First Match - Report

[JudgeDreadful]

So had my first match today U11 boys and things went pretty well. Did a pitch inspection first and then a kit safety inspection. Asked one of the coaches if the team all has shin pads on. Yes was the reply. Noticed one kid without so pointed this out. Coach ordered kid to get his shin pads from the car. Game starts, quite high intensity and the standard was good as it was a div 1 game. There was a bit of a spat midway through the first half with two kids raising their hands to each other but a quick blast of the whistle calmed the situation down. A little bit of swearing with one kid telling another to F*** off, gave him a warning to pack it in and got an apology.

A couple of things happened during the game which I wasn't sure how to deal with. I didn't noticed what had happened but I saw a player going off the field in tears while the ball was still in play. He goes straight off the pitch and the coach sends another player on without notifying me. I know that should not be allowed but wasn't too sure how to deal with it as the ball was still live and one team had a promising attack at the time. By the time the ball had gone out of play, no one had really noticed anything, the numbers were correct so I let it slide.

The other incident was a goalkeeper getting injured during an attack. The ball broke loose outside the area to the attacking team but the keeper was still down injured with some of the coaches shouting for the injury. I blew the whistle to stop the game and a second later the attacker shoots wide. After the goalie was seen to I restarted with a goal kick which was wrong. How should I have restarted this ?

All in all it was a good experience for my first match and I look forward to many others.

 

[HibbyGaz]

If its was me re the keeper situation, if you blow for the injury before the shot is away, then its a drop ball for the attacking team.

 

[socal lurker]

If its was me re the keeper situation, if you blow for the injury before the shot is away, then its a drop ball for the attacking team.

100% has to be a DB if the ball was still in play when the whistle blows (it’s not whether the shot had been taken, but whether the ball was still in the playing field). But which team gets it depends. If the either (1) the ball was in the PA when the whistle blew or (2) the ball had been last touched in the PA when the whistle blew, then it is a DB to the GK, not the attacking team.

 

[socal lurker]

and the standard was good as it was a div 1 game. There was a bit of a spat midway through the first half with two kids raising their hands to each other but a quick blast of the whistle calmed the situation down. A little bit of swearing with one kid telling another to F*** off, gave him a warning to pack it in and got an apology.

I know the word is different in the UK than the US (I’m in the US), but no way am I leaving an f-you unsanctioned in a youth game.

A couple of things happened during the game which I wasn't sure how to deal with. I didn't noticed what had happened but I saw a player going off the field in tears while the ball was still in play. He goes straight off the pitch and the coach sends another player on without notifying me. I know that should not be allowed but wasn't too sure how to deal with it as the ball was still live and one team had a promising attack at the time. By the time the ball had gone out of play, no one had really noticed anything, the numbers were correct so I let it slide.

This depends a bit on the formal expectations of the league. But I would suggest that the best way to handle is to,wait for the next stoppage, hold up play, and remind the coach that there is a procedure for subs, and he needs to wait for referee permission to bring a sub on. Explain that the player coming on without permissions is a cautionable offense, and you’d give the card if it was an older game, but are treating it as a learning moment.

congrats on your first game. If you hang out here a bit, you’ll find a lot of practical advice here.

 

[puddles15]

Just on the language point, I’d agree that shouldn’t be tolerated at that age. Try talking about use of language in a prematch chat (just 30s or so) to set expectations, including in front of coaches etc - that then gives you a reference for if there is any poor language/dissent going forward and means you can say ‘you already had a warning’. I rely on that every week at open age and makes dissent decisions so much more solid.

If they’re saying stuff like that which is allowed, it’ll be trouble for refs in 10 years!

 

[SammyT5]

I know the word is different in the UK than the US (I’m in the US), but no way am I leaving an f-you unsanctioned in a youth game.

What are you sanctioning it with though? There’s no way it’s OFFINABUS the way it’s described here. I suppose you could maybe sell an UB caution if you wanted to.

Directed at a match official however it’s an easy dissent caution.

 

[JudgeDreadful]

I know the word is different in the UK than the US (I’m in the US), but no way am I leaving an f-you unsanctioned in a youth game.



This depends a bit on the formal expectations of the league. But I would suggest that the best way to handle is to,wait for the next stoppage, hold up play, and remind the coach that there is a procedure for subs, and he needs to wait for referee permission to bring a sub on. Explain that the player coming on without permissions is a cautionable offense, and you’d give the card if it was an older game, but are treating it as a learning moment.

congrats on your first game. If you hang out here a bit, you’ll find a lot of practical advice here.

Thanks for the advice !

 

[socal lurker]

What are you sanctioning it with though? There’s no way it’s OFFINABUS the way it’s described here. I suppose you could maybe sell an UB caution if you wanted to.

Depends how it is said. I think in the US (outside the pro game) we are going to get to OFFINABUS faster than y’all to in the UK. But if we don’t get there, this is an easy USB caution.

 

[JudgeDreadful]

What are you sanctioning it with though? There’s no way it’s OFFINABUS the way it’s described here. I suppose you could maybe sell an UB caution if you wanted to.

Directed at a match official however it’s an easy dissent caution.

Depends how it is said. I think in the US (outside the pro game) we are going to get to OFFINABUS faster than y’all to in the UK. But if we don’t get there, this is an easy USB caution.

In this instance it was just a case of one kid saying something to another and the other replying with the F-Off. I got a good response from the player when I spoke to him so decided the warning was enough.

 

[GraemeS]

What are you sanctioning it with though? There’s no way it’s OFFINABUS the way it’s described here. I suppose you could maybe sell an UB caution if you wanted to.

Directed at a match official however it’s an easy dissent caution.

Agree 100% with this. The problem with policing language like this is that if it's not directed at you and doesn't rise to OFFINABUS, the law doesn't really let you get involved.

Of course nothing can stop a ref showing yellow and finding a code to report it under later, but really an empty warning is all we should be doing. YMMV with regards to different responsibilities in youth football of course.

 

[socal lurker]

In this instance it was just a case of one kid saying something to another and the other replying with the F-Off. I got a good response from the player when I spoke to him so decided the warning was enough.

I think this may go down to the societal differences for the word in the US and the UK. I don’t think you’d find many refs here who would let that go in a youth game.