Question Number: 13058

Law 6 - Assistant Referee 6/16/2006

RE: rec mostly Under 11

kieran lehan of kitchener, Ontario Canada asks...

i have been refing for a year doing mostly younger ages, and have not had many mistakes, but i was asked to be a linesman for a game tomorrow and i have no idea what the signals are for the lines. i know all of the rules of the game, but i'm not sure how i'm supposed to signal to the ref if the ball is out of bounds or if there was an offside. help please i kind of desparate

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

Ok. All mechanics are in the Guide to Procedure book. Read it through a lot. Whatever you do have a pre game with the referee. Go through the signals with the referee prior to the game so that you and him are on the same page. I will explain a few signals, but I will warn you that unless the referee is top notch in knowing the proper mechanics (unfortunatley most Youth referees are not), he may not be aware of these exact procedures.

1. Ball goes over touch line (also known as side line to the ignorant public) and IS ON YOUR HALF OF THE FIELD. Signal the flag at a 45 degree angle towards the correct direction. If ball quickly goes over line and comes back into play, put flag up and once referee blows whistle, then point to correct direction. If ball goes out on the other half of the field that you are not on, then do not signal unless the referee does not know. Then you signal.

2. For offside, raise flag and when referee blows whistle raise flag straight up toward field at around a 45 degree angle if offside player was on far side of field, hold flag out parallel to ground for middle offside and point flag down toward field at around a 45 degree angle for near offside.

3. For a goal kick, hold flag straight out towards field parallel to ground.

4. On corners, point the flag down at the near corner 45 degrees.

5. On goals on your half, take a short sprint out. Stay behind the touch line during your sprint out.

There are many more and I suggest you read the Guide to Procedure Book for more specific explanations. As Always,