Question Number: 22040

Character, Attitude and Control 9/21/2009

RE: Select Under 11

Tim Silvestre of Los Angeles, CA USA asks...

In our BU10 league, the first 3 games are 'pre-season' and standings, stats, etc. do not count until game 4. On Saturday, I CR-ed game 2 of the season for two very evenly matched boys teams. Things were a bit chippy in the 2nd half and I called twice as many fouls as in the first, also I waived off two goals (one for each team) on obvious offsides by the scorer. I am well positioned just outside the top of the blue penalty area when green striker leads an attack and sends a shot that is kicked out over the goal line by blue defender. another blue defender kicks the ball to blue goalie thinking goal kick and ignoring my hand signal (right in front of him) to the corner. Blue goalie picks up the ball and, when I say 'green corner' he tosses it at or to (can't read his mind of course) green striker, hitting him in the face and then laughs. Green striker looks startled but shakes his head when I ask if he's hurt. I tell the goalie 'that's not funny, you could have really hurt him [green striker].' I also told blue goalie to apologize to green striker before play resumed and he did so, while looking embarassed. The game continued on without incident and ended in a 1-1 tie. Given the circumstances I now think I should have cautioned blue goalie. Your thoughts and reactions please?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

It sounds like for Under 10 you did just fine. The purpose of a caution is to change the player's behavior, not to punish or embarrass him. In most cases the wise referee can get through the U-little games on strength of personality alone; cards would only be needed for those very rare cases of violence when the player simply cannot be allowed to remain in the game.

As for requesting an apology or a handshake between players, you have to ask yourself what you would do if the players refuse. You may have painted yourself into a corner. If he won't comply, then what?

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

It sounds like your intuition was correct. Why? The players (particularly the green player who was struck) accepted how you dealt with the issue. The keeper understood and apologized (recognizing his mistake and your authority.)

Cards are a tool for the referee, and an important tool But, this wasn't 100 percent misconduct. (It would have been had you judged that the keeper deliberately tried to hurt the green player, which is rare at this age. Then, even a caution would have been too little.) When you can handle matters with the force of your personality, you've done well.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi
Good advice from Referees Voshol and Wickham.
Just a thought in relation to the corner signal and other such calls. Many young players are not familiar with the signals used by referees.
It can be helpful in U-little games to instantly call the decision as well, where there is possible doubt. In this situation I think a firm 'green corner kick' call with the arm signal could help the situation and may have prevented the blue defender kicking the ball to the goalkeeper and then the goalkeeper from picking the ball, which led to the problem.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

I concur with Ref McHugh that verbalisation can be a good way of communicationg to the players about the proper restart. After all, a signal is simply a form of communication - if telling the players what restart it is helps, then we should do that too - particularly in games like this where the players may not be aware enough to look for the referee's signal.

As for the keeper, I would like to point out that, particularly in the higher grades, the last thing you want to do - even in these grades - is let the players get away with too much. Despite the fact that they're young, many of them have been taught some appalling habits by their parents and can be quite professional in the way they foul, niggle the opponents and comment at or about the referee.

Having said that, you weren't sure if the ball was intended for the opponent's head or not - and laughing at something like this probably isn't an unusual response for a young person, so I'd say you probably didn't have much reason for a caution - although like Ref Voshol pointed out, be careful of painting yourself into a corner by issuing instructions that are outside of your jurisdiction under the laws of the game.