Question Number: 22356

Law 7 - Match Duration 10/25/2009

RE: Select Under 13

Todd of Stanwood, Washington United States asks...

At what age group does stoppage time begin? I have never seen it used in the youth soccer clubs I've been involed with until this weekend. The ref added 2 minutes due to the fact the home teams coach was given a red card and wouldn't leave. We the vistors were up 2 - 1 and in the last 30 seconds of play committed a foul in the box and they tied it up. I looked at my rule book and it doesn't mention a thing about extra time, so I a bit confused on this one.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

It is not extra time, it is added time. In Law 7, the Duration of the Game, the referee is given the power to add time for any time lost during the game for substitutions, injury, removal of injured players, wasted time or any other cause of lost playing time. All time added is completely at the discretion of the referee.

Added time is available at any age or skill level if the referee deems it necessary. I can tell you from experience that many new referees or inexperienced or lazy referees either do not know to add time for any lost, or are unsure as to how it works (and possibly, although I hope not - because they don't want to think about adding time - they want to be done).

The higher the skill level of the players, regardless of age, the better the chance a referee with the experience to know about added time will get the game and add time as required.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi
As Referee Maloney states the term is added time and the referee has discretion under the laws to make allowance in either period for all time lost through:
? substitutions
? assessment of injury to players
? removal of injured players from the field of play for treatment
? wasting time
? any other cause

In this case the fact that the coach would not leave, having been asked to do so, the referee was obliged to add on time for the time lost in this incident. He would have been incorrect not to do so as it used up valuable playing time. In many underage games they are played pretty smartly maybe with rolling subs, player don't waste time as they get on with the play and injuries are handled pretty quickly so there is never a great need to add on time.
I always say to players that the game is over when the referee blows the final whistle. I never had a winning team or coach ever ask me about the length of added time.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Many youth games are scheduled tightly back-to-back, so the local rules may discourage or even prohibit adding time to compensate for lost time. This is often found in tournaments.

I pay close attention to delays, especially if it's the team that's ahead that is delaying. However in many games, no matter how much time I would add on, it wouldn't make one bit of difference. If it's a 8-2 blowout, I will simply add a token amount of time, probably not enough for anyone to notice.

I wonder about the coach who was dismissed and initally refused to leave. I had such an incident a year or two ago and ended up abandoning the game. That was a fun time, let me tell you. All over a U12 coach who decided to disagree with the direction of throw-ins.