For those who do the U-preteens, do you add extra time? I've had old-timers...er...well seasoned refs tell me never do it, and others say do it if needed. If so, do you add time for the same reasons you would U-upper teen games, fewer reasons, or...? Your thoughts?
It's a good question. I would say as a general rule I don't add time to U10 and under and for that matter probably U12 and under (although I don't do many of any of those so maybe "general rule" is inapt). The exception would be if there's a major delay - significant injury downtime, etc. For the younger ones, probably not even then. U13 and up, as appropriate (and "appropriate" varies considerably based on myriad factors ITOOTR).
My snarky half thinks tha the "old timers" who say to never add are in the get-in, get-out, it's not important pool. To me, the kids deserve a full game absent other considerations -- and that is what added time is, nothing more than making sure the teams get their full game. Part of what you need to do is know what your competition authorities want. In some places, field limits make it impracticable to add time (or to add more than token time). I will confess, however, that the younger the age, the more likely I am to be swayed by considerations that don't fall within the LOTG in limiting what I will add. Are the kids from both teams dragging, particularly on a hot day? Has the game stopped being fun because one team is ahead by too much?
You must consider the rules of competition. If it is a tournament, with a condensed time schedule, then no added time. If it is a one-ft league game, then yes, add time as necessary.
I've found that when you add time at the youngest ages, the coaching staff starts yelling that time is up. So I did it rarely at U12, especially in U12 rec. But there was one game where I added 4 minutes in U12 select, and guess who scored twice in those 4 minutes? Yup, the team that was down by a goal at the end of regulation. Coach complained that you never see 4 minutes even in EPL. I agreed, but in EPL it doesn't take over 90 seconds to replace a ball, or 2 minutes for a new goalkeeper to put on shirt and gloves. Plus there was a minor injury - if I had been running 2 watches with stop/start on one, it may have been 5 or more minutes.
"Extra Time" is the time added to games (in two equal periods) as a way to break a tie when a winner is required. "Additional Time" is the time added to a period of play to allow a penalty kick to be taken. "Allowance for time lost" I guess is the best correct formal phrase to describe the topic of this thread. It seems things like "added time" and (unfortunately) "injury time" mean the same thing. There's no reason not to allow for time lost just because of the ages of the players.
The LOG's require the Referee to add stoppage time, right? So, technically speaking, it's something we should all be doing all the time, yes? That being said, there are any number of reasons why a Referee doesn't add extra time (i.e., age, score, crappy scheduling leading to back-to-back games.) I don't necessarily see it as an age thing; my opinion is the decision to add time is based on the type of game I'm working. Here are a few examples: - State Cups (Youth & Adult) - Regional Leagues (Midwest Regional League; competitions that potentially allow teams to still advance should they not win their State Cup.) - MLS, NASL, PDL, USL, NWSL, etc. - Amateur games (depending on factors like score, what everybody else does, etc.) - Youth Regionals & Nationals - Amateur Regionals & Nationals - Developmental Academy (U13 to U18), National League, ECNL My answer is based on the event, league, etc. Maybe ask yourself how important is the match when you look at the big picture. (And yes, I know the Final of some club's invitational might mean just as much to the players playing in that match as it does for those playing in a State Cup Final but THEY ARE NOT THE SAME THING. PERIOD!) And then you consider the other factors like score, etc. If I'm at Youth Regionals or a similar event and the score of my U13 Girls game is 3-0 on Day 1 of the tournament, I'm probably not doing more than 2 minutes; at most. If I'm doing the same game on Day 3 of the tournament and I know the team that is winning 3-0 is chasing goals - this requires you actually check the group standings BEFORE the match - due to goal differential, I'm going to add the appropriate amount of time whether that be 1 or 6 or 10 minutes. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
If a tournament's ROC says 30 minute half and no more, It's over at 30. If there has been an injury, I add time at any age group if it feels right. Meaning, it's not 2+ to nothing and the nothing's haven't had a shot on goal in 10 minutes. I once was an AR on an ECNL match where there should have been at least 4 minutes of time added. The referee added none. Because of the ROC, BOTH coaches went nuts. I guess every goal matters in that league. I am apt to add time because even in blowouts on a youth game, maybe somebody is getting playing time that they wouldn't get in a normal match. That's my excuse and I'm sticking with it.
You sound like the hockey refs that call a penalty in the first period but not late in the 3rd period. Minute #1 of the first game is the same as minute #90 of the third game. A regular travel game is the same as a DA game. A game is a game is a game. I'm not saying you shouldn't know the situation heading into a game (you should), but whatever is needed should not effect how you add on time. Only the actions of the match your are doing so should.
I can assure you I'm not a hockey referee, tool. Where is yours? #SuckIt Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Wow, I am impressed. You spent $30. Congratulations on that big purchase. That allows you to make up your own rules. You are the boss.
I think you're taking what I wrote too literally. I'll paraphrase it for you since you're incapable of doing it yourself: There are many different factors (i.e., age, level competition, competition specific rules regarding, etc.) regarding the matter. The LOG's require the Referee add extra time. Period. And for what it's worth, a "travel game" - whatever that is - is not the same as a D.A. game. Also, Jesus ❤️'s you; even if you are kind of a tool shed. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Nope, I just find you to be a condescending asshole. A condescending asshole for statements such as that, and pictures of your new cycling jersey previously. And shockingly poor grammer.
Jesus still ❤️'s you. I'll be sure to keep you in my prayers. God bless! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Boots, are you always like this? Do you ever read anyone else on these boards behaving like you are? Maybe take it down about 7-8 notches? And if you referee like you write here, I wouldn't want to work a game with you.
Its like dissent, I can choose to ignore it or acknowledge its stupidity. I get greater pleasure in calling it out.
Let's end all this here. I haven't been as active recently, as people surely have noticed. But most of you are very good at policing yourselves. In this case, it seems a slight change of tone might help @Boots_McCoy --but that's up to you. From an official standpoint, let's just drop this side conversation now. Thanks.
Now returning to our regularly scheduled program..... In my opinion, it is not a question of do you add time. The Laws of the Game say that you do. The question is how much time you add. Our largest men's league says, "no added time." So I add roughly the one second between my watch going off and getting the whistle to my mouth. Youth tournament game with 30 minute halves on a warm day, with the teams for the next game warming up just outside the touchline? Same amount added. I remember a PDL game that was something like 7-0 and the visiting (losing) team had so many injuries during the game that the player-coach had to sub himself in because he didn't have anyone else who was healthy enough to play. The referee added something like six minutes due to the injuries. Sandy Hunt was the assessor and she told him that the game was over for the players and the fans so don't add six minutes like that. Particularly in adult amateur games, there are times that you get a feel from the players that, in their minds, the game is over and they just want it to end. I will admit that there have been rare occasions when I have added negative amounts of time, almost always a minute or two, usually prompted by comments from the losing team that they'd like less soccer and more beer drinking time. Or words to that effect. And there have been times, also very rare but they do happen, when the managers agree on less time during the run of play in the second half. It's their game, not mine.
The LOTG also say "at the discretion of the referee" when adding time, so, technically we might be required, but we have the option of "0". As games go younger, IN GENERAL, there's less reason to add time as it's to make up for time wasting. Yes they often have the unlimited subs, but if it's not being used as a tool to waste time, I usually won't add much if any for U-littles and/or as the competition level drops. For scores, you have to know the ROTC goes goal differential matter? Is it limited to say 3 no matter what the score, so a 8-0 blowout, it's 3 goal differential, so why add. Referees often get caught in the words in the book, or selected words in the book, and forget common sense. "at the discretion of the referee" means we are allowed to let common sense dictate what's right, as Law 5 mentioned, it's not our game, it's there's, if they don't want to play more, why make them?
Here is NOT what to do. Earlier this season working with a state ref in the center. Good enough ref, though terrible people skills. He had a rough match in dealing with the visiting/losing coach. Game is something 5-0 as we are close to the end. CR asks coach, who is already pissed with him (and frankly his team) "Coach, do you want to play the added time?" As you can imagine, that did not go over too well.