A&H

Boot Laces ?

Ref1

Ref1

New Member
Morning all - just after a general piece of advice really. I have been refereeing a few grassroots U10, U11 games recently and was wondering what everyone's take is on stopping the game when the ball is out of play to allow youngsters to tie up their boot laces. It seems to be the " norm" for coaches to shout this out to the ref and play to be held up to allow this .......... Thoughts please.
 
The Referee Store
For me you apply tragically underused law of common sense. At 10 years old just let them tie their laces and then restart, nobody will bat an eyelid at this
 
When yellows are taking a goalkick and a yellow players says laces ref, I always say your player has got the ball so I am not going to hold up the game.New refs never tie shoe laces when asked always send player to the coaching staff.
 
Get it occasionally in adult footy I’d imagine it’s more common in kids footy I personally wait for them but if it’s regular & your getting it frequently I’d be inclined to prep both coaches before the game & say please make sure the boys laces are done up properly because I won’t be stoping play every 5 mins.

I guess all depends how often your stopping play & if it bothers you.
 
I was talking to another ref who was of the opinion that at that age they should be able to tie boot laces and if they did come undone that he didn't stop play. He also said that as good practice he told both teams and managers from the outset that he would not stop play for boot lace tying .
 
Ref1 said:
I was talking to another ref who was of the opinion that at that age they should be able to tie boot laces and if they did come undone that he didn't stop play. He also said that as good practice he told both teams and managers from the outset that he would not stop play for boot lace tying .
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Exactly my thinking, kids notoriously don’t tie there laces properly it’s a chore to them, I think u can’t go wrong with prepping the managers & baring an obvious situation where a player is going to cause an issue if you play on and he’s tying his laces then just play on.
 
Men in Black said:
Exactly my thinking, kids notoriously don’t tie there laces properly it’s a chore to them, I think u can’t go wrong with prepping the managers & baring an obvious situation where a player is going to cause an issue if you play on and he’s tying his laces then just play on.
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I understand this appoach and if it works, do it. I also ran a kids team from u10s-u16s and I can assure you that there so much going on in that half hour before kick off and you have so much to do that instructions from the ref to ensure boot laces are tied may be given short shrift! Your phone is non stop with players who are late, Ill, the opposition are running late, you'e putting the nets, flags up and marking the pitch and then all the respect parafinalia plus the warm up and team selection, match card to fill in etc etc. IMO just let them tie their laces, maybe tell all the kids to check their laces at the same time.
 
Stopping play to allow laces is an absolute no-no at any level, non-negotiable.

Delaying a restart even up to open age isn't a big deal to me, as long as it's only an odd one here and there. And as Tino says, it's only your place to get involved when one team has the restart and the other needs a laces delay - if both the restart and the laces are from the same side, it's up to them to realise and sort it out.
 
Ref1 said:
I was talking to another ref who was of the opinion that at that age they should be able to tie boot laces and if they did come undone that he didn't stop play. He also said that as good practice he told both teams and managers from the outset that he would not stop play for boot lace tying .
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'Good practice'? - Seems like the perfect way to annoy everyone from minute 1 to me. Of all the things to focus on/mention pre match, boot laces seem pretty low on the list, for me at least.
 
PinnerPaul said:
'Good practice'? - Seems like the perfect way to annoy everyone from minute 1 to me. Of all the things to focus on/mention pre match, boot laces seem pretty low on the list, for me at least.
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Unless of course your stopping the game every two mins because a pitch of 10yr olds are tripping over there laces & the parents / coaches on the sidelines are instructing you to keep stopping the game, in that instance i’d Put it high on my list of pre match instruction. We’re talking kids of course.
 
I don't allow it at any level.

My early assessments generally criticised allowing a delay for tying up shoelaces, so until I'm assessed and told otherwise I'll stick to that assessment advice. :O
 
RobOda said:
I don't allow it at any level.

My early assessments generally criticised allowing a delay for tying up shoelaces, so until I'm assessed and told otherwise I'll stick to that assessment advice. :O
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Scenario player asks ref doing my lace up, you say play on fellas I’m not holding the game up, ball gets played right in the players area who’s on his knee doing boot up they run through and score, world war 3 on your hands.

Your right of course and the assessor but not sure if I agree with it, interesting to see if I get it tomoz and what I decide to do.
 
At adult level its play on, completely understand that... But, at the early years football FFS, get a grip.....It's no wonder refs get a bad name... They are learning, life, football, even tying laces correctly..... Cut them some slack, its not all about you and dem Laws!!! :(
 
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Sheffields Finest said:
At adult level its play on, completely understand that... But, at the early years football FFS, get a grip.....It's no wonder refs get a bad name... They are learning, life, football, even tieing laces correctly..... Cut them some slack, its not all about you and dem Laws!!! :(
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Jesus are u Alrite Sheff your actually showing a degree of compassion to players :)
 
U10 football is about kids learning and having fun with their mates. Same message to refs as there is to coaches in my book, just let them play. No need to worry about delving deep into the laws to apply them in such games. A few times things have come up in games and I've looked up the law when I've got home but it's u10s, don't worry about law too much, the kids certainly don't!
 
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