Question Number: 16414

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 8/24/2007

RE: Competitive Under 15

Dave of Portland, OR USA asks...

I would like some advice on dealing with retaliation. It seems that fouls often start with something "trifling" but then they build and I would like to deal with these situations better. How would you respond if player A hold her arm in front of B to keep her back. So B puts her arm in front of A and pushes her a bit. Now A impedes B. B grabs A's shoulder....

Any advice on where to draw the line between trifling and a foul you need to whistle? Is your decision affected at all by the fact that a foul is in retaliation for a minor foul??

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

I encounter exactly what you describe in virtually every girls game I referee. As soon as either player starts to use her arm I say in one of my more authoritative voices, "watch the hands both of you". If this doesn't work the nexy player that does this gets a whistle for holding. You are correct if the playrs feel foul play is occurring they wil take matters into their own hands if you do nothing to stop it. On the other hand, I'd caution you to watch the players closely. If they are both going at each other equally and neither seems to be complaining by either word or action, let them have at it.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Dave, sometimes it is beneficial to start out a game, especially with players who don't know you, calling all, or most, of the silly offenses you see, along with any major things - in short anything that could escalate now or later (especially in women's games). Remember that what may seem to you as a "minor foul" may be a major thing for them - and it is their game. Read their faces and body language. Let them know you recognize the offenses, and then help them set a level of play they seem comfortable with before you go deciding something is trifling or not. It usually doesn't take even ten minutes for everybody to get the message, and for the game to settle into a flow. If they start to grumble "Let us play, ref!" you've probably got them settled, and can let go a bit. Since we're not doing the top amateur level, MLS or international games, we can practice figuring out how to set the level in a game, until we get there.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Dave, as referee you must remember that what is trifling to you may not be trifling to the player it is happening to. You must recognize these things instantly and "check in" with the player it is happening to to determine if the player wants it to be left alone. Trifling means what happened doesn't matter to either the situation or to the match.

I would start by calling the first offense and then asking the player if she would rather you play advantage or have a free kick. The answer "let us play" means she has the skill to ride the foul and it is trivial to HER! If she says "thanks" that means the free kick won is super and SHE liked it!

Here you as referee are armed with information you didn't have before asking. THAT gives you a priori knowledge as to her desires the next time she gets whatever done to her! This is a good thing to have on any match. When you have this level of knowledge for every player on the park you will be a superior referee.

To gain this amount of knowledge the referee must be able to recognize fouls, speak with the players and find out what they want, remember who wants what AND apply that knowledge to any situation that presents itself that day. The referee must know what the definition of trivial and doubtful offenses are and what he should do when he is presented with one. [See Advice to Referees on the Laws of the Game, 2007 edition, paragraph 5.5 when published]

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

I will add to my colleagues EXCELLENT answers. Try talking to the players. Tell her to please put her hand down. Or just say "NO FOUL LADIES". Perhaps set the tone early on so that you have less of the minor holds going on during the game.