Question Number: 18000

League Specific 11/25/2007

RE: Rec Under 19

Peter of Stockton, CA USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 17990

In a recent tournament, we had a rule that would disqualify a team if they scored more than 5 goals than their opponent. Team A was up by 5 goals, when people on the sidelines started shouting for Team B to score an own goal, which would then put Team A out of the running. Luckily it never happened but I am wanting to stop this from happening in future years. I would appreciate any comments people have that would prevent this from happening?

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Peter, what an awful rule! Be sure to tell your tale to the tournament honchos, and make it clear how unfair it is for the losing team to put the other team out of the tournament with such shenanigans - best if in writing. You might also consider involving your state youth board - however that is set up, and/or your state youth referee administrator. I hope you do not wish to referee under such unfair restrictions on the teams in the future - and then won't.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Peter,
in my opinion this rule is plain idiocy. If it is in the interest of fair play then those who implement this rule have no idea what fair play stands for. There must be within the character of all participants both in the desire to win and in the spirit of any match a willingness to embrace the concept of sportsmanship.
You do not legislate character!
The rule COULD say no more than 5 goals difference will be supported in the goals for and against column so that the need to run up a score to advance over another opponent in the pool is unnecessary.
Losing a match 5 to 0 in the first 15 minutes and watching the opposition then play keep away for the remainder of the match is FAR more discouraging then trying to stop a better team from scoring at will.
Kids can benefit from the play of their opponents by learning just what it takes to have the superior skill set to continue in this game. Coaches will recognize that they can in fact beat up on certain teams and may well change their line ups . Evolve different strategy. They may choose to remove players or ask that those who might never have scored to be set up.

A lopsided score simply means the skill set of one team dominated the other. That is a fact of life w. You get better by playing against superior opponents. It is in the attitude and conduct of those playing that is the real issue! If there is teasing, or flaunting or actions that deliberately try to embarrass the less skilled team. THAT is the conduct we wish to STOP. THAT is the attitude that must be stopped and it is the winning coach's responsibility not to permit it or the referee to allow it to pass unsanctioned!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Ahh, the law of unintended consequences strikes again. Those who wrote the tournament rules were concerned with teams not feeling bad about themselves. So they create a rule that could cause a good winning team to be tossed out based on the poor sportsmanship of the opponent.

There was a game back in 1994 between Barbados and Grenada in the Shell Caribbean Cup. Barbados had to win by at least 2 goals to advance in the tournament; else Grenada would advance. There was a bizarre rule that in the event of a tie, the game would go into sudden death overtime and the team that scored first would be credited with a 2-0 win. Barbados is ahead 2-1 in the closing moments of play, and decides they would have a better chance at scoring in the overtime period than trying for another goal to make it 3-1. So they scored an own goal making it 2-2. Grenada then decided to try to score an own goal so that they would lose, but only by 1. The last few minutes of the game were spent with Barbados attempting to defend both goals, and Grenada attempting to score in either one! (Barbados ended up scoring in overtime to advance.)

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

All this means is the tournament committee is looking out for the feelings of the poor little children who do not have the benefit of skills, a skilled coach, parents who support their efforts to better themselves, being members of the best gang, being rich and all the other things that go along with being politically correct. Bollix, bollix, bollix. Isn't this just absolutely wonderful, being penalized for being better. What about increasing their taxes as well...

What ever happened to benefiting from skill and being better than your opponents? If the tournament committee wants to put an artificial lid on "goals for" just don't count those above a specific number. Don't penalize excellence and allow excellence to harm a team, that's ludicrous.