Question Number: 25178

Law 5 - The Referee 7/6/2011

RE: Select Under 15

Doug of Louisville, KY United States asks...

This question is a follow up to question 25165

Excellent advice all around. What I struggle with is when one team tolerates more than the other. Seems I would be calling fouls if player A1 fouls B2, but not if B3 fouls A4.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Doug
My advice is consistency in a game. Players notice even subtle non calls and if I call A1 then B3 get the same call. This is where the use of advantage comes in and if a stronger player wants to get on with play and it is to his advantage then by all means use it. Use the call and the signal to show that so that coaches, players understand that you have seen the foul.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Thanks.

Of course you can't call the game tighter for one team than the other. If one team seems to accept all levels of contact and the other wants everything called, you will have to come to some happy medium - and in reality no one will be truly happy.

But if you do see that one team, or that some individual players from either team, seem to accept more contact than others, there is something you can do. You can delay your calls to see if the player manages to 'work through' the harassment being given. If so, then you can apply advantage. This says that you recognize the foul action, but are not calling it because the team is better off if the game does not stop.