Question Number: 15908

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 6/28/2007

RE: Competitive Under 16

Anthony Wright of Newmarket, Ontario Canada asks...

This question is a follow up to question 15894

Thank you Richard for your answer and putting me and my keeper at ease. The ref in question called both coaches over after the game and went into a rant about unsporting conduct and that he didn't give a foul to either keeper this time because both were doing it, but he wanted to let us know that in the future, the keepers should refrain from this practice. I would understand if anyone but the keeper was doing this because it would present an advantage to just call things in the box to put opponents off their game, but the keeper? I'm wondering, are the other players on the field allowed to call their own name when going for a ball to ward off teammates? Thanks again and keep up the good work refs.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Anthony,
Absolutely, putting a name to the ball is fine. As I stated earlier a referee needs only be concerned if the yelling and screaming is actually done to scare, startle, intimidate or otherwise unfairly affect an opponent. Comunication bewteen teammates is essential, when a player yells his name or even I got it or mine or send me , or wide , or square or pass or support he is communicating to his team mates . If we do these things to trick or decieve an opponent to give up the ball they are in my opinion unethical. Random screams of ear shattering noise to upset or sneaky pass it to me stuff when the opponent has ball possession as trickery is really what we are concerned with, more so than a name, a noun, a verb or an adjective as a communication device. As I said yelling Keeper so your teammates move out of the way is fine but if you yell it directly into the ear of the opponent who cringes and either stops his play or falls senseless onto the ground then the referee assesses why you did what you did differently. Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Just for fun you should give copies of our answers to your referee association. Sounds like a little training is necessary.

Regards,