B16 game, the red team is struggling as the other team is clearly better. After an unsuccessful attack, player yells plaintively,“Coach, we need a fast wing!” Hoping for a mid game trade?
I figured this was the place for this story: https://www.irishexaminer.com/examv...h-harmonica-after-referee-cancels-941483.html
"I know you hear me!" Spectator actively coaching a U14 team. He complained of a possible push in the back on the far side of the field beyond the PA. I was AR2 and I didn't see it but the center was not ten yards away. 15 minutes later, he thought it happened again and complained to me. I didn't even engage him. Two minutes left in the half, his team's player runs all over the back of an opponent and both tumble to the ground. CR blows his whistle and the guy behind me says "You let them play when they foul but you blow the whistle when we foul?" I was determined to stay silent until he said "I know you hear me." I couldn't help myself. "Are you a coach? If you are, you need to be over there." "I'm not a coach." "Then you have two choices. You can get out of my earshot and stay on the touchline, or you can get out of my earshot and go to your car. But I will not hear you any more." He was quiet the rest of the half and went to the other end the second half.
My first or second high school game ever, AR2 for boys varsity, with visiting bench behind me. (We don't let teams sit on opposite sides of the field anymore.) Visiting coach has, shall we say, a reputation, which I knew, even though I was new. Former NASL player. At one point, the referee made some call that he didn't like. He says loudly, "Must be a blind referee!" He's right behind me, but I'm not going to engage. He then adds "And a deaf linesman!" Less than five seconds later, he says in a normal voice, "Sub next time." And I said "No problem, coach."
I had a DIII women's college game today. The school scheduled a bunch of athletic events at the same time but only has one locker room for officials. So as we three soccer officials are getting ready, eight gridiron football officials enter the room. They're kickoff was much later than ours so we tell them that we'll be out of the room shortly. We had already decided to wear our yellow jersey since the teams were blue and white. The gridiron officials noticed that we had multiple jerseys in our bags. One asked, "How do you decide which color to wear?" My response was "Whichever one doesn't match what the teams are wearing is what we put on."
Coach: "You don't have to be so serious" Me: "This is a final, so I'm going to treat it like a World Cup." I tend to forget how much of a handful U-13 coaches can be because nobody has ever told them "No" He was walking onto the field 3 yards to set the ball for a free kick. I had tried to stop him and when he came back I imploringly said, "Coach." while gesturing at the sideline. What killed me was that he had complained that parents were "helping" me make GK/CK decisions from behind the goal line. They were 10 yards back, under a tree, and not behind the goal, who cares...
When I took my first certification class, back in '81, perhaps the most significant piece of advice I heard was "Work every match as if it is the World Cup final, because for many of these kids it is." I tried to remember that every time I took to the pitch.
Lots of stories were exchanged in the ref tent but this might be my favorite. Background, it is apparently tradition for South Texas refs that make national to work their first game(s) back in Texas on U little solo games. A pair of refs had gotten there at the same time. One worked Saturday and after the games, called the assignor/mentor and said, "Where do I send my national badge back?" "What do you mean?" "Apparently I'm the worst referee ever." The next day the other national referee is going out to work games. He comes and talks to a coach who was yelling too much and the assignor/mentor pointing at the badge that says "National Referee". After the game, the assignor/mentor asks what the badge thing was about. "He told me I wasn't even wearing the right badge to work in this league." (that is, he wasn't wearing the old blue Recreational Referee badge)
Here's another from a boys' varsity game last night using the dual system .... I was the lead referees so I was on the goal line with the action taking place in the penalty area. There was a shot on goal and the goalkeeper made a save with his hands but the ball went out for a corner kick so I pointed to the corner flags. A player from the attacking team yelled, "That was a handball. It should be a penalty kick!" I responded, "The goalkeeper is allowed to use his hands. It's a corner kick." The player, "Yeah, that's right."
I heard something I NEVER thought I would hear from a coach. Even this one. U16 girls game. Home team up 1-0. Visiting team took a couple of long shots on goal, so I decided I would cheat downfield more when they would be on the attack. Sure enough I am inside the 18 when a player takes a shot on goal from 25 yards out. I'm still running in when the ball hits the keeper's hands (extended upward). The keeper steps backward and the ball comes down toward her side and hit the ground, completely over the goal line in the goal. She quick grabbed the ball and ran upfield to punt it. My flag was up but the center didn't look my way. As play continued, the home coach said "Excuse me, your AR said it's a goal." I yelled out the ref's name as well and the visiting coach is screaming as well. Home coach yells once more, getting the CR's attention, then pointed to me. He helped let the CR know the tying goal was scored against his team. I know this coach very well. He and I used to be in the same Sunday School class. But I was still very pleasantly surprised to hear him do what he did. He set a good example for his players. Home team wound up winning 5-2.
Just checking for something I missed: how were you cheating downfield? Were you not even with 2LD before the shot on goal? Good job seeing and indicating the goal, I am just curious about your "cheating downfield" phrase. Thx
That's what it means. You set yourself up a couple yards deeper than the 2LD when it looks like a through ball is coming in anticipation of the defenders dropping back (or in OPs case a shot from distance). It doesnt work if the defending team is using a trap. I often do it when I'm an AR and the players are much faster than I am (like say u10 girls :0).
yesterday, two players running directly away from me towards AR2 and a bouncing ball. I am trying to get wider towards a better angle, but not quite there when the ball takes a really weird bounce just as the players arrive. I figured something is up just as AR2 pops the flag and is tapping is hand signaling handball. As I blow the whistle, I hear it from the parents..."He doesn't get to make that call....You have make it." "I did make the call, with advice from my AR."
The advantage is that he starts his run a couple of yards closer to the goal line in order to make a potentially game changing call [goal] that only he has any chance of catching. An experienced AR will recognize when it's possible to cheat a bit. That said, they will also recognize if an attacker starts creeping up on the 2LD and will get back inline. I find it akin of a baseball runner leading off the base. A smart runner will lead a little less or more depending on the behavior of the opponents and the game situation. As with all referee instructions though you learn how and when to cheat _after_ you learn the correct way. Basic instructions to new referees should be "stay with 2LD or the ball whichever is closer to the GL."
HSGV, during warmups, visiting coach asks, "Can my #6 wear her blue socks? She forgot her white ones and we don't have any extras." "Well Coach, how about she swap socks with your goalkeeper? (wearing her whites). Just like jerseys, GK's can wear any color except what the opponent's wearing... today that's green." "Oh, okay! Didn't know that! Thanks!" "And please have #12 & #23 take their earrings out before kickoff. Same with the rubber bracelets on those three over there. And #3's necklace needs to go too..." "Oh, sorry, no problem; thank you sir. Uh, anything else I should probably already know?" (Obviously a new-to-HS coach with team that might have had 6 players that had ever played soccer before. But, was a really nice guy!)
Women's league, 6th division game. After several teammates had to warn a player that we were using the white lines today, another player turns to me and says, "I'll bet you just do these games for their entertainment value." I just smiled. The kind of experiences you only get that that level. One team asked if they could be on the opposite side of the field from the benches. One player had brought her son, a wheel chair bound quadriplegic, about 17 to 19 years old, and they couldn't get his wheelchair to the bench side. No problem. When it started raining, we had a goal scored within a minute or so. One player goes over to get a drink of water and, since they had no subs, the mom asked her to also 'cover up Jamie.' Another gal added a tight waist length rain slicker that she had tucked into her shorts. It was even the right color to match her team's shirts. The other team has a husband spectator wearing one of their team shirts. I don't know if he was there with the mother-daughter pair on the team. They had five subs. If I had added for all of the time lost through substitutions, we'd still be out there. I'm looking at the player cards and one woman is 73. She was not the one playing with her daughter/ The winning goal came with two minutes left on a shot from 40 yards out. I told her "they owe you a beer." She was very happy.
I'm reminded some wise man once typed in this forum "Just remember, it's their tea party and we've only been invited to serve the cucumber sandwiches." Indeed.