Question Number: 27887

League Specific 10/14/2013

RE: Rec Under 13

Rachel of Sheridan, IN USA asks...

We just had our championship game and in my eyes got screwed! The center ref was wearing a 2009 patch, 1 ar had no patch and the ref let a parent from the opposing team ar but told her she could not call offsides! (Which the one goal they won off was offsides on her side) The main ref assignor told me that u don't have to have liscensed refs in rec soccer is this true?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Several questions here, most of which we must answer, 'It depends ...'

I'm not sure why a ref would wear an old badge - perhaps he lost or forgot his from the current year? I recently embarrassed myself by leaving much of my equipment on the kitchen counter instead of packing it back in my ref bag, had to borrow some things from my AR, but had to do the game without a badge.

If one or more of the referees does not show up, it depends on league rules what the outcome would be. USSF recognizes systems of control with a referee and two assistants; a referee an assistant and a club linesman; or a referee and two club linesmen. USSF also limits the duties of a club linesman to calling the ball out of play only. (The parent from the opposing team was acting as a club linesman in your game, not as a neutral assistant referee.) But some league rules do not allow a game to be played with missing referees; it must be rescheduled. If your assignor said the league rule did not require a certified referee, then that's probably correct, and the results of the game would stand.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Rachel
Unfortunatley there are not enough referees in the world and it is plainly obvious why that is the case. In the UK I believe over 20% of games do not have a licensed referee due to that shortage.
Now there can be many answers to your questions
1. The referee might simply be wearing 'old kit' due to perhaps a colour clash, forgot his kit etc.
2. The assignor may have been short of referees that day and asked a former referee to help out
3. Many games in this part of the world do not have assistant referees as they are more valuably used as referees. In those single referees games the team provide a 'linesman' whose duties is to call ball out of play only. Nothing else, no offside calls. The referee then does his best to make offside calls and 99% of the time will get it right with the exception being the very tight call. Teams have to accept that and adjust accordingly.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Hard to believe in a championship game the assignor could not find a currently certified referee. But let's assume that's true. Then the League has one of two choices:
1. Call off the Championship game. Something I doubt you or anyone associated with either team would want,
2. Call upon referees that at one time were certified and get on with the game. It would appear #2 is what happened.

So, you had a formerly certified Center Referee(0r forgot current badge), A formally certified AR (or maybe current and just forgot his badge, and a club linesman.

MANY Rec games are played without 3 certified referees. Like it or not, the Referee was absolutely correct in her instructions to the club linesman. Club linesman are to stand at the intersection of the touch and goal lines and ONLY signal if the ball goes out of play. They are not allowed to call offside, any fouls, direction of throw-in, goal or corner kick and are not to be consulted by the Referee for anything other than the ball in or out of play.

You didn't get 'screwed'. When a referee crew is short an AR, things, especially offside, will be missed but they will be missed for both teams. And, no offense, but when it comes to any call including offside, you as a Coach are:
1. Not impartial
2. Never in as good a position as the referees to make a call
3. Usually as not as knowledgable as the referees there as to the nuances of the Laws Of The Game and their proper interpretation.

It's a shame you did not have a full referee crew. I refereed both Rec and Select matches for years and hated when I'd be pulled off a Rec game to go work a Select game as most States require full crews for Select games or fines may be imposed. I hated, and still do, this attitude that for some reason Rec teams are not deserving of good referees AND a full crew. In my opinion, both teams got screwed and it's unfortunate.