Question Number: 19071

Character, Attitude and Control 5/13/2008

RE: All Other

Biff of Palatine, Illinois USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 19041

As follow up to my prior question and response to the panel, I submitted my query last week and before the esteemed panel could respond took an assignment of eight games at a local mid level tournament. With my teenaged sons as my AR's (who I would trust to handle every type of difficulty possible--because we have discussed them for the last four years at dinners, breakfasts, family events, and on the rides to all of their games in which they have played and for the games in which they, or I, were referee--this game is our passion!) we reffed eight games in two days and encountered the worst behaved coaches ever. We had discussed this situation at length and the need for tougher enforcement of the rules concerning coach misbehavior.

Out of eight games we ejected one coach, and verbally warned three others. Those who were warned were shocked and even embarrassed that their behavior warranted such an action by the referee. No one had told them that they had crossed the line and could only give tactical advice to their players, from the technical area. (Here is my response to Referee Fleischer.) And confronted with the choice to be quiet or to continue to rant or yell their dissent about foul calls from the isolation of the parking lot several fields away, and missing the next game as well, they got amazingly quiet. Except one and he was totally out of control.

This one even went nose to nose with my sixteen year old son serving as my AR, acreaming at him that he demanded an answer on why one ball going past the goal line resulted in a corner kick. He didn't want to hear that he should calm down and that he had no right to scream at the officials, and further had no right to any answer-- I am so proud of my son! (Of course he had a perfect view of the play from fifty to seventy yards away!) Seeing this altercation occurring I sprinted from about ten yards out from the goal line across the field to back him off. Without any question he was sent off.

When he continued to scream and misbehave while packing his bag I suggested he calm down and leave quietly. He continued screaming at me and my AR. I calmly suggested that perhaps we should have a police escort help him leave the area. And that's when he dropped the bomb. "I am a cop!" My retort? "Wouldn't it be a shame for you to need to explain to the local police why you have assaulted a minor, a referee, at a soccer match?"

You know what? Now that I am writing this I am getting a little perturbed that we didn't persue police action since his behavior was bordering on criminal behavior. The assignor was reffing a game next to ours and came over and said he would ensure that this coach would not return to coach the next game for that team. Perhaps this coach should be banned from the game. Who knows what he is preaching to the U14 boys he was training.

Just to give you a clearer picture of our experience, though, those four coaches were in two of our eight games, both hotly contested. The coaches in the other games may have made a comment or two, but usually as a result of a quick disappointing turn of events. Whichever of us was center would quickly respond to the dissenting yell from the coach and tell him that was enough. That usually worked. When it didn't, it is amazing how whistling the play dead and running over to bring the coach onto the field for a quick and to the point directive that he must not continue yelling out his dissent because against the LOTG, and that he is there as a role model for his players. And if he misbehaves they will misbehave. That works if done during the game, at the time of misconduct.

But you are right. Correcting them after the game is too late. By that time they think it's let bygones be bygones.

Again, sorry for the length, and thanks for your thoughtful responses that proved our experience at this past weekend's tournament.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Actually Biff a coach may do three things: occupy the technical area, give tactical instructions to his players AND act responsibly. Cite Law 3 International FA Board Decision 2 as the pertinent Law. You have my sympathy regarding the conduct of the local police and I, too, wonder why he was not arrested for assault. I wonder what'll happen to the next youth referee he disagrees with given he was not disciplined to the fullest extent of the law even though he was disciplined under the Laws of the Game.

Had I been the referee and my son the assistant when he did what he did I wonder if I would have been able to not physically protect him. Perhaps I would have been sent to jail. And I would have deserved it too.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

How wonderful it would have been to have a coach/police officer arrested at a youth soccer match! As both he should know better and imagine his embarrassment at getting arrested. Anyway, sound as if you did what was needed. Had others before you been doing their job, chances are ALL the coaches would have behaved better

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

One might suspect that this coach has developed a certain arrogance due to his job. He is used to being in a position of authority and getting his own way. When the tables are turned, he doesn't know how to act properly. It's similar to a line we often hear from coaches, "Well I'm a referee too, and ..." as they then proceed to tell you everything you have been doing wrong in their eyes. That can be responded to by saying, "Well coach, if you're a referee too, you know the consequences of not behaving in a responsible manner." Sometimes that quiets them down; other times it takes an early walk to the parking lot to get them to shut up. You didn't say how long the coach took to clear up his things and leave; perhaps a reminder that if he wasn't gone in a very short while the game would be terminated would speed him up.

I'm glad to hear the assignor of this shindig supported you and your sons. Some tournament staff treat this strictly as a money-making proposition in which they cannot tick off the paying customers - the teams - and so they will not back up referee decisions.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Coaches are often the combination of a former player, now parent who have taken a referee course. They have formed opinions about the game and what they were allowed to get away with and to a certain extent seen as acceptable far too long. I recall coaching, watching the referee thinking I can do better than that. The interesting thing is at some point was there a coach watching me thinking the same thing? Quite likely. It takes a large dose of humble pie and the courage to admit one is wrong to learn from the experiance of reflection and opposing points of view. You can cut a guy only so much slack from been there done that situations. We need to set the bar for responsible and acceptable standards in PLAIN sight for ALL to see. Integrity is a much overworked word in this line of work but no one does this job well without it!
High 5 to you and your sons!
Cheers

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

See Question: 19305