Ladies First girl's game next week. Anything different?
- Thread starter TravisW12
- Start date
Generally less physical than boys with a greater focus on the technical side of the game.
Passes tend to be shorter and often the game is played more narrowly on the field with less quick runs from wingers and full backs.
Otherwise do what you normally would. Be close enough to see but not so close you may get in the way from a miskicked ball.
U13 girls in my experience tend to be the first time that girls play in an all female team so skill level will vary. Some of these girls may have been in mixed teams where they rarely get the ball in matches. (Not misogynistic but a fact - the boys don’t want to pass and insist the girls go in defence or stay out of attacks.)
The better players will stand out a mile off and may be more likely to contest a call than the others.
Passes tend to be shorter and often the game is played more narrowly on the field with less quick runs from wingers and full backs.
Otherwise do what you normally would. Be close enough to see but not so close you may get in the way from a miskicked ball.
U13 girls in my experience tend to be the first time that girls play in an all female team so skill level will vary. Some of these girls may have been in mixed teams where they rarely get the ball in matches. (Not misogynistic but a fact - the boys don’t want to pass and insist the girls go in defence or stay out of attacks.)
The better players will stand out a mile off and may be more likely to contest a call than the others.
santa sangria
RefChat Addict
One more... if there is little contact there might be a long time between challenges. In the words of one youth coach I spoke to: ”no one wants water polo refereeing” - don’t fall into the trap of penalising trifling contact just because the game hasn’t been physical
RefJef
RefChat Addict
The difficulty I have found when officiating girls’ fixtures (although have only done U16 & U18 girls, not U13) is that you can lose some of the “player generated clues” when a ball goes out of play.
I.e., certainly in men’s OA, and in much of boys football, a player will only go and get the ball for a throw/goal kick/corner if it is their throw etc.
In the girls’ games I’ve done, often the player nearest the ball goes to get it. This can be surprisingly confusing (it shouldn’t be, and I applaud the girls for their sportsmanship) - just be aware of it: make your decision and stick to it - maybe keep your arm out indicating who’s throw that bit longer.
The game will probably be quieter, the spread of ability amongst players probably greater: you’ll possibly get a few very, very good players on a team, through to someone for whom this may be their first game of football. Enjoy it!
I.e., certainly in men’s OA, and in much of boys football, a player will only go and get the ball for a throw/goal kick/corner if it is their throw etc.
In the girls’ games I’ve done, often the player nearest the ball goes to get it. This can be surprisingly confusing (it shouldn’t be, and I applaud the girls for their sportsmanship) - just be aware of it: make your decision and stick to it - maybe keep your arm out indicating who’s throw that bit longer.
The game will probably be quieter, the spread of ability amongst players probably greater: you’ll possibly get a few very, very good players on a team, through to someone for whom this may be their first game of football. Enjoy it!
In my experience as a referee, but this is more at WSL / WNL levels than junior games, there is certainly much less dissent and the players generally just want to play. But on the flip side they tend to appeal more for fouls for any kind of physical contact, challenges that I wouldn't even consider giving as a foul in a Ryman league Saturday game I was finding I was expected to give the following day on a Women's Super / Premier League game.
I managed a women's team at the same time I was refereeing, so I have seen the differences from both sides of the fence. We were known as a very physical team and probably picked up more cards than most, but even then you were talking a couple a game at most and we were up at step 5 of women's football so reasonably senior. We had a centre half who could take a throw in as well as Rory Delap so I'm sure you can imagine what my attacking set piece options were ...
I managed a women's team at the same time I was refereeing, so I have seen the differences from both sides of the fence. We were known as a very physical team and probably picked up more cards than most, but even then you were talking a couple a game at most and we were up at step 5 of women's football so reasonably senior. We had a centre half who could take a throw in as well as Rory Delap so I'm sure you can imagine what my attacking set piece options were ...