Question Number: 18040

League Specific 12/1/2007

RE: Adult

Melvin Hagerman of Colorado Springs, Colorado U.S.A. asks...

This question is a follow up to question 17990

Talk about crazy--Colorado has a rule in high school soccer that said if a team was 8 goals ahead, and they scored another, a player was sent-off. Not taken off voluntarily--SENT OFF!
I could easily imagine a situation where a team down 8 goals could force an abandonment if the lead got to 12 or 13 goals (thereby having the leading team down to fewer than seven players). Worse, the rule doesn't seem to have a way to allow players "back on" once the lead dropped back below 8 goals. Thoughts?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Melvin,
My real thoughts are actually unprintable!
Soccer is a game where one team actually tries to score a goal against the other. The fact that a stronger team scores more goals than a weaker team is a fact of life in competitive sports. If the results do not count or it is fun then stop and reshuffle the players into new teams to EVEN the skill level. Hold drafts in the preseason, rate players and then pick them into categories. The fact is some teams will be better. A weaker team benefits from playing stronger competition more so that the reverse. They see the skill and RAISE their level to compensate the deficiencies.

Select teams have tryouts, not all who do so make the grade is that not just a fact of who chooses sometimes as much as the talent or attitude and heart of the kids?
In Canada we cut OWEN HARDGRAVES from our select national team and he now plays for England?s NATIONAL team!! Those chosen play at various levels given their skill level and eventually find their competitive niche. Some must face adversity on their own, others have parents help out with the time, money and politics of commitments. Some bloom at a later date others are blessed with incredible co-ordination and physical attributes. ASK any winner and you will find that he was a loser at some place and time! It is how we learn and in what we learn by our actions that place fair play in our minds and hearts.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Yeah, but Colorado also employs the three whistle system for referees, so ---- enuff said.

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 18050