Question Number: 24397

Law 5 - The Referee 12/3/2010

RE: Travel Under 10

Mary Crosbt of Harrisburg, PA USA asks...

At a recent U10 game, our team had possession of the ball and was moving toward the goal. It had been a rough game, and a lot of our girls who could normally take hard hits and get back up again were getting knocked down and out.

While the ref was watching play at the goal, one of our players took a hard hit, went down, and was not getting back up. The ref did not see this and the coach alerted him that a girl was down. The ref continued play. The coach and parents then began alerting the ref that a child was down; we had no idea whether the injury was 'serious', but we wanted someone to find out.

The ref yelled to us that we had the choice of scoring a goal or stopping play. We said we wanted to stop play.

When asking about the rule, the league has been pointing us to Rule 5 saying what matters is the refs opinion on whether the injury is 'serious', not ours. They are supporting the ref's decision to continue play until a goal was scored or play stopped.

Our opinion is that at this level (9 year old kids) to err on the side of caution - especially when the ref didn't see the hit - and stop play to attend to the player.

Are we absolutely wrong in thinking this? My thought is that with 9yos, it's the 'spirit' of the rule that counts and that there is more gray area when it comes to younger kids and injuries. Thoughts?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

At the younger ages we err on the side of caution when stopping play for injuries. Unless scoring a goal was imminent, the referee should probably stop play.

In your situation, you said that the ref didn't see the incident, so the following wouldn't directly apply. I have seen a supposed 'injury' to a player that I did not deem dangerous, and the player stayed on the ground for a few moments anyway. Perhaps embarrassed at the fall just taken, disappointed at losing the ball or just resting a while - but no injury. As the referee on the field nearer the incident, I had a better estimation of what happened than those on the sidelines. Of course I monitored the situation; if the player stayed down longer, I would have re-evaluated my opinion.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Mary
This happens the world over and the cause is, in my opinion, an unhealthy focus on competition. The comment by the referee of offering the choice of playing on with the opportunity of a goal or stopping for the injury proves the point. I as a referee have been berated by coaches & parents for stopping games on favourable playing situations when a young player is down on the ground. When I do this in these situations my experience and perspective allows me to deal firmly with any gripes that parents, coaches may have. For some referees though, they perhaps assume that it is not serious and allow play to continue rather than accept the gripes particularly when the young player jumps up and resumes playing oblivious to what has just transpired. In the vast majority of the times with very young players, as Referee Voshol has stated, the 'injury' is not serious. That is a decision that some referees take based on what they see.
What should not happen though is that play be allowed to continue on any head injury and play should always be stopped in those situations.
My advice is that both coaches should agree with the referee in advance of the game that play should stop for all players that are on the ground at ULittles. The referee will happily accede to that request.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

No, you are absolutely correct and anyone that signs on to referee 9 year olds should know better than to hide behind Law 5. Of course the referee makes the decision whether or not an injury is serious not the parents. But, anytime a 9 year old kid goes down any referee that doesn't stop play should rethink why he's a referee. Our FIRST and overriding responsibility is to the safety of the players whether they be 9,19, or 29. Almost any injury to a 9 year old should be considered serious until proven otherwise. For a referee to yell to the parents do you want a goal or stop play is one of the most horrendous breeches of responsibility I've heard in the many years on this site and elsewhere. If a coach has taught these young players to dive, well that's on the coach and whether he/she can sleep at night. If a 9 year old has taken a dive, it's a sad day but you still stop play. You also don't wait until a player 'takes a knee'. Where this nonsense got started I don't know but there are referees out there that will let a kid that has been hit in the face with an onrushing ball, bleeding and screaming and crying, wander around and won't stop play because the kid hasn't taken a knee.

If I sound like an overly cautious old man, good. Let me be crystal clear on this: it doesn't matter what the coaches, parents, players, or anyone else thinks. Those kids are YOUR responsibility as a referee and you should always stop play to assess ANY possible injury at this age group. To do anything else is a dereliction of your responsibility and you should never do games involving little kids

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

See Question: 24408