Carding Coaches

For youth coaches it sends a clear message that not only they understand but so does everyone else attending the match.

“Coach I am telling you that’s is enough. At the next word I am dismissing you” might be understood by the coach and might be completely lost on them.

The card had an added bonus as many leagues are accumulating points on coaches. Where are “tells” were invisible.

 

It helped Saturday. I was AR1. U13 girls Southeastern Club Champions League with two over 50 ARs and a 15-year-old center. Home coach dissented early and often. During an injury where he came onto the field, I waved the center over to me. The coach started walking toward the center instead of tending to his player, but saw the center walking to me, adjusted his angle, and went to the player. I suggested to the center he shut down the dissent. At least with "ask" first, but then card him afterward. He said "If he needs a card, would you do it?"

Later in the game there was a clean slide tackle right in front of me, and I said "All ball, nothing there." But the center blew the whistle anyway, calling a foul. Home coach went off. "You are nothing more than a rec level referee." CR walked over to the coach and, IMO, gave the wrong card, a yellow. But at least he did card him. The home coach still dissented the rest of the game but he was quieter about it. Just groans, muttering under his breath, but nothing the center could hear. After the game, the center said "Carding the coach really works!"

 

In my opinion, it really works at the youth level. In the past, I've been very consistent with the "ask/tell/dismiss" method. It's been pretty clear when the coach has required dismissal and he/she says, "But I was never warned!!". (Well, yes, you were, but that's a different discussion . . .)

Everyone at the field understands what a red card and a yellow card means. When I am AR1 with a young referee or an official for whom English isn't a native language, I will work with the center to ensure he/she cards from a safe distance and I'll take care of the particulars - like telling which coach got the card and that the message should be received.

Case in point - I'm AR1 for a U12 boys game. The center is older and speaks with a very heavy accent. Center delays on an advantage situation and calls a foul on blue as white pushed blue away. I recommended a caution for white as well as the foul for blue, but the center just went with the foul. Blue team coaches erupt. I was able to call the center over, ask him to card the blue assistant coach, and I was able to explain to the assistant (who I know fairly well) what happened and why he was carded. He wasn't happy, but he understood.

 

It has always seemed to work well for me in HS matches. One of the things I always liked about the HS rules. In my 15+ years of HS matches only two coach's have ever reached a RC with me. One happened before the game even officially started and the 2nd was actually after the match.

 

My only red to a coach in high school soccer was for swearing. After a clean slide tackle, he yelled (and every at the game heard him say), "What the F#@& was that!"

 

For the youth level: Absolutely. Nothing shuts a coach up faster than a yellow. They go from a big mouth, bad-*** to a whipped dog as soon as you book'em. And if they keep going, send them.

HS/College-level: Depends. Most guys react, but some don't have any emotional control. Most of my ejections are at the HS level, and I've never had a card against a college coach in a game. I've seen them, and those guys tend to be "special". Yet it's usually the guys who've had a losing season or several seasons who seem to just fly off the handle.

Semi-Pro: Every time I've been a 4th, which you could count on 1 hand, I've never had an issue that rose to carding a manager/coach. Then again, those guys were professionals, allegedly, and knew when to pick their battles. Something would happen, they'd moan about it, and then move on. Or they knew where the line was. Haven't had a 4th with the new laws, so I'm personally hoping I see it.

I think the HS/NCAA environment is what leads to the crazy stuff that happens there. The countdown of a clock, the fans, I don't know. But typically if I hear a coach story, it's a HS or college game.

 

There was one coach who was complaining about petty stuff. HSGV. His team should have been dominating the game, his middle of the pack team against a bottom end team. They weren't. Clearly, his ploy was to get his team riled up. 'It's us against them and the refs!' was his implicit message to his team. Bluntly, his girls weren't savvy enough to respond the way he wanted. When he complained about the other team's throw-in mechanics, directly in front of the bench, I cautioned him for dissent. Now most coaches who are pulling this routine will shut up at that point. Unfortunately, he did not. When the throw-in was taken, he instantly protested again! Second caution, and disqualification. He gets sent to the bus. The school had to pull a coach from the adjacent field where the JV game was being played, because he had been the only coach. He knew he had screwed up. Whenever I saw him for the next several years, even one time in a restaurant, he would see me and drop his head.

 

I've used it a couple of times thus far and it definitely works a charm. I think the symbolism behind the card is important and cuts right to the chase.

Too many guys in the past say "That's enough, no more" then continue to allow abuse. The card isn't a subjective opinion, it's definitive. I like it. I forget to use it, though, once in a while.

 

I'm pretty confident that the clarity of the card was all that prevented a youth coach from going down the path that would have landed him in the parking lot. For those games, I think it is a great tool (and one which the league I reffed in as a youth used back then--though I honestly don't know if it was because they made a decision to do so or no one really knew they weren't supposed to, as cards were not in the LOTG until many years later). I'm not sold on its value at high levels of play, but I don't do those games.

 

Story, please, @Ickshter

 

I believe I have told this story before but this has to be about 10 years ago now.

HSBV match, Coach had a problem with all officials I think, and it rubbed off on his players. I dreaded doing their matches because they were all the biggest bunch of whiners I have seen. even when winning or little things like a throw-in call at midfield caused great gnashing of teeth from the coach and then the players...

So game is about to begin and I see a player with shin guards on that were at least 2 inches above the ankle and didn't even reach half way up the kids shin. This was a year or so after the whole NOSCE thing so I ask the player if I can see the tag on those shin guards because they seem too small for his age/height. He says they don't have the tag, but he has another pair in his bag that he can put on. This was all in front of the coach, he walks back to his bag, but I keep my eye on him. He bends down and puts his guards in his bag and pulls the exact same guards out again (HS boys think everyone else is so dumb) and begins to walk on the pitch, coach lets him go to start. I walk over to the kid and bring him back to the coach and give him a YC for not being properly equipped. The coach starts in on me about he shouldn't get a card for that Blah, blah, blah... I tell him that is the HS rule and the first card goes to the coach. he tells me I am wrong and I need to go get my rule book. Just then my AR1 walks up and says " He is correct, the coach gets the first card". Coach turns to him and yells "Nobody asked you, so why don't you go back to your line and shut up!". Out comes my 2nd YC followed by the RC and he now has to leave the area. They won the game and it was the best behaved game I had from them all year. It is amazing how most coaches don't see how their attitude is reflected in the kids they coach.

 

I don't have a rule book in front of me, but would that be considered illegal or improper equipment. There is a difference, I review it 3 times a season, but haven't yet since soccer is a winter sport

 

I'm sort of guessing it would be illegal as shin guards are required to be age- and size-appropriate. Improper implies the existing equipment can be adjusted to be worn properly. But, I stand ready to be corrected!

 

I have an old rule book at hand (2014-15). I may have others, but that's the one I find. Anyway, there is a picture that I suspect has not been replaced that shows good shin guards (legal), small shin guards - not age- and size-appropriate (illegal) and shin guards worn on the inside of the legs (improper).

 

I remember when NFHS really cared about those stupid tags. I remember there was a year where the assignor would have us check the tags of each players shin guards.

 

I just find the whole thing so funny, that these kids would complain about today's shin guards. Hate to be a "BACK IN MY DAY" kind of guy, but I remember wearing these 3/4" thick pads that covered my entire shin, and don't remember it having any effect on my being able to play the sport. Now, even my own kids complain about what a pain they are to wear and soo uncomfortable. Dude, get kicked one time full force in the shin and you will be praising them for as long as you are playing.

 

Yep...getting to the field by riding a bike, with 2 flat tires, playing in the snow..uphill (both ways) with a ball made of wet soggy leather, in 120 deg heat (yes son, the snow was followed by a heatwave because we played 400 minute halves)

But yes, I had a kid show me where another player had left a mark and I said "Doesn't your shin guard cover that?"
He said: "They are not big enough"
Hmmm

 

Good grief ain't that the truth.

 

It’s not currently high school season so I am not as brushed up on those rules. Can you give cautions to the coach if the game has not begun?

 

Anytime after you have entered "the field of play and its immediate surrounds."

 

Don't blame NFHS for what your assignor made you do. My standard instructions are that the referee should only make them see the "tag" if the shin guards appear to be too small. This year, for the first time ever, I asked to see the markings on a player's shin guards. The print was so small that I had to almost get my chin on his ankle, but it was a legal size.

When NOCSAE first came out with standards for shin guards, there were a lot of shin guards out there that, when they were tested, actually didn't provide any noticeable protection. The reality is that, after a transition time, manufacturers have to meet the standards and have the tag. Otherwise, they would have no defense against a suit for defective design.

I have seen a player break an opponent's fibula with a routine kick, even though the victim was wearing legitimate shin guards. There are good reasons to wear them and sometimes we have to protect players from their own stupidity.