Question Number: 17452

Mechanics 10/22/2007

RE: U-8 AYSO Under 8

Scott of Huntington Beach, CA USA asks...

Hi,

I'm a fairly new ref, and I think I missed an opportunity for a "teachable moment" recently. During a Under-8 girls game, one girl (who happens to be the best player on her team) kept complaining about being pushed, especially by a particular girl on the other team.

While there was some physical play, I didn't see pushing, so I didn't call anything. (I might have miss a push when my view was obscured.)

Just before halftime, these two girls were competing for the ball and the first girl angrily yelled "Stop pushing!" at the other girl. I blew the whistle for the half, and let the girls go to their respective sides. But in retrospect I wish I had stopped them and briefly said something, perhaps explaining what is and what isn't pushing or just saying "Stop whining!" (though perhaps phrased more diplomatically).

Would you have said something to them, and if so what?

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Scott you have to teach yourself foul recognition in your fairly new referee days. You do this by calling everything you see! Everything! You do this until you figure out which player accepts what as fair play. When doing a girls match and a player tells you something is happening YOU have missed something! Watch closer, you might even find she is the one initiating the pushing. Get closer, take a different angle to view that player as she approaches an opponent. Teaching moments happen after stopping the match for foul play, when you see something you can discuss it much better. If you're guessing the players will know it and there goes your credibility.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Somewhere between U8 and U14, the players learn the difference between a push and a fair charge. The latter is done shoulder-to-shoulder, as close as possible given the relative sizes of the players, when challenging for the ball that is in playing distance. Sometimes a charged player will fall over - this is leverage and gravity, not a foul. When the arms are no longer down at the side, you need to start calling the pushes and holds. You do this, as Ref Fleischer says, until you get a feeling for what players accept as trifling, and then you can start letting some of the lesser stuff go without a call.

That's not to say that some older player won't complain when he is fairly charged off the ball. He sees it as his duty to try to get a call made in his favor. Don't fall for that ploy.

The parents take a bit longer to learn, so you will continue to hear, "Don't let her push you like that!" or "Push back if he's [the ref] going to let him push you!" Ignore those comments unless they end up fanning the flames of retaliation between players.

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

This was a U8 game. In my opinion, the referee is more a teacher at this stage. I probably would have had a talk with her at some moment. Since it was close to the half being over..probably right after the half whistle blew. Sometimes players get overly emotional and forget what fair play is. At U8...players may not know the difference between fair play and what is a foul.