To all of you seasoned refs, a question. The coach of my daughters team was thrown out of a game this week. I got the same story from both her coach and the center ref after the game as to why this happened and wondered what you all think. As happens, one of the AR's didn't show, so the center asked someone to run the line on the coaches side. The person asked stated he had qualification to be an AR but didn't have proof or a ref shirt. Early in the game a ball, according to our coach, went out of bounds where our player picked it up. It happened right in front of our bench but the AR was on the other half and may not have seen it go out. When our player picked it up, the AR called a handball. Our coach argued that it was clearly out and that the AR shouldn't be able to make that call from his vantage point and because of the fact that as a parent of a kid on the other team not wearing ref gear, he should only be able to indicate the ball being OB. The center disagreed and continued to allow the AR to call fouls and warned our coach against speaking. When the next ball went way out, our coach, after he had turned away from the field and in a muted voice, said "at least that one is clearly out". The center, who was pretty close, heard him and our coach was ejected. The ejection seemed harsh, no profanity or other abusive language. My question is this. When you have an AR not show, how do you handle the situation? Was it within the rules to have a parent from the other team work a sideline as if he was a regular ref, regardless of his qualifications?
Without knowing the inner workings of your league, I think it is a safe bet that your coach had his legalities straight. "Club linesman" are only allowed to indicate if the ball has left the field. As for the ejection, no doubt you had to be there. Could be that the coach was being irresponsible (acting like a turd), or could be that the ref was abusing his authority (acting like a turd).
Your coach seemed to be a bit of an ass, but really, just garden variety. Don't think he needed to be tossed. When one doesn't show, it really depends on what you have to work with. But I'd likely err to the side of simplicity. Call the ball in and out. I'll adjust my positioning to accommodate for the lack of a 'real' AR. Last year, working alone, I had club AR's (one from each team) on either side. The one person was signalling for fouls, direction, and even an offside, despite instructions to only call the ball over the line. Though I ignored his signals, it was pissing off the other team who instructed their person to do the same. At halftime, both teams received a talking to. Last Sunday one of my club AR's ended up being a 6 yo girl after her parent got bored.
As others have stated a volunteer or "club" AR can only call in and out regardless of their certification or having a jersey. They were not assigned to the game and as such are not neutral. So while your coach was correct I also agree with the comment he was being an ass, especially with someone that isn't a ref. Give them a break. So would I have tossed the coach for his comment, probably not but I would have chewed him out for sure and I don't really blame someone for tossing him either.
First thing first, the CAR didn't call handling; he indicated the ball was not in touch (and this is absolutely CAR call as he is the one looking down the line). Then the center called handling. The moral of that story is you don't pick up the ball until it is either clearly over the line or an official has signaled for a throw-in. Secondly, reading between the lines, it would seem that the center had told the coach that no further dissent would be tolerated (I know I would if the coach was having a go at a volunteer). Then, feeling the need to have the last word, the coach dared the center to dismiss him and the center obliged. The moral of the story here is coaches should be more concerned with their players than the referees, especially at U13. Additionally, when a referee says no more, he means it.
A game I had recently, a mentor who is a certified ref but wasn't in uniform was present to advise my ARs. When one AR didn't show, I asked the mentor to run the line, gave him full duties and let him collect a game fee. OK? How many of you would make a "gotcha" handling call if a ball is rolling along the line uncontested and is handled an inch before it goes out?
No. Unless the assignor is contacted and assigns him to the match, he's not a NAR. It's not a gotcha call. The ball can't be handled on the field of play. The ball's on the field of play. I can't count the number of times the ball has looked like it's going out and has died on the line. Be precise in your refereeing.
Probably, in most youth game cases. I'm sure if it was a high level game, you'd see a protest after the game by the losing team, since he was not assigned to the match. My son was an AR Sunday at the local complex where I am a board member and run the complex (mind you I will referee teams in our club as long as they are not in the age group that I coach). I had to drive him to the game, so I was going to be there regardless. The other AR was running late. Both teams wanted to start the match, the CR knows me and asked me to run the other line. The visiting coach, who did not know me was fine with it. A quick jog to my car and I had a ref shirt to go with my khaki shorts.
I think you have a legit technical point, at least in some competitions. But I have to admit, I've ignored it on occassion. The most obvious (most heinous?) was an adult men's game that was being used for a state upgrade assessment. I was AR1. When AR2 didn't show up, we were about to cancel the game and walk away. The players pleaded with us, so the assessor (in flip flops, bermuda shorts and a floppy assessor hat) became AR2 - with full authority. He even made some pretty important calls during the match. I'm pretty sure everyone was happy we handled it that way (including our assignor). Oh, except for the CR who had to reschedule his assessment
First, thanks for all the comments! I think our coach's issue was that it was a gotcha call. The ball was clearly out but the AR had not indicated it. When our player picked it up, the handling call was made by the AR that had not called it out. Although it was an insignificant call as nothing came from the ensuing free kick and our team won, I was just wondering as a former coach and now a parent as to how this should be handled and if our coach was out of line. Another question that has come up recently is how the AR's position themselves in relation to which half of the field they are supposed to run. We have had a few tournaments in wet conditions on our league fields recently and the lines that the AR's run have become devoid of grass. Can the AR's switch sides in order to save the turf? Often they run on the lines making the field boundaries almost indistinguishable.
Yes, the referee can choose to run what's sometimes referred to as a "reverse diagonal," which puts the ARs on opposite ends of the lines from what you are used to seeing. Ground conditions (especially mud or standing water) and low sun direction are sometimes causes for making this decision. As for club ARs, I have occasionally experimented with planting them at the corner pin and telling them not to move, but just to watch for the ball crossing the touch line or goal line, in an effort to discourage them from trying to call offside or even from signalling direction. Not much success, but maybe it's been language difficulties...
This is what I've done if I've had them. One of my son's games this spring there was only one referee (around age 16) and, since he knows me and knows my daughter is also a referee, he asked if we would help out. I told him that we would (could) only be club linesmen even though he wanted us to have full AR responsibilities. We positioned ourselves at the corners and called the ball in and out, only.
As was mentioned above, a reverse diagonal can be used, but rarely is as it makes the center very uncomfortable as every thing is backwards. Another alternative is to have the ARs move further back from the touchline and only move up to it when there's a need to rule on a close in/out call.
I don't think he thinks it was a "gotcha" call, but an error in judgment as to whether the ball had left the field. If the ball had not left the field, handling was the correct call. If the ball was out -- regardless of whether it had been signalled -- it can't be handling. As to the side, while it has become sufficiently standard to be called the standard diaganol, the decision a to where the ARs go is a decision by the R. The R may elect to do what is sometimes called a reerese diaganol for any reason he deems worthy. (Some leagues or associations may discourage.)
Here is what I do. I HATE club lines. I hated having to do it when I came to watch my daughter play when I wasnt reffing, and I hate to ask people to not watch their kid play. So, before the match, I walk over to all the parents, and tell them that I hated doing the line when I was a parent, so I'm not going to ask any of you to do it now. Instead, everyone who is sitting along the line is now a club line. If the whole of the ball goes over the whole of the line, just yell out. And on the coaches side, I ask the coaches politely to put up a hand, and I will make the call for direction. I have never had a problem working this way when doing solo youth games. About the OP. If you are going to toss a coach for that conduct, that referee must have a pretty long list of coaches who he has tossed in his career. That one is so solvable it's not even funny. And, if I am the coach who got tossed, I am going to throw in a protest for allowing the club linesman to perorm other duties and let the leagueauthorities sort it out.
Yeah, I can just see it now. Blue end of fans: "It's out ref!" White end: "No it's not!" Blue: "It's out!" White: "It's in!" Ref: "Don't make me come over here again."
Just a couple of things: 1) There are leagues in my area that have NO rules about club lines, even at U13, so nobody ought to be claiming that any universal rules were violated here by the referee. 2) Coaches should coach and do nothing else except to ask to substitute if you have players at the half line at a valid substitution restart and the referee isn't paying attention. What is the point of creating dischord to the point of being tossed from a match? Chances are that you saw what you wanted to see. Let the officials make their mistakes, and spend you time enjoying watching your kids and seeing if they can do the things you have worked on in training, and talking to your substitutes about everything that is happening on the pitch. 3) Club lines should be instructed to stand at the corner flag and do nothing other than raise the flag if the whole of the ball passes over the touch or goal line and the players continue playing.
That ref might've been a hair trigger but does the coach really need to make a smart-a$$ remark like that? In a U-13 game? I understand those that say this was an error by the CR, which can and does happen. It's semantics but the club line can signal all they want, but the CR makes the call - no different if an AR "agitates the flag", the club line shouldn't be assisting but if they do, it's just assisting - the CR digs their own hole. The call was made and (right or wrong) we move on. Just because a lot of refs will put up with more than what they should (including me) doesn't mean a coach should always put themselves in a position to be dismissed, because they could always run into the opposite kind of ref and leave earlier than planned (as in this case).
Just for clarification, the Admin handbook specifically states that club linesman can only call in and out, nothing else. Page 39 bottom of page. Leagues cannot modify this and retain USSF insurance coverage, according to my understanding.
I don't like the assumption that the ref had a hair trigger here. Isn't it likely that the ref had just finished reading the coach the riot act and the coach just had to be stupid? And a coach's leash at U13 should be exceedingly short. And what has the CAR actually signaled in this case? That the ball was not out, which is unquestionably his duty.
If you are throwing a coach out for that, and you are unable to rectify that type of situation without launching the guy, I would suggest taking a long look at your style in regard to how you handle difficult situations.
I've heard a lot of assertions over the years about what voids insurance coverage, but little support. I'm hard pressed to believe that USSF signed onto an insurance policy that would require litigation of whether a club line was permitted to call offside or direction of a throw-in before providing insurance coverage . . .
Not true. According to USSF assignor policy a referee may seek the assistance of a club AR whose duties shall be delegated by the referee. (page 22 USSF assignor handbook) So you dont have to use a club AR at all, and the CR can instruct the club AR on what they want, whether it just be balls in touch or fouls or anything else.