Question Number: 25304

Mechanics 8/13/2011

RE: Rec Under 10

John Lubeck of Livermore, CA USA asks...

Many years ago, I was coaching and my U16G team played a 'jazzed' team who beat us soundly. During the game, more than once, the excited players from the other team collided with our players off the ball. One of them was right in front of me, and I saw no intent or maliciousness in the face of the opposing player. We ended up sending one of our players to the urgent care facility from another collision on the ball. I was pretty sure it was a broken wrist, but fortunately it was not.

Now as a ref, I'm wondering for the fouls off the ball that the CR does not see - if the AR flags one but the CR does not see it for some time, what should happen?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

There are at least 3 things that should prevent the ref from seeing a flag for a long time:

1. Refs should train themselves to look at AR's - a lot
2. The opposite AR should mirror the flag
3. The AR should shout to the referee, 'Hey, JOHN!'

If eventually the referee accepts the AR's signal that an infraction has occurred, the game is 'wound back' to that point. The AR should keep the flag up until the referee acknowledges it, or until 'it doesn't matter any more'. For example, if the referee misses a signal for offside and the defense controls the ball and mounts a counterattack, the AR would put the flag down when the ball has been cleared out and play is going the other way.

Should the referee completely miss the signal and allow a restart for another reason, the moment to make the decision is lost and the AR must put the flag down. The only exception to this is if the AR was flagging for Violent Conduct, and the AR has kept the flag up.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi John
Good positioning by the referee will ensure that he has his lead assistant in view and that he has a large number of the attacking players in that view also. If he does not then he is not well positioned.
These off the ball incidents are always difficult to deal with and it is now becoming a feature of set plays with 3rd player blocks by defenders to impede a defender from challenging for the ball against the opponent he is marking.
Where the AR flags for an offence and it is not seen the AR should maintain the flag until it is or perhaps where play has moved on through another restart then he should lower it. In the case of violent conduct that must be dealt with at all times and the flag should never be lowered.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Welcome to refereeing! You should get in the habit early in your career to be glancing at your lead AR CONSTANTLY!! Run your diagonal so that your AR will always be in your peripheral vision. New referees make the mistake of trying to be too close to play. Not only do you not need to be where the ball is, if you are that close, you are missing most of the field of play and will invariably be caught out of position.

In your pregame, emphasize to both your ARs the importance of mirroring each other's calls. You should also tell your ARs that is for some reason you become brain dead and not only miss an ARs signal but are about to let play restart, the AR is to do whatever is necessary to get your attention before you let play restart if it's important. This includes yelling your name and running onto the field if need be because once you allow play to restart, you have lost the opportunity to act on whatever the AR has his flag in the air for.