Question Number: 31508

Other 5/3/2017

RE: Competitive Under 13

Aaron Speca of Virginia Beach, VA United States asks...

This question is a follow up to question 31493

Sorry it took me some time to get back here to read your answers to the question :)

With regards to the size differential ... unfortunately this was a situation where the tournament only accepted 24 teams at the U13 age group and our team (the smaller player's team) was the 25th U13 team to register, so the choice was either withdraw and get the money back or move up to U14. So the size variance which already exists in players that age was even MORE pronounced in this tournament and most of the players on the opponents' teams were significantly taller. To come out of that match with a draw was really a positive result. (Just to defend the coach's decision to go ahead and play in this tournament a bit - the other earlier spring tournament that the boys were to play in had already been cancelled and the coach really wanted to get the team in some game situations after not having played since November. I can see the pros and cons of that decision. As it is, the first three weeks of league play after this were also cancelled for weather/field conditions so it has been a rough go getting any games in at all.)

But to the question that you asked regarding the result of that particular play, the whistle was blown to tend to an injured player and the restart was a drop ball. Perhaps you are right and the CR's angle gave him a view that showed him that it was the ball to face and not the knee to face.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Aaron,
no one has a lock on everything all the time. We all hope those in charge are full value for the necessary characteristics of integrity, compassion, awareness, courage, effort and knowledge that the job of officiating requires. I have no issues with the referee making the decision as nothing in the video shows anything else as a definite circumstance! His match his decision his reputation is fine by me!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Aaron
High performance coaches will always advise players and teams to focus in on what they can control. Too often players start concentrating on refereeing decisions rather than focussing in on getting on with play. Poorer sides lose concentration and discipline. Players can get excited about a throw in, free kick going the wrong way when many times from the restart the ball gets turned over.
So for me such decision are ITOOTR, made in good faith from his angle of view and what he perceived.