Guide to Procedures Update

[Spaceball]

This was sent to National Referees, among others, with the request to share this to all that might be interested, so here you go:

From the U.S. Soccer Communications Center:

To: National Referees
National Instructors
National Assessors
State Referee Administrators
State Directors of Instruction
State Directors of Assessment
State Youth Referee Administrators

From: Paul Tamberino
Director of Referee Development

Alfred Kleinaitis
Manager of Referee Development and Education

Subject: Guide to Procedures, 2009-2010 Edition

Date: May 8, 2009

A new and slightly revised edition of the long-standing USSF publication, Guide to Procedures for Referees, Assistant Referees and 4th Officials, will become available this month. Only two changes will be found in the 2009-2010 edition:

* Page 37 (Penalty Kick, Indicated By The Assistant Referee). The fourth bullet point has been modified as follows: “If referee stops game, assistant referee first indicates penalty kick by holding flag across the lower body and then begins walking toward the corner flag
* Page 40 (Substitutions, Referee procedure). The first bullet point has been modified to be consistent with International Board guidelines mandating the use of the whistle to restart play after the referee has delayed the restart for a substitution. The revised bullet item now makes it clear that a whistle is required in all such cases.

Until the new edition of the Guide becomes more widely distributed, you are asked to begin immediately in your respective capacities to pass the above procedure changes along to other referees, instructors, and assessors so that they may begin implementing these modifications as quickly as possible.

[Ref Flunkie]

Interesting on the whistle after substitutions....we'll see if I remember to do that or not.

[Gary V]

Interesting on the whistle after substitutions....we'll see if I remember to do that or not.

I've been retraining myself to use the whistle after a substitution. This after first retraining myself to not use the whistle as much. I understand the reasoning for it: IFAB writes the Laws and commentary with the international and professional game in mind. In youth games in the park, a simple verbal command should suffice to let everyone know play is resuming.

But when told to do X, I'll try to remember to do X.

[ref2coach]

IFAB/USSF is copying NFHS, ;) now our USYSF games with unlimited substitutions will "sound" just like a High School game. :mad: How long til we get "soft" red cards? :eek:

[MassachusettsRef]

IFAB/USSF is copying NFHS, ;) now our USYSF games with unlimited substitutions will "sound" just like a High School game. :mad: How long til we get "soft" red cards? :eek:I think this is a bit of an overreaction. The Guide to Procedures are written to reflect the Laws as written. In other words, it's meant for matches with limited substitutions, for which this change makes perfect sense. Does it apply to unlimited substitution matches as well? Technically, I guess, because no exceptions are explicitly written in. Would anyone criticize you if you didn't whistle every time for a restart in a U14B rec. game with 30+ subs? I highly doubt it.

[jkc313]

The Guide to Procedures are written to reflect the Laws as written. In other words, it's meant for matches with limited substitutions, for which this change makes perfect sense. Does it apply to unlimited substitution matches as well? Technically, I guess, because no exceptions are explicitly written in. Would anyone criticize you if you didn't whistle every time for a restart in a U14B rec. game with 30+ subs? I highly doubt it.[/QUOTE]

doubt it too but you better use the whistle to restart for PKs and managing the wall

[ref2coach]

I think this is a bit of an overreaction.

Hey Guys, y'all need to search the net for a plug in you seem to be missing, Sarcastic Humor v.021

Hint the 3 emoticons should have been the tip off.

[MassachusettsRef]

Hey Guys, y'all need to search the net for a plug in you seem to be missing, Sarcastic Humor v.021

Hint the 3 emoticons should have been the tip off.Missed the winking one--my bad, should have been obvious.

[Nashvillian]

IFAB/USSF is copying NFHS, ;) now our USYSF games with unlimited substitutions will "sound" just like a High School game. :mad: How long til we get "soft" red cards? :eek:

I, too, am very upset that my USYSA games will sound just like my high school games. Maybe I can use a different whistle... or vary the length of my whistles. What if I forget which type of game I am doing and allow a substitution on a corner kick because the games sound the same? Could I lose my NFHS license for this and have to take the test again? It took me three tries to pass it the first time.

[CalCard]

I've tried it in my last couple of matches in State Cup. I feel awkward and asked my assessor if he had thought about it.

I mentioned that it takes away from the rest of my whistles. He also realizes it and was OK with what I was doing. Even before the whistle edict came out, I always had a verbal signal and an arm wave to resume play. After the first couple of substitutions, the players all get it and wait for that. It felt pretty effective and still kept the whistle for when I really needed it.

I agree it fits the pro matches or matches with restricted subs. For youth matches, it's going to take away from the match.

I wonder if there is going to be a revision/qualification for youth/unrestricted substitutions matches in the near future. I also wonder how they will want this to be applied in Regionals... we shall see.

[Gary V]

I wonder if there is going to be a revision/qualification for youth/unrestricted substitutions matches in the near future. I also wonder how they will want this to be applied in Regionals... we shall see.Yep. Region 1 has already said sub on any stoppage. Oh that's not the direction you were hoping, was it?

[boylanj64]

Yep. Region 1 has already said sub on any stoppage. Oh that's not the direction you were hoping, was it?

It is still with the referee's permission though, and it's pretty fair to interpret that as any "reasonable" stoppage. Doing region 1 premier this spring no one really cared that I wouldn't permit subs when the opponent was taking a quick restart. Most teams good enough to make it to regionals understand substituting every 5 minutes is stupid, so it's not terribly different than a pro match.

[vabeacher]

It may be a little too much for unlimited substitution youth matches, especially since I wind up using a quick toot to prevent a restart prior to a substitution. Often the restart is a long way away from my position, primarily goal kicks for which I will already be near the center circle, or throw-ins on the far side of the field from me. In either case, I may not be close enough to verbally notify players that a substitution about to take place, so a quick whistle is necessary. However, after the substitution has been made, the player getting ready to restart the match is focused on me for a signal, a simple arm motion and a quick "Let's Play" usually get the job done. Why add more whistles when they are not needed?