Question Number: 15264

The Technical Area 4/24/2007

RE: Competive Under 17

JB of River Grove, IL USA asks...

This may be more of an example of bad coaching than a question however it is something I have not seen before.

I attended a large tournament with close to 20 fields laid out fairly close to each other. In a U-17 competitive match a coach was presented first with a yellow and then quickly with a red for abusive language directed at the center referee. After being threatened with a forfeit if he didn't leave the field he promptly walked one field over, about one hundred yards away, and called his assistant coach on a cell phone. He then directed the rest of the game by cell phone. It was obvious to the spectators what was happening but the referee staff either didn't know or ignored the situation.

What is the proper course of action? I cannot imagine this comes up very often but this was something I had no experience with.

Thank you in advance.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Proper course? First, no cards are to be shown to coaches and I don't care if the tournament called for it or not. This is NOT something local authorities are allowed to modify. Second, when a coach is expelled he is expelled from the surroundings and is most certainly NOT allowed to coach by cell phone. If the referee saw this he should have told the assistant coach to stop and also tell the coach he had a choice, he left the environs and go to the parking lot or the game would not be restarted and let the tournament officials handle this fool. ACtually, precisely this happened to a coaching friend of mine when he tried to coach by cell phone. The center referee put a quick end to it.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Report him to the tournament authorities. He may be finding himself a bit farther than 100 yards away from the field - like maybe on his way home. When someone is send off (dismissed for coaching staff) they are to have no further participation in the game. Out of sight, out of sound. We only make exceptions for youth who cannot be sent away unsupervised.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

A member of the technical staff who is expelled from the technical area must leave the field and its surrounds and take no further part in the match. Those who do should face further disciplinary sanction.

By-the-way, it is my opinion those sanctions should include practice sessions as well. And that opinion doesn't amount to a hill of beans on the broader scope of things...

Regards,