Referee Stories...lets hear 'em

10,524 Views | 79 Replies | Last: 1 yr ago by agsalaska
agracer
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
12:32p, 9/18/17
AG
For those that are referee's....

All my kids have done it and I started again about a year ago. My kids used to come home with stories about parents that always started off with "parents are dumb". Once they came home with a story about two moms who were arrested for fighting, and their kids were on the same team!

Now that I've been back at if for over a year, I have to agree. Parents are dumb. Is it just me or is every time the ball touches someone's arm/hand a "HAND BALL HOW CAN YOU NOT CALL THAT!!!!" comes from the cheap seats..the closer to the penalty box, the louder they are.

Just this past weekend I had a ball to hand in the box (arms in, clearly not playing the ball with his hands, consulted AR and he agreed) and the parents for the opposing team were incensed about the lack of a PK. Even after the game I heard a mom telling her son 'well, you can play the best you can but referee can still take the game away from you'. Interestingly, the coach for the team who would have gotten the PK said absolutely nothing to me when he picked up his player cards. Asked me a question about something else, said thank you to all 3 of us and walked away.

I think parents should be required to attend a 2-hour class on the "laws of the game" in person. No online crap, they have to actually sit in a classroom every couple of years.

And I'm not saying I'm perfect. I know I've had bad games and missed a few calls, some I just don't see (looking wrong way, players in the way), but goodness parents say some ignorant things.
Reply Quote
2
1 edit
akm91
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
2:05p, 9/18/17
AG
As a former volleyball coach, I have to say I've had similar experiences regarding the parents not really knowing rules/tactics.
"And liberals, being liberals, will double down on failure." - dedgod
Reply Quote
gig them
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
2:14p, 9/18/17
AG
Running center in a U13 game

Clear breakaway, with a heavy touch, and the goalie comes out to challenge outside the box. Striker barely beats him to the ball and gets taken out. Again, this is around 25 yards away from goal.

From the stands, I hear it... "PENALTY KIIIIIICK!!!"

(it was still a straight red but come on)
Reply Quote
agracer
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to gig them • 3:01p, 9/18/17
AG
gig them said:
Running center in a U13 game

Clear breakaway, with a heavy touch, and the goalie comes out to challenge outside the box. Striker barely beats him to the ball and gets taken out. Again, this is around 25 yards away from goal.

From the stands, I hear it... "PENALTY KIIIIIICK!!!"

(it was still a straight red but come on)
Usually give the goalie a lot of leeway IN the box, but not so much out. Was the foul that bad?

EDIT: I just became that parent...
Reply Quote
1
1 edit
Out in Left Field
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
4:02p, 9/18/17
AG
Most of the games I do are pretty tame, but then again when its 7th level of Hell hot outside, the parents seem to care less.
Reply Quote
LeonardSkinner
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
4:57p, 9/18/17
Red carded a 6 year old.

Sorry, missed where the emphasis was on parents. Seldom have had a problem with them. When I'm in the middle, I don't even pay attention. When I'm running the line (depending on the skill level and importance), I'm actually pretty likely to be talking and joking around with the nearby spectators.
Reply Quote
1 edit
ThunderCougarFalconBird
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
5:35p, 9/18/17
AG
Funniest one for me was when I was really young. Little kids rec ball league. This is 5 year olds that just chase the ball around and fall over. Nothing resembling real soccer going on. Basic stuff like how to take a throw-in correctly and how to attack the correct goal. No cards even exist.

Little kid gets hit in the head unexpectedly with a ball - completely inadvertent. Kid goes down and starts crying m, more likely because of the surprise than the fact that it actually hurt. I stop play because the kid is crying and a bit shaken up and help the kid get up and realize that he's ok. Dad runs to the sideline where I'm dusting his kid off and screams at me, "what does it take to get a red card, ref!!!!"

Another way back when I was 15 or 16 (maybe I was 17?), running center in a U12 rec ball game. Game is uneventful. After the game some kid's dad comes up to me all in a huff and asks, "what are kids learning doing this [makes pushing motion] all game long??!?!???" I calmly tell him that soccer is a physical game and sometimes refs miss calls. He is still irate so smart ass teenage me asks the guy, "what is your kid learning watching his dad storm out into the middle of the field to yell at the ref after the game?" Irate dad huffed off and found the guy who was the "head" ref that organized refs for the rec league to play tattle tale on me. We had a good laugh later on.
Reply Quote
2
Mathguy64
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
5:52p, 9/18/17
AG
Ok. As some of you know I ref a lot. Anything from U-little to U18/19 competitive, girls ECNL, HS, college club and adult league. I do between 150 and 200 matches a year on average. I'm licensed in outdoor and Futsal. I also assign for USSF and if not for Harvey I would have started my instructor license in October. They are putting the course off until the spring. So I have seen or heard most crazy stories over the years.

I am convinced that parents and frankly most coaches have the Laws of the Game knowledge of a green tree frog. Complaints from the touch line about throws that are wrong are idiotic. In less than 3 passes it's going to go out again off someone else so stop complaining and let nature take its course. Mostly I ignore everyone when I'm CR. As AR I actually interact with parents trying to explain when they ask what's happening.

Two funny stories for me.

Back in the Spring a player took a kickoff and just started dribbling down the field. No pass, just took off down the pitch. I started laughing, blew it dead and just said "Dude. Double touch." He looked at me like I was an idiot. And he was a ref.

Statues on FK restarts drive me nuts. The LOTG do not say the kickers have to ask for space. You are required to give it and standing in front delaying a restart just pisses me off. I card that crap mercilessly. I give one warning and then I start whipping the card out. So in an adult league game the defenders decided to line line 5 guys up a yard from a ball. In a 7 man game with all kicks indirect. So a wall is stupid anyways. I told them to move and they stood their ground. So I carded the guy closest to me and said move now or else. They looked at me and stood there. So the next guy in line got his card and I said I was prepared to card everyone in the line and if needed start right back at the beginning with a second yellow if they didn't move. They stood and I popped the third. They moved. 3 cards to idiots for delaying a restart.

Here's one from a really high level game. I know several former National level refs. These guys were one grade below having a FIFA badge. At that level you get assessed at basically every match. And failing an assessment can mean losing matches and even losing your badge at that level going forward. The problem with assessments is they often don't count because the assessor doesn't think there was anything of consequence at assess. A match with no cards will almost never count. So basically it's like taking a test and the teacher says the grade doesn't count. And that sucks because you have to pay the assessor a fee whether you pass, fail or get no grade. And the fee can include their travel. So this guy is doing a really high level match and nothing is happening. No cards, no issues. And he knows the match is going to get no grade and he needs it graded. So at a dead ball he calls a substitute from the bench over to him, telling him he needs to tell him something. And the guy leaves the bench and comes on the field. And the ref pops him with a YC for entering the field of play without permission. And now the ref has enough to pass his assessment. And that is some cold blooded *****
Reply Quote
17
1 edit
Out in Left Field
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to Mathguy64 • 6:53p, 9/18/17
AG
mathguy86 said:
So at a dead ball he calls a substitute from the bench over to him, telling him he needs to tell him something. And the guy leaves the bench and comes on the field. And the ref pops him with a YC for entering the field of play without permission. And now the ref has enough to pass his assessment. And that is some cold blooded *****
Reply Quote
5
gig them
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to agracer • 6:58p, 9/18/17
AG
ha, it was an interesting situation that i probably didn't describe that well

it would have 100% been a penalty... but it wasn't in the box, so it can't be. beyond that, it checked all the boxes for denial of a clear goal scoring opportunity
Reply Quote
carl spacklers hat
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
1:52p, 9/21/17
Had the same ref show up for consecutive matches 25 minutes late. Second match was the tournament finals. In the first match, ref red carded a striker from the kid's team after he scored and pulled the ball from the net..and took a shove to the face from an opposing player in the process. El tampoco hablaba ingles...
Reply Quote
1
Jimma
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
6:18p, 9/22/17
Saw a high school game where there was a shot on goal that struck the outside of the goal net. The keeper when outside of the goal netting to retrieve the ball for a goal kick. The keeper kicked the ball but the ref stopped play and awarded the opposing team a goal ruling that the ball had gone into the goal and went thru the net to its position outside of the goal. Those watching the game saw the ball hit outside of the goal but the ref had the only opinion that counted. Later in the game a ball went out of bounds clearly off of a player from the opposing team but the sideline ref ruled it the other way. After making his ruling the sideline ref turned to the people in the stands and started laughing. After the two ridiculous rulings against the same team it became obvious that the game was not going to be a fair one.

I believe the Aggies had a similar experience against Baylor with a shot hitting the net outside of the goal being ruled a goal.
Reply Quote
2
agracer
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
12:27p, 9/28/17
AG
Working a tournament, final game for me on the day was a pretty competitive U15 boys game.

I was working AR and the teams were headed towards the other half (to my left) when two opposing players (blue and grey) challenged for the ball just past mid-field. The ball ended up back at the blue teams keeper's feet (a good 20-yards+ from the nearest player). Keeper leaves it at his feet, then when the opposing team moves up towards the box he picks it up.

The referee blows the whistle and awards a indirect kick to grey! I'm thinking.. that's not right...but I did not 100% see who kicked the ball last. But in my mind it was not a pass back. The parents of course are screaming their heads off, the blue team is incredulous and the grey team is pretty obviously a little surprised at their good fortune. This is all happening in the half of the field away from me (but in the middle of the field so I had a good view) ..so what should I do here?

Just curious what others would have done and I'll post follow up. Try to post your first reaction, not "I have time to think and then post."
Reply Quote
2 edits
Out in Left Field
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to agracer • 2:21p, 9/28/17
AG
First reaction: center is a dumbass.
Reply Quote
Mathguy64
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
2:26p, 9/28/17
AG
First reaction, second reaction, whatever. The Laws are pretty clear. It has to be an intentional pass back to the GK. A deflection doesnt count.

CR missed it as described. As to what you should do, throw up the flag and start waving it. Hopefully the CR will see it or the other AR will mirror it and then have them come over and talk it through real fast. Maybe he saw something you didnt and it really was a pass back. Maybe not. Maybe he was confused on the "intentional" part. Talk it through and get it right. If he agrees it wasnt intentional, then its an easy restart. Drop the ball in the 18 and "Keep, you have hands". Its a big difference between an IFK inside 18 yds and nothing.
Reply Quote
1 edit
agracer
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
3:44p, 9/28/17
AG
I would not say the CR was an idiot (maybe I was not clear he had a much better view than I did) I did wait maybe 5s (trying to think through what I saw) and finally waived my flag, but play started before I could get his attention. I almost ran up the sideline (honestly, I was standing there asking myself, can i do that, it's not on my half...well of course I could have).

I talked with him after the game and he said the blue player deliberately (to him, and he was much closer and had a much better view than I did of the play) kicked the ball back. Now you could ague that's not really a 'pass back', more of a get it away from the much faster grey player but in the CR view, he played it back and the only person back was the GK, so pass back.

The IDFK was played, bounced around a bid and ended up coming outside the box and a grey player placed it in the corner. The grey team won 1-0. Of course the other team coach was protesting b/c I waived my flag and had all kinds of comments and questions for us after the game.

I was basing my view as much on what I saw as reactions from both teams. You know how the ball goes out and sometimes you're not 100% on who touched it last...then one team grabs the ball and the other runs away...and you point for the throw in...that's kind of how I read the reaction from the teams.
Reply Quote
3 edits
Mathguy64
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to agracer • 4:09p, 9/28/17
AG
Sounds like CR has a good view of the play. and "In the opinion of the referee" matters a lot in soccer. And it sounds like the GK screwed up. When in doubt don't pick up the ball
Reply Quote
jessexy
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
11:54p, 9/30/17
AG
Been reffing for a while. Former National Referee and done games from U9 all the way up to MLS Reserve & International friendlies. NCAA for 15 or so years. I got a ton of stories but now that I'm posting I can't seem to remember any of them. Most of them probably involve the idiocy of coaches and how they're usually worse than parents at not knowing the rules. Or the amount of foul language and small talk that goes on in pro games. The players mostly know each other from some round-the-way reason and generally are friends with each other. I always find it funny when fans are expecting them to go out and kill each other for 90 minutes. It's the same with parents.
Reply Quote
Mathguy64
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to jessexy • 7:32p, 10/1/17
AG
Just curious. Were you CR or AR track?

And major props. I know just how much work you had to put into getting there. Watching the young guys today trying to just get to Grade 6 in STX, its so incredibly competitive. There are tons of good refs and game count is so hard to come by.
Reply Quote
agracer
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to jessexy • 7:59a, 10/2/17
AG
jessexy said:
Most of them probably involve the idiocy of coaches and how they're usually worse than parents at not knowing the rules.
I don't know why, but this always surprises me a little bit. Last fall I had a coach yelling at me for letting the opposing team substitute on his team's goal kick.....
Reply Quote
jessexy
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to Mathguy64 • 10:34p, 10/4/17
AG
Referee track.

Here's a funny one I remembered. Reffing a PDL or NPSL game (can't remember all the details so bear with me). It's early in the game and it's pretty competitive. I'm a guy that pays attention to the players and how they play, or want to play, and will adjust my decisions for each player. This game the ball is going to be in the air alot so I decide on not calling fouls on air balls. They'll just have to battle and figure it out. Head Coach of the home team is serving a suspension and the idiot asst is in charge, so he spends most of the first half bouncing around and flailing his arms begging for fouls. We're in a big stadium with about 10000 seats, but only about 2000 people in the crowd so you can hear everything in the stadium.

Anyway, I end up calling a foul at midfield FOR his team and this idiot asst coach yells out something like "Of all the times now he wants to call a foul". We're about 25 minutes in and I've had it so I turn a yell to my 4th "Buster, put his ass on the metal before I shove my foot in it." Remember when I said everyone in the stadium can hear cuz it echo's..... well everyone heard it. I was about 40 yards away when I said it and the asst coach responded by yelling more. My 4th couldn't help but chuckle while trying to pretend to settle the coach down but he knew we were already past that. I turned again and said something like "Shut it cuz you're about to score a goal." I'm hearing it from the fans too. Some lady is saying her kids are here. Some dude is heckling about my whistle already being up my ass. The players are giggling to themselves cuz they know I'm right and the assistant is a doofus, but they're turned away from the bench so they don't get caught. One of them says to me "I can't believe you said that, but good job. He's annoying."

We set up the free kick from midfield and they thump it into the box. The ball bounces around and ends up in the net and his team scores. I turn to the bench, point my hand at the coach (kinda like a church usher helping you to a seat) and then point my hand in a downward motion. The coach quietly sits down and remains there the rest of the game. Game ended 3-2 with a couple strong goals.



I also did a game a few years back, Austin Aztex vs Laredo Heat. Man that was a good game on that tiny field that got washed away in the Austin floods. That was a really good time. The fans were in to it. Probably the largest crowd I've been in front of with about 4000 people. Getting jeered by a dedicated fan group just cuz you have a different shirt on is pretty crazy. That game had a couple of big mass confrontations in it, IIRC
Reply Quote
jessexy
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to agracer • 10:37p, 10/4/17
AG
Had a coach yell at me recently for awarding a drop ball to his GK inside her penalty area. He wanted it to go to the attacking team so that they could pass it back to his GK. I was confused by that. Wouldn't you rather have your GK just pick it up with her hands than have an opponent get it at their feet and not know what they're going to do with it?
Reply Quote
Mathguy64
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
11:08p, 10/4/17
AG
I once managed the unique feat of carding a player for dissent before the match started. Adult league, during player check in. I'm checking IDs and one team wants me to allow them to play someone not on the roster. The league says if you aren't on the printed roster you can't play. So I tell them that. And they insist I can. Nope. We do this dance the entire time I'm checking in players and they won't quit. So I finally said they could shut up and let me finish or I would card the next person to complain. Of course someone chimes in "I know the rules and you can't do that." Well, allow me to demonstrate that in fact I can. And I did.
Reply Quote
1
MidTnAg
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to Mathguy64 • 3:05a, 10/5/17
AG
mathguy86 said:
Ok. As some of you know I ref a lot. Anything from U-little to U18/19 competitive, girls ECNL, HS, college club and adult league. I do between 150 and 200 matches a year on average. I'm licensed in outdoor and Futsal. I also assign for USSF and if not for Harvey I would have started my instructor license in October. They are putting the course off until the spring. So I have seen or heard most crazy stories over the years.

I am convinced that parents and frankly most coaches have the Laws of the Game knowledge of a green tree frog. Complaints from the touch line about throws that are wrong are idiotic. In less than 3 passes it's going to go out again off someone else so stop complaining and let nature take its course. Mostly I ignore everyone when I'm CR. As AR I actually interact with parents trying to explain when they ask what's happening.

Two funny stories for me.

Back in the Spring a player took a kickoff and just started dribbling down the field. No pass, just took off down the pitch. I started laughing, blew it dead and just said "Dude. Double touch." He looked at me like I was an idiot. And he was a ref.

Statues on FK restarts drive me nuts. The LOTG do not say the kickers have to ask for space. You are required to give it and standing in front delaying a restart just pisses me off. I card that crap mercilessly. I give one warning and then I start whipping the card out. So in an adult league game the defenders decided to line line 5 guys up a yard from a ball. In a 7 man game with all kicks indirect. So a wall is stupid anyways. I told them to move and they stood their ground. So I carded the guy closest to me and said move now or else. They looked at me and stood there. So the next guy in line got his card and I said I was prepared to card everyone in the line and if needed start right back at the beginning with a second yellow if they didn't move. They stood and I popped the third. They moved. 3 cards to idiots for delaying a restart.

Here's one from a really high level game. I know several former National level refs. These guys were one grade below having a FIFA badge. At that level you get assessed at basically every match. And failing an assessment can mean losing matches and even losing your badge at that level going forward. The problem with assessments is they often don't count because the assessor doesn't think there was anything of consequence at assess. A match with no cards will almost never count. So basically it's like taking a test and the teacher says the grade doesn't count. And that sucks because you have to pay the assessor a fee whether you pass, fail or get no grade. And the fee can include their travel. So this guy is doing a really high level match and nothing is happening. No cards, no issues. And he knows the match is going to get no grade and he needs it graded. So at a dead ball he calls a substitute from the bench over to him, telling him he needs to tell him something. And the guy leaves the bench and comes on the field. And the ref pops him with a YC for entering the field of play without permission. And now the ref has enough to pass his assessment. And that is some cold blooded *****
In upper level and adult games, in my instructions to the captains at the coin toss, I usually told them they must move 10 yards back from a free-kick restart or else I would card them. I told them I would not give them a warning.
That was one of my biggest gripes as a player - referees not carding players who stood directly in front of a free-kick restart.
Reply Quote
1
MidTnAg
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
3:45a, 10/5/17
AG
Incredibly, my first referee class had two future FIFA referees in it. It was a class of about 30 of us newbie in Arlington around 1973 or 74. Bob Evans was the instructor and Ed Bellion was a fellow student in the class. I eventually worked my way to become a State referee but was never good enough to become a National ref. However, I was extremely fortunate to referee three international soccer games while living in the Caribbean for six months.

BOB EVANS:
http://www.cnra.net/2016/03/bob-evans-former-fifa-referee-passes-away/
[url=http://www.cnra.net/2016/03/bob-evans-former-fifa-referee-passes-away/][/url]
[url=http://www.cnra.net/2016/03/bob-evans-former-fifa-referee-passes-away/][/url]http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2014/03/17/12/03/centennial-referee-interview-bob-evans
[url=http://www.cnra.net/2016/03/bob-evans-former-fifa-referee-passes-away/][/url]
https://intheopinionofthereferee.files.wordpress.com/2016/03/robert-evans-biography.pdf

I thought Bob was exceptional. I was in a medical resident program in Baltimore (and still referring when I could). I went to a refereeing class for advanced referees and the instructor was Bob. Fortunately, he remembered me. He was an excellent instructor and referee. I did not know him outside of soccer, but I wish I had been able to. He was a fantastic person. He was definitely one of the good ones.

ED BELLION:
http://worldreferee.com/referee/edward_bellion/bio
[url=http://worldreferee.com/referee/edward_bellion/bio][/url]
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-edward-bellion-baaa7a8a

I did not like Ed. I did take his biochemistry class at UTA prior going to med school. It was a good course. I did not like that he received extremely preferential treatment in his climbing the ladder of refereeing. He received his initial license around 1973-4. By 1977, he was already a National Referee referring professional soccer games. In 1980, he became a FIFA referee and was a FIFA referee for 9 years. He refereed some of my over-30 games in Arlington in the mid 1970's. I did not think he was any good. Obviously, I was wrong.


Reply Quote
1 edit
Thunder18
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to Mathguy64 • 7:32a, 10/5/17
AG
Do you ref in the Houston area? Do any TORSO matches?
Reply Quote
Mathguy64
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to Thunder18 • 7:53a, 10/5/17
AG
I used to periodically go down to help Sat and Sun for TYSA, ECNL, USC stuff but not any more. I stay in B/CS now. We have our hands full with too many games and not enough refs. Same story everywhere.
Reply Quote
agracer
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to Mathguy64 • 8:16a, 10/5/17
AG
mathguy86 said:
I used to periodically go down to help Sat and Sun for TYSA, ECNL, USC stuff but not any more. I stay in B/CS now. We have our hands full with too many games and not enough refs. Same story everywhere.
We have dozen's of young referee's quit every season because they can't stand the parents and coaches. Many of them refuse to center games, and when they do, are afraid to blow the whistle (like they don't want anyone to look at them). Every time I work with young refs I tell them, just blow the whistle if you believe it's a foul. No one is going to complain (very much) if you call fouls, but they sure will if you do nothing all game.

Coaches that don't know the rules don't help at all. They guy I mentioned above complaining about letting an opposing team sub on his goal kick..really...that's been allowed in soccer longer than I've been alive. And I've referee'd his team before and he didn't complain those times (honestly think he was having a rough season and a bad day. It was the final weekend and I think he was just ready to be done). Do we ant to talk about handling....I'm surprised how many coaches think if it touches an arm is a hand ball 100% of the time.

That being said, there are some kids who are just there because they are trying to make some money. When I first got back into the refereeing a year ago, one of my first games at center I had and AR who literately never lifted the flag the whole game unless I pointed first. Never called off sides, never pointed for throw ins and generally paid no attention to the game. I had to call the off sides for the most of the game (which is always fun from the center). I dang near sat him down and had the other AR come onto the field and do 2-man but our league will not allow that.

I did my first O30 Adult Rec game last week...my kids always told me those guys are more whiny than the kids. They were right!

And I'm certainly not perfect. I know I've screwed up some non-calls and I'm sure I'll do it again. But I swear the leagues need to make parents attend a 4-hour class on the laws of the game and make them take a test at the end. If they don't pass, they have to come back and do it again.
Reply Quote
1 edit
Mathguy64
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
10:31a, 10/5/17
AG
The loss of youth referees is a big problem. Between 80% and 90% of youth referees do not come back for a second year. Some just decide they dont like it. Many (most) are lost because they dont like the parent and/or coach abuse they are subject to. Many soccer leagues have implemented a "no tolerance" policy with parent behavior. They are told to sit and watch and cheer. Any untoward behavior by the parent and you go right to the coach and tell the coach to deal with it, or else. I spend a lot of time now mentoring young refs, so I'm walking around fields watching and I cut parents and coaches off quickly for that. These kids are learning how to referee, just like the players are learning how to play. The coaches dont berate their players for making a mistake. They need to know they cant berate the kid holding the flag or whistle either. Its a mistake. Nobody's life depends on it.

We all know that in theory you are not supposed to dismiss parents. And I would never advocate a young ref every trying that. Thats the coach's job. But you can terminate a match. I'm big/old; I have on occasion just taken matters into my own hands and ejected parents from the sideline. I have also dismissed coaches for their behavior. Not often, but I certainly have gone through "ask, tell, dismiss" and done it fast. I'm not being paid to get yelled at and this isnt a professional game. And my tolerance level is different with different levels.

ODP does a great job with this. Parents are flat told to sit and cheer. Any untoward behavior and they are gone and potentially their kid is out of the program. Coaches are told to coach their kids and leave refs alone. Hell most of them dont even know the kids. When we do the multistate ODP here in January, we put very young refs in games higher than their ability because we can, because we know no one will yell at them. Its a great teaching environment for young refs. We also mentor them in that program. Last year at ODP we had 3 National Emeritus refs including the SDI, and several State Emeritus refs here doing nothing but walking fields, watching kids and mentoring them. Every ref got at least one developmental assessment with positive feedback. The whole weekend was about teaching refs. Young and old alike.


td/dr: I take referee training seriously and losing young refs to jackwagon parents or coaches is something I hate to see.
Reply Quote
Rule Number 32
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
10:59a, 10/5/17
AG
I wish I could get back into reffing. I did it for 2 or 3 years in my late teens and always enjoyed it, but I never did anything above 7 year olds. Now as an out of shape 34 year old, I would have a hard time keeping up! Plus I dont think my wife would go for me giving up Saturday and Sunday anymore.
Reply Quote
agracer
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to Rule Number 32 • 11:59a, 10/5/17
AG
Rule Number 32 said:
I wish I could get back into reffing. I did it for 2 or 3 years in my late teens and always enjoyed it, but I never did anything above 7 year olds. Now as an out of shape 34 year old, I would have a hard time keeping up! Plus I dont think my wife would go for me giving up Saturday and Sunday anymore.
I promise you're not as out of shape as you think. There is really not a lot of movement in U12 and below games since they play on smaller fields. And really it's just a few hours on a Sat or Sun. You don't have to work all weekend.

Quote:
td/dr: I take referee training seriously and losing young refs to jackwagon parents or coaches is something I hate to see.
I've gotten two written evaluations and both times I actually had really good games so I looked a lot better on paper than I really am! At one, the mentor was going over his comments when a parent walked up and told all 3 of us we did a great job and thank you! That was nice.

I basically referee at two parks and teams from each age/division/rec/premier play at both parks. One is all grass and kind of out in the middle of now where, the other is close to everything in the city and all turf. I don't know what it is about the grass field park but for something in the air makes the parents and coaches go crazy. My biggest problems have all been out there. My son says "the property was never officially settled after the Louisiana purchase and it's the wild west out there!"
Reply Quote
1 edit
Mathguy64
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to Rule Number 32 • 2:10p, 10/5/17
AG
Rule Number 32 said:
I wish I could get back into reffing. I did it for 2 or 3 years in my late teens and always enjoyed it, but I never did anything above 7 year olds. Now as an out of shape 34 year old, I would have a hard time keeping up! Plus I dont think my wife would go for me giving up Saturday and Sunday anymore.
I encourage you to get back into it. First off, you arent out of shape. I promise. I started this late in life and was a fat tub of goo. I'm now 50 lbs lighter. All from soccer. When HS starts and tournaments kick in, I will do 6 HS duals all in a row in 1 dat and 10 games a weekend. I will end up running the better part of 30 miles a weekend. If I had tried running one mile 10 years ago I would have keeled over from a coronary. Plain and simple it keeps me in shape. Second, there are way more games in every corner of the US than available refs. You will be of great benefit no matter what level you ref and no matter how much time you can commit. And even a couple of games on a Sat or Sun is a big help. Third, I bet I pull in $8-9k a year. All undocumented, untaxed cash. And that gets spent on bourbon.
Reply Quote
agracer
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
3:42p, 10/9/17
AG
Three games this weekend and nothing. That never happens! In the final game a foul just outside the box led to a goal with ~5m left giving one team a 1-0 lead. The opposing team tied the game literally 5s before my watch went off.
Reply Quote
1 edit
agracer
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to MidTnAg • 3:50p, 10/9/17
AG
MidTnAg said:
I did not like Ed. I did take his biochemistry class at UTA prior going to med school. It was a good course. I did not like that he received extremely preferential treatment in his climbing the ladder of refereeing. He received his initial license around 1973-4. By 1977, he was already a National Referee referring professional soccer games. In 1980, he became a FIFA referee and was a FIFA referee for 9 years. He refereed some of my over-30 games in Arlington in the mid 1970's. I did not think he was any good. Obviously, I was wrong.


There is a ref in our league who seems to get a lot of the higher game assignments and I'm at a little bit of a loss to understand why. He's a decent ref. but not great. I recall in my class, and on my evaluations, to make the proper signals at all times (if nothing else, look professional, it's one less thing people can complain about) and he hardly can be bothered on throw ins, goal kicks, etc. And sometimes he lets crap go that I can't see any good reason for (like advantage).
Reply Quote
Aston94
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
4:06p, 10/9/17
AG
So I am a referee, but I don't have the time or interest to do higher leagues, so I ref U14 and below rec games just here in town. I also coach a select team, and through my reffing I have gained a better appreciation of how to address referees and discuss calls.

This weekend while coaching my select team I had my least favorite kind of ref, I refer to them as "Mr. I have been doing this for 20 years, pretty much know everything, and pretty much am going to have this game go as I want it."

This led to:
-making girls on both teams push down sleeves during game, yes during game. They didn't have them tied up or anything, just pushed up on shoulders. ("Rule book says you must have sleeves, they can't push them up while playing")
-Ball doesn't have enough air ("I know I checked ball before game, but it just seems to be bouncing funny")
-Get those people out of here (random people walking on our side of field to other fields, only coaches and playes allowed on our side, but me and opposing coach were to monitor and stop randoms from walking through--thereby totally taking away from the point of having a side for just coaches and players--so we could coach).
-Overrule linesman (yes, AR was 3 feet away from call and I am behind the play, but I had better view)
-Call back foul into corner (my team was fouled in our defensive corner but was dribbling out, he went back and gave us a free kick 2 feet from corner flag
-Hold conversation with other refs walking by during game (really makes me feel like he is paying attention when he visits with other refs passing by during the game).
-And my favorite, league rules say there will be water breaks if temp is above 90. He tells girls, "you are old enough, you don't need water breaks. This isn't U8 soccer anymore." Doesn't call for water break in 1st half, then calls for one in second half.
-Game wasn't close, so fortunately we didn't get him at critical decision times, or I might have blown a gasket.

I always love the ref that has to be "Mr. I have been doing this for 20 years, pretty much know everything, and pretty much am going to have this game go as I want it".
Reply Quote
Last Page
Page 1 of 3 ▼
 
×
subscribe Verify your student status
See Subscription Benefits
Trial only available to users who have never subscribed or participated in a previous trial.