skill (physical and technical) level of the player, the better they can move towards the goal.

Distance to the ball – the attacker must have been close enough to the ball at the time of the foul to continue playing the ball.

Direction of play – the attacker must have been moving directly toward the goal at the time the foul was committed.

Number of Defenders – not more than one defender between the foul and the goal, not including the defender who committed the foul. Typically the one defender is the goalkeeper but it can be a different player especially when the goalkeeper commits the offense. The referee must be certain that additional defenders would have been beaten or could not reasonably have had a chance to defend against the scoring opportunity.

All four elements must be present for the referee to consider that a situation is present. If one or more elements are missing then there is no denying of an obvious goal scoring opportunity to be punished.

If the offense is serious foul play (SFP), which is more serious than denying of an obvious goal scoring opportunity , then the player must be send off regardless of whether all of the “Four D’s” are present or not.

(See pages 35 and 122 in the 2009-10 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game and page 63 in the USSF Advice to the Referees on the Laws of the Game, 2009-10 edition).

July 29, 2010

Blue player #5 has control of the ball approximately 15 yards outside his own penalty area when an opponent pressures him. The blue player decides to kick the ball hard towards his own goal. The blue team’s goalkeeper who is outside his own penalty area sees that the ball is heading towards his goal and decides to dive and catch it with his hands. The goalkeeper was the last defender between the ball and the blue team’s goal. Is this action considered denying a goal scoring opportunity?

Answer:

When the goalkeeper is outside his/her penalty area he/she becomes a regular player and is not allowed to deliberately handle the ball. In the question presented the goalkeeper was outside of his penalty area and deliberately handled the ball which should be penalized with a direct free kick. The other concept in this question is denying an opponent an obvious goal scoring opportunity by deliberately handling the ball. A player can also deny an opponent a goal scoring opportunity by committing an offense punishable by a free kick or a penalty kick and this concept will be addressed in future editions of Whistle Stop including the four factors or elements known to referees as the “Four Ds” that must be considered before determining that an obvious goal scoring opportunity existed.

In the scenario presented, if in the opinion of the referee the ball was heading towards the goal and there were no other defenders that could have stopped the ball from going into the goal then the goalkeeper is guilty of denying a goal scoring opportunity by deliberately handling the ball. Therefore the referee should stop play, show the red card to the blue team goalkeeper, send him off and restart the game with a direct free kick for the red team.

(See pages 35 and 111 in the 2009-10 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game and page 63 in the USSF Advice to the Referees on the Laws of the Game, 2009-10 edition).

July 22, 2010

Why do we have referees who are not physically fit assigned to our U-19 games?

Answer:

The number of kids and adults playing amateur soccer increases tremendously every week; this is the good news. The number of referees who are prepared to effectively officiate these games increases very slowly, especially in the volunteer world. This is the opportunity for all of us who are involved in developing referees. Referee assignors/schedulers make their best effort to assign referees to games that match their experience and fitness levels, but we’re always short of referees with the proper experience and fitness required to cover the high level games. There are referee assigning tactics and concepts that we can use to help alleviate the challenge of not having enough referees and we’ll share these through our referee management training. We continuously review our program and continue to identify additional ways to help with this issue. Below we will focus on key things that referees can do to deal with their own fitness challenges.

Officiating may have negative impacts to personal health if the referee is not fit. Referees should consider checking their health and fitness level with their doctors before the start of the season, and at least once during the season in order to determine the level of activity in which physical participation will be safe.

Referees should have a personal training program in place that will improve fitness and maintain the level necessary to effectively officiate games (meaning the ability to keep up and catch up with older players).

In AYSO we don’t have annual requirements for re-certification, but referees do have the opportunity to lead by example and can set their own fitness expectations and standards. We have a minimum distance of 4.5 to 5.5 laps (depending on age) to be covered by National Referees during the 12 minute endurance run when they first certify. But officials who want to improve their ability to referee U-19 games might set their own standard, such as completing at least 6.5 laps in 12 minutes on a regular basis. This fitness level and a good understanding of how to “read” the game will allow the referee to be close to play most of the time and therefore use his/her presence to manage the game - a valuable tool for control.

Referees should always do self-evaluation of their skills, including fitness level. If you start finding it difficult to stay close to play, finding yourself 25 yards or more away from play most of the time, then you should either increase your fitness training or identify a level of games with lower fitness requirements in which you can effectively match your physical abilities to the players’ activity.

July 15, 2010

What can be done to guarantee correct refereeing decisions at the World Cup games?

Answer:

This is a simple but extremely challenging question. Today nothing can guarantee 100 percent of correct decisions at any games, including in the World Cup and in AYSO. However referees can prepare to maximize their ability to provide good decisions in a consistent manner within each game. There are a lot of ways to prepare to be an effective official and here are a few that will provide an AYSO referee and/or assistant referee with good skills and tools to deliver good decisions:

Participate as often as possible in referee training courses and continuing education clinics and sessions sanctioned by AYSO.

Become a student of the game – learn the content and the application of the FIFA Laws of the Game, and the AYSO and USSF referee related publications; watch more experienced referees in order to learn good officiating techniques; invest 90 minutes per month (or more) reading material related to player management, interacting with children in team sports and/or effective communications and teamwork with peers.

Improve personal fitness – train to referee. Implement a fitness training program that will allow you to maintain and improve your fitness level. Accept game assignments that match your fitness level so that you can keep up and when needed catch up, with players and the play. This will allow you to be a successful and happy referee.

Get mentored – schedule two to three mentoring or assessing sessions within each season so you can identify and continue to use your strengths and improve on your weaknesses. The top level referees, from AYSO to FIFA, always keep learning and improving their abilities and skills.

July 8, 2010

How do World Cup referees stay in shape while at the World Cup?

Answer:

FIFA supports and monitors World Cup referees’ fitness through various intense and specialized training programs. Referees with potential for World Cup assignment get identified two years early and immediately are asked to participate in the FIFA fitness programs which continue through the duration of the World Cup.

The referees who get selected for the final World Cup team take on a fitness program with a reduced focus on intensive training and more of an emphasis on maintaining top level fitness and staying healthy through a lot of stretching and other forms of exercising. The goal is to keep all World Cup referees physically and mentally healthy as the assignments will bring additional stress challenges.

This concept is very similar to what AYSO referees should do when they participate in tournaments where a lot of games are played within a few days. You should not try to increase your fitness in the middle of a tournament by performing intense training as it creates a high risk of injury. The potential injury can come from the combination of tired muscles from the various assignments, often as many as four to five everyday, and the additional stress put on the muscles through intense training. The ideal fitness training approach during tournaments is one which includes good nutrition and hydration, 5-10 minutes of jogging in between assignments to get rid of the toxic accumulation around the joints and stretching sessions before the start of the game, at halftime, after the end of the game and as often as possible throughout the day. In summary, during tournaments drink a lot of water, eat well and stretch a lot to stay healthy and happy.

July 1, 2010

How do World Cup referees recover when they make mistakes?

Answer:

Referee mistakes, which have an impact on the outcome of a game, are more critical in World Cup matches because there is more at stake. However, the impact from making a mistake can have the same repercussions on the referee for the rest of the match for all games, including World Cup and amateur games, such as AYSO. The official’s objective after making a mistake should be to get back in the mind set that will help him/her deliver officiating which provides a safe, fair and fun environment for the players. There are different ways to quickly recover from a mistake.

At all levels of the game, including World Cup matches there are ways to overcome the challenge. One way involves a self-questioning technique where the official quickly asks questions related to key factors in officiating to get the mind focused back on refereeing: 1) What is the game score; 2) Which team is dominating; 3) Are there any players with the potential for a caution or send off because of frustration; 4) Are the teams playing the offside trap?

This process allows the official to refocus on officiating and forget the mistake. If needed, questions can be added and/or changed and the process should be repeated to keep the official’s mind focused on the game.

Every now and then, all referees make mistakes but what is very important is to not let them overwhelm you. Two wrong decisions don’t make a right one.

June 24, 2010

World Cup referees are making critical mistakes like the call that took away the USA’s third goal. Are these referees ready for these games?

Answer:

World Cup games involve players and teams with the highest level of technical and physical skills. World Cup referees were selected because they have the highest level of training, game knowledge and experience. One factor remains the same with all referees at all levels of the game; they are human and therefore capable of making mistakes. Given the number of games, which are all challenging, the number of mistakes have been small. Yes, there have been a couple of critical mistakes, but overall the referees have provided acceptable or better officiating based on key parameters.

One of the key parameters is the incorrect decisions which impact the outcome of a game and there has been one, maybe two, so far. Another key parameter is the number of injuries due to poor foul recognition which generates frustration, then retaliation and ultimately possible injuries. There have been no significant foul recognition issues and therefore no injuries due to this problem. And one final parameter is the number of send offs due to violent conduct. I have not checked all of the games but I believe there have been none or one at most. Not bad when 34+ games have been played. Yes, referee decisions have generated a lot of misdirected passion because fans get 100 percent behind their teams, but overall the referees are doing a good job at the World Cup.

As it pertains to the referee for the game between our team and Slovenia; yes from everyone’s perspective, the referee made an incorrect call on our team’s third goal. There were blue shirts being pulled by the defenders, at least one of our players was being strongly hugged, and not necessarily out of love. It would have been easy and accepted by Slovenia and the whole world to let the goal stand. However, in the referee’s opinion he saw a foul committed and he decided to call it which he seemed to do before the ball was kicked into the net. Therefore I give him the benefit of the doubt, and even if he made a mistake, he remains human.

June 18, 2010

In a boys U-19 match, red player #8 is dribbling the ball towards the blue team’s penalty area. Before red #8 enters the penalty area, blue player #2 trips red player #8. As red #8 is falling he manages to pass the ball forward to red player #12. Red #12 controls the ball so the referee signals and verbalizes advantage as red #12 scores. The referee looks at the leading assistant referee (AR) to get confirmation that it is a good goal but the AR is signaling for offside. Should the referee penalize the offside or the foul?

Answer:

The referee has the power to signal and apply advantage upon seeing a foul or misconduct. The referee may also return to, and penalize the original foul if the advantage does not develop as anticipated after a short time. In this situation the referee determined that when red #12 received the ball he could apply advantage. However because red #12 was in offside position the referee cannot let play continue as it would break Law 11 and therefore the advantage did not materialize. In other words, passing the ball to a team-mate who is in an offside position does not constitute an advantage. In this situation the referee should stop the game and restart it with a direct free kick (DFK) for the red team. This is a decision that may generate confusion among players and others. We recommend that the referee inform the players of the reason for restarting with the direct free kick. The referee can say something similar to… “Advantage was not possible because red #12 was in an offside position so I have to penalize the tripping foul to red #8.”

(See page 66 in the 2009-10 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game.)

June 10, 2010

Do World Cup referees use different rules than AYSO to officiate?

Answer:

AYSO referees use the same FIFA Laws of the Game, with minor modifications, which World Cup referee use to officiate and manage soccer games. The modifications to the FIFA Laws of the Game are made to facilitate management of games at the level of youth’s technical, physical and mental skills. These modifications include size of the field of play; width between the goalposts and height of the crossbar from the ground; weight, size and material of the ball, substitutions and duration of the periods of play. One important and critical aspect of soccer which is common with both AYSO and FIFA players is that they want to feel safe and have fair competition so they can have fun and enjoy the game. One beautiful thing about the FIFA Laws of the Game is that they are simple and with some modifications, referees have used them to provide a Safe, Fair and Fun environment for players of all ages for over one hundred years

(See page 3 in the 2009-10 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game).

June 3, 2010

What should AYSO referees look for during World Cup games?

Answer:

First things first, enjoy the World Cup games and send good vibes to our National Team so they end up in the final! There are obvious differences between professional and AYSO soccer players including technical, physical and mental skills. However there are a lot of similarities, individual and team, in how both AYSO and World Cup players play the game. They also project similar behavior traits in how they respond to pressure under frustrating or happy conditions. This is why World Cup referees apply the same officiating concepts that AYSO referees apply with our kids.

Let’s focus on two concepts which are critical to all games from AYSO to World Cup levels, safe and fair. Players need to feel from the start that they will be safe and have a fair game. Learning how World Cup referees use every opportunity in each game to project safety and fairness will help you improve your officiating skills. There are a lot of tools and skills that World Cup referees use to officiate a match so here are a few critical ones to look for when you watch the World Cup games.

Body language. It has to be very positive from start to end in order to connect with people. A friendly, firm and compassionate referee makes players feel comfortable (safe).

Setting a good tone. In the first minutes of the game, the referee will let the players know by his actions if they are playing within the spirit of the game. There may be a few extra whistles if the game starts out choppy; or may be a few smiles if the players are providing beautiful soccer.

Foul recognition. Throughout the game the referee will look for opportunities to let the game flow if the play is fair, players are respectful of opponents and embracing the opportunity to play through some physical contact. The best referees identify simpler, key fouls early and throughout the game to help the players feel safe and remain under control. Example: fouls close to the benches.

Offside. The objective is to give the benefit of the doubt to the attacking game. If two or more players are involved in the attack, assistant referees will wait longer than before to provide the player(s) not in offside position with the best possible chance of playing the ball.

Teamwork with assistant referees. More than ever before, the referee will rely on the ARs and fourth official to get the call right! The referee has the primary responsibility for decisions, but with play being faster and more technical, he will need a lot of assistance from his peers. The referee team will be more effective at using the communication device and if needed, they will not hesitate to have a brief conference to check the facts and make the right decision.

So enjoy the games, take notes on what you like from the referees, wear your USA jersey and let your passion come out in support of our team!

May 27, 2010

When should I apply advantage in a foul situation?

Answer:

Per Law Five, referees have the power to apply and signal the advantage upon seeing a foul or misconduct committed if at that moment, allowing play to continue will benefit the team against which the foul has been committed. The referee may return to, and penalize the original foul, if the advantage situation does not develop as anticipated after a short while (guideline: two to three seconds). The referee should consider the following factors when deciding to apply advantage:

Severity of the offense – if the infringement warrants a send off, the referee must stop play to send off the guilty player unless there is clear opportunity to score a goal.

Match atmosphere - if the game is not under control the referee should stop play to avoid additional and stronger frustration.

Ball possession - active and credible ball control by the player who was fouled or a teammate.

Potential - the likelihood of continuing an immediate and dangerous attack on the opponent’s goal.

Personnel involved - the number and skills of the attackers relative to the number and skills of the defenders within two to three seconds of the offense.

Proximity - the distance to the opponents' goal; the less the distance, the greater the potential for a goal to be scored.

Check out the following example.

In this video white player #15 fouls blue player #6 but the referee effectively applies advantage and a goal is scored.

Additional points about applying the advantage:

Regardless of the outcome of the advantage decision, the referee should deal with the infringement

If the offense warrants a caution, it must be issued at the next stoppage of play. However, unless there is a clear opportunity for scoring a goal, it is recommended that the referee stops play and cautions the player.

If the guilty player simply needs awareness, the referee should have a word with the player at the next opportunity.

Referees should note that the advantage is not defined solely in terms of scoring a goal.

The referee should not apply advantage for these two actions:

Trifling infractions – while an offense it has no significant impact upon play.

Doubtful offense – one which neither the referee nor assistant referees can attest to.

(See pages 21 and 66 in the 2009-10 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game and pages 23 and 24 in the Advice to Referees on the Laws of the Game).

May 20, 2010

In our game, our best attacker took a shot on goal and the goalkeeper trapped the ball and brought it under his control. Then right after trapping the ball, while he was inside his penalty area, the goalkeeper made an attempt to grab one of our kids, # 9, when he was close by but he missed. If the goalkeeper would have grabbed our player, would it be a foul?

Answer:

There is not an “attempting to grab an opponent” foul but if the goalkeeper had grabbed the opponent, it would have been a holding foul. Since the holding foul would have happened inside the goalkeeper’s penalty area, the restart would have been a penalty kick for the attacking team.

The goalkeeper’s attempt to grab the opponent could be a sign of a potentially bigger issue, including frustration and possible retaliation. The referee should

Go by the goalkeeper and quickly and briefly talk to him

Tell the goalkeeper not to try grabbing opponents anymore

If the goalkeeper shares the reason for doing it such as… “Number 9 kicked me when his team took the last corner kick.” then say… “I’ll take care of it but stop trying to grab opponents or you will be in trouble”

Go by # 9 and ask him to be careful with his playing as you will be watching the action more closely.

The referee needs to be able to pick up signals and apply preventive referee mechanics in order to identify potential issues and steer the player’s behavior in the right direction.

(See pages 32 and 110 in the 2009-10 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game.)

May 13, 2010

I was the assistant referee in a game where in the second half the referee called handling of the ball outside the penalty area, raised his arm and awarded an indirect free kick. A person wearing a referee uniform came close to me and yelled at me that handling should be penalized with a direct free kick. Before the game was over, the referee called another handling of the ball and awarded another indirect free kick. The person in the referee uniform shouted at me and told me that he was the referee manager and could have me removed if I did not correct the referee. I asked him to be quiet and leave me alone or I would file a complaint. What is the right thing to do when a referee interferes with the referee team?

Answer:

It is very unfortunate to find fellow referees who exhibit behavior which is not in line with the referee’s code of ethics and the AYSO Philosophy of Good Sportsmanship. Assuming that the referee called handling of the ball then yes, the referee was applying the Laws of the Game incorrectly and it should be penalized with a direct free kick. However, the referee decisions, right or wrong, do not give any person the right to interfere with the referee or the assistant referees. For similar incidents where a person continues to interfere with the referee team, consider the following recommendations: 1) At the next stoppage of play, identify the culprit and inform the coach that the person needs to stop interfering or he/she will be asked to leave the field; 2) Ask the referee if he called handling of the ball and if he/she says yes, remind him/her that the correct restart is a direct free kick; 3) Report the person’s behavior to the proper authorities.

(See pages 32 and 111 in the 2009-10 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game.)

May 6, 2010

In a U-16 girls game, red player #8 is in an offside position when her teammate passes the ball towards her. As the ball is moving, blue player #2 decides to intentionally deflect the ball with her hand towards red player #8 so she can be penalized for being offside. Red player #8 plays the ball. What should the referee call - offside or handling of the ball?

Answer:

The possible offside infringement happened first when the red player passed the ball towards her teammate, red player #8, who was in an offside position. The handling of the ball happened second, as it was done after the ball was moving towards the red player. If in the opinion of the referee, the blue player #2 would have stopped the ball and gained possession (controlled the ball) without handling the ball, there would be no infringement and play would have continued. However, the ball was deflected by the blue player. Any deflection, deliberate or not, by the opponent cannot change the referee’s decision to penalize the offside infringement. Therefore the referee should penalize the offside, caution blue player #2 for unsporting behavior, show the yellow card to her, and restart with an indirect free kick for the blue team to be taken from the position of the offending player (red #8) when the ball was last played to her by her teammate.

(See pages 31 and 101 in the 2009-10 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game.)

April 29, 2010

When the assistant referees signal offside, should they wait until the referee sees the flag? Or should they give the referee a few seconds, say three, and then drop the flag in order to get back in position?

Answer:

When the referee misses the assistant referee’s flag signal for offside, the assistant referee should stand at attention with the flag raised, until the referee acknowledges the signal, the defending team gains clear possession of the ball or a goal kick or throw-in is awarded to the defending team. Recommendation for avoiding this situation: on every attacking pass in the attacking half of the field, the referee should automatically take a look at the assistant referee. This situation and recommendations should be covered in the referee pregame discussion.

(See page 92 in the 2009/2010 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game and, page 31, Section 6.4 in the USSF Advice to Referees 2009-10.)

April 22, 2010

In a game I was watching, the referee had cautioned red #7 for dissent in the first half. In the second half, the same player (red #7) was assigned to be the goalkeeper. One minute before the end of the game, red #7 earned a caution but the referee did not caution him. When I asked the referee why, he said, “He deserved the second caution but if I would have cautioned him, he would have been sent off and would have to sit out a game. His team really needs him and I don’t want to impact the team.” Was the referee’s action correct?

Answer:

The referee has the duty to enforce the Laws of the Game in order to conduct and manage a game that is played in a safe, fair and fun manner by both teams. When the referee provides good officiating, it generates enjoyment for players, coaches, parents and referees. Cautioning and sending off players is a challenging thing for referees to do, and it makes them feel bad, especially for less experienced officials. There are different reasons why we sometimes experience a guilty feeling when we caution and/or send off a player. We don’t want to make kids feel bad, impact the outcome of the game, leave a team short, etc. However, by correctly applying disciplinary action when the players have earned the caution or send off, we actually provide positive impact to the players and the game. Players who get cautioned or sent off and receive an explanation from the referee learn to change their behavior for future games. Referees do not give yellow and red cards…players earn the caution or send off and therefore need to be warned (cautioned) or lose the privilege to participate (sent off) in the game. Cautioning and sending off players should never become an enjoyable action for referees, but we need to learn to accept it as one of our duties so we can maintain the best environment for games.

(See page 21 in the 2009-10 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game.)

April 15, 2010

I asked three different referees what was the best position to take in a corner kick and I got three different answers. In your opinion, which is the best position?

Answer:

The best or optimal position is one that is intelligent and flexible so you can be at the right place, at the right time, to make the right decision. Positioning is intelligent when you keep the play between you and the assistant referee,do not interfere with play by getting hit with the ball and do not interfere with players by occupying space that they need. The referee can read the likely course of play and move quickly as play develops. Positioning is flexible when you’re able to move inside if play requires it to project a stronger presence or, move outside if play requires it to get out of the way. Below are the recommended starting positions for the referee for the two corner kick possibilities with the referee represented by the letter “R”. Feel free to pick different starting positions in order to accommodate the age of the players and to see as much of the action between players as you can. Remember to vary your position as things change so you can achieve the optimal position.

April 8, 2010

The blue team has effectively used the offside trap, stepping forward just before a red attacker passes the ball to a teammate, to leave the opponents in an offside position. In order to defeat the blue team’s tactic, the red team starts placing a player in an offside position as a decoy. At the next attack by the red team, the red player with the ball pretends to pass the ball to the teammate in offside position. This causes the blue team to use the offside trap and move forward. However, the red player with the ball does not pass it to the teammate in offside position and instead, dribbles the ball pass the blue defensive line who was expecting an offside call to be made. Is the use of the decoy considered active participation and therefore offside should be called? Without the decoy the blue team would not have moved forward and gotten caught moving in the wrong direction.

Answer:

There is an old soccer saying: “Live by the trap…die by the trap!" For offside to be penalized, a player has to be in an offside position and then become involved in active play. The decoy player was in an offside position but did not become involved in active play because the teammate never passed the ball to him/her. Therefore in this scenario there is no offside to be penalized. In youth games, players are still learning about the game so the referee can help by verbalizing as she/he lets the play continue and points to the player in the offside position…“Keep playing. He/she is not involved.” In every game, both teams have the opportunity to use smart and creative legal tactics to attack and defend. This is part of what makes for an enjoyable game for all players and spectators.

(See page 31 in the 2009-10 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game.)

March 25, 2010

Some young children have little or no control of their bodies when they play soccer and therefore there are many accidental falls, trips, etc. How should proper foul recognition be done in these games?

Answer:

The referee enforces the Laws of the Game which means he/she has the discretion to determine what a foul is regardless of the level of play. Per Law 12, for an offense to be considered a foul it must be committed by a player, it must occur on the field of play, and occur while the ball is in play. Referees need to remember that intent is not an issue in deciding what is or is not a foul, regardless of age. An offense at the youngest age levels might still be considered a foul if it is determined to be careless. Making calls against fouls committed by young players can be a good learning experience to demonstrate intolerance for careless play. In youth games the referee should aim to keep the experience FUN, SAFE and focused on the children. Soccer games for young children are a significant educational experience, therefore, referees should help teach players what they can and cannot do, in a positive manner. It is recommended that when the referee stops play for a foul or other reason, he/she will need to explain to the players the reason for stopping the game, the expected change in behavior and, the consequence of not changing behavior.

Please keep reading Whistle Stop where we offer techniques, recommendations and tips which help referees manage games involving youth players. Also, be sure to attend all of the referee training sessions offered near you.

(See pages 21, 32 and 109 in the 2009-10 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game.)

March 18, 2010

At a training session, the following discussion took place in regards to dropped ball and offside. The instructor said that a player may receive the ball and be in an offside position when the ball has been played to him from a teammate who received it from a dropped ball.

Situation Given: Blue player #10 and red player #5 are in place for a dropped ball. The referee drops the ball, the ball touches the ground, and red player #5 receives the ball and passes it to his teammate, red player #2, who was in an offside position when the ball was played to him. The instructor said that red player #2 is NOT offside since the ball was played to him by his teammate, red player #5, from a dropped ball. Was the instructor correct?

Answer:

Sometimes when we’re instructing we share so much information that we end up providing some wrong information. I know because it has happened to me. Your instructor probably got confused when he was explaining the issue.

In a dropped ball situation, play restarts when the ball touches the ground. If the player who “wins” a dropped ball is in an offside position when he wins it, there is no offside no matter who last touched or played the ball just before the referee stopped play. However, this exemption applies only to that one player when he receives the ball directly after it is dropped; any subsequent playing of the ball to a teammate could result in an offside decision being made by the referee. That is, once he touches the dropped ball and every time a different player touches the ball, the referee team starts a new “snap-shot” for potential offside decisions. Therefore, in the scenario you described, the referee should call offside against red player #2 because he interfered with play by touching the ball passed by a teammate, and restart with an indirect free kick for the blue team.

(See pages 28, 31 and 100 in the 2009-10 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game.)

March 4, 2010

In a U-16 game where I was the assistant referee, both a blue and a red player end up outside the field of play, behind the goal. The red player fouled the blue player by kicking him in retaliation for a previous foul. The referee gave a red card to the red player and restarted the game with a direct kick for the blue team. I thought the restart should be a goal kick since it was misconduct off the pitch.

What is the correct restart?

Answer:

Per Law 12, for an offense to be considered a foul, it must occur on the field of play. Therefore, an infringement of Law 12 that occurs off the field of play may be considered misconduct. In this case the red player kicked the blue player when he was not contesting for the ball which makes this a violent conduct offense so the referee was correct in showing the red card to the red player and sending him off. If the referee stopped play due to this misconduct, and in the referee’s opinion the red player was off the field when he decided to commit the offense, then the play should have been restarted with a dropped ball from the position of the ball when play was stopped. If instead, the referee believed that the red player left the field of play in order to commit the offense, then play should have been restarted with an indirect free kick for the blue team, from the position of the ball when play was stopped.

For both restarts, dropped ball or indirect free kick, if play was stopped inside the goal area, the restart should be done on the goal area line parallel to the goal line at the point nearest to where the ball was located when play was stopped.

(See pages 35 and 109 in the 2009-10 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game and pages 30, 48 and 61 in the USSF Advice to Referees on the Laws of the Game 2009-10 edition.)

February 25, 2010

When I referee, I start lining up players five minutes before the game starts for pregame instructions, checkups and all. Last Saturday I walked in the middle of the field at 10:12 for a game scheduled to start at 10:15 and called the teams for the pregame process. One of the coaches charged to the field and accused me of doing my pregame too early, but mind you it was almost 10:15 at that time. I told him what I was doing and he got mad, said I have an attitude and that his team would not play. Parents got upset at me and after some time, the coach came back and told me that he wanted to play the game but he still insisted that I was wrong.

To make a long story short, I told him that I respect him as a coach, he should respect me as a referee, that I'm in charge, and he should not interfere or complain about any of my decisions. The whole game he never complained or said any negative things. I called a good match and it was a very exciting game. His team won and at the end he gave me a big hug and thanked me for doing an excellent job. He said he wished I could referee all his games. He apologized for what happened earlier, so it ended on a good note. But did I do the right thing or not by lining up five minutes before the game started? Please let me know.

Answer:

It is beneficial to check players early enough to confirm the right number of players and to check that their equipment is safe and appropriate. However, per your description of the situation, there is a bigger, more important issue to discuss. Coaches and referees must work together to set up and maintain an environment which reflects the AYSO philosophies and supports the Kids Zone concept. Referees can help and benefit by connecting with the coaches, players and fans before the game starts so that it will be easier to effectively manage and officiate the game. Connecting is as much about "what we do" as well as about "how we do it." I believe you ended up connecting with the coach, and that when you officiate his future games, whether he loses or wins, he will still respect and value your officiating. Here is my recommendation for connecting with coaches and parents:

As soon as you get to the field, go over and introduce your referee team to both coaches and teams.

Smile and present a very positive attitude.

Remind them of the process you will follow to check the teams in and get the game started.

Ask if there is anything you can do to help them get ready (e.g. carry a small, practical ball pump and offer to help inflate the balls if needed).

Briefly stop by and say good morning or good afternoon to the parents.

About 15 minutes before the start of the game, conduct a brief check of both teams.

Ask if they will be ready to start on time.

Ask if there is anything they may need from you.

With 3-5 minutes before the start of the game, call both teams for the final check.

Sometimes it is challenging for coaches and parents to have all the kids on time and ready to play. Coaches get very focused on their plan, even to the minute, with their schedule of tasks. Anything that takes away from their plan or makes them change at the last minute might frustrate them. Therefore, connect with them as early as possible.
(See page 16, 18 and 63 in the 2009-10 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game and pages 10 and 11 in the Guidance for Referees and Coaches - 2009 Edition.)

February 18, 2010

In my girls' game, one of the players on the other team tried to hit our defender with her elbow but was not successful. Since the contact was not made, the referee did not call anything. Is this right? The girls are 15 years old and they can get physical.

Answer:

As spectators, we should remember that the referee is often closer to play and typically has a better view then we do, so what may look like a foul to us, might not to the referee. Now let's look at what should help referees make correct decisions in situations similar to the one you described. Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct states that striking or attempting to strike an opponent in a manner considered by the referee to be careless, reckless or using excessive force is a foul punishable with a direct free kick. Therefore if in the opinion of the referee the girl in your game tried to elbow an opponent, the referee should have stopped the game and awarded a direct free kick to your team. If the referee judged the attempted strike to be reckless, then the player should be cautioned for unsporting behavior; if the attempted strike involved excessive force then the player should have been sent off for serious foul play. Sometimes it is challenging for the referee to get into a proper position to judge foul situations. Please take a look at the attached picture which shows a situation similar to your question.

The blue player's action is not safe and fair. Her left hand is a closed fist, her face is tensed (look at her lips), and her arm is locked in a position to use the elbow to make contact with the opponent. This action happens very fast so the referee has to have the right angle where he can see at least the elbow action. Often this action, sometimes retaliation, happens after at least one other, perhaps minor, incident happened before and the referee did not catch it. The referee needs to be aware of the players' emotions and manage minor incidents from the start to prevent this type of action, and if needed, position himself properly to see the foul.

(See page 32, 34, 109, 115 and 118 in the 2009-10 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game.)

February 11, 2010

Is slide tackling allowed in AYSO?

Answer:

Yes, slide tackling is allowed in AYSO. Slide tackling is a sideways slide that attempts to knock the ball away from the opponent's feet. The referee must judge whether the tackle of an opponent is fair or whether it is careless, reckless, or involves the use of excessive force. For example, if the player making the slide tackle subsequently lifts his or her leg with the intent to cause the opponent to fall, then he/she is committing a foul. A player guilty of committing a foul while attempting to slide tackle should be penalized with a direct free kick or penalty kick if the offense is committed by a defender inside his/her penalty area. In U-12 or older games, a player who tackles an opponent in a manner that endangers the safety of the opponent, must be sent off for serious foul play.

Recommendation: Referees can look for the following player actions when evaluating a fair slide tackle:

Committed to the slide, looking at the ball and not the opponent;

Sliding on one of side of their body;

Leading with one leg, if sliding on their left side, leading with the right leg, extending the foot toward the ball, while the left leg is bent at approximately 90-degree angle;

Leaning partway down on the side of the leg as sliding in a more upright position will allow the player to spring up after the slide;

Making contact with the ball first;

Knocking the ball far out of reach away from their goal or tapping it more gently if they are attempting to gain possession; and

Using their left arm and left leg to quickly get up from the ground and get on their way.

In addition, the video below has an example of a correct slide tackle. The points below are related to the video clip.

Watch Video

This is a fair, sliding tackle and no foul should be called.

There is no unfair contact by white #2 with black #7 in this tackle.

Black #7 falls over white #2's leg after the ball has been cleared.

Players' awareness of one another.

Black #7 knows that white #2 is near and close to reach the ball.

White #2 commits himself to the tackle, looking at the ball.

Black #7 is expecting this tackle and his foot is not on the ball as white #2 makes contact with the ball.

Other players' reactions - no one even looks the referee's way for a call.

Everyone knows/senses that this has been a fair challenge.

In games with older or more experienced kids, referees should be expecting defenders to tackle in a situation similar to this one.

Referees should read play and get into a proper position to judge the intent and fairness of a tackle similar to this one.

(See pages 15, 16 and 72 in the AYSO Guidance for Referees and Coaches - 2009; page 12 in the AYSO National Referee Program - 2009 and; AYSO Basic Soccer Rules 2009; and page 48 in the USSF Advice to Referees on the Laws of the Game 2009-10.)

February 4, 2010

In a U-19 girls game during a free kick for the red team in the blue team's half of the field, the blue team defenders formed a wall 10 yards from the ball. Only the blue team goalkeeper was behind the blue team players. Red player #9 took a position in line with the blue team's defensive wall being careful to stand just slightly in an onside position. As her teammate runs to take the free kick, red #9 leaned forward so her head was behind the line of defensive players at the moment the ball was kicked into the empty space behind the wall. Red #9 was the first player to get to the ball and she scored. Was she offside?

Answer:

A player is in an offside position if she/he is nearer to her/his opponents' goal line than both the ball and the second-to-last opponent. This means that any part of the player's head, body or feet are nearer to the opponents' goal line, and the arms are not included in this definition. Since red #9 had her head closer to the opponents' goal, she was in offside position. And since she touched the ball which was passed or touched by a teammate, she was involved in active play by interfering with play. Therefore, the referee should disallow the goal and restart it with an indirect free kick for the blue team from the place where the infringement occurred.

(See pages 31 and 100 in the AYSO Guidance for Referees and Coaches, 2009 and page 40, section 11.1 in the USSF Advice to Referees on the Laws of the Game 2009-10.)

January 28, 2010

For our kid's game, the referee recruited fathers from the opposing team to be club linesmen. The club linesmen called offside against our team a few times in each half. Several parents expressed their unhappiness with the decisions because they believed this was not legal since the linesmen were fathers from the other team. Is this true? We lost a great goal and the game due to offside calls against our team.

Answer:

If qualified assistant referees are not available, which seemed to be the case in your kid's game, the referee should select Club Linesmen from volunteers present at the game who often are supporters of one of the clubs or teams playing in the game, thus the derivation of the name "Club Linesmen." This is a great opportunity for parents to get involved and be recruited as referee candidates. Because of their lack of official training, Club Linesmen should have limited responsibility. To encourage effective cooperation from Club Linesmen we recommend for the referee to follow this procedure:

Recruit the Club Linesmen before the start of the game with plenty of time to provide them with clear, specific and simple instructions that will help avoid confusion.

Make every effort to recruit one person from each team.

Thank them for volunteering and make them feel comfortable in accepting the responsibility.

Inform the Club Linesmen that their work is to signal only when the ball is entirely over the touchline or goal line subject always to the final decision of the referee.

Inform them that they will not signal offside and fouls.

This will put them at ease as they will know they only have one thing to signal.

Inform them that, regardless of their personal opinion, the referee's decision is final and must not be questioned.

The Club Linesmen must, for their part, fully appreciate the referee's authority and accept the referee's ruling without question should there be any difference of opinion among them. They must be supportive and never contradict the referee's decisions. They are to assist, not insist.

(See pages 11, 36 and 72 in the AYSO Guidance for Referees and Coaches - 2009, and page 32 in the USSF Advice to Referees on the Laws of the Game - 2009-10.)

January 21, 2010

I was coaching a U-12 boys game and my team had only seven players to start the game. A few minutes later the game was stopped for a throw-in for the opposing team who was playing with a full team of nine players. At this time I asked the referee to allow one of my players who showed up late, to enter the game. I was told that my player could not go into the game until my team had possession of the ball. I was not substituting but only wanted to add a player because we were playing short and play was stopped. Was this right?

Answer:

When a team is playing shorthanded for any reason other than having had one of its players sent off, that team may request to add a player at any stoppage. In the spirit of the game, the referee team should make every effort to help players enter the field of play as soon as possible for a team that is playing short. The assistant referee can help by inspecting the player's equipment and ensuring that paperwork is correct. Once the player has been properly checked-in then he/she should be allowed to enter the field of play at the next ball out play situation.

(See page 29 in the 2009-10 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game.)

January 14, 2010

Answer:

When a team is playing shorthanded for any reason other than having had one of its players sent off, that team may request to add a player at any stoppage. In the spirit of the game, the referee team should make every effort to help players enter the field of play as soon as possible for a team that is playing short. The assistant referee can help by inspecting the player's equipment and ensuring that paperwork is correct. Once the player has been properly checked-in then he/she should be allowed to enter the field of play at the next ball out play situation.

(See page 29 in the 2009-10 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game.)

January 7, 2010

In a U-16 boys game, red player #5 receives a caution in the 12th minute and another one in the 33rd minute. The referee team doesn't realize the same player was cautioned twice and allows red player #5 to play the entire first half. Can red player #5 participate in the second half since he did not receive a red card?

Answer:

A player who receives a second caution in the same game must be sent off. Since red player #5 was cautioned twice, he cannot participate in the second half and his team must play one man short. Before starting the second half, the referee should notify the player that he has been sent off because of the second caution. He should also briefly explain to the player and his coach that the referee team missed the fact that he was cautioned twice and therefore mistakenly allowed him to continue in the game until the halftime break.

If the referee notifies red player #5 while he is on the field before starting the second half, then he must show the player the red card. Normally after showing the second yellow card to a player, the referee shows him the red card. In this case because a long time has passed since the second yellow card was given to red player #5, it is OK to just show the red card. If the referee notifies red player #5 while he is away from the field, near the team bench area for example, there is no need to show him the red card. Finally, the referee must include details of this incident in the referee's game report.

(See page 35 in the 2009-10 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game.)

December 17, 2009

I was told that it was wrong for a player to move the ball after it had been placed on the ground for the taking of a goal kick as it is a delaying tactic and it should not be allowed. Kids do this sometimes and I don't see this as a delay tactic. It usually takes a few seconds for a player to move the ball from one corner of the goal area to the other corner and kick it. This is a tactical move to open up one side of the field for the defending team and not a delay tactic. What's your thought regarding this?

Answer:

Moving the ball is, as you suggest, a tactic that players use and is typically allowed. Although we suggest that this tactic not be allowed to happen more than once per goal kick. In addition, referees need to be aware of delaying tactics especially when one team is winning and it is close to the end of the game. If the referee determines that there may be an attempt to delay the game, he should get close to the player taking the goal kick and verbally encourage the player to put the ball into play..."Please play the ball. Thank you."

Very often inexperienced players, especially the young ones, are learning about the game so they don't do this on purpose. In this case the referee can teach the player using a similar verbal technique and briefly explaining why..."Please put the ball down inside the goal area (as you point to a place in the goal area) and play it so we won't waste time. Thank you."

November 12, 2009

I was refereeing a U-10 game this weekend when the blue team had a breakaway. Just before kicking the ball, a blue player was pushed hard from behind inside the penalty area. He stumbled and then regained control of the ball. The blue player kicked the ball into the goal. When the player was pushed I immediately blew the whistle and then got the ball out of the net and set it up for a penalty kick. As I looked to my assistant referee she was talking with the coach of the blue team and calling me over with her hand. The blue team coach told me that the advantage was not taken away from the blue player and that the goal should be counted. I discussed this with my assistant referee and she agreed with the blue team coach. I awarded the goal to the blue team, forgetting the penalty kick altogether. Was this the right call?

Answer:

Play stops when the referee makes the decision to stop play and the whistle announces this decision to everyone else. In this case, when the whistle was blown, play was stopped just before the blue player kicked the ball. Unfortunately, the ball went into the goal and this is why in similar scenarios referees should consider applying advantage. That is, show the proper advantage signal, verbalize "play on" to indicate that you have seen the foul and allow play to continue when the team against which an offense has been committed will benefit from such an advantage. Since you stopped play before the goal was scored, you should have restarted the game with the penalty kick in favor of the blue team.

For future games consider waiting a couple of seconds for the fouled player to recover if the foul is not very severe and the position of the foul is close to the opponent's goal where there may be an opportunity to score a goal. The referee can penalize the original offense, within a few seconds, if the advantage does not develop as anticipated.

(See page 21, 66 and 75 in the 2009-10 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game; section 9.1 in the AYSO Guidance for Referees and Coaches - 2009 edition).

November 5, 2009

My daughter plays in U-10. Her team was awarded a penalty kick and the other team decided to change goalkeepers prior to the taking of the penalty kick. I understand that in games that play under full FIFA rules, you may change a goalkeeper at any stoppage provided that you have the referee's consent, but this is U-10 and they play under modified rules (i.e. substitutions at quarter breaks).

It seems to me that the change should not have been allowed considering that our Region's rules state that positions should be played for a full quarter, and in this instance the two players shared the goalkeeper responsibilities during the quarter without either one playing the entire quarter. It just happened that their star player was the person that they placed in goal for the penalty kick. Please advise.

Answer:

Changing a player is different than substituting a player.

Changing the goalkeeper with any of the other players on the field of play is allowed provided that the referee is informed before the change is made, and the change is made during a stoppage in the match. Therefore, if the goalkeeper was changed with another player on the field (not substituted) and the referee was notified of the change before it was made, there were no infringement to the Laws of the Game.

As you stated, in AYSO substitutions are allowed only during "quarters" or right after an injury. Substitutions are managed by the referee during a stoppage of play approximately midway into the first and second halves, "quarters." If the team substituted the goalkeeper with a player who was not on the field of play and it was not a "quarter" break, then the goalkeeper was incorrectly allowed to leave her position.

(See page 16 in the 2009-10 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game; pages 7 and 8 in the AYSO Guidance for Referees and Coaches, 2009-10 edition.)

October 29, 2009

Several people asked us about the incident with the beach ball at the game Sunderland vs. Liverpool. A beach ball came out of the stands and onto the field of play while play was going on. The Sunderland player kicked the soccer ball toward the goal. It hit the beach ball and then deflected into the goal. The referee allowed the goal to count. Should the goal count?

Answer:

The referee should be careful in dealing with objects thrown onto the field during a game. In professional games, often items such as confetti or other paper products are harmless celebration and can be ignored. Usually stadium personnel remove these items when the play is away from the objects. However, other objects, such as bottles, sharp objects or fireworks, are inherently dangerous for players, officials or persons in the technical areas, and play must be stopped as quickly as possible and a decision made as to whether the match must be terminated or if play may be safely resumed.

There are situations where objects thrown onto the field may not be dangerous, such as a beach ball, but have the possibility of interfering with play. Such was the case with the beach ball in this game, where an unfair goal was scored by the Sunderland team as the soccer ball was deflected by the beach ball.

In all games, professional and amateur, the referee should decide what action to take by considering: (a) whether the foreign object(s) are sufficiently numerous to make the playing surface unsafe if stepped on, (b) whether the foreign object(s) will cause confusion on the part of players (e.g., a ball or similar object), and (c) whether the potentially unsafe or unfair conditions are limited to one end of the field and hence might disadvantage one team over another.

In this game, the referee should have stopped the game, disallowed the goal because the beach ball interfered with the game, and restart with a dropped ball where the ball was when it was deflected by the beach ball.

(See page 28 in the 2009-10 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game and page 23 in the USSF Advice to the Referees on the Laws of the Game, 2009-10 edition.)

October 22, 2009

Two opposing players are challenging for the ball. Their momentum carries them off the field, just outside the penalty area, behind the goal line. With the ball still in play in the penalty area, both players are still off the field of play when the red team attacker starts heading for the ball. The blue team defender holds him outside the field of play so he can't go for the ball.

What, if any, infraction occurred? What, if any, misconduct occurred?

If play is stopped, what is the restart?

Answer:

No foul has occurred since the infraction occurred off the field of play. The referee has two options to consider.

Option 1: Stop the game and, depending on the age of the players, show the yellow card to the blue team defender and caution him/her for unsporting behavior (preventing the opponent from getting to the ball). In a U-10 or younger level game, it is recommended that the referee not use cards and instead manage such situations by verbally admonishing the players and teaching them about appropriate behavior. Because the incident takes place off the field of play, restart with a dropped ball where the ball was when play was stopped.

Option 2: The referee may decide to wait and see what happens. The referee may apply advantage and allow play to continue if the red team attacker breaks free, gets back into the field of play and ends up controlling the ball, especially if there is an opportunity to score. In this scenario, the referee should verbally admonish the blue team defender at the first opportunity to make it clear that holding is not an acceptable action.

(See pages 34 and 115 in the 2009-10 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game.)

October 15, 2009

In a boys U-19 game, I blew the whistle to indicate that defender #4 impeded the progress of attacker #14. As I'm pointing in the direction of the defender's goal, the attacker pushed the defender to the ground. The pushing seemed more serious to me than the foul committed by the attacker so I gave a direct free kick in favor of the defender's team. I had several parents complain but I proceeded with the direct kick.

Was I right?

Answer:

The moment you decided that defender #4 committed the offense of impeding the progress of an opponent (attacker #14), the ball was out of play and you stopped the game. You confirmed your decision and made the players aware of it by blowing the whistle. Since you stopped the game for the impeding offense, the restart should have been an indirect free kick in favor of the attacking team. Attacking player #14 committed the pushing offense when the ball was out play; therefore, the restart should have remained the same. In addition, attacking player #14 committed a cautionable offense, which was pushing the opponent when the ball is out of play. For this reason, you should have shown the yellow card to attacking player #14 and cautioned him for unsporting behavior (pushing the player to the ground).

In a U-19 game, showing the yellow card and cautioning is acceptable as the players are older and most likely have higher levels of technical and physical skills. In a U-12 or younger game, it is recommended to the referee not to use cards and instead manage similar situations by verbally admonishing the players and teaching them about appropriate behavior.

(See pages 29, 33, 34 and 109 in the 2009-10 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game, and pages 41, 43 and 45 in the AYSO National Referee Program-2009 Edition.)

October 8, 2009

I had a player tell me that he needed to wear a sweatband on his head because he sweats a lot and the sweat makes his eyes so irritable that he cannot see or play well. Should I allow the use of sweatbands? I have never considered these items as necessary or part of standard equipment, and I ask players to remove them.

Answer:

The referee should check and decide if the sweatband is dangerous to the player wearing it or another player. While sweatbands are not part of the basic equipment, they are generally accepted as supplementary player equipment. Referees should use the following guideline when evaluating the safety of sweatbands: If the band is elastic, flexible and soft, it should be allowed. The referee should also consider other guidance which may be provided by local competition authorities.

(See pages 18, and 63 in the 2009-10 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game, pages 66 and 68 in the AYSO Guidance for Referees and Coaches publication and the USSF Position Paper, Hair Control Devices , dated 06/08/09.)

October 1, 2009

I'm refereeing for the first time and so far the referees have talked to me about my responsibilities during the pregame. Do assistant referees need another talk at half-time or just in the pregame discussion?

What's the right call?

Answer:

First, thank you for volunteering to referee as we're happy to welcome everyone who wants to join the AYSO referee team. We're glad that your peers are sharing information with you during the pregame discussions. This helps the referee team develop and share a plan to officiate the game which can be reviewed and modified during the halftime discussion. At the end of the first half, referees are somewhat tired and mentally overwhelmed as they have just completed the first half. Often, this situation gets in the way of having a good halftime game discussion, and therefore we miss a great opportunity to evaluate our plan and modify it as needed to successfully referee the second half. The halftime period should be used by the referee team to prepare physically and mentally to officiate the second half which always offers more challenges as players are more tired and frustration is more likely to show up. This can be done by taking care of basic physical needs and evaluating and re-planning what the referees need to do in the second half.

Referees should consider the following actions for the halftime period:

Leave the field walking together to project teamwork.

Stay healthy actions:

Drink water to rehydrate and maintain good health.

If really hungry, take a small portion of food, preferably fruit.

If needed, use the bathroom.

Do stretching exercises to relax the muscles.

Share information useful for evaluating and planning.

Have a discussion while you are stretching, drinking water, etc.

Check game score and update game record.

Check cautions and/or send-offs and update game record.

Identify players with potential frustration:

Consider talking to them before starting the second half.

Keep a close watch on them.

Have there been a lot of fouls?

Get ready to manage frustration.

Do you have players with multiple fouls, persistent infringements?

Consider talking to them before starting the second half.

Is play getting careless, reckless or using excessive force?

Consider tightening the game with a few more fouls recognitions.

Consider talking to players throughout the second half.

Are you calling too many fouls and frustrating players?

Consider loosening up your foul recognition.

Is one team getting significantly more tired than the other team?

Watch out for increasing, careless or reckless contact.

Manage potential frustration by talking to players.

Is one team significantly dominating the game more?

Watch out for increasing, careless or reckless contact.

Manage potential frustration by talking to players.

Is the score significantly lopsided?

Watch out for increasing, careless or reckless contact.

Manage potential frustration by talking to players.

September 24, 2009

During my daughter's match this weekend, her opponent's attacker kicked the ball into the penalty area and one of our defenders raised her arms over her head to protect herself but still created a foul resulting in a penalty kick. The ball, however, deflected off her arms and went into the goal. I thought the referee should have awarded the goal but perhaps he whistled to stop play.

What's the right call?

Answer:

The way you describe the scenario, it seems like the referee could have waited, allowed the ball to go in for a score and award the goal to the opponent. However, there are times when even the most experienced referees "jump the gun" and blow the whistle a bit too soon.

Law 5 - The referee, provides a clause that allows referees to apply and signal "advantage," that is, allows play to continue when the team against which an offense has been committed will benefit from such advantage and penalizes the original offense if the anticipated advantage does not ensue at that time.

Referees should consider the following when deciding to apply advantage:

The attacking team has a good chance of scoring a goal or, maintaining or regaining control of the ball with a good chance for generating a scoring possibility.

The referee should penalize the original infraction if the advantage does not develop quickly (2-3 seconds).

Advantage does not require that a goal be scored.

If the ball goes out of play across a boundary line, the referee may still penalize the original infraction.

Advantage can only be applied to infringements of Law 12.

Advantage cannot be applied to other offenses under the Laws of the Game (ex: violation of Law 15 - Throw-in, Law 11 - Offside, player touching the ball a second time after a restart, etc.).

Play should be stop if the safety of a player(s) is at risk or a misconduct generates a high possibility for player retaliation.

Advantage is applied more at games with players that have higher levels of technical and physical skills.

(See page 21 and 45 in the 2009-10 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game).

September 17, 2009

We had a goalkeeper receive the ball with his feet from the attacking team, and then dribble the ball to corner of the penalty area near the goal line, kneel down next to the ball and wait for the attacking team to come and pressure the ball. The center ref gave him a verbal warning for delaying the game. The goalkeeper said he was not doing anything wrong technically speaking because he had not picked up the ball. I think he was in a way taunting the other players by getting down on his knees next to the ball and should have been cautioned.

What do you think?

Answer:

Technically, the goalkeeper did not break the Laws of the Game by dribbling the ball to the corner of the penalty area and waiting until the opponent was close to pick up the ball. Experienced and knowledgeable goalkeepers do this when they are winning a game. However, depending on the age of the players, their skill level and the level of frustration, there is a risk that the attacking player may get to the ball faster and with additional strength than the goalkeeper can safely pick it up, creating a situation for potential injury.

The referee was correct to provide awareness to the goalkeeper, but delaying the game is not the correct reason to site. Instead, a better approach is to get close to the goalkeeper and verbally communicate: "Play the ball to your teammates so we can keep the game fun and safe. Thank you." This provides a chance for the goalkeeper to pick up the ball or just kick it to a teammate in a safe environment.

(See section 12.20 and its related note in the USSF Advice to the Referees.)

September 10, 2009

In our game, the assistant referee waived his flag after the other team fouled our player barely inside the penalty area. The referee whistled the foul, and I saw the assistant referee run to the corner flag so we thought our team would get a penalty kick. The referee jogged to a point just outside the penalty area and indicated a direct free kick.

Did the assistant referee give the wrong signal for a penalty kick?

Answer:

The scenario/question you shared is very challenging as it is about perception in the opinion of the referee. The assistant referee (AR) has the duty, subject to the decision of the referee, to indicate when an offense has been committed whenever the AR has a better view than the referee, including offenses committed in the penalty area.

In this case, provided the AR saw a direct free kick foul inside the penalty area, he used the proper signal to indicate the foul, signaled with a flag straight up and a slight wave after the referee made eye contact. Before jogging to the corner flag, the assistant referee probably held the flag across his lower body, which completed the signal and then, went to the corner flag to indicate that the foul was inside the penalty area.

However, the referee has the responsibility to make the final decision as he uses the information provided by the assistant referees. In this case, the referee thought the foul was committed just outside the penalty area and indicated the direct free kick on the spot where he believed the foul occurred. It is very likely that the referees discussed this decision after the game and looked for ways to be more synchronized as a team in order to correctly identify all fouls and misconducts.

(See pages 25, 93 and 94 in the 2009-10 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game, and the USSF memo, dated May 8, 2009 which modified page 37 of the Guide to Procedures for Referees, Assistant Referees and 4th Officials, located here.)

September 3, 2009

We have a coach who, as his player is ready to take a corner kick to put the ball in play, he yells to a different player to take the kick instead. As the second player gets close to the corner, the first player passes the ball to him and he turns, dribbles and shoots on goal or makes a pass into the penalty area. In the U-10 games, this creates confusion and I feel it is a form of trickery which is aimed at circumventing the laws.

Am I correct? Is the coach guilty of unsporting behavior?

Answer:

Per Law 12: Fouls and Misconduct, the term unsporting behavior applies only to players and not coaches.

When a coach misbehaves, his actions are identified and documented in the game report as coach acted in an irresponsible manner.

The Laws of the Game allow a coach to provide tactical instructions to his players as long as he does it from the designated technical area.

Therefore, in the scenario described in this question, as long as the coach was within his designated technical area, he was not guilty of acting in an irresponsible manner.

Other examples of fair deception are:

When a player does a "dummy run."

An attacking player who intentionally positions himself in an offside position but, does not participate in the play and allows a teammate in good position to go after the ball.

Recommendation: Our coaching and refereeing members need to always remember our philosophy, Positive Coaching, and the Spirit of the Law.

(See pages 29, 34 and 52 in the 2009-10 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game.)

August 27, 2009

The Laws of the Game, page 33, state within the last bullet, "commits any other offense, not previously mentioned in Law 12, for which play is stopped to caution or send off a player."

My question is what other offense is being referred to, which is not previously mentioned in Law 12?

Answer:

The Laws of the Game can not include every possible example of offenses and/or misconducts that can happen within a game, as it would take a lot of paper and it would probably still miss a few.

However, with the last bullet on page 33, the Laws of the Game empower the referee to identify, in his opinion, other incidents where the game must be stop to caution or send off a player and restart the game with an indirect free kick.

Examples of indirect free kicks are when a player:

Attempts to deceive the referee by feigning injury.

Attempts to deceive the referee by pretending to have been fouled (simulation).

Acts in a manner that shows lack of respect for the game.

Plays the ball when he is walking off the field of play after being granted permission to leave the field of play.

Verbally distracts an opponent during play.

Uses a deliberate trick while the ball is in play to pass the ball to his own goalkeeper with his head, chest, knees, etc. in order to circumvent the law, irrespective of whether the goalkeeper touches the ball with his hands or not.

(See page 115 the current AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game.)

August 20, 2009

The blue team has control of the ball in the red team's penalty area.

A red player away from the ball screams, "I am hurt!" at the referee.

The player is still standing and is not involved in the play, and no officials have signaled a foul.

In this case, the official stopped play, had the injured red player substituted (walked off unassisted) and restarted with a dropped ball where the ball was when the game was stopped.

Was this OK?

Answer:

Referees have a responsibility to facilitate a game which is fun, fair and safe for everyone involved.

At the same time, within the spirit of the game, the referee may allow play to continue until the ball is out of play, if in his opinion a player is only slightly injured.

In the scenario presented above, the referee believed the player was injured enough to stop play.

Applying the spirit of the game, the referee could have asked the red team to kick the ball back to the blue team, who had control at the time he stopped the game.

Recommendation: When in doubt about an injury, stop play and request assistance for the injured player.

(See page 21 the 2009/2010 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game and page 71 of the current AYSO Guidance for Referees and Coaches.)

August 13, 2009

The referee asked a player to leave the field because he had blood on his shirt. The player left the field and changed his shirt. Then he went back into the game while the ball was in play, without letting the referees know.

Is this OK? Should the referee do something?

Answer:

The referee has to show the player the yellow card and caution him for re-entering the field of play without the referee's permission.

(See page 34 the current AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game.)

Good Refereeing:

Referees have to help players understand/know the laws of the game.

After asking the player to leave the field to change his shirt, the referee can say:

"Please let the assistant referee (AR) know when you have changed your shirt and he/she will let you know when you can return to the game. Thank you."

In the pregame instructions, the referee must discuss this situation with the ARs so it can be managed properly in order to help players avoid a caution for re-entering the field without the referee's permission.

August 6, 2009

If a corner kick is taken by the red team, and the ball glances off the back of a blue team's defender and goes to a different red team player in an offside position, should offside be called?

Answer:

Offside should not be called.

A corner kick which is not "controlled" by a defender but simply glances off the defender to an attacker does not negate the exception from offside provided to the first player to receive the ball from a corner kick.

A corner kick which is "controlled" by a defender and then inadvertently goes directly to an attacker in an offside position is also not offside because the ball was not last played by a teammate.

(See page 31 the current AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game.)

July 30, 2009

The referee team ended the first half of a U-16 game after only 35 minutes had been played.

The referee team didn't realize this until the second half had already started.

According to the Laws of the Game, what should be done?

Answer:

The referee cannot add the missing five minutes from the first half. Play 40 minutes in the second half plus any time allowance for time lost.

Document in the game report that the game was short five minutes in the first half.

Recommendation: Always confirm the duration of the match during the pre-game discussion with peers.

(See pages 26 and 95 in the AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game.)

July 23, 2009

What should the referee do when he gets to the field and one of the assistant referees (ARs) has not shown up (Missing Assistant Referee)?

What should the ARs do when the referee has not shown up (Missing Referee)?

Answers:

Missing Assistant Referee(s):

The referee should check with both teams and request volunteer(s) to act as club linesmen. Club linesmen assist the referee by raising the flag straight up into the air when the ball is entirely over the goal line or the touch line. This is the only assistance club linesmen are asked to provide. The referee remains responsible for all other decisions, including those that would otherwise be made by neutral assistant referees.

The referee should provide a demonstration for the club linesmen, with patience and encouragement, on how to signal with the flag when the ball is out of play.

(See 6.6 of USSF Advice to Referees on the Laws of the Game.)

Missing Referee:

The ARs discuss who has the appropriate experience to officiate the match and determine who will be the referee between the two of them. Then, they should recruit a club linesman, per the guidance above, to have a three-referee team.

When neither of the ARs feels confident enough to officiate the match, if at all possible they should attempt to reach the competition organizers to inform them of the situation and to see if another referee can be quickly assigned. Otherwise, if there is no currently registered, trained and certified AYSO referee present, the ARs should notify both teams that the game must be canceled and make the appropriate report.

July 16, 2009

What is a typical foul? I understand that physical contact is not a foul in most cases, but can you provide any guidance regarding what a "typical" foul is in an AYSO game?

Answer:

Defining the features of a "typical" foul would be very useful, and attempts have been made to help referees in this regard through training sessions, which include the viewing of fouls in actual game footage. AYSO's "Ready, Set, Ref" video, available for purchase from the AYSO Supply Center, does use footage of young, AYSO players engaged in the game. It contains some examples of the kinds of fouls they typically commit and can help referees to improve their ability to apply the "Spirit of the Laws" as appropriate for different situations and different age levels. There are other such tapes available such as "The Gray Areas," "Foul Play," "Dealing With Foul Play" and "Fouls and Misconduct," to name a few, but unfortunately these attempts have primarily centered around professional-level play. Applying the standards used at the professional level to youth matches is not always appropriate in youth games.

The ultimate aim of all good referees is to achieve an appropriate balance between the flow of the game and control of the game. When just the right balance is achieved, an enjoyable match for all concerned is the result. When the referee achieves this balance, the referee will have managed the match so well that his or her presence is hardly noticed. So the ultimate compliment for the referee is when most don't even notice or remember the referee was there.

"In the opinion of the referee" is a phrase you will find in the Laws of the Game. The Laws do not tell you what your opinion should be, but expect you to interpret and apply the Laws with wisdom, authority and compassion. Others may have differing opinions but the Laws do not ask for the consensus opinion; they only ask for the referee's opinion.

Your quest for defining the typical foul is a worthy quest for all referees. The answer is elusive and the more we try to pin it down, the more we begin to understand that there are no hard and fast standards or rules, and that each situation is different and requires the referee to make a decision based on his or her interpretation and understanding of the "Spirit of the Game" and the "Philosophy of Refereeing."

July 8, 2009

My son just started playing AYSO soccer and seems to enjoy it quite a lot. I want to learn more about soccer so I can support my son's efforts to learn the game. I'm a typical sports fan and am more familiar with sports such as football, baseball and basketball. I'm puzzled by several things that seem different in soccer from what I am used to in other sports.

Why is it that spectators are given very little information by soccer referees?
Why don't referees explain things more to coaches and spectators about the fouls and who committed them?
How does anyone know how much time is left to play when the referee seems to be able to add on more time if he wants to?
Why can't coaches call time outs to help their teams make adjustments?

Answer: Soccer is different from many popular American sports in some rather significant ways. Basically, many American sports are designed as coach's games which allow considerable coach participation and accommodate frequent stoppages so officials can confer and spectators and coaches can be informed. Indeed, it is not uncommon in some popular American sports for considerably more time to be spent waiting for officials to make decisions and to inform spectators about those decisions than is actually spent playing the games.

Soccer, on the other hand, is designed primarily as a player's game and interference in the game by coaches and officials is intentionally minimized. The AYSO National Rules and Regulations contains the following quote taken from an earlier edition of the Laws of the Game (Rules of Soccer) which best expresses the spirit of the game and the philosophy of refereeing:
The Laws of the Game are intended to provide that games should be played with as little interference as possible, and in this view it is the duty of referees to penalize only deliberate breaches of the Law. Constant whistling for trifling and doubtful breaches produces bad feelings and loss of temper on the part of the players and spoils the pleasure of spectators.

Additionally, soccer referees are authorized to not call an infraction if the team that was fouled would have more of an advantage if play was not stopped. The Laws of the Game direct the referee to...
"allow play to continue when the team against which an offence has been committed will benefit from such an advantage..."

Fundamentally, soccer officials are expected to enforce the spirit behind the Laws of the Game and not simply enforce the letter of the Laws. Although these concepts may be foreign to those not familiar with soccer, understanding that the spirit of the game and the philosophy of refereeing intend for the game to maximize playing time for the players and to minimize interruptions by coaches and officials, should, at least, help you and your son understand why it differs from some other sports.

Here are more direct answers to your questions:

As mentioned above, soccer is a player's game that is designed to flow with very few interruptions. If play must be stopped by the referee, the Spirit of the Game requires that the stoppage only last long enough to deal with the situation and then get the ball back into play. Taking time to visually indicate or voice the exact nature of the infraction to the coaches and spectators each time play is stopped adds nothing to the player's game except distraction. (A good way for a spectator to understand the reasons behind stoppages is to understand the Laws of the Game, and the very best way to do that is to become a referee!)
Fouls fall into two categories: ones that result in a direct free kick for the opponents (may score directly) and ones that result in an indirect free kick (a second player must touch or play the ball before a goal can be scored). There are lots of different kinds of fouls that fall into these two categories but all a coach or spectator truly needs to know is which kind of kick will be taken. This is easily recognized because the referee will hold his/her arm up in the air to indicate an indirect free kick. If his/her arm isn't held up, the kick is direct. If players are guilty of misconduct, the referee will hold up a yellow card to indicate the player has been officially cautioned that any further misconduct will result in the player be dismissed (sent off) from the field. When the referee holds up a red card, this means the player is being dismissed (sent off) and can no longer participate in the game. In addition, this player's team must now play with one less player on the field.
The length of the game is specified and varies with the different youth age groups. Because the Laws of the Game want to maximize the playing time for players, the referee is allowed to add on time at the end of the game for any time he/she feels was lost due to injury, substitution, a team wasting time or any other cause. In many other sports, the referee accomplishes the same thing by "stopping the clock".
There are no "time outs" in soccer because it is designed as a game which has very few interruptions. Coaches cannot call time outs in soccer as this would interfere with the game and with players' playing time. All good soccer coaches know that practice is the time for coaches to coach and games are the time for players to play.

These are just a few suggestions to help you and your son to get started with enjoying the most popular sport on earth. As with any sport, the more you understand the game, the more you can appreciate the beauty of the game and its more subtle aspects.

May 14, 2009

Joe, we were discussing whether or not a team had to play short if a player or substitute was sent off and shown the red card before the game or during half time. What say you to each of these situations?

If a player is sent off (red card) during the half time break, may this player be replaced by a substitute?

Answer: When a player is sent off after the opening kick off (including during half time), he may not be replaced by a substitute, and the player's team must play with one less player for the remainder of the game. The players at the end of the first half remain players until their substitutes have reported to the referee for the beginning of the second half (see page 17 in current Laws of the Game and USSF Advice to Referees on the Laws of the Game 5.17 and 12.24).
If a substitute (who has not yet entered the field of play) is sent off (red card) during the half time break, is the substitute's team required to play short a player for the remainder of the game?

Answer: When a substitute (who has not yet entered the field of play) is sent off after the opening kick off (including during half time), the substitute's team is not required to play short by one player, as the offense was committed by a substitute and not a player. However, a substitute who is sent off may not be replaced with another substitute regardless of when they are sent off. For example, if a team has three substitutes and one is sent off, the team must continue the game with only two substitutes and is not permitted to recruit another person so they will once again have three substitutes (see page 17 in current Laws of the Game and USSF Advice to Referees on the Laws of the Game 5.17 and 12.24).
If a player is sent off (red card) before the game starts, is the player's team required to play short a player for the remainder of the game?

Answer: When a player is sent off before the opening kickoff, he may be replaced by a substitute and the player's team is not required to play with one less player for the remainder of the game (see page 17 in current Laws of the Game and USSF Advice to Referees on the Laws of the Game 5.17 and 12.24).
If a substitute (who has not yet entered the field of play) is sent off (red card) before the game starts, is the substitute's team required to play short a player for the remainder of the game?

Answer: When a substitute (who has not yet entered the field of play) is sent off before the opening kickoff, the substitute's team is not required to play with one less player for the remainder of the match. A "substitute" who is sent off may not be replaced with another substitute regardless of when they are sent off. For example, if a team has three substitutes and one is sent off, the team must continue the game with only two substitutes and is not permitted to recruit another person so they will once again have three substitutes (see page 17 in current Laws of the Game and USSF Advice to Referees on the Laws of the Game 5.17 and 12.24).

Note: It is important for referees to know who the players are, who the substitutes are and precisely when these designations officially change. A player remains a player until the proper substitution procedure occurs, including during the half time interval or the substitution breaks.

April 23, 2009

Joe, when is the goalkeeper guilty of Handling the Ball? What role does the location of the ball and the location of the goalkeeper's body play in making this call? Does the goalkeeper's entire body have to remain in the penalty area or is it OK for him to handle the ball as long as part of his body is inside the penalty area? While punting the ball into play, what if the goalkeeper's hands extend beyond the penalty area before he punts the ball? What if the goalkeeper's body was outside the penalty area but he reached inside the penalty area and handled the ball? I was surprised how many of our referees had a different opinion on this.

Answer: Thank you for your question. Soccer is the opposite of American football in this regard. If you saw the winning touchdown in the last Super Bowl, this is a good illustration. The touchdown was scored because the receiver had both feet in the end zone even though the pass was caught in the air outside the end zone. In soccer, it's the opposite; as long as the ball is where it's supposed to be, the position of the player doesn't matter. For example, if the goalkeeper is standing inside the goal but reaches outside the goal to stop the ball from entering, then this is not a goal; if a player steps outside the field of play while dribbling down the touch line but keeps the ball in the field of play, this is legal; and if the goalkeeper is partially or completely outside the penalty area and reaches inside the penalty area and touches the ball, this is legal and play should not be stopped.

In the situation you described where the goalkeeper is in the process of punting the ball, and while holding the ball extends his/her hands outside the penalty area, technically this is considered "Handling the ball" and a direct free kick could be awarded the opposing team just outside the penalty area. HOWEVER, referees should not interfere with the game for "trifling or doubtful" offences and this is a good example of trifling. The referee should not stop play on the first occurrence but make a point to remind the goalkeeper to be careful in future to avoid handling the ball outside the penalty area. Penalizing additional occurrences would be more in keeping with the spirit of the game.

We want our referees to be thinking referees and not walking rule books. It is important for referees to remember that the spirit of the law should be considered before enforcing the letter of the law. ID5 of the National Rules and Regulations states:
The Laws of the Game are intended to provide that games should be played with as little interference as possible, and in this view it is the duty of referees to penalize only deliberate breaches of the Law. Constant whistling for trifling and doubtful breaches produces bad feeling and loss of temper on the part of the players and spoils the pleasure of spectators.
Hi Joe, if someone has a belly button piercing, are they permitted to practice or play AYSO soccer.

Answer: Thank you for your question. Body piercing's present a danger to the player when playing and are not allowed in soccer. This is addressed in the "Frequently Asked Questions" section of the AYSO publication, Guidance for Referees and Coaches where you will find the question, "Are players permitted to wear jewelry, earrings or studs?" In addition, Law 4 - The Players' Equipment - further specifies that, "A player must not use equipment or wear anything that is dangerous to himself or another player (including any kind of jewelry)."

Body piercing's visible to the referee should be removed before a player is permitted to play. If the referee suspects body piercing's may be present but not visible, the referee may not request that clothing be lifted or removed to inspect for body piercing's. But the referee may request that all such jewelry be removed and may further request the coach ask his/her players to remove any body piercing's while participating in the game (jewelry is also not permitted during practices).

The referee must respect the players' right to privacy and may not deny a player from participating because of a suspicion that the player has a body piercing. The referee may not require any further inspection to verify the absence of body piercing's.

Every effort should be made by the coaches and by the Region to ensure all players and their parents are aware of the rule prohibiting jewelry including body piercing's, and the dangers they present to the player wearing them while playing soccer.

April 1, 2009

Joe, help us settle a debate about the correct procedure to follow during kicks from the penalty mark to determine the winner of the match. If the score remains tied after both teams have taken five kicks from the penalty mark, do you...

Allow one player from each team to take another kick until one scores and the other doesn't, making sure no eligible player kicks twice until every eligible player kicks once, or
Repeat the process with a different group of five players from each team who haven't yet kicked, allowing all five kickers from each team to each complete a kick?

Answer: Those in your debate who support answer No. 1 are in agreement with FIFA and the wording contained in the Laws of the Game. Additionally, during the first five kicks, "If, before both teams have taken five kicks, one has scored more goals than the other could score, even if it were to complete its five kicks, no more kicks are taken." For example, if Team A scores three goals in succession and Team B misses three goals in succession, then kicks would stop because it is mathematically impossible for Team B to score more goals than Team A within the first five kicks. If the number of goals scored by each team is the same after each has taken five kicks then an additional kick is taken by a new kicker from each team in the same rotational order until one team scores and the other team misses. This allows the same number of kicks by each team but not necessarily an additional five kicks each.

Discussions like this are very good for referees to sort out and understand correct interpretations and applications of the Laws. Hopefully, the discussions occur in relaxed atmospheres where points and counterpoints can be debated among referees, and a common and correct consensus can be agreed upon in advance of games rather than having the debates among the referees in actual game situations when the emotions of the participants and spectators are high and referees should present a confident and correct interpretation.

March 12, 2009

Joe, during a corner kick in a game where I was the assistant referee (AR), the kicker held the flag down about two feet off the ground. She brought her foot over the flag, kicked the ball into play, released the flag and ran onto the field. The center referee stopped play and verbally told her not to do it again and let her retake the kick. I was later told we should have stopped play, cautioned (yellow carded) the player and restarted with an indirect free kick for the other team. I was also told we should have let it go and cautioned the player at the next stoppage in play. And finally, I was told that we should have blown the whistle as soon as she grabbed the flag, cautioned the player and then let her retake the kick. Could you please give me the correct interpretation of what the referee should do if...

Prior to taking the kick, the player deliberately removes the flag post?

Answer: If, prior to taking the kick, the player deliberately removes the flag post, the referee, or assistant referee, if closer, should instruct the player to replace the flag post before taking the kick.
In the process of kicking the ball, the player makes incidental contact with the flag post?

Answer: If, in the process of kicking the ball, the player makes incidental or trifling contact with the flag post, then play should be allowed to continue with possibly a friendly word to the player to try to avoid contact with the flag on future kicks.
In the process of kicking the ball, the player deliberately moves the flag post and then kicks the ball in the air in front of the goal or directly to a teammate?

Answer: If, in the process of kicking the ball, the player deliberately moves the flag post and then kicks the ball in the air in front of the goal or directly to a teammate who gains control, the referee should blow the whistle and have the kick retaken because an unfair advantage was gained from moving the flag post
In the process of kicking the ball, the player deliberately moves the flag post and then kicks the ball which is immediately intercepted by the opposing team?

Answer: If, in the process of kicking the ball, the player deliberately moves the flag post and then kicks the ball which is immediately intercepted by the opposing team, the referee should allow play to continue rather than rewarding the violation by having the kick retaken.

It is the duty of the referee, as is the case with many referee decisions, to use common sense and apply the spirit of the Law rather than the rote application of the letter of the Law. Referees should assess the situation and consider their options rather than making automatic decisions. Law 17, The Corner Kick, specifies that "The corner flag post must not be moved" and further specifies that "In the event of any other infringement: the kick is retaken."

A caution may be given the player for Unsporting Conduct, however the kick must be retaken in this case because the misconduct occurred before the ball was properly put into play. Again, referees must consider their options before cautioning, as it may be more prudent to first give the player a verbal warning that similar future occurrences may result in a caution. As Ken Aston often said, "Refereeing is Thinking."

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