The Ref Stop

Top tips (specifically around the laws of the game at youth level)

U

uppafawr

New Member
Hi everybody, am I glad this forum exsists!

I've been doing a ref course online and feel less confident after completing it than I before. Despite this I'm still relaxed about it all, I just want to do the best job possible. For some context, I'm only be doing youth games.

What doing this course has made me realise is that there are rules you are hightly unlikely to see a professional break, and situations that are negliable at a professional level, but are going to be far more likely at amatuer/youth level (off the top of my head - I never would have known that an own goal scored by a goal kick results in a corner, which considering how windy it is where I live is isn't entirely impossible!)

I've only played the game at very low-level 5-or-7-a-side, and to be honest - never particularly cared about the rules or learning them until now (outside of the essentilas... ie offside, what a foul is)

Frankly - there will be coaches who have played 11-a-side and known the game better than me, and I really want to avoid a geniunely embarrasing situation. I am revising to make sure this doesn't happen - but part of that revision is posting here! I remember a lot more from informal discussions that boring online slides.

So what I would love to see listed -
- common occruances in youth-level games that you wouldn't see at professional level that will frequently need to be dealt with
- specific/situations rules that have caught you out/took you a while to adjust to
- and specific rules you were surpirsed/had no idea about until you started reffering.

Particular focus on common rule infringements/situations I'm likely to experience at youth level that I wouldn't clock/notice watching a premier league game on TV is particualrly appreciated.

ALSO if anyone knows a good vid for examples of foul throws (and non-foul throws) i'll take that link.

Thanks everyone!
 
The Ref Stop
When uou’re starting at youth, I presume it won’t be particularly high level, the first rule of thumb is “call the obvious.” Youth players aren’t as sneaky as high level players.

for TIs, I’d really emphasize the above. Despite what parents may think, throw ins aren’t particularly important. The lower the level, the more you need to just call the horrifically bad ones. Especially if you are solo, you have more important places to be watching then focussing on the thrower—what Happens at the landing point is more I:portent than a slightly flawed through. And remember that ugly does not equal improper.
 
The hardest thing at youth football, from experience, is usually the parents and coaches. The players are usually well-behaved except from the occasional mouthy one or bad-tackler.
I've seen some horrific tackles at U10!!

Cautions are rare in younger age groups; however, if needed for an awful challenge then it's the right thing to do. Sin-bins are more likely for the occasional dissent for a player getting a decision against them!
 
Know your competition rules. Size of ball, number of players, length of half, substitutions etc.
 
Even within 'youth', your calls will/should differ.

An 18 year old can take a much more robust challenge than a 12 year old for example, and they, and the spectators/team officials, will expect a lot less involvement from yourself than the average u12 match for example.

Not very helpful this but, there really is no substitute for experience - but you're not alone, I'm sure we can all recall some 'odd' calls we made when starting out!
 
For the laws, take online quizzes.
Weird restarts from antics on benches can happen - try areferee.com

Foul throws, in grassroots football, unless it’s really realy blatantly bad, or if it’s illegal and someone might score - then learn to help players. However, some young players just cannot coordinate a throw and you need to be understanding.

IDFK for balls trapped under players, dangerous sliding tackles, missed overhead kicks are rare but more common in grassroots.

Generally expect the unexpected. The GK will drop the ball, the ball will hit the bar, the defender will bring her down, he will fall on the ball, he will go in late on the GK. And the big one, keep the players in view if things kick off, because it will happen behind your back!
 
santa sangria said:
For the laws, take online quizzes.
Weird restarts from antics on benches can happen - try areferee.com

Foul throws, in grassroots football, unless it’s really realy blatantly bad, or if it’s illegal and someone might score - then learn to help players. However, some young players just cannot coordinate a throw and you need to be understanding.

IDFK for balls trapped under players, dangerous sliding tackles, missed overhead kicks are rare but more common in grassroots.

Generally expect the unexpected. The GK will drop the ball, the ball will hit the bar, the defender will bring her down, he will fall on the ball, he will go in late on the GK. And the big one, keep the players in view if things kick off, because it will happen behind your back!
Click to expand...
In-direct free kick for dangerous sliding tackles???

Thank you all for you advice so far.

This was useful - I didn't know you couldn't score an own-goal from a DFK!
www.dailystar.co.uk

Why you can't score own goal from a free-kick and 4 other strange football rules

From not being able to score an own goal from a free-kick to what happens if you put the ball in the back of the net while it's flat - there are many bizarre football rules you've probably never heard of
www.dailystar.co.uk www.dailystar.co.uk
 
I've done a lot of youth games over the years varying from U8's right through to U18's. What I will say is the younger the age the less force there's going to be in a mistimed tackle and the players can often "ride" the challenge. My advice would be: don't be too quick on the whistle, give yourself a second or 2 to make sure the player definitely isn't going to gain an advantage (nobody will moan if you pull it back but they will if you stop a player going through on goal).
 
Check the mini-soccer FA guidance for the age you're doing. At some age groups there are no IDFK at all, no offsides, a retreat line at GKs and so on.
 
In young kids' football, pretty much any injury is reason to stop the game - doesn't have the same threshold of seriousness as adult football. That means you tend to get more dropped ball restarts. Make sure you know the laws on that one and a good tip is to make a mental note of what the restart will be when you blow, rather than wait until the kid is sorted out and you've forgotten.

If you do get an arsey parent, know the league rule on who has to deal with it - often the home team manager unless there are designated respect officers or similar.
 
uppafawr said:
In-direct free kick for dangerous sliding tackles???

Thank you all for you advice so far.

This was useful - I didn't know you couldn't score an own-goal from a DFK!
www.dailystar.co.uk

Why you can't score own goal from a free-kick and 4 other strange football rules

From not being able to score an own goal from a free-kick to what happens if you put the ball in the back of the net while it's flat - there are many bizarre football rules you've probably never heard of
www.dailystar.co.uk www.dailystar.co.uk
Click to expand...
You asked!

One of the weird things that can happen at grassroots is repeated sliding tackles that make no contact. This is hard to deal with as a referee because you have so many options: ignore, talk, verbally warn, IDFK, DFK.

In wet conditions with low level teams you can get crazy situations where players are not remotely likely to play the ball. So, you can be proactive - even to the point of mentioning in the pre-match.

You have to decide what is dangerous. You have to interpret if there is an offence, if it is PIADM, or if it warrants a DFK, even if there is no contact.

You don’t see this on TV.
 
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