Question Number: 29455

Mechanics 5/31/2015

RE: Intermediate Under 13

Phil of Tarzana, CA United States asks...

This question is a follow up to question 29452

I recall several questions where the advice was to delay, & not call or signal advantage, in the penalty area. However, I was unaware that if you do call or signal advantage (anywhere on the field), you shouldn't say 'Play on'. i.e. the call isn't 'Advantage, play on'.

Remembering that I usually referee 9-12 year olds, I usually hear an immediate uproar on the sidelines if there is a foul in the penalty area & I haven't signaled advantage. In fact, I know one experienced referee that tells parents before the game that they shouldn't start yelling when there's a foul & that he may be waiting to see if there's an advantage.

I want to get the mechanics right. Even with younger players, you should NOT call or signal advantage in the penalty area? And if you signal & call advantage anywhere, should you later say 'Play on' when the advantage is squandered?

Thanks for all the advice.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

'Play on', 'Advantage' or both are the verbal signals that should accompany your visual outswept arms when you are invoking advantage.

Perhaps you are remembering that you shouldn't say 'Play on' when you mean it wasn't a foul? 'Play on' should be reserved for advantage, but all too many referees use it to mean, 'Nothing there, not a foul, keep going.'

I agree that at younger ages you may not want to verbalize it. You say anything at that age, and many of the kids will stop playing and turn to you to see what you're saying.

Advantage should not be signaled in the penalty area. Rather, wait and see and if a goal is not scored immediately (like 2 seconds) then whistle and go back for the foul and PK.

And you're right, parents of the younger players want that whistle blown as soon as Jason or Jennifer are tripped, if not before. I'm not sure how we can get them to understand the concept of advantage. I saw one explanation related to pointy-ball football recently: 'I'm declining the penalty for you.' Clever. I wish I could remember who posted it so I could give credit where due.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Phil,
hard to drop old habits I was taught that if I am signalling advantage there is a start, a middle, and an end.
ADVANTAGE is verbalized called out first. I saw the foul
ARM SWEEP follows the time advantage is evaluated. I am looking
PLAY ON! advantage realized , arms dropped! I am satisfied

Play on is NOT to be used to entice players to keep playing UNLESS it was a FOUL. The closest I come is, Play the whistle!
For me thought as a habit it is DIFFICULT for me to break, it might not be the best habit, perhaps yelling out and arm signalling advantage is what is currently in favour, leaving the words ...play on... to be used elsewhere on the FOP.

I believe in the referee and coach to be in teaching mode for youth I go over such concepts in pregame. To introduce the advantage concept is to also explain that when little Johnny is tripped, play is not going to stop. There is an age/skill level that is required before this practise of not stopping for injury or awarding an advantage is best not applied to the letter of law but within the skill set and comprehension of those playing. I also teach these concepts to the touchlines especially at tournaments . To promote information as a benefit to help parents understand the LOTG. Exclusion of knowledge benefits no one. A simple hand up, Relax people, lets see what happens, calms many if they are understanding why you do what you do.

Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi
In the situation where there is no offence some referees may shout some advice to the players.
In the situation where there is a foul and the referee wants to play advantage he should shout ADVANTAGE loudly and raise his arms. The important part is that players clearly recognise the difference between encouraging play to continue in the no foul situation and the advantage call. For instance if PLAY ON is used in the no foul situation it is not a good idea to use PLAY ON ADVANTAGE in the foul situation. I simply shout ADVANTAGE at the top of my voice and with all good advantage situations the play on part should be happening anyway. If advantage is squandered I do not say anything other than perhaps respond to a moaning player with You had the advantage.