Question Number: 25316

Law 7 - Match Duration 8/16/2011

RE: Select Under 14

Marty Watkins of Rocklin, Ca Placer asks...

At a recent U14 game ( our third game of the day) the Adult Center Ref wanted to start our 2:00 game early. The time was 1:52 and I was just giving my team final instructions and the lineup. He whistled for our team to come out. We were not ready for the early start. He whistled again. I explained the two hour mandatory rest period per tournament rules dictate a 2:00 start. He said he was in charge and he was starting the game. I continued to give my kids the lineup and he continued to whistle for us to take the field. We were forced to start early. Who sets the rules on the start time...can the Center deviate from the start or are the Tournament Rules per CYSA the final say. A testy start to a game.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

A Very testy way to start the game!! Start times are set by the Tournament Committee or whatever regulatory body is in charge. The referee never sets the starting time of a match. When referees are assigned a match, they are given the start time. They may wait a specified amount of time per contest rules if a team doen't show up for the game, but I have never heard of a referee starting a game early. If there was a mandatory 2 hour rest period per tournament rules and this referee did not adhere to it, then he acted inappropriately.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Marty
If the game was to start at 2:00 then that is the time it starts at and that time is set by the competition organisers. That includes having the coin tossed and the players in position to kick off at the appointed time.
I have encountered on many occasions situations where teams are not ready to start at the appointed time having taken longer to warm up, organise lineups, give match instructions etc. In some situations I have felt it was done deliberately to frustrate the opponents. That can be frustrating particularly when one is there early and ready to go at the appointed time.
You do not mention the other team's attitude to this request nor their position on the field of play at this time? Would it make a difference if the referees were already chastised by the competition organisers for not starting on time with the schedule running behind?
The lesson here is to have all the match preliminaries out of the way well before kick off so that it does not arise creating as you say a testy start.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Perhaps the referee's watch and your own were not in synch? Eight minutes isn't so much as to make a huge fuss about, although I'm a bit surprised at the referee's insistence. If his watch said it was 2:00 though, then he was well within the start time bracket. Perhaps as others have suggested, a dialogue versus a shouting match would have helped?

About all that can be done in such circumstances is to inform the tournament directors and the referee assignors. The referee must listen to them, or risk no more assignments.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

There are very few tournaments where the problem is that a match is starting early. It usually is the other problem (fields are running behind) that drives tournament directors and referees crazy.

There are a number of alternatives for the coach when a referee wrongly wants to start the match early: the include (1) Start early and (2) Refuse to play and protest when the match is abandoned by the referee.

I fear you did not chose the best option - - ignoring the referee, publicly telling the referee he was wrong, and deliberately delaying the start of the match. I also fear that the referee chose a poor way to approach you - - constantly whistling as if you were livestock. The lesson your players learn from ignoring the referee's whistle and direction and engaging in public dissent probably isn't the one you want them to learn in how they should deal with mistakes by the referee on the field. The referee who does not treat coaches with respect should not be surprised when they respond in kind, but usually ends up dismissing the coach or assistant coach.

A private chat between coach and referee would probably have answered the question: 'why is the referee trying to start early?' (At a recent tournament I did, my sheet said the match started at 1:40. The team's sheet set it started at 1:50.) A dialogue is using better than a command and a refusal.