But that also means call the foul immediately, which I don't like, and think AYSO's slide is too one-dimensional. I think the distinction Bubba was getting at is don't signal advantage, but internalize it, and call it back if advantage does not materialize. Some folks were taught to call the foul in the box immediately, but that can be a mistake too if half a second later the fouled player scores.
For a beginning referee, we tend to teach that they should shy away from advantage until they get the other stuff down. Once they get a good understanding of the other stuff and begin applying advantage (which, my limited understanding, is really started at the "intermediate" level in AYSO), then it's simpler to break it down to "never", "rarely", and "go ahead". As they begin to understand advantage, game flow, and game management more, then it's easier to start to talk about delaying, reading the game, internalizing in the penalty area, etc. Gotta start with a foundation and build it up to ensure that it's a solid system at the end of the day.
Here’s two things that happened this week along these lines. Both HS duals. First one, player is moving forward, gets a trifling tap on shins, and completes the pass. Coach tells her to go down when you feel that! It’s a scrimmage, so at next stoppage, I tell the coach “maybe you need to rephrase that next time!” . Not a good idea to advise the ref your players are diving.” He had no idea! Second, I’m the trail. I’m probably 25 yards from top of the penalty area as the trail. There is a handling call to be made (perhaps !?), but I cannot make it as the angle is off and I cannot tell if it’s chest or arm. The ball falls to the attackers feet and there is a beat, beat and a half before my partner whistles the penalty. The defending coach goes NUTS! (It’s HS, SO....). He screams at me that the call can’t be made because play went on! I calmly tell him that on calls like that we take our tme to make sure we get it right. He’s not mollified. He says “it’s a horrible call!” I ask him what’s horrible? Is it the wrong call? He says no. We took too much time! Only 11 more weeks of HS to go.
I worked my first NFHS games at a girls varsity jamboree today. There was a situation where A1 was pressuring D1 who had clear possession in the defender's corner when A1 rolled her ankle pretty badly and started crying; obviously, I had to stop the game. Once the trainer carted her off I told the ladies 'indirect kick coming out' hoping that I had remembered the difference between FIFA and NFHS rules correctly. A bunch of ladies yelped 'WHUUTT INDIRECT!?!?' All I could think was 'thanks for the vote of confidence ladies,' but responded with "Yup."
Not only did you get it right, the defensive team taking a FK while buried in their own corner realistically doesn’t matter if it’s direct or indirect. They are just kicking it out if there and aren’t going to score off of it. You could just say “On the deck coming out, do me a favor and let me get up field and wait for my whistle” and just stick your arm up to signal IDFK. No one would know or care.
Women's college game Saturday. Referee calls a home team player for dangerous play and says, "Your foot was up to her ear." Bench protests, "She's short!!"
Me, AR2, standing at the center line as play congests in front of the goal to my left. Mom, in the stands, incensed: "Hey ref! Stop being lazy and run all the way down the line! You're missing fouls!"
Maybe should be in "The things we say" thread, but ... One game was very lopsided. The first half all action was on my end of the field as AR. So as the 2nd half is getting underway, I stand right at the half line. I turn and ask the coach (of the leading team, the other team was on the other sideline), "Is this my spot?" He grinned. To his credit, he did change things up with players, so the ball did sometimes get into their defending end, but it was still lopsided.
National League- Midwest Conference (former MRL) Weekend in Rockford. I'm in the middle for a U18G game. Ball played to space to a PIOP but too far for her to become active and rolls out for a throw in. Mom says to her PIOP that she was offside. Player responds by saying "enough mom, you're not the one wearing a yellow jersey out here today."
Dad starts complaining that, on a dropped ball, “she double touched on a re-kick”. Great wording there, by the way! He went on to preach this to other parents and I’m like, buddy: you’re on the losing end of a 6-0 game, There’s 3 minutes left, and this play happened in the 1st minute of the second half. Oh and your team did not contest the dropped ball.
"Wasn't he offside, ref?" Men's O-58 game, solo. I told the guy "hey, we don't have assistants on these games." He just looks at me. I added "Okay, let me check." and I made the television signal. He started laughing. Play on.
I was CR (second time in a Varsity HS game) with a team in its first year of existence. The opponent is a decent area private school. Normal body control issues and awkward fouls from the new team. At one point, a defender from the private school decides to dribble up the field with 3 opponents on him. There is a flurry of feet and legs, but surprisingly no contact other than some shoulder bumps and play on the ball. The dribbler is stuttering and stumbling for almost half the length of the field but he never gets fouled. Finally one of the opponents gets a little more of the ball, and the dribbler clears him out with a two-handed push. I blow the whistle and point the other way. Dribbler looks at me and says, "Seriously ref? Isn't there a thing called 'pursuit'?" I had no idea what he was asking for and answered that everything was a clean challenge on the ball until he pushed the defender away. I didn't say that is what you should expect going 1v3. Anybody know what he might have been asking for?
It's a great comeback, but I suspect that anyone in high school today will not get the reference. Maybe their coach. I have the same name as a television actor from the '80s and '90s. Sometimes older people will react to my name with the look that says, "Are you.....?" Younger people, though, have never heard of him. The crazy thing is that he lives about an hour away from me and I have met him.
Team cheer at the end of halftime: "[team mascot name] kick balls!" JV girls. I really suspect that the other meaning was intentional.
U10G rec game, solo. On a corner, a parent said “Head the ball in!” I gave an over-exaggerated “huh?” look at him, and he said “Never mind. This ref knows what he’s doing.”
Unfortunately, that may be real. My nephew plays 10Ubin a league that bans heading, but the refs never call it ... (ostensibly USSF affiliated, but seems to be using uncertified dual refs).
So was the mascots name "Chopper"? Shocked to know JV girls have watched Stand by me. Maybe it is a ray of hope...