Question Number: 18202

Law 4 - Players Equipment 1/3/2008

RE: Select and Comp Other

Jay Ramey of Sacramento, CA USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 18130

Just a word of advice I received from an "seasoned" coach. Every team needs a goalie jersy...make sure it is made up of wild colors...that way no one will match.

Second, when you ref, keep an extra penny and/or goalie jersy in your bag. Until the players get paid to play...it is recreational (just others play better competition). When you get paid to play (I did in a different sport), I expect the letter of the law. When we are talking about u10's ...a little common sense, U19 we can be more stringent.

As a board member knowing the finances, I would ask each and everyone of you to ask for the statements...you may be surprised at how much is done with so little. We have club fees, league fees, district fees, state fees, field expenses, referee expenses, balls, uniforms, nets, goals, office space...yada, yada.

If you are playing competition A level...you should know better...Recreational u16...we are lucky to even have a coach.

I think the big issue here is, the referee made an earlier decision and then did not stick with it. Consistency is important.

As a coach of two teams, board member, (new) referee, in an area that we have played soccer in 107 degree weather on turf...

Well I guess I do not need to complain. Once I told the referee it was o.k. to put his t-shirt on -- 107 degrees at 3:30. Is it agains the rules...yep. But is it common sense...yep.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Jay you need to think just a moment about what you're saying --Think U-10's and the size differential between you and the keepers. Who is going to mix up you guys? Think about where each goalkeeper is usually positioned, in their goal area right? Who will mix up the keepers even if they wear the same jersey with the same mud spots?

This part of Law 4 is something we can let slide until there is the chance of the keeper and referee merging and being the same size or the two keepers standing in the same goal area. Until them it isn't something we need to get our collective knockers in a twist about. Sure "seasoned" coaches have an answer for everything and for the most part that is going to suit them just fine. But, try and get that "seasoned" coach to offer his extra keeper's jersey to the other side and see how far you get. Yeah, purchase and carry a keeper's jersey in your kit or keep a penny in your kit -- but only do so after you have long and short of the five colors US Soccer seems so intent in all of us buying. The $50 outlay for each color and sleeve length amounts to just $500 or so bucks so it ain't no big thing to some of us to shell out another $20-$30 to placate the Law.

Or, you might want to do what some folks do, check before the match and see what color each keeper wears and if it is yellow make them change before the day of the match... That is what the thinking board of directors in a youth league might consider. Then the problem goes away before it happens.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Hi Jay. As Ref Fleischer points out, we already have a small fortune tied up in uniforms and many of us don't want to spend another $30 or so on something that's really none of our business. For the record, I do carry extra shirts for AR's and keepers and have on occassion carried water and sports drinks for players as it's amazing how many parents send their child to a game in Georgia in May with a 12 oz bottle of Gatorade and nothing else! That said, it's NOT the responsibility of the referee to provide uniforms and refreshments for players.