Question Number: 21719

Mechanics 7/30/2009

RE: Title XI games High School

Albert Leutwyler of Eastport, NY United States asks...

I will be a ref this coming fall season. Keeping time, should I start the clock counting down the 40 minutes to zero or the other way around? I've been told that many refs wear two watches, how are the two watches being used?

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

It really doesn't make a difference if you count down or count up. My watch vibrates when it hits 45min going up, but I don't have the same setting in countdown mode. Other watches I've had have beeped when they count down to 0.00min, but not when counting up to 45min.

From a practical perspective, counting down may make it a little easier when players ask you how long is left, but that's about it. Really, it doesn't matter.

Ref's will wear 2 watches in case one watch fails - which makes sense. How are you to know when your battery gives out?

Also, in games where stoppage time is played, most refs will stop and start one watch but leave the other running. This is so if they forget to restart the main watch, the backup watch is still keeping track of 'regular' time, and they can then take a rough guess as to how much time to add on. Very wise practice - my watch keeps 2 times on the one screen, and I have often forgotten to restart my watch after stoppage time.

Considering how cheaply you can pick up a basic watch with a stopwatch from any department store, there's no excuse to not have a 2nd watch - and I highly recommend it if your matches have stoppage time, or if your main watch has large buttons that are easily pressed by accident.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Keeping time in high school is normally done on a stadium clock, unlike out on the soccer fields for USSF or AYSO games. You can't add time in HS - 40 minutes is 40 minutes. The difference is you can stop the stop the stadium clock for certain circumstances, including when the referee feels it is necessary. Mostly, it's after goals, when a card is issued, for injuries.

As for regular soccer games, Ref Wright's advice is good. Two watches are always better than one. I do not recommend using any mode that makes a beep when time is up - turn it off. Players stop playing, coaches get antsy, and the end of the game gets messy. So silly, when when all you have to do is keep your watch from sounding an alarm.

Ah, and remember the halves in any game, including HS can have varying lengths depending on the age group playing. Many of the junior varsity squads hereabouts play 35 minute halves.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

I have one watch counting up and one counting down.

I don't like to do arithmatic during the match. When I record that a goal or caution occurred in the 22d minute, I look at the count up watch to figure how much time elapsed. When someone asks how much time is left, I look at the count down watch. My countdown watch vibrates so that I am the only one who knows when it reaches zero. (This is particularly helpful when another member of the referee team is keeping the official time.)

US High school rules are different than most of the world regarding time. In high school, the official clock counts down, and the referee is to 'stop the clock' on various events rather than just add time. In my area, they don't use the stadium clock so referees keep time on the field. I've found there is a grave risk whenever I stop a watch that I might at the end not restart it correctly. So, I always keep one watch running.