Question Number: 22161

Law 5 - The Referee 10/5/2009

RE: Rec Under 13

Bob of St. Louis, MO USA asks...

Refs did a nice job on a recent game with one oddity. They kept telling my players to go get the ball for the other team on the other team's throw-ins, corners, goal kicks. Now, I have always instructed my girls to get the ball if it is our ball and to get in the right positions if it is the other team's ball. The first time it happend, I didn't hear the ref, so I told my player not to get the ball in the future but to get in position instead. She said 'but the ref told me to.' I said, ok, then do what he says. (I didn't think it was worth getting into a discussion with the ref during the game.)
FYI, it was never an issue the other way, because my girls always go to get the ball themselves to speed the restart...

I'd like to tell the ref coordinator that the pair did a great job making calls, but I don't think this is appropriate for them to do, but want to make sure I'm on solid ground first.
Thanks a lot.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Some referee's have this idea that the team kicking the ball out of play are doing it to delay the game and they want the defending team to retrieve it as punishment! If he was equal in he demanded it from the other team on yours he could delude himself he was engaged in FAIR PLAY but in my opinion the referee is overstepping his authority here and along with the good of his efforts a remark about this oddity should be included to the league

Tactically the referee cannot prevent teams from kicking the ball out farther than we might wish or is necessary. Given multiple game balls could solve this someone still has to retrieve balls into the bush. In tournaments we often hire local youth to retrieve these balls!

The referee cannot arbitrarily order an opposing player to retrieve it only add time to make up if the delay is excessive. In honesty there are teams that will deliberately and with great purpose hammer the ball into the Toolies or across some valley or down a hill or into the local nearby pond. I had a keeper angle the ball out across a stream that required somebody getting wet to retrieve to unless they went 200 yards down to the bridge first. He thought it funny until I told him that next time he would be retrieving the ball or face being cautioned for bringing the game into disrepute.

In fact the laws highlight the possibility of USB when a team that does not have ball possession actually try to get possession and get the ball to the restart point in an effort to hurry things along can create friction between the teams.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Was your team behind at the time the ref was issuing this instruction? Perhaps the ref thought that if you wanted to minimize delays in the restart, you should hustle after the ball instead of waiting for the other team that was leading to take their merry old time getting it.

The better solution is to encourage the other team to not delay. The referee should first fiddle with her watch (to make them think time has stopped). If that doesn't work, note that time is being added: 'Girls, I'm adding time. The longer you take to get the ball, the longer we all will be here.' Of course if the league authority prohibits adding time because they schedule too many games on the field, there's nothing the ref can do to alleviate the problem short of cautioning for delay.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

It is odd. Although usually not a problem in GU13, it actually can be a problem when the team not in possession grabs the ball for a throw-in, corner, or goal kick. It can lead to confrontations. I'm usually asking the team not in possession to leave the ball alone, so I'm not sure what was the referee's objective. Perhaps the referee believed that this would be productive in keeping the game moving quickly.