The Ref Stop

Women's football

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Gabriel

Gabriel

RefChat Addict
Level 7 Referee
I've decided really late on to join a women's league local to me for this season to get some more middles in (it covers tiers 5-7 of the pyramid if that makes a difference). I wanted to ask the more experienced officials on here who have done plenty of women's games before if there are any key differences I need to be mindful of in these games? I've only done one women's game before, and it was as an AR in a 10-0 thumping in the WFA Cup so I didn't learn much that day other than how to stay switched on 😂. All tips/advice greatly appreciated!
 
The Ref Stop
Be on top of jewellery / equipment. Participants may be accustomed to a lower threshold for fouls. I find there tends to be fewer verbal issues but when it occurs can escalate quickly, so be alert as usual! Finally I would say there is often less appealing for decisions so don't be deterred from making a decision from lack of appeals.
 
They generally expect free kicks for any kind of physical contact, and you'll probably get complaints if you let the same amount of physical contact go as you would in a men's game. Your positioning might also need to be different as there tends to be less long balls.
 
Thanks both! Positioning is something I’ve spent most of my time focused on in my preseason as it was the biggest development point I got from my MDC at the end of last season. So I can use this as an opportunity to test my ability to adapt it as well
 
I did actually think of one extra point of note that has just come up in a conversation with me and one of my friends who plays on a women's team. Arms/hands across the chest - common sense says no handball imo, but what are people's thoughts on that?
 
Gabriel said:
I did actually think of one extra point of note that has just come up in a conversation with me and one of my friends who plays on a women's team. Arms/hands across the chest - common sense says no handball imo, but what are people's thoughts on that?
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I asked my sister about that because it had crossed my mind previously. She said it’s a natural instinct in the same way as putting your hands across your face if a ball is fired at it from close distance. So no handball is the sensible call IMO.
 
Very level and very context reliant. The lower the level, the more that kind of protection is reflexive protection. You’ll never see it in women’s professional games. And in lower level games, you need to be aware of women playing the ball with their arms while trying to make it look like it is a protective action.
 
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