Question Number: 29228

League Specific 3/5/2015

RE: Competitive High School

Dan of Jupiter, FL America asks...

i have just recently started refereeing HS games, and so far its been pretty aggressive. i am worried about giving a red soon, so, just in case what type of paperwork do you need for a red card.

could you maybe put a link for where i could find it




Thankss

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Your local association will be able to help you with the correct procedure to follow because there is no single approach. In my area, for example, all referee reports for disqualifications (red cards) are done online.

What is important, however, is that you use the correct terminology, and identify the correct high school rule for any disqualification. They are not the same as under the laws of the game. Having an improper description could result in a protest. I always have the high school rule book in front of me when I submit a report.

For example, in high school, a player is not 'sent off and shown a red card for an offense punishable by a free kick that denies an obvious goal scoring opportunity' - as would be written in a report under the LOTG. Instead, under NFHS Rule 12.7.2.d.3, the player is disqualified and shown the red card for committing serious foul play by a foul that denies an obvious goal scoring opportunity. Similarly, a team official may be disqualified and shown the red card for taunting under NFHS Rule 12.7.2.b. Under the LOTG, the coach would be 'dismissed for irresponsible behavior.'

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Dan,
I am not terribly familiar with USA high school i.e. NFHS protocols as I hail from across the border but I can offer you this tidbit. It is good to care about what you do, what others think, but it is unwise to worry over the decisions made or yet to be made! I suggest you perform your duties with respect and accountability. Integrity is a gift of self respect to yourself where you act with honour and conviction to the principles that far too many in the world give lip service but fail to put into action.

Responsibility for a job, requires effort on your part to learn the LOTG to train and to put your skill into practise to the best of your ability at whatever current level of understanding, knowledge and experience you possess at this stage of your career. It is ok to make a mistake or to be nervous, however, you want to ...APPEAR... calm and to make correct decisions whenever possible. Referee courage is the strength of character where one is not scared to be wrong, when trying to be right.

Stopping play to SHOW a card, particularly a red card, is a big deal! AS you express concern it goes to your credit that you take it seriously. It means something, it has accountability and repercussions! A very important distinction, this is not your doing but directly related to an action undertaken by the PLAYER! Not the fact, you, as a neutral official. YOU saw what HE did and had a duty to act appropriately. Granted ,you learn over time how to manage a match, but when a player endangers the others you need to set the bar of accountability to safeguard their interests . Communication, use your ARs , warn the players, caution them, show the red card and send off if that is what is required!

You mention things are getting rough? Why? Do you have any mentors or assessors looking in on you? To self evaluate correctly you need input. Do you train, attend classes, look to improve by going to meetings, tournaments, discuss in the post game with colleagues? Managing the temperament of a match is a whole lot of little things coming together with some luck involved but you cannot excuse yourself from intervention if it is required!
When you show cards or record misconduct on the forms your association should provide. Do it as if you are painting a verbal picture of the incident in detail for someone who is NEVER going to see it but can easily grasp who did what to whom, where, when and why, you acted as you did, quoting the correct law passages for the LOTG as needed.

'At 67 minutes of the second half #14 blue Richard Dawson the 2nd last defender back from the Edmonton muckrakers challenged #13 red Dan of the American spoilers close but CLEARLY inside the western boundary of the blue EM penalty area with an aggressive slide tackle! I initially deemed the tackle as reckless/borderline excessive and as such cautionable misconduct show a yellow card but had to further consider Dan had a obvious scoring opportunity and all criteria of POINT 5 of the send off offences were met to my satisfaction making it unnecessary to do show a yellow card as the more serious offence upgraded the misconduct to red card send off. As there was no advantage to be had,I felt I had no choice but to stop play, confirmed with eye contact my AR he was 100% in agreement with me as I ran into the PA pointing to the PK spot. I checked on the welfare of #13 red Dan and had him removed for injury treatment. I separated Mr Dawson and showed him the red card and sent off Mr. Dawson for point 5 DOGSO of the sending off offences • denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity to an opponent moving towards the player's goal by an offence punishable by a free kick or a penalty kick forcing his team to play with ten players for the remainder of the match. Mr Dawson complained bitterly and was very belligerent and abusive in his demeanour and attitude, saying such things I was F ing rubbish and I was favouring the American team and thus also guilty of point 6 of the send off offences as well • using offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gesture, eventually leaving the FOP before I restarted with the PK which was converted into a goal and waved Dan back in on the ensuing kick off.

Now I know I come off here as a bit of a madman but the context of all that occurs, gives credibility and evidence to the review panel, who will decide at what level the punishment might be. Heck I have seen diagrams provided showing the location on the field and a running commentary of the events listed in notebook form. Although as my colleague Ref McHugh points out a no frill account of a plain situation provides all the necessary information for a normal decision. I exaggerated my conduct, only to show why a detailed account at times gives a more accurate tale of an unfair action

The devil is in the details and the greater the clarity the easier we make it for those who must JUDGE an event they have never seen! Do not exaggerate or lay claim to things you did not see or know. If the perp. had merely tripped the bloke and took his card with no complaint maybe 1 game, be a jerk and the referee records the jerkiness. 3 games minimum, more possible, team fines etc.. No matter what rule of logic or penmanship you follow do NOT ignore this advice TURN IN A REPORT ! Missing paperwork frustrates association members trying to resolve issues more than anything else I know! They will get back to you if they want more or less of what you provide.

Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Dan
Why are you worried about ejecting a player? It certainly should not be about the paperwork.
The referee has a responsibility to set out his stall as to what he consider to be acceptable or not. If players are getting aggressive in their challenges the referee has to ensure that a clear message goes out as what is not acceptable.
So my advise is to concentrate on the refereeing part. The admin is the easy part and when it happens there is help out there.

BTW I have read sending off reports from all sorts. Some range from the detail as espoused by Referee Dawson to some that are light on information just the name and number and two lines of what happened. For instance Referee Dawsons report could be written by another referee as follows * In the 67th minute Edmonton Blue player #14 fouled American Red #13 from behind when he was through on goal inside the penalty area about to take a shot and I sent him off for denying an obvious goal scoring opportunity. After I showed him the red card the player swore at me as he walked off*

Answer provided by Referee Joe Manjone

Dan,
Each state has different requirements on the information that you must provide concerning a red card and how that information is provided. Florida has an Incident/ejection form that must be completed on line within 24 hours after the contest where the incident/ejection occurred. This online form can be found at: https://www.fhsaa.org/webform/at6 Please take a look at it and know in advance what you will need to know if you do have to give a red card.
When completing this or any incident form, just put down the facts of what happened and what you observed. As was pointed out by other referees, try to use preventive officiating and stop the rough play before a red card is necessary. I hope that you have much success in your officiating career.