Hello all I was a ref on Sunday under 15 during the game I had a verbal abuse from the away side players manager and fans calling me a cheat ect it only my second day being a ref anyway I gave a free kick to the away team in the near the corner flag so I counted out 10 yards manager of the blue team came over saying that not 10 yards they should get back so I counted it again and he was laughing and asking me do I no what 10 yards is but I was happy with the wall so I let the free kick to be taken and I just heard from a fan that ref is sh.t he doesn't no what 10 yards is at this point I wanted to go home its was only 60 mins in the game but my question is how do you do 10 yards I put 1 foot in front of another I new I might struggle tho thanks for reading also at the end of the game the away team didn't shake my hand so I felt like quitting being a ref not to sure yet
10 yards
- Thread starter Danwilliams
- Start date
Hi Dan, I wouldn't worry too much about this, I had this in my first game a few weeks ago too so I've now started counting the ten yards aloud, not shouting it, but saying it loudly enough so the players in the wall know that you're counting it out correctly. As hard as it might be - try to ignore the morons on the side of the pitch,
SM
The avuncular one
i know one of my paces comes to about a yard. I use bigger strides if any defender gets a little gobby. Worth measuring your normal stride just so you know, but that said the guy was taking the peas mate.
Universal law of football - there are idiots out there.
You have come across some of them already by the sounds of it. Verbal abuse from a manager? Don't be afraid to bollock him or walk him depending on if he crosses the line and how far. If you walk him, Send it in as a misconduct report (white paper report). A small number of idiots will take liberties with new refs - it's not always like this.
Some advice -
Join your local referee association. Support, advice and new friends (possibly!)
See if you can get a mentor - football pitches can be a lonely place. A friendly face and some advice to get you on the right track can be invaluable.
Never be afraid to be that " b'strad in the black", who "loves his cards" and "spoils the game" if the situation needs it. I'm not saying go card happy, Charles Bronson out there but at the same time, there is a line and once crossed you have the tools to make sure idiots know who is running the game. Refereeing at grass roots is supposed to be fun for the ref also (well, sometimes)
Get back on the horse. Nobody starts out life as a great referee. It takes practice and experience. Stick at it and there will come a time when you look back on this game and laugh (I know I look back on my third game and laugh!)
Universal law of football - there are idiots out there.
You have come across some of them already by the sounds of it. Verbal abuse from a manager? Don't be afraid to bollock him or walk him depending on if he crosses the line and how far. If you walk him, Send it in as a misconduct report (white paper report). A small number of idiots will take liberties with new refs - it's not always like this.
Some advice -
Join your local referee association. Support, advice and new friends (possibly!)
See if you can get a mentor - football pitches can be a lonely place. A friendly face and some advice to get you on the right track can be invaluable.
Never be afraid to be that " b'strad in the black", who "loves his cards" and "spoils the game" if the situation needs it. I'm not saying go card happy, Charles Bronson out there but at the same time, there is a line and once crossed you have the tools to make sure idiots know who is running the game. Refereeing at grass roots is supposed to be fun for the ref also (well, sometimes)
Get back on the horse. Nobody starts out life as a great referee. It takes practice and experience. Stick at it and there will come a time when you look back on this game and laugh (I know I look back on my third game and laugh!)
I do this - as well as through the penalty area - 6 and 12 - try it with eyes closed - v soon you'll be nailing it in your sleep
mikedn
Referee/Mentor
I had this issue a long time ago,"how do you know every stride is a yard ref ?, how do you know that is 10 yards?" My reply at the time was "just be thankful i'm not 7 foot tall"
When i got home i actually measured my foot heal to toe and its 11 and half inches, which is close enough for me. Then i paced out 1 yard that's heal to toe x 3 times,(12 inches per yard) close enough for me. Then i knew just how long my stride should be for 10 yards or 12 etc. etc.
Even now after 11 years i still get " you got long strides is that 10 yards ref?" My answer is always " just be glad i'm not 7 foot tall "
I went to great lengths (pun intended) measured my stride and i'm happy i'm giving them 10 yards......
When i got home i actually measured my foot heal to toe and its 11 and half inches, which is close enough for me. Then i paced out 1 yard that's heal to toe x 3 times,(12 inches per yard) close enough for me. Then i knew just how long my stride should be for 10 yards or 12 etc. etc.
Even now after 11 years i still get " you got long strides is that 10 yards ref?" My answer is always " just be glad i'm not 7 foot tall "
I went to great lengths (pun intended) measured my stride and i'm happy i'm giving them 10 yards......
Fantastic advice from @SM in general. Regarding your particular "10 yards issue", my advice would just be to be firm. Count 10 large-ish paces, stick your arm out and instruct the wall to get behind your arm. There's no need to be convinced to count it again, don't be rushed into letting play go on if they won't get back and if the manager gets abusive, go over and give him a firm warning. If he keeps talking, or comes on the pitch, dismiss him - no hesitation!
CapnBloodbeard
RefChat Addict
I find the complaints about 10 yards really peculiar! At one point the teaching around here was the you don't step out the 10 yards because it looks amateurish. Just eyeball it.
I found that simply causes too many complaints - but it's absurd. Why do they think 10 steps = 10 yards? Bizarre!!
Anyway, to echo comments above, join your local RA if you haven't already. It sounds like you could do with some mentoring.
To address your specific incidents:
Anybody calling you a cheat should be taking an immediate trip to the carpark. Managers don't get to do that - and at this sort of level I'd be getting the managers to get rid of spectators doing that.
As for the manager coming down to argue with you.....I'd simply be advising him "You worry about coaching your players, I'll worry about the refereeing. Please return to your technical area - and any further dissent from you will result in you getting yourself sent from the field". This is really unacceptable behavior from the manager and with a bit more age and confidence you'll be able to handle this sort of appalling behavior much firmer.
With the manager in particular, once he starts dissenting, at the next stoppage you'll run over: "Manager, do you mind keeping a lid on those comments? I'm just calling it as I see it here". If he persists: "I've asked you earlier to stop the dissent and you've continued. The players wouldn't be getting away with this much on the field - so now I need to be clear. If you keep it up, you will be sent from the field of play".
Ask, Tell, Go. Next time, he's walking. If he doesn't, match is abandoned. You need to cut down on these managers early - otherwise they'll influence the players and you won't be able to control the match.
I've never sent off a manager and regretted it. But I have, on a number of times, regretted not sending off the manager - or not doing it earlier. At youth in particular, once a disruptive manager leaves the players tend to calm down.
You do not ever want to recount 10 yards. not for a manager, not for a player. You're undermining your own authority by doing this.
What I would suggest is at some point during the week, head out to your local field and step out the field markings. Centre spot to the edge of the centre circle is 10 yards, so pace it out. Try to make 10 steps get you to the end. From that you'll start to get a feel of the right step sizes - but if you do that a few times you'll learn.
You want to try to avoid doing it in 11 or 12 steps because then they'll complain that it's 12 yards. Makes no sense!
Finally, I'm going to go back to my comments about mentorship. I have a suspicion that you may not be portraying confidence on the field which is why the manager was all over you. As a young referee it can be difficult - the manager has probably been involved in the game for longer than you've been alive so he may well have trouble accepting your authority - yet you know more about the laws than he does. So look confident. Strong, confident arm signals. Walk tall, not hunched. Don't put the whistle to your mouth unless you're going to blow - and when you do, make it LOOOOUUUUDDDD. You want the players on the next field across to stop when you blow your whistle!!
And use your tongue. Do this (serious) - say, out loud, 'Toot'. Feel how the air starts and stops suddenly from your tongue? When you blow the whistle, do exactly that. If you put it to your mouth and just blow, it has a softer start/finish and just sounds weak.
Confidence stems from knowing the laws though. Make sure you know Law 11 and 12 in particular. Thoroughly. But with some mentorship you'll be able to see where you can improve.
Good luck and keep posting your queries on here!
I found that simply causes too many complaints - but it's absurd. Why do they think 10 steps = 10 yards? Bizarre!!
Anyway, to echo comments above, join your local RA if you haven't already. It sounds like you could do with some mentoring.
To address your specific incidents:
Anybody calling you a cheat should be taking an immediate trip to the carpark. Managers don't get to do that - and at this sort of level I'd be getting the managers to get rid of spectators doing that.
As for the manager coming down to argue with you.....I'd simply be advising him "You worry about coaching your players, I'll worry about the refereeing. Please return to your technical area - and any further dissent from you will result in you getting yourself sent from the field". This is really unacceptable behavior from the manager and with a bit more age and confidence you'll be able to handle this sort of appalling behavior much firmer.
With the manager in particular, once he starts dissenting, at the next stoppage you'll run over: "Manager, do you mind keeping a lid on those comments? I'm just calling it as I see it here". If he persists: "I've asked you earlier to stop the dissent and you've continued. The players wouldn't be getting away with this much on the field - so now I need to be clear. If you keep it up, you will be sent from the field of play".
Ask, Tell, Go. Next time, he's walking. If he doesn't, match is abandoned. You need to cut down on these managers early - otherwise they'll influence the players and you won't be able to control the match.
I've never sent off a manager and regretted it. But I have, on a number of times, regretted not sending off the manager - or not doing it earlier. At youth in particular, once a disruptive manager leaves the players tend to calm down.
You do not ever want to recount 10 yards. not for a manager, not for a player. You're undermining your own authority by doing this.
What I would suggest is at some point during the week, head out to your local field and step out the field markings. Centre spot to the edge of the centre circle is 10 yards, so pace it out. Try to make 10 steps get you to the end. From that you'll start to get a feel of the right step sizes - but if you do that a few times you'll learn.
You want to try to avoid doing it in 11 or 12 steps because then they'll complain that it's 12 yards. Makes no sense!
Finally, I'm going to go back to my comments about mentorship. I have a suspicion that you may not be portraying confidence on the field which is why the manager was all over you. As a young referee it can be difficult - the manager has probably been involved in the game for longer than you've been alive so he may well have trouble accepting your authority - yet you know more about the laws than he does. So look confident. Strong, confident arm signals. Walk tall, not hunched. Don't put the whistle to your mouth unless you're going to blow - and when you do, make it LOOOOUUUUDDDD. You want the players on the next field across to stop when you blow your whistle!!
And use your tongue. Do this (serious) - say, out loud, 'Toot'. Feel how the air starts and stops suddenly from your tongue? When you blow the whistle, do exactly that. If you put it to your mouth and just blow, it has a softer start/finish and just sounds weak.
Confidence stems from knowing the laws though. Make sure you know Law 11 and 12 in particular. Thoroughly. But with some mentorship you'll be able to see where you can improve.
Good luck and keep posting your queries on here!
one
RefChat Addict
Some very good advise here on how to deal with players/managers. Always back yourself with your decision and be confident. If you find it too hard to be confident, just pretend you are it works just as good. You will find a lot less arguments if you are confident about your decisions, even if hey think you are wrong.
10 Yards for me is 12 medium paces. I figured this in my earlier years by stepping from pen spot to the pen arc. Every now and then when inspecting the pitch I re-calibrate my 'medium pace' by pacing pen spot to arc again.
I hardly pace out the 10 yards these days. Just use visual clues like the marking on the pitch. The easiest one is to look at the width of goal which is 8 yards before setting the wall. I always comply with requests to pace it out though but no player has every benefited from it
it works just as good. You will find a lot less arguments if you are confident about your decisions, even if hey think you are wrong.10 Yards for me is 12 medium paces. I figured this in my earlier years by stepping from pen spot to the pen arc. Every now and then when inspecting the pitch I re-calibrate my 'medium pace' by pacing pen spot to arc again.
I hardly pace out the 10 yards these days. Just use visual clues like the marking on the pitch. The easiest one is to look at the width of goal which is 8 yards before setting the wall. I always comply with requests to pace it out though but no player has every benefited from it
CapnBloodbeard
RefChat Addict
I love it when the FK is right on the edge of the Penalty Arc, or right on the defensive edge of the centre circle or on the centre spot.I hardly pace out the 10 yards these days. Just use visual clues like the marking on the pitch. The easiest one is to look at the width of goal which is 8 yards before setting the wall. I always comply with requests to pace it out though but no player has every benefited from it
"Ref, how is that 10 yards???"
........
Mooseybaby
Retired big bad baldy in all black!
My wife always laughs when she watches one of my games and sees me pace out 10 yards for free kicks etc.
As CB said, free kicks on the half way line can be a source of amusement with players trying to pull a fast one!
As CB said, free kicks on the half way line can be a source of amusement with players trying to pull a fast one!
As soon as anyone calls you a cheat it should be goodbye but that is something you learn over time. Free kicks are another thing that I think you learn over time. Like others have said, try to make 1 stride 1 yard. It's helpful on a full size pitch because the centre spot is 10 yards from edge of the centre circle. Don't worry about what people on the pitch or in the immediate area say about you because most of the time, you are right and they are wrong. They don't know the laws and you can test that easily enough! Gong back to free kicks, the other way is if they complain about it being more than 10 yards and you have done 10 steps, next time do 11 then 12! That normally works!
For me, 10 yards is 11 average paces. So I do 10 forwards, stop, turn around and do one backwards (as by now 99% of the time I'm behind the line of the defence). "Back to me lads please". Never been questioned. You mentioned that you "put one foot in front of the other" - was that toe to heel? If so, that might be where the issue was, as 10 of those would (roughly) equal 10 feet, not 10 yards. As others have said, there are handy ways of practising pacing out the 10.
On the dissent from the manager, either of the two "C" words and he's walking, same as any player. For spectators, its the responsibility of the home manager to keep all spectators under control - so head to him next time to get them to sort the offender out.
On the dissent from the manager, either of the two "C" words and he's walking, same as any player. For spectators, its the responsibility of the home manager to keep all spectators under control - so head to him next time to get them to sort the offender out.
zarathustra
RefChat Addict
9 of my paces is 10yds, but as people generally aren't smart enough to accept that I just pace out 10 for them when required.
The length of my paces depends entirely on where the wall is when near the edge of the area. If they're on the line then I generally make my paces a bit bigger to make sure they're obviously in the area.
The length of my paces depends entirely on where the wall is when near the edge of the area. If they're on the line then I generally make my paces a bit bigger to make sure they're obviously in the area.
Jacob Walukiewicz
Active Member
Wouldn't you want to do it so they aren't in the area?
zarathustra
RefChat Addict
Depends on the situation, if the 10 yds is bang on the line then a make them take a pace or two back and then loudly ask them to take a look down and to see that they are inside the area and if they do anything foolish then they'll be giving away a penalty.
Of course I can count on one hand where the 10 yds has fallen exactly on the line.
If, like me, your legs are smaller than average then my advice would be to work out how many normal paces it needs for 10 yards. Otherwise doing it in 10 paces can look like you're auditioning for the the role of John Cleese in the Ministry of Silly Walks ...
If a player then complains that you've taken more than 10 paces you just point out "yes, it was, I've only got small legs". Usually gets a laugh.
If a player then complains that you've taken more than 10 paces you just point out "yes, it was, I've only got small legs". Usually gets a laugh.
Coaching advice for free kick management:
- Seen a lot of "10 yds for me is 12 steps etc..." on this thread. All I would say, is that when marking out the 10 yards, you want to adjust the size of your steps, so that you use 10 only.
- Spectators, managers etc... will be counting your steps, not how big they are. You make 12 steps = "That's not 10 ref!")
- Use your pitch markings to your advantage. Foul on the centre mark? Easy - they've got to take a position similar to kick off
- Never place a wall on the penalty area line. If it looks like you're heading that way, make a nice and big number 10 step - taking them inside.
- Give them the usual spiel - "you're in the area lads, arms done, don't do anything stupid"
- Remember players need to be 10 yards away - this is a radius. Be aware of those players 1 or 2 yards to the side, or behind the penalty area and manage accordingly.
- Of course, the exceptions being free kicks on the '6-yard line' where players have to be 10 yards, or behind the line; or where a quick free kick is taken and the game continues swiftly.
- Never pace a wall out backwards. Your priority is the main mass of players. Instead periodically look over your shoulder to ensure the ball hasn't moved.
- Never walk straight into the wall or place your arm up and hit it. Instead walk out the yards, once you've hit the wall, go to the side, and communicate. "That's 8 fellas, stick with me please. 9... 10... Thank you chaps"
- Any attacking free kick is ceremonial, and on my whistle. I.e. I'm not letting a quick free kick being taken.
CapnBloodbeard
RefChat Addict
Free kicks are to benefit the attack, not the defence. You have no right to prevent the attacking team from taking a quick free kick.
I don't want to speak for @drahc , but I took that to mean that any ceremonial free kick is on the whistle. I personally give the attacking team a brief window to take a quick FK, but as soon as I start pacing 10 yards, it becomes "on the whistle".