Good points. I can't recall a situation quite like that. Girls have been hurt or fallen down, but not as many or any play-on moments like that.
I remember that moment like yesterday. The striker on my son's team was hit from the back and went down immediately in pain. The ref didnt whistle. My son playing CB dashed all the way from his own half to check on the teammate. The ball was still in play. Fortunately our goalie somehow got the ball. Parents on the sideline (myself included) were yelling at the ref telling him to stop the game so that the coach and parents could check on the boy. He was lying in the ground in pain for 5 min, surrounded by his teammates. That was the final of the tournament. My son's team won 2:1. After the trophy ceremony, I told him I was so proud of his decision. Even if we lost in the final because of that (he was truly the only and last player on our half when he left his position for his teammate, while the ball was still in play), i would have still bought him that big double chocolate icecream. He just turned 8 at that time. Ice cream is as big as it gets for him lol.
Here's the problem with kicking the ball out... even at a young age, kids learn to "game" the system. U15 college showcase... opposing player goes down with an injury in our defensive half. We somehow end up with possession of the ball and take it to our attacking half. The kid is writhing in pain, holding his leg/ankle. The opposing team gets possession and the ref stops the game to check on the injury. Within seconds of the whistle blowing, the injured player pops up (not slowly) and is running to get back into the play. That earned him a yellow card. I've heard multiple refs tell coaches "tell the kids NOT to kick the ball out for an injury, I'll stop the game if need be". Don't get me wrong, I understand the "sportsmanship" angle. Too bad not everyone is concerned with sportsmanship.
The past couple of seasons we've had the opposite here. District meetings, club presidents strongly arguing with the ref coordinator about whistling the play dead for injury. ref position is if the kid isn't in danger of getting stomped, and there isn't obvious injury - blood, compound fracture, etc, the ball stays in play. Do not enter the field until there is a whistle. If you want a restart, teach your kids to play it out like they do in professional games. My coaches came to me with the same issue after getting cautioned but not sent off, had to explain to them. There are a few teams that understand and will return the ball to you if you play it out for their injured players, most seem to just take it as a restart. That "giving the ball back" is one of those little signs that maybe the coach/team watches soccer.
That is the certainly the more correct application of the rules….those refs telling those coach NOT to kick the ball out are completely overstepping and potentially undermining their positions….
I'm having a hard time putting together your statement and what you quoted. PP said the refs say barring a serious incident, the ball stays in play. That's the same thing as refs saying "don't kick the ball out", isn't it?
No, the ref in PP example said it was ok for the kids to kick it out… The decision to kick the ball out is a personal one; there is nothing in the rules about…it’s purely sportsmanship and tradition…their no requirement for the other team to even give the ball back; that too is sportsmanship and tradition…. The ref has no business trying to dictate sportsmanship; his job is only to rule on what is un-sportsmen-like conduct…by “suggesting” players not kick the ball out, you place coach and players in a position of disobeying a refs directive, even though he has no right to make such a directive… If a kid feels the need to kick the ball out, because he feels it’s the right thing to do, he shouldn’t have to worry that the ref will be mad at him or hold it against him or his team…
Poor wording on my part. The ref coordinator was making it clear that unless the ref thought the player was in danger, play would continue because they would not be blowing a whistle to stop play. They were fine with a team choosing to play it out so that play could stop. At that time they would ask the coach to come check on the player.
I understood that, I agree/have no issue…I think I confused the issue by only quoting you but also referencing to another post above… It was the refs Sam_G was referring to that take issue with…the idea that players can’t kick the ball out if they choose/want to per a ref’s instruction….
Maybe it's comes down to what I read into it. I didn't get the impression that the refs would "be mad" or hold it against the player for kicking the ball out, but more to let them know it's not a requirement to stop play (that the ref can do so when he feels it's appropriate). Now, maybe the ref meant it the way you thought. I'm always looking at the positive.
The fact that it can be taken either way is precisely my point…it’s the ref’s field, his words carry weight…he shouldn’t expressing his personal opinions or preferences, especially unnecessary ones…he makes ruling based on the rules, period. I am sorry, but he doesn’t get to just say, “hey guys, I really don’t like it when you kick the ball out, so please don’t do it…I am like ok, if you do, but like I say, please don’t it.”….
Interesting discussion. My thought process is always around the U-little ones because my son hasnt turned 10 yet. In my view, after my experience with my son and his team, your teammate goes down, you give up everything to check on him first, in U-little games. That's how you bond the team and grow characters. I cant care less what the refs think, the coaches think, or even the parents think. I want my son to be the boy that always puts his teammate's well being above everything else. If this costs him an opportunity, so be it. Soccer is not his life, not yet .