The Ref Stop

Junior/Youth New Ref... First match 9v9 advice

D

DAW7

Member
Hi all,

I've trawled this forum loads over the last few days, super helpful and so appreciative of everyone's contributions!

I qualified as a ref at the start of August, and take my first fixture this weekend... Any top tips or advice?

I have limited experience in football, I assistant-coach a small amount of U10 7v7 mini soccer so this will be my first time at 9v9.

The girls playing the match will also be brand new to 9v9 football as they have just moved up to that level.

Really looking forward to getting stuck in, I guess I'm just terrified of ruining someone's football due to inexperience! Whilst the ref course was great, I didn't feel like there was a great deal of time to 'learn' and 'practice' in the practical sessions.
 
The Ref Stop
DAW7 said:
Hi all,

I've trawled this forum loads over the last few days, super helpful and so appreciative of everyone's contributions!

I qualified as a ref at the start of August, and take my first fixture this weekend... Any top tips or advice?

I have limited experience in football, I assistant-coach a small amount of U10 7v7 mini soccer so this will be my first time at 9v9.

The girls playing the match will also be brand new to 9v9 football as they have just moved up to that level.

Really looking forward to getting stuck in, I guess I'm just terrified of ruining someone's football due to inexperience! Whilst the ref course was great, I didn't feel like there was a great deal of time to 'learn' and 'practice' in the practical sessions.
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My first ever game was 9v9. I thought I'd ease myself in gently!
I forgot to start my watch at KO
I almost certainly gave a goal for a ball that didn't cross the goal line
In a nutshell therefore, I wouldn't worry too much. I'm sure your game will go better than mine 👍
 
DAW7 said:
Hi all,

I've trawled this forum loads over the last few days, super helpful and so appreciative of everyone's contributions!

I qualified as a ref at the start of August, and take my first fixture this weekend... Any top tips or advice?

I have limited experience in football, I assistant-coach a small amount of U10 7v7 mini soccer so this will be my first time at 9v9.

The girls playing the match will also be brand new to 9v9 football as they have just moved up to that level.

Really looking forward to getting stuck in, I guess I'm just terrified of ruining someone's football due to inexperience! Whilst the ref course was great, I didn't feel like there was a great deal of time to 'learn' and 'practice' in the practical sessions.
Click to expand...
It's a 9v9 game with girls that are moving up from mini football, not the World Cup final!

The pace of the game will be quite slow, they are not going to be pinging balls 40 yards. I would expect the foul count to be low and any fouls that do occur won't be cynical ones, they will be clumsy, careless offences.

Biggest thing is you've always got more time than you think, so don't be rushed into making a decision.
 
Please report back but its entirely possible that there will be no fouls,
obv there is no offside WHERE I AM THiS MAY VARY FROM REGION TO REGION. any foul there is will be so obvious that an untrained eye can spot it, plus added bonus the girls will stop playing, and say sorry, whilst picking there opponent off the floor

Its a useful exercise for getting comfy on the pitch but nothing more
 
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Anubis said:
Please report back but its entirely possible that there will be no fouls,
obv there is no offside
any foul there is will be so obvious that an untrained eye can spot it, plus added bonus the girls will stop playing, and say sorry, whilst picking there opponent off the floor

Its a useful exercise for getting comfy on the pitch but nothing more
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Check competition rules, DAW7, as some 9 v 9 in England includes offside. Enjoy the game!
 
ChasObserverRefDeveloper said:
Check competition rules, DAW7, as some 9 v 9 in England includes offside. Enjoy the game!
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its impossible to cover every regional variation so one can only post relating to where one is. Next time I post I be sure to add in, some ( topic) may be different in Peru, Angola and Estonia.

9 v 9 where I am, girls, has no offside, Thus my post
 
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Thanks for the comments all... I'll definitely feedback after the match (regardless of how well it goes!)

I've double checked on offside, it is played in this particular league. Entirely understand no one's constructive posts can cover every regional variation, nor would you be expected to.
 
Anubis said:
its impossible to cover every regional variation so one can only post relating to where one is. Next time I post I be sure to add in, some ( topic) may be different in Peru, Angola and Estonia.

9 v 9 where I am, girls, has no offside, Thus my post.

Can teams where I am wear black? yes.
so if I see a post saying, can teams where black, as a poster, am going to say yes.
If the answer to that is different elsewhere, then someone where the answer is different is perfecly entitled to say, no.

thats the beauty of the planet having more than one country,
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As we are advising new referees in cases like this, it is helpful to point out that there are variations, rather than stating as definitive (e. g. "obv there will be no offside")
 
Anubis said:
Thanks moderator!

next time, I be sure to run my post by you for appoval all high and mighty

now, back to the op topic, thanks in advance.
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No need to be snide. That was a friendly and helpful comment from @ChasObserverRefDeveloper, not an attack.

All of us deal with both LOTG and ROC. When newbies who may not know the difference ask questions, it's important for those of us who do to not confuse them by making blanket statements based on a provincial perspective. Your post was simply inaccurate when you made the statement that there was obviously not OS.
 
Be confident. Even if you are not, pretend you are and you have been doing this for years:) but be careful not to come across as arrogant.

Don't be over officious for girls who have just come up from mini. Let them play and make it flow as much as possible and intervene as little as possible.

Remembering everything from the course and all from the good book in your first game (or any game for that matter) is impossible. Don't expect yourself to, it comes with experience. In the meantime if you are stuck, use common sense to decide what you think is the fairest (and be confident).

Your biggest challenge would be the sideline which may think it's not mini anymore, it's a big girls/boys game now and competitiveness, goals and points are the most important thing for that game. Deal with them firmly if it comes to it.
 
Agree with the above - the laws are one thing, but unless something really unusual happens you'll probably be all right with those. Your body language, tone of voice, use of the whistle and clarity of signals is quite another - and will vary depending on whether you're talking to the players or the managers/coaches given the age difference. Personally I think if you manage to show confidence without being officious, pompous or arrogant, that will be a great start.
 
I did my first game last week which was also a 9v9, funnily enough @Big Cat game sounds like my one lol! Forgot to start my watch and missed a goal that bounced off the crossbar (luckily the opposition coach was fair and advised me it crossed the line). But I would say enjoy it, the players were fine with decisions it’s just the parents sometimes. One moaned at me saying it was offside whilst I was mid whistle blowing up for offside!
 
TheLC said:
But I would say enjoy it, the players were fine with decisions it’s just the parents sometimes. One moaned at me saying it was offside whilst I was mid whistle blowing up for offside!
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Get used to it 😂 if you blow the whistle for fouls straight away then more often than not you'll get accused of not giving the fouled team the advantage (regardless of if it's right on the edge of their own area), delay a little and the opposition will accuse you of blowing because there's been an appeal!

Welcome to the wonderful (and sometimes frustrating) world of refereeing!
 
Justylove said:
Get used to it 😂 if you blow the whistle for fouls straight away then more often than not you'll get accused of not giving the fouled team the advantage (regardless of if it's right on the edge of their own area), delay a little and the opposition will accuse you of blowing because there's been an appeal!

Welcome to the wonderful (and sometimes frustrating) world of refereeing!
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Yep - it's either "come on ref, you've just given it because they're appealing for it" or "come on ref, no-one even claimed for that". Can't win either way!
 
I don’t know if I’m too late with this, or if your game is on a Sunday. I do 9v9 youth games currently, last season was my first full season, (with a few matches postponed for various reasons - mainly COVID).

I wouldn’t expect the pace of the game to be overly fast, but if you are new to refereeing altogether, don’t think this means you can just be a centre-circle ref. The likelihood is, not many fouls will be committed, however do not relax the rules, cautions and sendings off should still apply when needed. Offsides at this leve can be a pain, especially if you have to use CARs, but just do your best. Essentially, don’t be frightened of the LotG, looking back on my first game I should definitely have at least cautioned one of the managers.
 
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