Junior/Youth Foul throws...

[heedmatt]

Reffed an U14 game today, my first time doing that sort of age, previously I've only done primary school level through work. I was surprised at the throw ins and just how poor the kids were at taking them, in terms of not coming from behind the head. I took the gentle approach and tried to coach them and remind them about feet and where the ball has to come from, but they kept on cropping up. By the time I grew sick of it there was only 5 minutes left so I didn't penalise as I hadn't all game.

Was wondering what other people's experience of throws are at this age and whether they would have handled it differently?

 

[Brian Hamilton]

Exactly the same. Usually let it go up to U13 and then begin to penalise though. By that time most have played competitive football for a few years and it's not my role as a referee to coach correct technique.

 

[Beezer]

Totally agree with Brian from u 12 s ish up you should be pulling them , thats down to the coaches

 

[Steve C]

i let most go at U7s and 8s, 9s and 10s i start pulling up hands and 2 feet off and on the pitch, 12s i pull up everything but let them retake, 13s+ tough poop!

 

[Mike]

I can't even think of the situation if I penalised in U8-10. We'd be taking the same throw all morning...

 

[SM]

Why not emulate premiership referees and just not have foul throws...?.

 

[DazzRef]

Sure I seen Swansea penalised for a foul throw today. I regularly do U13 and U14 and we are told to always call them up and give the other team the ball. The lads do tend to try much harder when they/if they get another throw.

 

[ELP]

I think a lot of the time throws are crap throws rather than foul throws, and 90% of the time a "foul throw" shout from a player gets a reply of "rubbish throw, not a foul". Occasions where it's very obvious etc I'll blow up and give it other way regardless of age group.

 

[AlexF]

For me, doing more "older age" games than younger kids admittedly, if a foot is well over the line or comes up off the ground obviously before the throw is released, then it'll get a whistle. Otherwise my favourite phrase to use is "ugly but legal!"

 

[Cheshire Ref]

Have to agree with Monkey and Alex on this one unless your feet are coming of the ground I am getting on with it, however I did an OA game last week and a player took a throw in in a basketball chest pass style, I honestly thought he was taking the mick but he couldn't believe it when I penalised him for a foul throw!!! When I was a kid we used to practice throw in's in training obviously not anymore!