Question Number: 20095

League Specific 9/28/2008

RE: All youth levels Other

Austin of Woodstock, Illinois USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 19550

As concerns Ref Fleischer's respons to Q# 19550, I have slightly expanded upon the points he made concerning technical area conduct, particularly The seven points requiring expulsion at the pro level.

My policy is very similar to what he listed, except it INCLUDES THE SPECTATOR AREA and adds one more expellable offense. I will reproduce it below. Deviations from Mr. Fleischer's response are in all capital letters for clarity.

'Any person in the TECHNICAL OR SPECATOR AREAS who performs any of the following acts will be expelled from the contest area and its immediate surrounds:

1. Leaves the technical area OR SPECATOR AREA to argue a point.

(NOTE: Where the specator area is not defined by the rules of the competition, I deem it to be no closer than 10ft/3.3m from the line.)

2. Throws ANY OBJECT in anger.

3. Kicks ANY OBJECT in anger.

4. Uses offensive, abusive, or insulting language and/or gestures.

5. Enters the field without permission.

6. Touches a referee or assistant referee in a manner unacceptable to that referee or assistant.

7. Continues a specific behavior after a warning not to do so.

8. COMMITS ANY ACT OF VIOLENCE.'

I've also added a compliance provision to the expulsion provisions. Its strict, but it gets the job done. I call it the 20 second rule. It works, trust me. I've never counted to twenty under this rule. Closest I ever got was 14.

20 seconds expulsion rule-- Failure to comply with an expulsion order within 20 seconds will result in additional measures being applied, including, without limitation, the possibility of forced removal by police authorities.

I have a 'No Termination Policy' on youth games, which is why I have the 20 second rule. My thinking is, why should the kids suffer (and not be allowed to continue) because a coach or parent is being idiotic? I stop the game, get rid of the problem by any and all lawful means necessary, and then continue. Simple as that.

The only time I will terminate a youth game is:

1. If it is unsafe to continue.

2. If I am physically unable to continue.

3. The person expelled is a coach, and there is no longer a licensed coach to supervise the team (and if the rules of competition require this)

Do you think I'm going too far? In high level competitive games I would probably terminate, but with youth I am more concerned with letting the kids play soccer.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

In my opinion this would make a good youth league policy - if the league wishes to give referees direct authority over spectators.

Absent that league authorization, I would be hesitant to implement it on your own. You simply do not have that authority.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Yes a proactive league no abuse policy with accountability and the guts to do the deed when it is required. Responsible behaviour all participants need to engage that concept so one guy is not holding back the gates on his own. I could suspend a match tempoarily to await police if it was required but those in attendance , those who sit and watch and do nothing are as guilty as the turds that do most things as passive consent condones the actions.
Cheers

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

See Question: 20120