Question Number: 14414

Character, Attitude and Control 11/11/2006

RE: Under 13

kevin grosshandler of farmingville, ny asks...

if the parents on the side disagree with the call of the ref is it loyal for the ref to change the call just so the parents don't yell at him?

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Beg pardon, are you asking if it is proper for the referee to call a match in such a way as the parents dont yell?

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

Absolutly not!! If the parents are effecting your ability to referee match have their coach deal with them. Do not let their crying pay off.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Loyal!?!?!?!? What do you mean? How about unethical? How about absolutely wrong? How about any referee doing this should not be refereeing.? Parents screaming can be dealt with in one of two ways, 1. Ignore them as they're wrong anyway, 2. Go to the coach and tell him/her that the parents have 5 minutes to stop this childish display or you're not restarting the game. If one or two parents are the main culprits, tell the coach that these parents have 5 minutes to leave the boundaries of the field and it's immediate area or you won't be restarting the game .

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Kevin,
surely you jest young man? There are matches where those watching are hell bent fixated on the referee being easily influenced or in favour of one team or another. Younger referees and inexperianced older ones often are run off the games from not having the back bone to overcome the crap from the touchline. The referee who would change decisions because of dissent has no business refereeing. A referee can on occassion be wrong and evidence to that effect might make itself apparant before the restart and a referee could change that restart or fix the problem. But to base a decision based on who yells the loudest is the same political garbage as the Middle East there is no winners only losers!
Cheers