Administrative Review By SYA Soccer Referee Commissioner, George Molessa for April 10th through May 22nd, 2010
SYA Rec Soccer Games of April 10th through May 22nd, 2010
1. Hand & Flag Signals - whether Center Referee (CR) or Assistant Referee (AR), signals must be crisp, clear, and understandable. You are communicating directly to the players that something has happened and indicating what direction play is going next. Whistle signals by CR also need to be crisp, and as loud and authoritative as the situations demand. Review the "Guide To Procedures"...and practice.
2. Substitutions - read your local rules. If the team in possession of the ball is making a substitution on a throw-in, the other team can also sub...provided their players are also lined up at the halfway and ready to go. Otherwise, deny and get them in at the soonest opportunity. Once you have completed the sub process and are ready to resume play, you must blow the whistle to announce the game is restarting so all players are aware.
ARs need to mirror each other, as many times the CR has their back to the signaling AR. Coaches should not have to shout out sub. CRs need to be more efficient in glancing over to mid-field touchlines to see if coaches have their players lined up and ready to sub. This action will make you more proactive rather than reactive, and gives everyone a sense you are really in control.
3. Positioning - as the CR, so you can be in better position to "sell" the call, try and anticipate play more rather than simply reacting to what has happened. It is much easier to sell any call if you are only 5-10 yards from play rather than trailing 20-30 yards behind.
CRs need to continue to get wide and deep into the goal areas, open their view toward the lead AR, and be ready to move in quickly to address any challenge against the goalkeeper, or to manage activities after a goal is scored.
Both CRs and ARs should not turn their backs on the goal area after a goal has been scored - keep watching both teams until all the scoring team has cleared out and is moving up field for the kick off.
ARs need to get to their own corners on deep balls...keep working on this. You cannot indicate that a goal has been scored or a ball has barely crossed the goal line when you are still at the 6 yard goal area line, or even farther up field. You are the only one who can make this call...you need to be there.
ARs, when play is deep up field, turn and look up field and don't remain totally focused on next to last defender. You are there to protect the CR when they are deep up field, and need to know what action is occurring behind his or her back. You can not perform this task well if you are not looking in that direction. Re-adjust as play comes back toward you.
4. Injuries - read the FIFA memo. If you blow the whistle to stop play for an injury, then the player must leave the field, whether the coach/team official comes on or not. However, when you are addressing an injury during a stoppage for another reason, [i.e., goal kick], the player does not have to leave the field unless the coach/team official comes on the field.
Goalkeepers, and those players injured by a collision with that injured goalkeeper, can be treated on the field by the coach/team official and do not have to leave.
5. Sideline Management - ARs...make sure you have a clear view of your sidelines from corner flag to corner flag. Work with your CR as you have discussed in your pregame for how you both handle and address sideline concerns and problems, as needed.
CRs & ARs need to be attentive to spectators standing beyond the penalty area line. These spectators should be asked to move up field of the penalty area line at a convenient opportunity.
Coaches are responsible for controlling their sidelines. Unless you can pinpoint a specific parent who needs to be counseled or sent to the parking lot (remember, no cards are shown to spectators), address sideline control issues with the coach.
Use the “ask, tell, card” approach, depending on the severity of the comments. Ask them to control their sidelines…if that fails, tell them to control their sidelines…if that fails, show the coach a yellow card for “irresponsible behavior”. If that does not solve the problem adequately, your last option would be to show the coach the red card and send him/her to the parking lot.
6. Setting Tone For Game – Law 12 fouls will tend to escalate if you do not assert yourself. Take charge early on. You must keep player safety foremost in your mindset, else you are opening a door for the match to go south, and you will likely have difficulty regaining control.
7. NO Sliding for U9 through U10 – read your local rules, and how to enforce it.
8. Lastly... when a dog [outside agent] runs onto the field, and affects play or player safety, then blow your whistle to stop play and ask the coaches for assistance in dealing with the problem. "Dog Catcher" is not in your job description :)
