[SUNDROP]

In our part of Colorado we just started the "Dual Double" (3 whistles on the field - what's with the name?) system in high school. I understand that a couple of states have used this for years.
While I've seen cases where something significant is called that may not have been flagged by a normal AR, mostly I see real problems that undercut our authority and credibility. Particularly, emasculating the center referee, and leaving him, and the whole match, vulnerable to a whistle - happy trailing "side referee" who thinks he can call things from 60 yards away!
If you are lucky to work with a crew that knows each other, and can keep the same tone consistently throughout a match, fine. But if one or more of the crew is out of sync with the center, it can be a disaster. At least in the real world of FIFA refereeing, a poor AR can be overuled, and each team can be equally victimized by their incompetence. In this wacky system (and don't get me started about National Federation rules - makers and their silly signal stupidity) a weak link can destroy any semblance of consistency and match control. Anyone else frustrated by high school's shortsighted gimmickry and manipulation of our sport?

[IASocFan]

I'm not aware of this system ever being tested in Iowa. GOOD LUCK!

Sounds like a lengthy pre-game is required - at least until a team gets it figured out.

[neilgrossman]

This does solve the problem of a center ref not protecting his linesmen against disent (or worse). Now they have a whistle and cards.

Overall, though, I think it's a worse system but it doesn't change the game that much. Even a particularly weak linesman is seldom overruled.

[billf]

Since I don't work HS games, can someone please explain how this three whistle system works? I used to see the two man in HS as a player, and I have a decent idea how that works, but how does this three whistle system work? Is everyone equal, can all issude cautions and sendoffs? Is it just a DSC with the ARs having whistles instead of flags?

Why would this system be preferred to a DSC? If three referees are available, then why not just put flags in two hands? Is it a pay issue?

[IASocFan]

It's described in detail in the NFHS Soccer rule book. Basically, it's like the DSC with the AR's with whistles, cards, and the same authority as the CR. Think of Basketball with 2 or 3 refs working as a team.

[SUNDROP]

Certainly one big difference from basketball would be that, if a trailing ref blows the whistle, it may result in a free throw - 1 or 2 points out of 60-100. With soccer, if a guy 60 yards away blows and awards a penalty (happened to me yesterday!) - well, you can imagine! The whole idea (along with the 20 insulting nonsense signals they want us to use to cater to dissent), shows a basic misunderstanding of the game on the part of high school federation rule-makers. (I've heard that NO referees are on the committee).

[Greyhnd00]

Originally posted by SUNDROP
Certainly one big difference from basketball would be that, if a trailing ref blows the whistle, it may result in a free throw - 1 or 2 points out of 60-100. With soccer, if a guy 60 yards away blows and awards a penalty (happened to me yesterday!) - well, you can imagine! The whole idea (along with the 20 insulting nonsense signals they want us to use to cater to dissent), shows a basic misunderstanding of the game on the part of high school federation rule-makers. (I've heard that NO referees are on the committee).

I used to hate the signals until I started using them. The players and coaches seem to appreciate it when you tell them what you are calling.

The biggest problem with the three whistles as well as the dual is COMMUNICATION. If you dont signal or say "advantage" your counterpart may not know you have seen a foul at all.....Consistancy is also a problem.

[MPJ334]

it's been how long since the crash??? when i first joined BS there were a couple of scathing threads about the double dual. then they, like most threads, sank. well, this thread is much more informative that they were.

GA uses dual, AL uses DSC. atleast we (well, they, since they won't let this Sophomore referee) keep it real to some extent

[pkCrouse]

Originally posted by Greyhnd00
... The biggest problem with the three whistles as well as the dual is COMMUNICATION. If you dont signal or say "advantage" your counterpart may not know you have seen a foul at all.....Consistancy is also a problem.

Bingo!

[rags41]

Ouch! Why do we always have to try and fix things that aren't broken? I think that a lot of AR's especially inexperienced AR's would hate this. If you have a whistle, coaches, players and fans expect you to use it. In referee associations where you have a limited number of referees to cover all of your games, frequently you put people in the AR positions that aren't that experienced. Isn't calling offsides, flagging the occasional foul that the center referee doesn't see, flagging out of bounds and learning from watching an experienced referee work enough for an inexperienced AR? I'm not saying that they are always young and inexperienced(sometimes they are old and inexperienced) but quite often they are. Sorry you have to deal with this.