Question Number: 15983

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 7/9/2007

RE: Select Under 13

Steve Kenton of Ames, Iowa usa asks...

It's been a few years, but when my daughter was U10 or so, this was a common occurrence:
Often, instead of playing a ball with their chest, younger players would bring their arms up, shielding their chest and playing the ball with their forearms tight against their chests. Many referees at that level would allow this (for safety's sake, I guess), but my contention was handling the ball is handling the ball and following their logic, they should be able to shield their heads with their arms instead of heading the ball.

The other parents thought I was a curmudgeon. Am I?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Steve,
as a fellow curmudgeon who cares what people think? Is not that what it takes to be a curmudgeon? LOL!

I do try and dissuade young ladies from actively bring up the arms to play the ball unless it is SOLEY done as an instinctive protective reaction. I prefer they turn and let the ball impact their side arm or back if they do not move out of the way. I also feel they must be not running into the ball using the forearms as a hard rebounding surface.

At the young ages we tend to be less officious about this but to be blunt I agree with you if the young players do not have the necessary skill and there is time to move out of the way they should do so rather than revert to deliberate handling. But it takes a harder heart than mine to punish for not knowing enough about what to do then simply cover up because they are scared!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

Players cannot handle the ball deliberately. Generally if the hand comes to the ball, then it is called...BUT NOT ALWAYS. Referees also must watch reaction time, position of hands, and other things. If the ladies were using their hands to move the ball, then it probably should have been called. On the other hands, if the ball accidentally touched hands.....then not.

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

I agree with Ref Dawson about this. With the youngest kids the ball hurts a lot more than it does when you're an adult (at least perceptually). If a kid reacts to protect herself we should probably give a little leeway.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Footballers of any age playing like this is deliberately handling the ball. It is learned from coaches who believe in myths. They do a disservice to young players by not teaching how to properly play the ball. I believe referees who fail to intervene also teach the myth and reinforce this is not foul play in the players minds.

At what age do we teach our children right from wrong? Before or after they go to jail or wind up in the hospital, or worse? Football is a Game that teaches team play, respect for Laws and allows young men and women an outlet for youthful exuberance. Always has been...

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Somewhere between u-little and the Women's National Team, this behavior stops. It is up to us as referees to encourage the players to play properly, regardless of age.

I'm not sure how much I'd say at a U10 game - and I usually don't see this until U12 anyway, when the girls begin to develop, and also when they begin to have a better sense of how to play and better skills. At U10 you more often see "duck and cover", which is entirely permissible as long as they don't direct the ball as they're attempting to hide from it.

By the time we get to U14, or younger ages in the Premier Leagues, I'll definitely be saying something to the girls. I simply tell them that if they have time to move their arms into position across their torso, they have time to think of a better way to play the ball, or time to duck out of the way. Their coach may have a preference for the former rather than the latter.

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 16010