Question Number: 24387

Law 6 - Assistant Referee 11/28/2010

RE: Rec Under 13

Logan of Tulsa, Oklahoma United States asks...

I was an A.R. on a U12 game earlier today. An attacker was in an offside position, came back on and then received the ball. I rushed the call and put my flag up, realized what I did and then corrected myself immediately. The center saw me blew the whistle but it was after the attacking team scored. We called it a goal because he wasn't offside and the whistle came after the goal. I felt like crap for what I did and the coaches of the team that got scored on were ticked off. They were screaming and yelling and I felt bad for the center because it was my bad. The game tied 1-1 but I'm still thinking about it. What to do? I know he wasn't offside, I just rushed it.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Logan
Mistakes happen at all levels. I made a poor call two weeks ago on an offside and I know that I should not have as it was questionable. Like you I rushed the call and the team gave me some grief at half time over it. It was a mistake and that's part of the game. You will note that at the highest level in the game that offside mistakes are made all the time. The important part is that they are not done intentionally.
By the way when you say that the attacker was in an offside position and then came back onside that can still be offside if the movement of the player in the offside position happened after the ball was played even if he touches it in an onside position. It is his position when the ball is played that counts for offside not where he touches the ball.

That aside what is important now is to learn from this situation. The concept of 'Wait and See' is a valuable tool. It is better to have a 'late' correct flag rather than an 'early' incorrect one as you have found out. It is through mistakes that we learn.As Benjamin Franklin said " The things that hurt, instruct." This has been a valuable learning exercise for you. What would be a real mistake is not to learn from it and to repeat it again.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

From what you describe I'm not sure if there was an offside offense or not because you don't say which position the player was at the moment the ball was played by his teammate. If he was in offside position when played and received the ball in an onside position, an offside offense has been committed.

Regardless, if you did pop the flag too quickly, you and the center did the proper thing and awarded the goal.