Two more weekends of COVID era soccer in the books, and for the most part, I am pretty comfortable with it. Past two weekends have been on fields with lots of space on the touch lines. Tournaments had signs 10' from the touch reminding parents to practice social distancing and stuff, which was also helpful because you could point to the sign and ask parents to stay behind that distance. Would prefer 15' as I run a deep line, but 10' is better than the pre covid practice of parents getting within a few feet and then wondering why you are asking them to move back. On the field, things are pretty much normal. Is there a risk? Sure, but then again there are risks we face every day. I have probably refereed a thousand games or more during flu seasons, and I am pretty sure that when I have gotten the flu or some other cold or virus, it hasn't been from running around on a field. Its been from my own kids, from public transportation or from direct contact with someone who had it. That said, just be smart. Keep a safe social distance from your crew and everyone bring their own flag. I squirted 70% alcohol on my sticks after letting a couple of guys use them since they forgot theirs. Probably should have been doing this for years!
Bummer if you don't return but all is not lost. With the many many socks in hand you can stay ahead of any shortage. How to Make a DIY Face Mask using a SOCK NO ... - YouTube
Soccer is "lower risk," not "low risk." And it's lower risk compared to American football, wrestling, and basketball.
Having already had COVID (way back in March before we were told to wear masks), I'm comfortable with the guidelines, but I'm not entirely sure my lungs are 100%. Could be lingering COVID effects, could be quarantine laziness / weight gain. I plan to do games in younger age groups. I've heard concern about referee shortages, but the few games that have gone up for assignment in Northern Virginia so far this year have been gobbled up in a frenzy.
So, we got this from our SRC today... Aren't those two things somewhat... contradictory? So am I supposed to make sure the coach is wearing a mask on at all times except for shouting instructions or not?
I don’t really see any contradiction. It’s basically saying in terms of the coaches - who you have some authority over, you can caution them and eventually dismiss them if they are don’t follow the guidelines re masks. beyond that, any issues with social distancing or masks off of the field - ie with parents - is ultimately the responsibility of the home coach. In terms of practice, your only concern should be what happens on the field and whether your ARs have sufficient space on their touch lines. So far this season, I have had no problems with parents when we have asked them to move further back.
If coaches can pull the mask down to bark instructions, then there's no reason to have them. Must have been a compromise in a meeting with those against it, since it's so ridiculous. Compare that to Manitoba, Canada who are asking their referees to take photos and include in their referee reports any violations of social distancing, despite having the lowest COVID deaths in the country. I'm not saying I agree 100% with the idea, but at least their heart is in the right place: https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/s...-now-required-to-be-detectives-572278302.html
For those interested, this is the Return to Play document for New York State high school athletics. Considerations for officials is on page 16 while soccer specific stuff is on page 29. http://nysphsaa.org/Portals/0/COVID...1XASzImVTdCMb16GeGLcs_4ojoH4_14K4gah8L0McZq2U
I don't really have an issue with it as long as they're not yelling with someone right there in spittle range. The reason we're considering games safe to play is that they don't have prolonged exposure near each other. And they're not making us wear them, either. In theory, coaches should only have to wear masks if they're in proximity with other people for more than a few seconds, but in practice, asking them to pull up and down every time they're near or not near a player would be a bit much. So this matches up pretty well with the research I've done so far. (Planning to talk later this week with an expert in the field.)
So a coach wanting to pull a mask down to be heard is the modern version of them having to stand on the touchline and in my way just so they can see. "Coach, you can see the field just fine from 3 paces back (or better yet our technical area)." "Coach we can hear you just fine with you mask up."
In your next match as AR1 on a corner kick, you will be facing towards the field of play as the head coach will come rushing out right behind you yelling at his players that someone is being left unmarked, without a mask. Do you really want that? Recent research that most have probably already read is the "spittle range" is obviously much more than 6 feet. If the ROC of completion have that the coach has to have the mask up during the whole game, then this this scenario is much less likely to occur.
Some coach coming all the way down to the corner flag? I see that maybe once every 2-3 years and they are quickly sent back to the technical area with a stern warning. And if you are really worried about that, then you really shouldn’t be on the field with 22 unmasked players running by you.
Apparently all of the corner kicks in your matches are on your side of the field? The scenario I'm referring to are corner kicks on the opposing side when you'd most likely be standing at or near midfield. You're missing the point. The ROC someone posted gives coaches the option to pull down the mask while giving instructions, making it a farce.
So what that they can pull down their mask to call across the field. Its not like they are going to be standing there for 5 minutes in your face with no distance or breeze. And if they are too close, say something. Seriously, if you are that worried about a coach occasionally coming to the touch line and yelling something to his players, should you really be on the field at all?
I've been starting the season slowly, doing a couple of youth games a couple of times. Seemed pretty OK, since you can keep spacing pretty welll, outdoors, sunny... So last night its a fairly skilled, well-contested HS Boys game. The kind where it is 3 good passes, then a giveaway, followed by the same thing from the other team. (No bootball.) Especially on a grass field, this tends to compress play. Needing to be fairly close to play and in my quadrant, the ball goes out of bounds and Iook around and realize that I am within maybe 20 feet of 8 or 9 players breathing very heavily. I think to myself, if therer is on-field transmission this is how it is going to happen. Maybe I should be happy to be doing doubleheader ARs, not Centers....
This. Yeah. I'm happy to have another reason to tell coaches not to yell in my ear. (Granted, I should still have antibody protection a bit longer, then T-cells to keep it from getting it bad if I get it again.)
We're seeing the effects on scheduling now. The weekly play/no-play status set for each county for the upcoming week is creating chaos - my HS assignor has to be losing his mind. Games get canceled because the opponent's county is now no-play, so referees are re-assigned. Then they find a substitute opponent at the last minute, but now no referees are available. Plus, with the unknown future, everyone is trying to add and cram in as many games as they can right now.... HS soccer here is usually on Tue/Thur/Sat, but now Mondays are filled, some Wednesdays added, and even on HS football Fridays. But those Mon/Wed HS games are now taking refs away from the middle school games. Reffing HS or HS+JV games every day except Friday and Sunday is already taking its toll on some of those attempting it. Our assignment schedules are changing almost daily, which is a real PITA for some of us that work - getting switched from a 6:00 pm local assignment to a 5:00 pm game 45+ mins away isn't always doable at the last minute. But, we're trying to accommodate so the kids can play. We're also seeing some match-ups that would not normally ever happen (nor should they), just so both teams can get some sort of a game in...
I was excited (and a little nervous) to get back on the pitch with some pre-season tournaments. But I am already sick of the countless emails from assignors.
Last night, Peter Kokolski, the SRA in MA, provided an online presentation concerning the latest version of the rule/law modifications to be in effect this fall for (some) youth soccer in MA. His presentation is supposed to be made available sooner or later on the YouTube channel for the US Officials Referee Academy: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3A2800Z9FgGmuz01rp-Tvw The latest version (September 4) of the MYSA document concerning rule/law changes (https://www.mayouthsoccer.org/returntosocceractivitiespdf/) eased off on some things. Most noticeable, perhaps, is that the kick-in replacements for throw-ins and corner kicks are allowed to enter the penalty area. Kokolski did emphasize that (at least in theory) since a corner kick is now instead an IFK from the corner arc, it is technically possible for at attacker to be called offside on the kick. Kokolski made some additional points, including the following (if you and I trust my notes): 1. He was almost apologetic about the MYSA modifications from the LOTG as handed down by the one, true source--IFAB. 2. Referees should not attempt to act as the COVID police, at least for off-the-field actions. I suppose referees could mention to players, coaches, and fans what the regs are for wearing masks, social distancing, and the like--but don't try to enforce them, at least for occurrences off the field. Rather, report to the competition authority. I suspect that enforcing spectator distance from the field is still within the referee's authority. 3. For restarts of all types, do try to enforce social distancing by the players. Whoever gets to a position first can stay there, forcing others to move in order to adjust their positions. Assuming that the referee can see who got in position first? 4. All spitting is forbidden, but (unless the spitting is directed at someone) inform the coach--don't try to enforce directly. 5. For repeated violations of the new IFK offenses (e.g., intentional heading, slide tackling), do not card for persistent infringement. You can card for what you perceive as gamesmanship, if you think that's what's going on. 6. The limits on slide tackles, incidental contact, and the like are not intended to apply to goalkeepers going for the ball. 7. As IFAB/FIFA have come out in the past opposing the use of snoods/gaiters, those probably should not be permitted as face coverings, even by referees (no doubt fine for coaches and spectators, although that did not come up). It wasn't clear to me, but it seemed that ear-looped face masks were preferred over head-looped one. 8. These MYSA modifications apply to USYSA matches in Massachusetts, not necessarily to any others. And certainly not to any of the men's leagues. In other news (from USOfficials), many (not necessarily all) of the alphabet-soup of club leagues in Massachusetts will follow the "MYSA 'Competition Rules'."
I tried to go with the mask for much of my first games (U9) over the weekend, but my glasses kept fogging up, and I figured the 0.0001% chance that I have COVID-19 again (had it in March) and will spread it to an 8-year-old in a brief interaction was less than the 10% chance that I was going to run over a kid because I couldn't see. I also found myself changing my positioning a little bit to stay a bit farther away. It's U9 rec -- I'm spending half the game explaining goal kicks, anyway. (Working on a column on that topic right now.)