Youth football DOGSO

[Joshref]

As someone who’s reffed a lot of kids games, I wouldn’t red card for DOGSO. I saw it happen a million times when I was playing, the handball on the line, and not once was a red card given for it. Did this cause mass outrage when the ref chose not to give the red? Of course it didn‘t. How many of you have refereed an U12 Division 9 game before, because I feel a few people in this thread have only reffed academy youth games from the way they’re speaking, and there’s a large difference in skill between academy level and U12 Div 9.

We had a few referees do pre match talks with us at U11s-U14s and the main thing I can remember that they always said was “a handball on the goal line to stop a goal is a red card.” Makes it much easier to red card someone if you’ve warned them about the consequences.

People are expecting referees to referee differently at younger age groups and if you pull out a red card in an U12 game there are going to be questions raised, especially if it’s for DOGSO. If you warn the teams beforehand, then one, it’s less likely to happen because most kids are terrified of getting a red, and two, there can’t be complaints if it does happen.

Is it right that you have to warn teams about a red card for DOGSO? We can debate the merits of that, but the point remains. Your job becomes a lot easier if you warn teams beforehand.

If you’re planning on doing it, take this advice. Personally, I would never do it. But if you guys wanna do it, then take my advice, it will make life a lot easier for you.

I've dismissed an U12 player at a tournament
But to all you spouting LOTG and our duty to apply sanctions, come back when you're cautioning players for 'failing to respect the required distance'. The forum may go silent for a while

And the 6 second rule for keepers! Does everyone on here check their stopwatch as soon as the keeper picks up the ball and then penalises them after 6 seconds?

 

[GraemeS]

For the literal clear deliberate handball on the line, I think I'd be dismissing for that in competitive football at any age. It's deliberate cheating to deny a goal and even if you take the "referees are educators" approach, I think it's still important to educate the player that it isn't acceptable to do that and will result in the harshest punishment available to the referee.

Where I think you do get some leeway is the trips and pulls when a player is through on goal with only the keeper to beat. At adult football the expectation is that also qualifies for DOGSO - at youth level, particularly as you get younger, those goalscoring opportunities become less and less obvious. In those situations, a yellow card and serious talking to will often more accurately reflect the actual likelihood of a goal being denied.

 

[Big Cat]

How many of you have refereed an U12 Division 9 game before

Not many I should imagine. It's not so much the age group however, U12 Div1 is a different thing all together
The former is merely exercise & participation, 95% of which don't need Refereeing

 

[Anubis]

Not many I should imagine. It's not so much the age group however, U12 Div1 is a different thing all together
The former is merely exercise & participation, 95% of which don't need Refereeing

Competitive here starts at u13 for 11 a side boys and u15 for 11 a side girls

put me in the, every weekend, box please. For over 30 years

even when appearing on the Sky Sunday live game I be out doing a 10am if logistics allowed

non competitive boys here play 9 v 9 , under 11s, of which I both mentor, and, officiate in case of no shows/injuries etc.

 

[Joshref]

Where I think you do get some leeway is the trips and pulls when a player is through on goal with only the keeper to beat. At adult football the expectation is that also qualifies for DOGSO - at youth level, particularly as you get younger, those goalscoring opportunities become less and less obvious. In those situations, a yellow card and serious talking to will often more accurately reflect the actual likelihood of a goal being denied.

This is an interesting debate. I’ve never seen a red card be given for this in DOGSO at any junior football level, having watched many a game over the years. With all the talk of sticking to the laws of the game, would you guys do different in this scenario, if the denied goal isn’t so obvious.

Not many I should imagine.

Didn‘t have to give an offside against one team all game because their defender stayed on the 6 yard line all game. It’s a different game to ref though because it’s just constant fouls due to lack of skill level. A lot of holding offences, but there’s some nasty fouls in there as well. Had to book a player in that game. Anyway, my original point was, the skill level varies differently. You’re more likely to see what Graeme described, pulling someone down as they’re through on goal.

Also on a final note, competitive play in my region starts at U12s. When I started playing junior football over 10 years ago (that actually makes me feel old ****ing hell), competitive play started at U7s.

 

[socal lurker]

Also on a final note, competitive play in my region starts at U12s. When I started playing junior football over 10 years ago (that actually makes me feel old ****ing hell), competitive play started at U7s.

I remember reffing 11 v 11 U8 games on full soccer fields with full size goals (20 players with 8 yards of the ball and two goalkeepers pulling dandelions or looking for gophers in the gopher holes) . . . the smaller fields and goals are the best things that have happened to u-little soccer.

 

[Kes]

But to all you spouting LOTG and our duty to apply sanctions, come back when you're cautioning players for 'failing to respect the required distance'. The forum may go silent for a while

Sorry to disappoint BC but with the exception of reckless challenges and SPA, that's where the majority of my yellows are dished out.
It's a real pet hate of mine.

 

[Anubis]

Can we be sure that the youngster will have a safe place to go when they leave the pitch? Can we be sure that the youngster will not suffer abuse (that could be verbal or emotional) as/when they leave the pitch?

As the referee we have a duty of care to the youngsters on our pitch, and this has to trump the lotg. To just send someone off because the law says so is not enough, we are duty bound to consider the welfare of the youngster.

we may decide that it is right, and safe to send the youngster off, we may decide that it’s not safe to send the youngster off. My point is that we can’t, when dealing with children, say ”we must do this, because the laws say so.”

Am sure you completely aware but, here, child protection instructions changed 3/4 year ago, juvenile sent off does not need to leave the side of the pitch, so, if its the same in your area, that hopefully addresses those concerns.

 

[Southerner In The North]

Firstly, I hope you don't use sarcasm like this in real life when refereeing. It won't get you far and will just cause an instant divide between you and managers. Secondly, I really don't understand why some ref's here have to take this hard-line black and white approach to refereeing. Look, I get you want to uphold the laws of the game, that's what our job is, but use some common sense. When the kids are (in this instance) 11 years old, what is the benefit of issuing a red card, especially for DOGSO? We are not just referee's but educators for the younger kids and should help them learn.

Think of the wider repercussions of being so hard-line at this age level. Once you have issued the red card, the child will then miss a future game and his parents will have to stump up £35. Some parents are single parents and will struggle to even pay this. You aren't just ending his game early for a silly mistake and upsetting the child, but taking away something they love (and maybe keep them out of trouble) for a set period of time.

I know some will disagree with me on this, and that's fine. But you need to ask yourself does the punishment really fit the crime at children's level and will the hard-line approach really benefit anyone? Discussing and educating young children is in my opinion the better option.

Not going to address most of it as everyone has there own opinion from experience I will say however a fair few clubs will actually pay / reimburse fines for DOGSO even at OA so the fine thing shouldn’t really be a problem.

 

[one]

For me it's not about a set age but about the age results, win/loss records and a table is kept. And this could be different depending on where you are.

I don't get the approach that applying the lotg doesn't help or educate them. The football community and those who have registered to it agreed to keep result and a table week after week. How is that educating them? It's about teaching them about rewards and consequences in sports as they move into adult sports. The consequence of missing a goal or losing a game is past just that game. They also need to learn about consequences of deliberately and blatantly denying the opposing team a goal. At what age? For me that is the same age as they keep tables.

 

[PinnerPaul]

I've dismissed an U12 player at a tournament
But to all you spouting LOTG and our duty to apply sanctions, come back when you're cautioning players for 'failing to respect the required distance'. The forum may go silent for a while

or goalkeepers for taking 7 seconds to release the ball!

I actually would send off in the scenario described.

1st U12s game for me in a long while next Sunday - Its a county cup match. Surely if you are entering that, then you have to expect LOTG to apply?

 

[Big Cat]

Sorry to disappoint BC but with the exception of reckless challenges and SPA, that's where the majority of my yellows are dished out.
It's a real pet hate of mine.

Good man! How you getting on with 'delaying the restart'?

 

[bester]

Would like to see yellow cards for anyone who shouts 'stand on it'.

 

[Kes]

Good man! How you getting on with 'delaying the restart'?

See post #47.

 

[JBeil]

or goalkeepers for taking 7 seconds to release the ball!

I actually would send off in the scenario described.

1st U12s game for me in a long while next Sunday - Its a county cup match. Surely if you are entering that, then you have to expect LOTG to apply?

You're not in Oxfordshire, are you?

 

[PinnerPaul]

You're not in Oxfordshire, are you?

No, don't worry its not there!