Question Number: 15957

Mechanics 7/6/2007

RE: Competive College

John Metz of Aurora, Indiana USA asks...

Could you led me to some information on the difference between officiating a womens match and a mens match.
Thanks

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Although the laws are applied the same, there are some tolerance and application issues. I find women recreational players again differ from highly competitive women in the latter tolerate a greater degree of physical play and fewer issues with protecting their breasts in an illegal fashion. Many women by this stage accept they can in fact chest a ball down and do not immediately place their arms to cover up when playing the ball.

While men?s play the physical stuff seems to be worse at recreational play as generally the timing and fitness is lacking to the degree of effort in controlled challenges and play.

In either condition be it men or women?s call it relatively tight at first and try to get a sense of their skill and ability. Remember what you perceive as doubtful or trivial they might not! Watch the eyes, listen for reactions and reading body language really is key in whether they are tolerating what goes on or will rage against it at some point.

In a women?s match I displayed a yellow card and cautioned this player for persistent infringement. She was not a truly vicious player simply clumsy, a step on the foot or an elbow in the in the side and while no foul was truly reckless the opponents were likely to retaliate. You can only say careful or watch yourself or you need to stop this before the caution is the only way to make that point and warn a final time your petulance for continually fouling to get to the ball will offer you early shower time! The opposing team captain later said my card was displayed none too soon as their team had a generally held feeling of lets get that b.i.t.c.h.

In a men's match the first tackle was a reckless out came yellow at 3 minute 15 seconds to the home team. They played under this illusion that you could get away from a caution if you ran at the opposition in the first few minutes as no referee wants to show cards so quickly. I showed a red card at about the 7 th minute against the away team for a a slide tackle directly from behind that sent the opponent in a body flip summersault. They were the only two cards in the match!

Yet in another men's match I wound up showing seven red cards and about 14 yellows. I recall being told I could not referee like that and I replied no, you can not play like that if I am refereeing.

I would advise against any sexual references or cutesy terms or words or actions of a suggestive nature. Yes there are ladies who will not find a bit of banter offensive but try to be professional and treat the ladies as if the game MEANS something and is fun to be there.

Do not feel because the caliber may be less than you think it should that you treat the fouls or misconduct any less severe. To not take the women?s game seriously is a huge mistake! Winning is something that EVERYONE likes to do!

I tend to communicate to verbally the players perhaps more than my peers and offer support and encouragement especially at the recreational levels. That is the nature of my personality though and not all are comfortable with that degree of interaction I have found that the ladies respond well to an official who genuinely is happy to be there and knows the laws of the game well enough to let something?s slide and tighten down on others.

I refuse to do matches though where jewelry is permitted but expect the ladies who play to monitor that themselves and tell them I am not a meat inspector you know jewlery is not permitted so remove it if I see it you could be cautioned but you will be sent off to remove it before you could continue playing!.
Given those who wear toe rings and belly rings with studs in places I can not even mention publicly if it is out of my sight I certainly have no intentions looking for it!

Hopefully my colleague Debbie Hoelscher can add her perspective. I am curious if she feels she is treated differently by either sex as an official?

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

At the college level there is really not all that much to say. I think women offer a more technical kind of Football whereas men tend to run at each other. Women will get a lot more tired and a lot sooner if there is very tight marking, it is an in my space kinda thing. Men will trash talk when close together, so you can hear it going on. Women just get all unhappy having another very close by.

Men and women tend to guard and protect different areas of their bodies just make sure protecting is protecting and not some excuse to handle the ball. Very skilled women will not appreciate you giving a foul you wouldn't give a man so watch for the go to player and play off an advantage where possible.

There is tiny little thing that happens with women from time to time. You won't see it coming and for the most it won't be your fault but when it happens you'll wonder what the crap you could have done to prevent it. What happened will be impossible for you to see because it might have happened two or three years ago and it was just time for paybacks. You'll me in the middle of a beautiful match just running around grinning and having fun -- kapowie, kaboom, crap -- where in God's name did that come from. Well it happens just like that! Men will kill each other that instant, women let it fester a couple years, then out of the blue it happens on your park.

Regards,