The Ref Stop

"Good throw"

R

Reuben Watt

New Member
Hey!
Just a curious question, I have been refereeing a lot of young kids (under 9's, under 10's). Many of them can't seem to take a throw in, so many times I ask them to retake the throw. However, when they take a good throw, I have been tempted to say "Good throw" to tell them what they did was correct! I am very reluctant to say this incase it seems bias towards that team! What else could I say apart from "Good throw"? Secondly, why don't team managers give kids a lesson on how to take a throw in! The amount of times I have to blow for a foul throw is endless!
 
The Ref Stop
Coaches do try and teach this but kids don't listen. I think in mini soccer 7 aside its a good idea as we are there to teach them the laws and encourage as well as ref. Wouldn't do it at 9 or 11 aside though.
 
How does "correct throw" sound :confused:

tbh if you say "good throw" to both sides then there should be no issue.

I often use "good save" when a goalkeeper manages to just tip the ball over the bar or to the side of the posts and its not obvious to everyone he has touched it. Basically it sends the message that I saw the touch and its a corner kick. I have never heard anyone telling me it was a biased comment.
 
I use "well done guys" or "great stuff guys" after battling when I want the players to know I saw no offences and am happy for play to go on. You could also use that here.
But I think just "good" or "fine" works as well to tell you are happy with a throw.

Also "good save", "good tackle" are obviously useful for match control. And, as discussed elsewhere, there's nothing wrong with "good shot", "good idea" when used sparingly - especially useful sometimes with some players. Don't overdo it though. And don't do at the winning goal in the 94th minute of a feisty cup tie!
 
I started using "good jumping lads" over the past weekend at corners and goal kicks when no hands are being used.
 
Other than Offside, I think to punish technical offences goes against the spirit of developing young players understanding of the laws. Using the throw in as a perfect example, it's always better to retake and encourage than give the throw to the opposition, in the case of a foul throw, or a free kick if the thrower has been impeded. This gives you time to explain what players are allowed and not allowed to do in a real game environment. I often ref my son's U10 games at the weekend and this approach is really appreciated by players and coaches. The game can only benefit IMO.
 
Apart from tournaments, not ref'd mini-soccer for a few years.

The laws of mini-soccer have been tweaked slightly over the years due to the introduction of 5v5. For throw ins, they state:-

"Normal rules apply, as per Laws of Association Football. The role of the referee is to also allow young players to learn the game. This may involve letting players take throw-ins again, if incorrect technique is used. The referee should ensure the same player attempts a second time, with guidance and help from the match official."

I did have one 7v7 u10s game where the away side couldn't take a throw to save their lives in the first half. Let many go for the sake of getting on with the game, but blew for the most obvious ones such as swan lake impressions etc. At half time decided to go over and have a quick chat with the whole team in front of the manager as trying to help them during the game just wasn't working. Seemed to do the trick as they didn't commit a single foul throw during the second half. Manager thanked me for it at the end of the match.

When players go up to 9v9, 3/4 pitches with 7ft goals and offsides, I tend to give them the first one free, then after that they go the other way. Managers seem to appreciate that. 11v11, the gloves are off, they should know by u13s and no 2nd chances, although there's still plenty that get it wrong, including the pros!
 
Nothing wrong with saying "good throw/header/tackle/save", even into decent levels of adult football. If nothing else it It shows the players you're paying attention - on the more marginal decisions it can be used to communicate that you're not going to give a foul or have seen that the Red player made the tackle and so he shouldn't be surprised that you give the throw/corner against him.
 
I had U13s cup game at the weekend and was constantly saying 'good throw' or 'great tackle' to show I was happy with what I'd seen. There were a couple of players who were struggling with throw ins, so I started pre-empting it by saying 'Lets keep our feet on the floor' or similar before they took them, and then only penalised the most egregious ones. No one had a problem, and both managers thanked me for trying to educate rather than penalise everything.
 
Am similar, if kids about to take throw and his last one ( or two) was a bit dodgy, I would say something like "can we get a better throw this time please", (esp if other team or coach or whoever have also noticed the throw is not great ), this for me does two things, it lets the player know they need to take a proper throw and also it gives me a justification (if it was even needed) to penalise the throw if its clearly not done properly and nobody can really have a go at me. Usually I find when you penalise a foul throw its the thrower who gets most grief anyway!!
 
deusex said:
I'd say much less than half of all refs in parks football know what a "good throw" is.
They penalise anything that looks slightly off, even when perfectly fine in law, just cos the idiot players call for it
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Have to agree - personally not interested in looking for 'imperfections' in the throw in technique and calling 'foul throws' unless they are blatantly 'wrong'
 
PinnerPaul said:
Have to agree - personally not interested in looking for 'imperfections' in the throw in technique and calling 'foul throws' unless they are blatantly 'wrong'
Click to expand...

I only do OA but I personally also look for advantage gained (i’m sure *someone* will tell me I suck and I’m a lazy ref - maybe should be doing mandatory caution??). If it’s a long throw into the box and it’s not correct I have no problem blowing for it...if it’s slightly dodgy (emphasis on slightly) and a short one around midfield I’m usually happy. On my very first observation the observer called me up on not calling a few spinning balls for foul throw (needs to be with both hands right!). Fair enough I started calling marginal bad throws like spinning balls and I felt like it was causing control issues because it only increased the shouts from players on every other throw...so I adjusted.
 
In OA football I'm prob penalising one throw every 3 matches.
If you're averaging much more than this then you're prob being too harsh IMO
The spinning ball is a poor indicator, is it really an offence for it to leave one hand a micro second before the other? Play on!
 
As long as its something like then let them get on with it. You'd look a complete jobsworth reversing a throw in at kid level...
I was at the SUFC v Wolves game the other week and after some very poor efforts (Wolves player) the ref eventually did blow to reverse a throw in!! He never took another one!!
 
It's only a method of getting the ball back in play, no significant advantage? Then play on, don't sweat the small stuff!
 
Hmm I'm more for being proactive. IMHO the standard of throw ins on TV has got worse. Blatant foul throws in most prem games, sometimes all game. And it means coaches have stopped teaching teenagers to throw properly (from what I have seen).

I tell most coaches before the game (except highest youth) to do throw ins properly. Under 15 years old and/or physically not coordinated I'm going to advise first and take each case as it comes. But adults and well trained youth have no excuse.

I don't want a goal scored from a foul throw when I am in the middle. If I am AR then of course I defer. I was AR and watched a goal scored from a foul throw the other week. A small piece of me died. But the ref had made it clear they were his. It was about the 6th foul throw of the game, elite 15 year olds who train 4 times a week.

I think, in the end, that is exactly the job of a referee. If you are not applying the laws for throw ins in games where the players and coaches know exactly what they are doing, that's no different from failing with offside, handball, fouls etc.

Ok rant over;)
 
deusex said:
I'd say much less than half of all refs in parks football know what a "good throw" is.
They penalise anything that looks slightly off, even when perfectly fine in law, just cos the idiot players call for it
Click to expand...

Now aint that the truth.....
 
santa sangria said:
I was AR and watched a goal scored from a foul throw the other week. A small piece of me died. But the ref had made it clear they were his. It was about the 6th foul throw of the game, elite 15 year olds who train 4 times a week.
Click to expand...

What aspect of Law 15 did these "foul throws" not comply with then?
 
There were at least two from either side at SUFC on saturday, its either the close throw from the front of the head or the back foot lift, basic refereeing stuff really, give it once and they see that you're on the ball!!!
 
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