The Ref Stop

U18 drinks break

O

Ori

Well-Known Member
I’m not sure if I did something wrong today. It was a really hot day. Pre season friendly.
U18 game in glorious sunshine.

Half way through second half. I noticed the players looking drenched in sweat and overheard them talking to each other how thirsty they are.
I don’t know of any rules that dictate what I should do here, but I just called a 2 min drink break. They all thanked me for it. No coach complained and again actually thanked me.

Am I within the rules or did I make a mistake?
 
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The Ref Stop
Ori said:
I’m not sure if I did something wrong today. It was a really hot day. Pre season friendly.
U18 game in glorious sunshine.

Half way through second half. I noticed the players looking drenched in sweat and overheard them talking to each other how thirsty they are.
I don’t know of any rules that dictate what I should do here, but I just called a 2 min drink break. They all thanked me for it. No coach complained and again actually thanked me.

Am I within the rules or did I make a mistake?
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Did the exact same as you today, identical age and conditions but it was a league game. Had a similar response from players and coaches.

Better an unplanned break than heat stroke or injury.
 
Ori said:
I’m not sure if I did something wrong today. It was a really hot day. Pre season friendly.
U18 game in glorious sunshine.

Half way through second half. I noticed the players looking drenched in sweat and overheard them talking to each other how thirsty they are.
I don’t know of any rules that dictate what I should do here, but I just called a 2 min drink break. They all thanked me for it. No coach complained and again actually thanked me.

Am I within the rules or did I make a mistake?
Click to expand...
Great decision, and I did it last season as I needed a break as well! But duty of care is important at ages, especially youth football
 
Did the exact same thing in my game today in each half, U16 league game. Definitely helps out. Players were getting visibly tired and my dry throat was making me lose my voice.
 
Extract from Law 7 (in respect of time added on):
  • medical stoppages permitted by competition rules e.g. ‘drinks’ breaks (which should not exceed one minute) and ‘cooling’ breaks (ninety seconds to three minutes)
 
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Ori said:
I’m not sure if I did something wrong today. It was a really hot day. Pre season friendly.
U18 game in glorious sunshine.

Half way through second half. I noticed the players looking drenched in sweat and overheard them talking to each other how thirsty they are.
I don’t know of any rules that dictate what I should do here, but I just called a 2 min drink break. They all thanked me for it. No coach complained and again actually thanked me.

Am I within the rules or did I make a mistake?
Click to expand...
Exactly right. Well done.
 
JamesL said:
Absolutely no one is going to do anything about a referee allowing children a drink in hot weather.

Was it exactly within the rules? I'd say so, just about. Player welfare is ultimately number 1 priority and I would expect any person in authority to support the actions taken and why
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Or adults outside of the NLS. I did a women's league game today and both teams asked for drinks breaks, I was already planning to offer as it was sweltering in London.

Although the player who suggested I looked like I needed it more than the players was treading a tight rope 😂
 
Took one in second half of my open age Sunday league game today - both teams visibly knackered, pace of the game had fallen off a cliff and was still 20mins to go so asked both captains in passing if they wanted to stop for a break, both did so we took a 1min drink.

Clearly appreciated by both teams with supporting comments from players and the standard of the game picked up again after it.

Remember your number 1 priority is the players safety, even more so with children.
 
Local women's game today, everyone was happy to have a 3 min cooling break in each half and seemed common sense to me.
The laws of the game require competition rules to permit these breaks though, and I think FA Standard Rules are silent on it?
 
CaptainsPlease said:
Local women's game today, everyone was happy to have a 3 min cooling break in each half and seemed common sense to me.
The laws of the game require competition rules to permit these breaks though, and I think FA Standard Rules are silent on it?
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That's why I said outside of the NLS. I certainly wouldn't advise doing it at step 7 and above unless you have been given permission by the competition. But at grass roots as long as both teams are in agreement it is very unlikely there will be any ramifications.

Also need to be aware of what the laws allow for. A drinks break can't be more than 1 minute and a cooling break not more than 90 seconds to 3 minutes. Don't ask me what the difference is between the two as I have no idea.
 
RustyRef said:
That's why I said outside of the NLS. I certainly wouldn't advise doing it at step 7 and above unless you have been given permission by the competition. But at grass roots as long as both teams are in agreement it is very unlikely there will be any ramifications.

Also need to be aware of what the laws allow for. A drinks break can't be more than 1 minute and a cooling break not more than 90 seconds to 3 minutes. Don't ask me what the difference is between the two as I have no idea.
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Oh the difference is obvious! One is only a minute, and the other is 1 1/2 to 3 minutes! More seriously, I *think* some competitions put in rules for when a drink break is required and when the longer cooling break is required.
 
RustyRef said:
That's why I said outside of the NLS. I certainly wouldn't advise doing it at step 7 and above unless you have been given permission by the competition. But at grass roots as long as both teams are in agreement it is very unlikely there will be any ramifications.

Also need to be aware of what the laws allow for. A drinks break can't be more than 1 minute and a cooling break not more than 90 seconds to 3 minutes. Don't ask me what the difference is between the two as I have no idea.
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IFAB Football Rules site makes it very clear🤔😁

A drinks break is when the game is stopped for players to rehydrate.

A cooling break is when the game is stopped to let the players cool down.

There is a full description on how each should take place, and when.
 
ChasObserverRefDeveloper said:
IFAB Football Rules site makes it very clear🤔😁

A drinks break is when the game is stopped for players to rehydrate.

A cooling break is when the game is stopped to let the players cool down.

There is a full description on how each should take place, and when.
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And if they need to both drink and cool down ? 😂
 
A player collapsed and was taken to hospital in my League on Saturday (although it was the FA Cup). But the game is increasingly becoming a summer sport. Our local Youth League is doing midweek games at the start of the season to avoid the winter months
More importantly, sounds like the kid is doing OK
I found it deceptively hot and was struggling for the last 10 mins of my first half
 
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Big Cat said:
A player collapsed and was taken to hospital in my League on Saturday (although it was the FA Cup). But the game is increasingly becoming a summer sport. Our local Youth League is doing midweek games at the start of the season to avoid the winter months
More importantly, sounds like the kid is doing OK
I found it deceptively hot and was struggling for the last 10 mins of my first half
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That’s awful. That’s how I felt on Sunday and hence I decided a drinks break was needed.

Hope the kid is ok
 
Big Cat said:
A player collapsed and was taken to hospital in my League on Saturday (although it was the FA Cup). But the game is increasingly becoming a summer sport. Our local Youth League is doing midweek games at the start of the season to avoid the winter months
More importantly, sounds like the kid is doing OK
I found it deceptively hot and was struggling for the last 10 mins of my first half
Click to expand...
Think it was an asthma attack? And the game was abandoned.
 
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