This weekend at GU-13 game I have no ARs. The field is one with sunken permanent lines so they can't be seen easily except if youi are well to that side so I wasn't comfortable with no ARs. In luck, I found a USSF licensed official on each sideline and recruited them for club linesmen. My question: where teams and parents are on opposite sides of the field do you have the club linesmen take their team's side or the other side? On one hand, if you put them on the opposite side they don't have to go to lunch with people peeved about their touchline calls. On the other hand, presumably if they were on their own side they would be better able to calm down the maddened multitudes. Your thoughts? Jim
My thoughts. Club lines showed up at the game to watch the game. They are doing you a "favor" by acting as lines. Although league rules may specify that a team must supply one of these "volunteers", they are still doing more than expected when they showed up to simply watch their kids play. So let them line on whichever side of the field they feel most comfortable. Usually that means in front of their own team/fans. They won't necessarily be in traditional diagonal positioning. I've told club lines they don't have to move much at all, certainly don't have to run if they aren't able, just be able to see the line and see when the ball goes out. If there is a bench side and fan side, someone will have to be by the fans, the other by the teams. Let them pick. Funny story with a club line. I was reffing a u7 match, first game of the season, first time the teams have ever seen a Real (TM) Ref with Real Flags. Ball goes out of play, guy from the other side comes racing across the field with flag raised. Then he sees the [rather short] sibling who I recruited on the near line - "Oh, I only have to do it on one side?" Yes, thanks. I give club lines the 3-second "when the ball is out of play" lesson before the match. And make sure to thank them afterward. Sometimes I find someone who is really on the ball, is trying to do what they've seen AR's do at older levels - then I recruit for the next ref class.
Doesn't matter which side you put them on. Even though they are USSF refs, they are to ONLY signal when the ball goes over the touch or goal line. They should know this anyway. Always thank them for their help.
There have been many times when at a game as a parent one of the referees didn't show up. I generally always have my referee gear with me and would just jump into uniform and take a spot with the crew, but on 2 or 3 occasions, I didn't. In those cases, I have identified myself as a referee and asked if they wanted help -- but I didn't have my gear with me. When I asked the referee what he wanted me to call, in all cases, he has asked me to call a complete game. They also let the opposing team's coach know that I was a referee and would be calling offside, etc. In one situation, I was in Fort Lauderdale at a Super-Y League event. They were missing a referee, so I stepped up to do the line in street clothes. In this case, it wasn't for my son's team -- it was another game. This was a very high level U16 game. When the teams got on the field, there was a little discussion between the defenders and then one of them looks over at me and says, "Sir, do you know how to call offside?" I said yes and he replied, "Good, because we play an offside trap." I had to laugh at the situation.