Question Number: 22973

Law 5 - The Referee 3/21/2010

RE: Select/School Under 15

Just a Parent of Middle, TN US asks...

This question is a follow up to question 22960

I can grasp the idea of setting the bar based on skill level, but may I ask a couple of follow ups?

a. How do refs determine the skill level to judge by? Is it by the team or individually? My daughter's team for example has several who would rather ride the foul and go for the advantage instead of getting the call, yet there are others who need a ten yard head start and their right foot to kick the ball.

b. If the two teams are significantly different in skill, do you set the bar differently for them? Seems almost no win here. Call differently and you'll get 'call it the same both ways.' Call it too tight and the skilled team wants 'let us play.' Call it too loose and the less skilled team wants more fouls. How do you set the bar?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi
I set the bar for the age group, expected skill level not by individual teams or players. If two team are poorly matched in skill levels that is of no concern to me and I simply referee the game based on the age group. Referees get a sense of those players that want to play on and take the advantage. The referee tries to faciltate that depending on whether it is appropriate or not.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Parent, you are correct that two teams of different abilities and expectations cause the referee problems in deciding how the game should be played. Call too much, and the more physical team will cry, 'Let us play!' Don't call enough, and the other team will claim you're not protecting them and the game is getting out of hand. In that case, the referee will have to rely on experience with other games of that age and league level.

Sometimes teams will surprise the referee. You think you know what kind of game you will have, and both teams seem to want to play more physically - so you let them. Other times both teams will be complaining about the smallest bumps. You think - wimps! - but call the game tighter the way they want it.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Sometimes, the referee referees two games within a game. It's hard to do, but possible. If one team likes to play through tough challenges (and has the skill to do so) and wants advantage, the referee can allow that. If the opposing team likes to play a more touch/skill kind of game, and hates the physical stuff or too much advantage when they have set plays for free kicks, the referee can adjust the calls for that team to let them show their skills without unfair interference. Both teams get to play hard and play fair.

Can every referee do this? No, of course not, and it's not fair to expect it. But when it does happen (I've seen it and done it), both teams generally come by and compliment the referee on a job well done - amazingly, they do actually know what was going on. It's great fun, exhausting and very satisfying. It is the game at it's best.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

As players get older, youth teams will have players with a wider range of skills, and one of the challenges for the referee is to identify the level of play and adjust not just of the team, but of the different players. Soccer is often a series of challenges between two individual opponents, and their supporting teammates. The player with the lesser skills may cheat (aka foul) to deal with the imbalance in speed, control, size, or position.

Players themselves will provide the best clues about what they want called and what they can and want to play through. The referee needs to observe both the fouls and the players' (the individuals involved and their teammates) reactions. She may call the foul in favor of player X, but give player Y the opportunity to play through and show her skills for the same kind of foul. This ability to recognize and adjust is a key item in the referee's advancement in the art of refereeing.

The team's playing style is also a factor. One the of most difficult challenges I find on the field is between two equally matched teams in terms of skill, but have radically different styles. An aggressive and physical team has very different expectations than one that plays possession and finesse. The referee may need to look to what is fair withing the general age group since the two teams will have greatly different approaches to what is a fair challenge.

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

See Question: 22993