Question 152:

In a U-16 girls game, blue #14 is about to take a corner kick. Blue #9 is standing behind the red team's goalkeeper. As the corner kick is taken, blue #9 runs off the field of play into the area within the net, and then comes back into the field of play, in front of the goalkeeper.

Answer:  

All players have the right to stand anywhere they want on the field of play, as long as they don't gain an unfair advantage and/or create a dangerous situation for themselves or their opponents. Players may step off the field of play, temporarily, if they are going around an opponent in an attempt to play the ball. However, players who are attempting to gain an unfair advantage may not leave the field of play without the referee's permission. In this case, blue #9 left the field of play without the referee's permission, so the referee has to handle the situation in accordance with one of the following scenarios:

• Blue #9 returned to the field of play and interfered with the goalkeeper's ability to play the ball - The referee should stop play, admonish/verbally warn blue #9, or caution her for unsporting behavior (trying to gain an unfair advantage is more serious than leaving the field of play without the referee's permission). Then he should restart the game with an indirect free kick for the red team.

• Blue #9 left the field of play to get around the opponent and have a good chance at playing the ball - If in the process of returning to the field of play, blue #9 does not interfere with the opponent and/or does not put any player in danger, the referee should allow play to continue.

(See page 36 in the 2011-12 AYSO FIFA Laws of the Game).

Question 151:

In a U-12 boys game, the blue team sets up a wall to defend against a free kick. Red #10 takes a hard kick, sending the ball directly at blue #5 in the middle of the wall. As he reacts and turns away, the ball hits his hand.

Answer:

Handling of the ball involves a player making contact with the ball with his hand or arm. The referee should punish only deliberate handling of the ball, meaning only those actions in which the player strikes or propels the ball with the hand or arm. If the referee feels that handling of the ball was not deliberate, he should allow play to continue. Deliberate contact with the ball includes: •When the player can avoid touching the ball but chooses not to do so.
•When the player's arms are not in a normal playing position at the time.
•When the player deliberately continues an initial accidental contact to control the ball and gain an unfair advantage.
The referee should consider the following factors to determine if a player handled the ball or not: •If the hand is moving to the ball, it is probably handing; if the ball is moving to the hand, it is probably accidental.
•The distance between the player and the ball just before it is kicked. The closer the player is, the less likely that handling has occurred.
•Is it an unexpected ball? For example: a quick, hard kick from a short distance, or the ball strikes the player's hand or arm from behind.
•Position of the hand does not automatically mean infringement. Using hands or arms to protect the body at a free kick is not necessarily deliberate contact, unless the player uses the protection to control or direct the ball in a manner that gains an unfair advantage.
•If the player is intentionally moving the hand/arm to make himself bigger and cover more space, gaining an unfair advantage.
•The age and skill level of the players. The younger or less experienced the players, the less likely they will deliberately handle the ball.
In this scenario, blue #5 instinctively turned away from facing the ball to protect himself, and the ball accidentally hit his hand. Therefore, there is no deliberate handling of the ball, and the referee should allow play to continue. Additionally, the fact that a player may benefit from the ball accidentally contacting his hand does not make the event an infringement.

(See page 113 in the 2011-12 AYSO FIFA Laws of the Game).

Question 150:

"During a free kick, the defending team is arguing the referee's decision, with the objective of delaying the restart. Should the referee do something, even if the attacking team doesn't complain?"

Answer:

The game is much more fair and fun when the ball is in play. Even if an attacker does not complain, the referee should aim to restart the game as soon as possible for all free kicks. Per Law 13, all opponents must be at least 10 yards in all directions from the location of the free kick. If the opponents deliberately do not provide the required distance, or do so in a slow manner, they may be delaying the restart of play. Delaying the restart of play is a form of illegal gamesmanship, and the referee must address and handle the situation.

Coaches should teach players not to behave in this manner, but if it happens, the referees must take action and support the coaches. After awarding a free kick, the referee should always encourage that it be taken quickly. The referee can do this by directing opponents that are near the ball to establish the required 10 yards and prevent interference. The referee can firmly verbalize for them to back off as he points at them with an extended arm, even if the kick is not ceremonial. However, when the referee decides to manage a free kick in a ceremonial manner, it is still important to put the ball in play as soon as possible.

The following referee actions are recommended to help players put the ball back in play from a ceremonial free kick:
•Move to the spot for the free kick and ask the attacker to place the ball.
•The referee should clearly communicate that he's managing the situation. This can be done by pointing to the whistle and saying, "Wait for the whistle."
•Get the defenders to move 10 yards away from the ball in all directions. The referee can do this by positioning himself at the required distance (known as becoming the "first brick of the wall") and asking defenders to quickly line up with him.
•If any defenders try to come to the ball and delay the restart, the referee should immediately ask them to back away to the minimum of 10 yards.
•If a player insists on delaying the restart, the referee may show him the yellow card and caution him for delaying the restart of play.
•Move to the best restart position for the referee and whistle for the restart.
The referee should manage the first free kick in the game to set a standard that can be followed for all free kicks during the game. The referee's quick and proactive manner is needed to effectively discourage any negative gamesmanship.

(See page 119 in the 2011-12 AYSO FIFA Laws of the Game and section 13.4 Quick Free Kick vs. Ceremonial Free Kick in the USSF Advice to Referees).

Question 149:

In a U-14 girls game, blue #12 receives permission from the referee to leave the field of play to change her shoes. Blue #12 is running toward the opponent's goal line to leave the field when the ball comes to her, so she kicks it into the goal and scores.

Answer:

When the referee gave permission to blue #12 to leave the field of play, she was expected to leave the field without participating in the game, and not return until given the approval of the referee. By playing the ball when she did, blue #12 committed a misconduct. Therefore, the referee should stop play, disallow the goal and show the yellow card to blue #12. After cautioning her for unsporting behavior (playing the ball after being granted permission to leave the field of play), the referee should restart the game with an indirect free kick for the red team.

When a referee allows a player to leave the field while the ball is in play, he should ask the player to do so away from play and remind them not to interfere with play or the opponents.

(See pages 36 and 117 in the 2011-12 AYSO FIFA Laws of the Game).

Question 148:

"In a U-14 boys game, red #9 takes a shot at the blue team's goal while standing inside the blue team's penalty area. Right after taking the shot, red #9 is fouled by defender blue #3. The blue team's goalkeeper stopped the shot and played the ball to his teammate. Should I have called a foul?"

Answer:

This scenario can potentially deal with the application of advantage, which is one of the powers granted to the referee per Law 5. The May 27, 2010 edition of "What's The Correct AYSO Answer" addresses the concept of advantage, lists the factors that should be considered by the referee before applying advantage and provides a video clip with an example of the correct application.

Here are two scenarios related to your question that deal with the application of advantage:

 •Blue #3 commits an offense that leaves red #9 without a clear opportunity for an immediate, promising attack. In this case, the referee should stop play, deal with blue #3 as appropriate to the severity of the foul and restart play with a penalty kick or an indirect free kick for the red team (depending on the type of offense committed).

•Blue #3 commits an offense but red #9 is still able to maintain possession of the ball to make an immediate, promising attack. In this case, the referee should apply advantage and allow play to continue, then deal with blue #3's offense as appropriate at the next stoppage of play.

Your scenario is a slightly different case because the foul occurred after the immediate, promising attack had already been enacted. You were right to let play continue - it is almost never a good idea to blow the whistle when the ball is in the air and headed toward the goal. The fact that the goalkeeper stopped the shot is irrelevant because the advantage occurred when the shot was taken.

Applying advantage in the penalty area, especially for direct free kick fouls, is a challenging call for referees to make. Experience and continued AYSO referee training will help referees learn how to quickly evaluate situations and make the right decision.

(See pages 23 and 68 in the 2011-12 AYSO FIFA Laws of the Game).

Question 147:

"If the goalkeeper releases the ball on the penalty area line, is he guilty of handling the ball?"

Answer:

The lines on the field of play belong to the areas of which they are boundaries. Therefore, it is legal for the goalkeeper to handle the ball while it is on the penalty area line, either on the ground or in the air. However, the goalkeeper has to release the ball before it has wholly crossed the penalty area line in order for it to remain a legal action.

Goalkeepers often learn to handle and release the ball very close to the perimeter of the penalty area. When this happens, it is OK for the referee or assistant referee to make the goalkeeper aware of the line by asking him to be careful not to release the ball outside the penalty area. Goalkeepers are likely to appreciate the warning, and will learn to readjust their timing and distance for releasing the ball.

(See pages 6 and 34 in the 2011-12 AYSO FIFA Laws of the Game)..

Question 146:

In a U-16 girls game, blue #10 is taking a corner kick. Before kicking the ball, she grabs the corner flag and pushes it away, and doesn't release it until after the kick. The ball goes to red #4, who is standing inside her goal area. Develop your ideas on how you would respond to this scenario, then read Whistle Stop's response.

Answer:

"Corner flags" are posts that are at least five feet high with a non-pointed top and a flag, and are placed at each corner of the field. The corner flags, like all other parts of the field, must be respected by all players, and grabbing, moving or removing the corner flags may be considered misconduct. The referee should take the following actions based on the scenarios listed below: •If the player deliberately grabs or removes the flag post prior to taking the corner kick - the referee or assistant referee should instruct the player to reset the flag post to its correct place before taking the corner kick.
•If the player makes incidental contact with the flag post in the process of kicking the ball - the referee should allow play to continue, but should ask the player to be careful in the future not to touch the flag post when taking corner kicks.
•If the player deliberately moves the flag post in the process of kicking the ball, which then goes to a teammate or in front of the goal - the referee should immediately stop play, warn the player not to touch the flag post and have the corner kick be retaken, because moving the flag post is an offense.
•If the player deliberately moves the flag post in the process of kicking the ball, which is then intercepted and controlled by a defender - the referee should allow play to continue, since the offense was trifling and retaking the corner kick would reward the team committing the offense.
A player who deliberately moves the flag post may be cautioned for unsporting behavior, but it may be more effective to first warn the player that any future occurrences of moving the flag post may result in a caution.

(See pages 8, 36 and 50 in the 2011-12 AYSO FIFA Laws of the Game).

Question 145:

"During a throw-in occurring in a U-12 boys game, is the ball in play once it crosses the outside of the touch line, or after it completely crosses the touch line? And is handling of the ball an issue if the player does not release the ball before it crosses the touch line?"

Answer:

The procedure and mechanics of a legal throw-in are included in the Jan. 6, 2011 edition of "What's the Correct AYSO Answer?" During a throw-in, the ball is in play once it has crossed the outside of the touchline and it has been released by the thrower. Therefore, it is impossible to commit a handling of the ball offense during a throw-in. We respectfully remind referees that a throw-in is a restart that should be kept simple, and referees should avoid any potential frustration by not continuously stopping the game to retake throw-ins. If a youth player does not perform a proper throw-in, the referee may allow play to continue and ask the coach to work with the player at practice to perfect the throw-in process.

(See page 44 in the 2011-12 AYSO FIFA Laws of the Game and pages 78-79 in the USSF Advice to Referees on the Laws of the

Question 144:

In a U-16 girls game, blue #7 controls the ball and shields it with her body, obstructing red #9 who then charges shoulder-to-shoulder with reasonable force. Blue #7 falls to the ground and as red #9 controls the ball and dribbles away, a couple of parents yell, "Foul, ref!" Develop your ideas on how you would respond to this scenario, then read Whistle Stop's response.

Answer:

Shoulder-to-shoulder charging is allowed in soccer if it is done with reasonable force by a player attempting to play a ball that is within playing distance. The legal shoulder-to-shoulder charge does not become illegal if a player falls to the ground. Therefore, in this scenario, the referee should allow play to continue.

In youth games, referees have the opportunity to teach players about the game. When a player goes down due to physical contact that was safe and fair, it is recommended that the referee provides a brief and quick explanation as to why play was allowed to continue. This will help the players understand the referee's calls, support his/her decisions and learn more about the game. The referee's explanation will also most likely gain the parents' support as well.

(See section 2.5 in the USSF Advice to Referees on The Laws of the Game).
 

Question 143:

"In a U-14 game, if a player gets winded and walks away from the field of play to recover, does he have to wait until a stoppage of play to come back on the field?"


Answer:

The referee should caution a player that deliberately leaves the field of play without permission. However, the referee should consider that a player who is winded or hurt needs to get assistance from the coach immediately. By walking away from the field without interfering with the game, the injured player is helping the flow of play within the Spirit of the Game. In this scenario, after he/she gives the player permission to re-enter the field, the referee may inform the player to notify him/her if he needs to leave the field of play in the future.

The player does not have to wait for a stoppage of play to re-enter the field because this is not a substitution, and there is no equipment correction or blood to inspect. However, the player must wait for the referee's permission to re-enter the field. Permission can be given at any time, even while the ball is in play, as long as entering the field will not give the player an unfair advantage.

(See page 36 in the 2011-12 AYSO FIFA Laws of the Game).

Question 142:

Be the referee and make your decision.

In a U-16 girls game, the referee conducts the coin toss before the game and the red team wins the toss. After both teams set up to start the game, the red team takes the kickoff. Two minutes later, the referee realizes the wrong team took the kickoff.

Answer:
 

In the kickoff procedure, the team that wins the coin toss decides which goal it will attack and the opposing team takes the kickoff to start the game. When the referee realizes that the wrong team took the kickoff, he should forget about his mistake and let the game continue. This mistake, especially in youth games, is a trifling error. If the blue team comment on the referee's mistake after the game has started, the referee should apologize and allow the game to continue. The blue team should take the kickoff to start the second half.

This mistake can easily happen as many youth teams don't know the Laws of the Game, so the referee needs to concentrate on every aspect of the game, including who should take the kickoff. The referee can avoid the mistake by writing down which team should take the kickoff in his record book immediately after the coin toss, and should double check it just before signaling for the start of the game. Writing the information in his book will also help the referee confirm who should take the kickoff at the start of the second half.

(See page 29 in the 2011-12 AYSO FIFA Laws of the Game).

Question 141:

I completed the referee course and will start refereeing in a couple of weeks. How should I prepare?

Answer:
 

Thank you to all of our referees, both those who recently got certified as well as those returning. There are a lot of things that all referees can do to prepare for refereeing, and the list, "Ten Things Referees Can Do to Prepare for the Season," contains 10 tips to help you get started.

Preparing to referee should become an automatic routine, one that includes key steps that provide review, confirmation of knowledge, awareness and self-confidence. The average referee becomes a good referee when he prepares to successfully conduct a game.

(See page 27, section 5.14 in the 2010-11 USSF Advice to Referees).

Question 140:

What should the referee do and how is play restarted if...

In a U-16 girls game, red #6 takes a throw-in, sending the ball in the direction of the blue team's goal.

The blue team's goalkeeper runs to catch the ball but misses it as it bounces over her head. Blue #3 reaches out and punches the ball over the crossbar while she is inside her goal area.

Answer:
 

A direct free kick is awarded to the opponent if a player handles the ball deliberately except for the goalkeeper within his own penalty area. If the handling of the ball offense is committed by a player inside his own penalty area then a penalty is awarded to the opponent. Therefore in this scenario the referee should stop play, show the yellow card to blue #3, caution her for unsporting behavior (blatantly handling the ball), and restart the game with a penalty kick for the red team.

Blue #3 did not deny a goal scoring opportunity because a goal cannot be scored directly against the opponent from a throw-in. If the ball enters the opponent’s goal directly from a throw-in then the referee must award a goal kick to the opponent. In this case, if the ball had entered the goal directly from the throw-in by the red team then the blue team would have been awarded a goal kick.

(See pages 32, 34, 44, 111 in the 2010-2011 AYSO FIFA Laws of the Game).

Question 139:

Should a referee intimidate players to control the game?
 

Answer:
 

Intimidation may gain some game control, but in the long run it just ruins the game for the players and others, including the referee. A referee should use positive influence to control the game. The 10 Referee Personality Traits That Help Control Games describes referee personality traits that you can use to control games with good results. Before every game, be sure to bring out and use your best traits in support of the players and others in the game because in AYSO, it's about more than the game!

Question 138:

What should the referee do and how is play restarted if...

In a U-14 boys game, the blue team's goalkeeper yells at blue #3, "Hey, you have to mark your man." Blue #3 laughs and ignores the goalkeeper. Two minutes later, red #9 dribbles around blue #3 and takes a shot which the goalkeeper barely saves. The blue team's goalkeeper, while standing inside his penalty area, gets mad and deliberately throws the ball at blue #3 who is standing outside the penalty area, hitting him in the face.

Answer:
 

Deliberately striking a player with the ball, using excessive force or brutality, even if it is a teammate, is a violent conduct offense. Therefore, the referee should stop play and show the red card to the blue team's goalkeeper. The referee should send the goalkeeper off for violent conduct (deliberately striking a player with the ball using excessive force), ask for a new goalkeeper for the blue team, and restart the game with an indirect free kick for the red team. The position of the restart should be where the ball struck or would have struck blue #3.

The restart is an indirect free kick because the incident involved teammates while the ball was in play. If the goalkeeper would have deliberately hit an opponent with the ball using excessive force while the ball was in play, the restart would have been a direct free kick from the position where the ball struck or would have struck the opponent or penalty kick if the opponent was inside the offending player's own penalty area.

Referees need to pick up player signals that indicate potential player misconduct and influence their behavior toward fair and safe play. When the goalkeeper yelled at his teammate who then laughed and ignored him, the referee should have identified this as a signal that things could escalate. This was an opportunity for the referee to provide awareness to the goalkeeper and his teammate and help them avoid future problems. The referee can say as he runs close by, "Keeper and #3, keep it positive. You are on the same team so help each other. Thanks." This action will make the players realize that the referee is watching everything and will take action if needed. In most cases, if players hear from the referee when they first experience frustration, they will not take action later on.

(See pages 119, 120 and 121 in the 2010-11 AYSO FIFA Laws of the Game).

Question 137:

What is a good process for recovering from a situation where I don't make a call when it was really needed?

Answer:
The first thing we must accept and manage with composure is that referees are human and will make mistakes. Everyone, including referees, players, coaches and parents, needs to embrace this human behavior of weakness as part of the beautiful game. The emotional stress for the referee caused by making a mistake can be minor, as in a situation where he misses a careless foul in the middle of the field of play. But the stress can also be significant, as in a situation where he misses a foul in the penalty area which requires a penalty kick and a send off for a player that denied a goal-scoring opportunity.

When the referee realizes too late that he made a mistake, the primary objective is to concentrate back on the game in order to avoid making additional mistakes. Continuing to think about a mistake will only lead to more mistakes. Here is a series of steps that a referee can take to return concentrate to the game:

• Acknowledge the mistake briefly and quickly. Say to the player who was fouled or the captain, "I'm sorry I missed that one and I will pay more attention. Thank you." Then move on. This will get you respect from the players.
•Ask yourself a series of questions that will help you concentrate on the game. Examples: "What is the score?" "How many minutes are left in the game?" "Is one team dominating more than the other? If yes, what do I need to do?" "Are there any players who are close to getting in trouble because of their behavior?"
•Asking these questions will make you think about what you need to do and before you know it, you will be concentrating on the game again.
•In the pre-game discussion ask the assistant referees (ARs) to pay extra attention to the game and help you manage it if they see that you lose concentration after missing a significant call.
•Ask the ARs to get your attention and help you get back your concentration. If needed have them talk to you and "wake you up."
•After the game is over, analyze the mistakes and identify options that can be used in future games to avoid the mistakes.
•Contact an assessor, instructor or more experienced referee, to mentor you and help you identify options for doing better in future games.
All of us need to be supportive of referees when they make mistakes and we can do it by taking the following actions: •The coaches from both teams should ask their players to respect the referee and focus on playing. Example: "Keep playing and respect the referee. Thank you."
•Parents should continue to cheer on their players and not say anything thing to the referee.
•At the next break or end the game, offer the referee water, thank him for being there and do not mention a thing about the mistake.
•ARs can take on more responsibility and help manage the game while the referee recovers from the mistake.

Question 136:

What should the referee do and how is play restarted if...

Analyze the actions of the video clip below. Do you see any wrong action(s) by players? If yes, what would you do as the referee? After you review the video clip and develop your answers, read our response below.

Answer:
This video provides an example of a charging foul that is reckless. Just as blue #11 gets to the ball, a white player running at full speed charges into him sideways. This causes blue #11 to fall to the ground. The referee can look for the following actions by the white player to identify this charging offense as a reckless foul: •He is looking more at the opponent than at the ball

•He has a chance to play the ball in a fair manner but decides to charge without regard for the safety of the opponent
•He charges the opponent sideways, then turns his back and upends him in a dangerous manner
•His move appears designed to intimidate
Therefore, the referee should stop play, show the yellow card to the white player, caution him for unsporting behavior and restart the game with a direct free kick for the blue team.

This type of charging is not normal play and it must be eliminated from the game to keep it safe for all participants. It is recommended that the referee take the following steps to properly manage this incident: • Talk to the guilty player when administering the caution, "Be careful."
• Be sure to get acknowledgment by asking. "Do you understand?" Pause and after receiving the player's response say: "Thank you."
•Talk to the fouled player to make him feel safe. Say: "I'll take care of this. Please keep playing soccer. Thank you."
•Stay close to the players involved in the incident to influence good behavior by presence, including verbalizing awareness as needed.
(See pages 32 and 34 in the 2010-11 AYSO FIFA Laws of the Game).

Question 135:

What should the referee do and how is play restarted if...

In a U-16 boys game, the red team's goalkeeper is taking a goal kick. Blue #6 is inside the red team's penalty area next to the penalty area line, which is parallel to the goal line. The goalkeeper kicks the ball to red #4 who is standing just outside the penalty area. Blue #6 gets to red # 4, challenges fairly from behind, takes the ball away, turns around and scores a goal.

Answer:
For a goal kick to be correctly completed, opponents must remain outside the penalty area until the ball is in play - and the ball is in play when it is kicked directly out of the penalty area. In this scenario, the ball left the penalty area but the opponent, blue #6, was inside the penalty area when the goal kick was taken. Blue #6 came from an illegal position to challenge red #4 and gained an unfair advantage. Therefore, the referee should stop play, verbally admonish blue #6 and restart the game with an indirect free kick for the red team. If an attacker inside the penalty area during the taking of a goal kick does not interfere with the goal kick, and does not gain an illegal advantage from such position, then the referee may allow play to continue.

(See page 46 in the 2010-11 AYSO FIFA Laws of the Game).

What should the referee do and how is play restarted if...

In a U-10 girls game, blue #7 left the field of play without the referee's permission to have her Dad help fix her shoes and shin guards. Once Dad fixed her equipment, blue #7 entered the field of play without permission of the referee and deliberately handled the ball.

Answer:
A player should be cautioned and shown the yellow card if he/she deliberately leaves the field of play without the referee's permission or enters the field of play without the referee's permission. The referee may consider deliberately handling the ball to be an unsporting behavior offence which would warrant a caution. Blue #7 committed three offenses that per the letter of the Law could be punished by the referee with a caution.

However, these incidents happened in a U-10 game where players are most likely learning about the game and probably do not know the Laws of the Game. Additionally, in AYSO, players who are under 12 years of age should not be formally cautioned or sent off unless there are exceptional circumstances. Referees should consult and work with the coach to get the desired behavior from players who can usually be controlled with a verbal admonishment, thus avoiding the need to display cards. This scenario created an opportunity for the referee to teach players, including blue #7, about the Laws of the Game. Therefore in this case, when the incident happens the first time and the referee senses that the player did not know what she was doing, he should:
•Stop play
•Tell blue #7 that she needs to let him know when she needs to leave or is ready to enter the field of play
•Tell blue #7 that she cannot handle the ball
•Restart the game with a direct free kick for the opponents
The discussion with the player should be firm and clear to make sure the coach and surrounding players hear it so they can also learn. The referee should also get acknowledgement from the player to ensure that she understands what is expected of her.

(See page 34 in the 2010=11 AYSO FIFA Laws of the Game and page 18 in the AYSO 2011 Guidance for Referees, Coaches, Volunteers and Parents).

Question 133:

What should the referee do and how is play restarted if...

In a U-10 boys game, the red team's goalkeeper controls the ball with his hands and just as he is about to release it, he gets a pain in his right calf which makes him fall down and release the ball. In order to avoid the opponent from playing it, he slides over and lies on top of the ball without handling it.
 

Answer:

Once a goalkeeper releases the ball, any player can attempt to play it as long as there are no safety issues for any players. In this scenario, there is no infringement of the Laws of the Game but the goalkeeper has put himself in danger by lying on the ball and is potentially guilty of dangerous play. However, he released the ball when he fell down due to the pain. Referees need to pay close attention to the safety of players and quickly take action to prevent putting them in dangerous situations.

Therefore in this case the referee should:
•Stop play.
•Check with the goalkeeper to see if he is okay.
•Allow his coach to change his place with another player.
•Substitute him if needed.
•Restart the game with a dropped ball.
(See pages 33 and 113 in the 2010-11 AYSO FIFA Laws of the Game).

Question 132:

How many different-color referee uniforms should I have?
 

Answer:

There are a wide variety of colors for referee uniforms which can make it financially challenging for referees to have a full set of uniforms. This large selection of colors also makes it challenging for referee teams to dress up for games in a consistent manner that will project professionalism. Here is a list of recommendations to help Regions and their referees select and purchase uniforms that will help minimize costs and facilitate consistency.
•The primary color for shirts is gold (yellow).
•Alternate colors include black, blue, red and green.
•Referee teams can wear alternate colors as long as all three have the same color, preferably from the same manufacturer.
•Consider weather conditions where you officiate, cold vs. hot.
•Include uniform discussions in the planning phase of tournaments.
•It is okay to initiate referees with a "Starter Kit".
•Use uniforms to influence the motivation of referees. Example: Regions can provide alternate color shirts to thank them.
•Do not use fines related to uniform situations to deploy discipline. Example: fine referees if they are not properly dressed 30 minutes before the start of the game.
Evaluate options, make selections and inform all referees before they go out and purchase uniforms so they can spend their money on uniforms that align with everyone else in the Region. Make it easy for referees to have the proper referee dress code.

Question 131:

What should the referee do and how is play restarted if...

In a U-19 girls game, the referee awards an indirect free kick to the red team. Red #13 quickly grabs the ball, positions it on the spot identified by the referee, and kicks it into the back of blue #5's shoes as she is retreating. Then, red #13 controls the ball and takes a shot at the blue team's goal, putting the ball past the goalkeeper and scoring a goal. The blue team's captain complains, "Ref, you gave an indirect free kick!"
 

Answer:

On an indirect free kick, another player, on either team, must touch the ball before a goal can be scored. When a player correctly takes a free kick, direct or indirect, he may intentionally kick the ball at an opponent in order to play the ball again as long as it is not done in a careless or reckless manner, or using excessive force. Therefore, in this scenario the referee should award the goal to the red team and restart the game with a kickoff for the blue team.

It can be challenging to convince the defending players that this decision is correct because this play is not very common, so players may feel confused when they see it.

Recommendation: as soon as the referee sees this happening and there is no infringement, he can help players understand by verbalizing, "Keep playing. Good restart," to help all players focus on playing and not on the restart.

(See page 123 in the 2010-11 AYSO FIFA Laws of the Game).

Question 130:

What should the referee do and how is play restarted if...

In a U-14 boys match, the referee sent off blue player #7 before starting the 4th quarter. During the 4th quarter, red player #10 takes a penalty kick and the goalkeeper makes a save with his hands, causing the ball to rebound into the field of play. As the ball is rolling away from the goalkeeper, blue #7 runs onto the field of play and kicks the ball. What should the referee do and how is play restarted?

Answer:
Anyone not documented on the team list as a player, substitute or team official is an outside agent. Blue player #7 became an outside agent when he was sent off. After a penalty kick is taken and before anybody touches the ball, if it is touched by an outside agent as it moves forward, then the referee should stop play, remove the outside agent, and restart the game with a penalty kick.

However, in this scenario the penalty kick ended when the goalkeeper made the save. When the outside agent blue #7 touches the ball, the referee should stop play, remove the outside agent from the field of play and its immediate surroundings, restart play with a dropped ball from the position where the outside agent touched the ball and document the incident in the game report.

The recommendation is for the referee team to ensure that all sent off players are under the management of their team's coach. Sometimes it is a good approach to remind the coach that a sent off player cannot come on to the field of play and ask him to please make sure to "keep an eye" on the sent off player.

(See pages 43 and 60 in the 2010-11 AYSO FIFA Laws of the Game).

Question 129:

What should the referee do and how is play restarted if...

In an U-16 boys game, red player #9 is in an offside position standing about seven yards to the blue team's goalkeeper's left. Red player #8 takes a shot from just outside the blue team's penalty area near the penalty arc. The shot goes over the goalkeeper's head and into the goal. Immediately after the ball goes into the net, two defenders from the other team start yelling, "Number nine is offside!"

Answer:

A player in an offside position should be penalized only if, in the opinion of the referee, after the ball was played by a teammate, he/she becomes involved in active play by interfering with play, interfering with an opponent or gaining an advantage by being in the offside position. In this scenario, interfering with play (touching the ball) and gaining an advantage by being in the offside position (touching a ball that has rebounded from a crossbar, goalpost, or goalkeeper) are not relevant because the player in the offside position never touched the ball. Interfering with an opponent is the only possible involvement in active play to be considered by the referee. The diagram shown below illustrates this scenario.

If, in the opinion of the referee, the player in offside position did not interfere with the goalkeeper, then there is no infringement. The goal counts and the referee should restart the game with a kick-off for the blueteam.

If, in the opinion of the referee, the player in offside position interferes with the goalkeeper by yelling at him/her, gesticulating at him/her or taking any other action that impacts his/her ability to play the ball, then he should penalize him/her for being offside. The referee should stop the game and restart it with an indirect free kick for the blue team.

(See pages 31 and 105 in the 2010-11 AYSO FIFA Laws of the Game).

Question 128:

Do girls commit less fouls and misconduct than boys?
 

Answer:

Soccer is a beautiful game which generates the same passion for everyone who plays it regardless of gender! As the kids get older, girls teams average less fouls than boys. However, they will commit the same types of fouls and misconducts as boys when their passion is misdirected. The attached video clip, courtesy of USSF, shows an example of misconduct.

White player #3 controls the ball with her back to blue player #9 who proceeds to foul white player #3 first by hitting her in the back with her hip and then pushing her down to the ground. Another blue player then lands on top of white player #3's legs as she barely kicks the ball to a teammate. This frustrates white player #3, so she gets up and retaliates by deliberately stepping on blue player #9.This action, when seen by the referee, is determined by the referee to be violent conduct because the player deliberately drives her cleat/foot into the opponent.

The referee seems to have the incident in his sight-lines, but he must refrain from the tendency to merely follow the ball. This tendency can help the white player get away with committing the violent conduct because the ball goes to another white player. Because the white team maintains possession, the referee allows play to continue and takes his eyes away from the players before the incident happens. To deceive the referee, white player #3 steps on the opponent in a subtle manner, looking away from the blue players and disguising her action as an attempt to jump out of the path of the opponent, while naturally following the play action.

This type of misconduct is not very common and is done in a subtle and quick manner, which makes it very challenging for referees to identify and manage it. Referees should consider the following when dealing with similar offenses:

• Girls will commit the same fouls and misconducts as boys; respect female players and don't underestimate them.

• Players will feel extra hurt and frustration when they are pushed to the ground or fouled by two opponents.

• After an incident, get close to the players, keep your eyes on them for a couple of seconds, and look for possible retaliation.

• A strong whistle, verbalization and physical presence can be used as preventative tools.

• If there is no clear opportunity for a promising attack, call the foul to prevent further offenses and, if needed, deal with misconduct.

(See pages 35 and 66 in the 2010-11 AYSO FIFA Laws of the Game).

What should the referee do and how is play restarted if...

In a U1-4 girls game, blue player #3 accidentally collided with red player #9 and asked the referee's permission to leave the field of play to recover. Four minutes later, blue player #10 is dribbling the ball into the red team's penalty area with a good chance of taking a shot on goal. At this moment, blue player #3 enters the field of play from her goal line without permission from the referee and pushes red player #9 inside the blue team's penalty area.

Answer:

It was okay for blue player #3 to leave the field of play because she had the referee's permission. It is not okay for blue player #3 to reenter the field of play without the referee's permission. This offense requires the referee to stop play immediately because blue player #3 interfered with an opponent and because her teammate, blue player #10, had control of the ball at the time.

In this scenario, the referee must show the yellow card to blue player #3 and caution her for reentering the field of play without the referee's permission. Or, if the push was done using excessive force, show her the red card and send her off for violent conduct. Either way, the restart should be a penalty kick for the red team.

The assistant referees should help the referee keep track of players who leave the field of play so they can assist in getting them back onto the field when they are ready, and help them avoid committing misconduct.

(See pages 17, 34, 35 and 61 in the 2010-2011 AYSO FIFA Laws of the Game).

What do you think?

I was watching a game and the assistant coach for the blue team was yelling at the referee. At the next stoppage of play the referee walked over to the blue team's coach, who was not doing anything wrong, and said to him "You're responsible for the conduct of your team members so you're gone." and he dismissed the coach. Is this right?

Answer:

The referee has the power/authority to expel team officials, including coaches, who fail to conduct themselves in a responsible manner. In this scenario, the team official who was not conducting himself in a responsible manner was the assistant coach. Therefore, expelling the coach was incorrect because he was not doing anything wrong and was a potential ally to the referee team. Allowing the assistant coach to remain on the field was wrong and created a risk because he could have escalated his behavior to a higher level of negativity.

In AYSO we strongly encourage and support Positive Coaching and Good Sportsmanship and we have zero tolerance for negative behavior which is targeted at kids, referees, coaches, volunteers, and/or parents/spectators. In similar scenarios we recommend that the referee manage the situation by taking the following steps.

• Connect with the coaching staff from both teams before the game starts to help the strengthen the relationship and support the referee's actions during the game.
• Team up with the coach who is responsible for sideline behavior, and is behaving properly, and ask him/her to dismiss the assistant coach.
• The referee can say "Your assistant coach's behavior has become a negative impact to the game. Please ask him to leave the field premises. Thank you."
• Walk away and give the coach a reasonable amount of time to send the assistant coach away, around one to two minutes, so it can be seen that the assistant coach was asked to leave and that he/she is walking away from the field. Normally this action resolves the problem.
• Wait until the assistant coach is away from the field to restart the game because if you restart it before he/she is gone, then he/she may stop and quietly go back to the team's bench area.
• If after waiting a reasonable time the assistant coach decides not to leave, go to the coach and say "Your assistant coach has to leave now or I will abandon the match. Thank you."
• If the assistant coach does not leave after a reasonable amount of time, explain to everyone that you will now terminate the game, will report the incident, thank the players and coaches, and end the game.

It is challenging to abandon a match because of negative behavior on the part of a team's coach or assistant coach but we must ensure an environment that is safe, fair and fun for our players and parents. In AYSO, referees seldom have to take this action but when it is needed, it must be done.

(See page 22 in the 2010-2011 AYSO FIFA Laws of the Game).

What should the referee do and how is play restarted if...

In a U-12 boys game, the blue team's goalkeeper accidentally crosses over the penalty area line as he is releasing the ball from his hands. The assistant referee(AR), Peter, sees the goalkeeper touching the ball with his hands, slightly outside the penalty area, so he raises his flag to indicate handling of the ball.
 

Answer:

Let's start by sharing some very wise words from FIFA that describe the Spirit of the Laws… "The Laws of the Game are intended to provide that games should be played with as little interference as possible, and in this view it is the duty of referees to penalize only deliberate breaches of the Law. Constant whistling for trifling and doubtful breaches produces bad feeling and loss of temper on the part of the players and spoils the pleasure of spectators."

Accidentally stepping outside of the penalty area to release the ball so that others can play the ball should be considered a trifling offense. And ARs should assist the referee subject to the decision(s) of the referee. Therefore, in this case we recommend that the referee allow play to continue.

This incident provides an opportunity for the referee to strengthen teamwork with the ARs and increase the awareness of the teams. He can do this by first verbalizing, "Keep playing," to eliminate possible confusion by the players due to the AR raising the flag. Then he can say "I got it Peter. Thank you," as he smiles and shows a "thumbs up" to the AR. Then the referee can then run by the goalkeeper and provide awareness by saying, "Keeper, be careful and release the ball before you get to the line," as he points to the line. If the goalkeeper intentionally does the same thing again, then the referee can award a direct free kick to the opponents for deliberately handling the ball. At the end of the half, the referee can explain and discuss the decision with the ARs and check with the coach to make sure that the goalkeeper understands the Law.

(See pages 25 and 32 in the 2010-11 AYSO Laws of the Game and page 9 in the 2011 AYSO Guidance for Referees, Coaches, Other Volunteers and Parents).

Question 124:

In a U-19 boys game, the referee awards a direct free kick to the blue team and blue player #6 who will take the kick, asks for 10 yards. The referee tells him to wait for the whistle signal and starts directing the defensive players to the right distance. The attacker kicks the ball before the referee's signal and it goes over the goal. What should the referee do?

Answer:

The whistle signal is required for free kick ceremonial restarts where the referee has delayed the restart to order back the line of defensive players, or the "wall", to the appropriate distance. Because the game was not restarted properly, regardless of the result of the original kick, the referee should restart the game with the direct free kick for the blue team.

However, the action by blue player #6 generated a game control risk and the referee should deal with it. By kicking the ball before the referee's signal the blue player delayed the restart and will probably take a similar action with future free kicks if not properly managed. This action will also get the opponents frustrated, potentially provoking confrontation, and they may end up committing misconduct if the referee does not manage the situation.

In this scenario, the referee should immediately let everyone feel that he/she is in control. The referee should provide a firm warning to blue player #6 by verbalizing, "Wait for my signal and don't play the ball. Do you understand? Thank you," proceed to move the defensive players away the appropriate distance, and then signal for the restart with the whistle. The referee must manage this situation the first time it happens or most, if not all, subsequent free kicks will be challenging for him/her to manage and will end up generating a lot of frustration for players, coaches and spectators. If the player repeats the action he/she should be cautioned for unsporting behavior.

(See page 22 and 69 in the 2011 USSF Advice to Referees on the Laws of the Game)

Question 123:

What should the referee do and how is play restarted if...

In a U-19 boys match, the red team is losing 1 to 0. With 10 seconds left in the game, the referee awards a direct free kick to the red team six yards outside of the penalty area. Blue player #3 picks up the ball, jogs slowly towards his goal taking 5 seconds to get back to his position, turns around and waits for the referee to ask for the ball. Red players complain to the referee who is standing where the free kick will be taken, and the referee asks blue player #3 to give the ball to the red team. Blue player #3 kicks the ball in the direction of the referee but high over his head and far away, causing it to roll out of the field of play. Now 20 seconds have gone by.

Answer:

When the game was stopped to award the direct free kick to the red team, there were 10 seconds of playing time left. The referee should make a mental note of this and add time at his discretion due to blue player #3 wasting time and excessively delaying the restart. The 20 seconds that elapsed while the blue player #3 delayed the restart should not be counted as playing time, therefore the referee should make sure that the players get at least ten more seconds of playing time.

The red team has the right to take the direct free kick immediately. The players on the blue team have the obligation to leave the ball alone or give it back to the red team right away, then move 10 yards away from the spot where the free kick will be taken. Blue player #3 is guilty of delaying the restart of play because his actions denied the red team their right to a quick restart.

Blue player #3's behavior could also cause the red team players to get frustrated and dissent to the referee and/or retaliate against blue player #3 or his teammates. The key refereeing tools needed in this scenario are communication and a sense of urgency in dealing with misconduct. To avoid or manage player frustration and possible retaliation, the referee should verbalize that he has control of the game clock: "Don't worry I control the time. Thank you." The referee should show the yellow card to blue player #3, caution him for delaying the restart of play, and restart the game with the direct free kick that was awarded to the red team.

(See pages 26, 34, 96 and 117 in the 2010-11 AYSO Laws of the Game).

Question 122:

I was the referee in a U-16 co-ed game, and during the first half blue player #7 was screaming every time she received the ball while in the middle of several opponents. She would not do this when she received the ball with no opponents nearby. The red team's coach and my assistant referee (AR) made me aware of the situation at halftime. Before blowing the whistle to start the second half I asked her to stop screaming and her response was "Whatever." I started the second half, and she kept screaming so the next time the ball went out of play I cautioned her. Soon after she screamed again and I stopped play and sent her off with a direct red card. When players asked me why I sent her off, I said "It was unsportsmanlike, I warned her, cautioned her, and showed her the red card for persistently infringing the rules." Then I restarted the game with a dropped ball. Should I have managed the situation differently?

Answer:

Blue player #7 was guilty of unsporting behavior if her screaming was interfering with the opponents' ability to play the ball. In this scenario, the referee could have used the player's coach to help change her behavior while he/she addressed the players during halftime. The referee can talk to the player when she is next to her coach – "Number 7, when you scream as you receive the ball, you interfere with the opponents' ability to play the ball as you distract and confuse them. Please stop screaming. Do you understand?" Pause to get her acknowledgement and support for the request and then say, "Thank you."

If the player's response is negative such as "Whatever", immediately involve the coach. "Coach, please help your player understand and support my request. Thank you," and walk away to prepare the restart of the game. This option teams up the coach with the referee in mentoring the player and usually gets players to change their behavior. After this step, if the player insists on committing a misconduct offense then the referee should show the yellow card to the player and caution her for unsporting behavior.

In this scenario, a good disciplinary concept was applied, but there should be a few technical corrections. The referee decided to caution the player a second time because she screamed again, the reason for this caution being unsporting behavior – verbally distracting an opponent during play. When a player receives a second caution in the same game, the referee should first show the yellow card and then show the red card before sending the player off. Also, in this scenario, the referee stopped the game to caution the player so the restart should be an indirect free kick for the red team.

(See pages 33, 34 and 115 in the 2010-11 AYSO Laws of the Game).

Question 121:

What should the referee do and how is play restarted if...

In a U-16 boys game, red player #12, the center forward, injured himself while taking a shot on goal which ended up in a goal kick for the blue team. He leaves the field of play on his own initiative, after receiving permission from the referee to get treated. Just before the goal kick is taken, he asks the referee for permission to return to the field of play.

Answer:
Only the referee may permit a player who left the field of play to be treated for an injury to return. Such player may return during play with the referee's permission as long as the player returns from the touch line, and preferably at the halfway line or at a point where he/she will not gain an illegal advantage. However, if the ball is out of play, the player may return with the permission of the referee, across any boundary line.

In this case, the game was stopped because the ball went of play and not because of the injury, and the referee did not beckon anyone onto the field of play to provide medical assistance to the player.

Therefore, the referee should allow red player #12 to return to the field of play and then restart the game with the goal kick for the blue team.

(See page 25 in the 2010-11 USSF Advice to Referees on the Laws of the Game).

Question 120:

What should the referee do and how is play restarted if...

In a U-19 game, blue #7 commits a kicking foul in the 11th minute, which the referee penalizes with a direct free kick for the red team. In the 14th minute, the same player commits a pushing foul and the referee awards a direct free kick to the red team after having a brief but firm talk with blue player #7. Then in the 18th minute, blue #7 kicks a red player just outside the penalty area, committing his third foul, causing the red player to lose control of the ball. The ball rolls out to another red player who is not in an offside position.

Answer:

Blue player #7 committed multiple fouls and should be cautioned for persistent infringement. Since the ball went to another red player, the referee should judge if allowing play to continue will benefit the red team’s attack, that is, the referee should consider applying advantage.

For advantage to be considered, the red team should have a good chance of taking a shot on goal. Examples: the red player with the ball ends up on a one-on-one attacking situation against the blue goalkeeper; or the red team ends up with a numerical attacking player advantage on the blue team.

In considering advantage, we recommend for the referee to quickly take the following steps:

•Determine if any player wants to immediately retaliate.

•Sometimes the referee has to help avoid retaliation with a strong signal and verbal message, “Play on, I see the foul but you have the ball.”

•If retaliation seems possible, stop the play, deal with the situation, show the yellow card to blue #7 and caution him for persistent infringement and restart the game with a direct free kick for the red team.

•If the red team ends up with a good chance for a shot on goal and there is no retaliation, apply advantage, and when the game comes to a stop, show the yellow card to blue #7 and caution him for persistent infringement.

•Every now and then the advantage does not materialize so if this happens, quickly blow the whistle, briefly but clearly verbalize the decision, award a direct free kick to the red team for the kicking foul, show the yellow card to blue #7, and caution him for persistent infringement.

(See pages 32, 34 and 117 in the 2010-11 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game).

Question 119:

Last week in a U-16 boys game, #3 for the blue team was challenging to the referee and out of control. Next week I’m assigned to officiate this player’s team, so what should I do to keep him under control?

Answer:

The referee should not judge and/or discipline players based on their behavior in past games. However, the referee should prepare and plan to officiate a game where he/she will influence the player’s behavior and direct them towards playing a safe, fair and fun game.

The plan should include assistance from both Assistant Referees (ARs) and, when needed, include the coaches. We recommend that the referee follows a series of steps that will help the player(s) have the awareness of what is expected, feel safe and successful when they play according to the Spirit of the Game and have a clear understanding of consequences if they chose not to behave.

Below is a list of suggested steps which provide a higher level of awareness and if needed,damage control that will help keep the players, including the potential trouble makers, under control and focused on playing the game.

•Connect with the players before the game starts. Shake their hands and share a positive statement to help them set up a good objective for their playing time. This allows the referee to send a message to the potential trouble making player without isolating him/her.

•Set a good tone for the game in terms of foul recognition. If the players are playing good soccer, let them play and just be close to play so they feel your presence. If the player in question commits a strong foul, be sure to send a message with a strong whistle. Then isolate the player, provide a firm and clear talk to the player and stay very close to play when this player is involved. Make sure the player’s coach is aware of the potential problem so he/she can provide assistance.

•The ARs can help maintain the game tone and player awareness by talking to them when play is nearby or when the potential trouble maker is out of the view of the referee.

•If the players continue to play safely and fairly, the referee should let them know every now and then. And it is okay to let them know at half time to reinforce the positive objectives for the game.

•If the player in question decides to commit another strong foul, challenge a referee decision, or take some other negative action the referee should send a strong message and caution or send off the player depending on the nature of the offense. This will prevent other players from being negatively influenced and retaliating.

Managing potential trouble making players becomes less challenging and turns them into positive players when the referee has a plan and teams up with the ARs and the coaches.

Question 118:

What should the referee do, and how is play restarted if...

In a U-10 boys game, the blue team’s goalkeeper collects the ball in his goal area. He is holding the ball in his hands and getting ready to kick it when his pet Chihuahua dog gets away from his mother and runs into the penalty area barking at the goalkeeper and wanting to play with him. A couple of kids start chasing and playing with the dog.

Answer:
Parents should not bring any pets to the soccer fields. In this scenario, the referee should blow the whistle to stop play and ask the parent(s) to remove the dog from the field of play. The referee can suggest to the parents to remove the dog from the location so there will not be another incident if the pet gets away from them.

Once the parents get the pet under control the referee should remind the players to refocus on the game – “Everyone, we’re going to restart the game so please get ready. I’ll restart with a dropped ball and in the spirit of the game allow the goalkeeper to get control of the ball because he had it under control when the dog came on to the field. Thank you.” Next the referee should restart the game with a dropped ball and let the blue team’s goalkeeper gain control of the ball.

(See page 28 in the 2010-11 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game).

Question 117:

The red team is ready to take a free kick and the blue team has set up their “defensive wall” ten yards away. Just as red player #9 is about to kick the ball, red player #4 who was positioned within the blue team’s “defensive wall” comes running out crossing in front of the defensive players and passes the ball to red player #9. Did red player #4 unfairly distract the blue team?

Answer:

Players can always use tactics to confuse the opponents as long as their actions do not unfairly interfere with the opponents’ ability to play the ball or gain them an unfair advantage. In this free kick scenario, the defending team must remain at least ten yards away until, in the opinion of the referee, the ball is kicked by the red team and it moves.

When red player #4 moved towards the ball, he did not interfere in an unfair manner as he was not impeding the progress of an opponent because the blue team had to remain ten yards away from the ball. If red player #4 was not using unnatural body positions as he was running towards the ball such running with his arms extended upwards, and he was not yelling and screaming, and he was not doing anything else that in the opinion of the referee was considered unfair or dangerous, then the referee should allow play to continue.

If in the opinion of the referee red player #4 was guilty of an offense as he ran towards the ball then he should ask the red team to wait before taking the free kick, take disciplinary action with red player #4 ranging from talking to him to sending him off - depending on the nature of the offense, and then restart the game with the free kick for the red team. As referees become better students of the game they get better at differentiating between cheating tactics and fair playing tactics that contribute to a beautiful game.

(See pages 114, 115 and 123 in the 2010/2011 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game and pages 50 and 86 in the 2010/2011 USSF Advice to Referees on the Laws of the Game).

What should the referee do, and how is play restarted if...

In a U-8 boys game, red player #10 removes his shin guards because they bother him and throws them out of the field of play. Immediately after he receives a pass, shoots and scores a goal without the shin guards.
 

Answer:

Law 4 – The Player’s Equipment states that shin guards are part of the basic mandatory player equipment. Shin guards must be worn at all times in games and practices and should be entirely covered by socks. Removing the shin guards is an infringement which does not require play to be stopped, therefore in this scenario the goal counts.

The referee should ask the player to leave the field of play to correct his equipment and restart the game with a kickoff for the blue team. The player can reenter the field of play when the ball is out of play and his equipment has been checked by the referee. The referee can delegate this type of equipment check to the assistant referees in the pregame conference. In U-8 games referees are providing a lot of teaching of the game to the kids. The referee can explain to the player the safety benefits of wearing the shin guards and then recommend that he wears them at home to get used to them.

(See pages 18 and 19 in the 2010-11 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game).

Question 115:

What should the referee do, and how is play restarted if...

In a U-14 girls game the referee sends off blue player #5 and red player #9 ten minutes into the second half. Red player #9 switches shirts with red player #19 and at the end of the “quarter” gets substituted for red player #3. A couple of minutes later the referee notices that red player #19 is the red player who he sent off earlier.

Answer:

Red player #3 remains the player of record because the red player #19 was sent off while wearing #9, so from that point on she was no longer eligible to participate in the game. Any player who is sent off and goes back into the field of play is considered an outside agent. Therefore, the referee should stop the game, and have the player with the red shirt #19 removed from the field of play. The referee should also caution the substitute who is the official red player #19 for unsporting behavior by switching shirts, show her the yellow card and ask her to wear the red shirt #19.

If in the referee’s opinion the coach knew about the players’ misconduct, switching shirts and intentionally substituted a player who had been sent off, then he should dismiss the coach for irresponsible behavior. Ask red player #3 to get back on the field of play and restart the game with an indirect free kick for the blue team. All of the details must be properly documented in the game report. We recommend that the assistant referee on the side of the team bench always pay attention to the substitutes’ activity in order to prevent this type of misconduct.

(See pages 17, 22, 33 and 60 in the 2010-11 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game and page 25, Section 5.10 in the USSF Advice to Referees on the Laws of the Game, 2009-10 edition).

Question 114:

What should the referee do, and how is play restarted if...

In a U-16 boys game, red player #9 makes light contact with the blue team’s goalkeeper as he challenges for the ball. The goalkeeper controls the ball and because he was upset over the contact, he throws it directly at the back of the head of red player #9 who is now 3 yards outside of the penalty area.

Answer:

Carelessly hitting an opponent with the ball is considered a striking foul which is punishable by a direct free kick. In this case, the point of the infraction is considered to be where the ball struck the opponent (or would have struck if the attempt missed). When the ball is in play and a player throws an object or the ball at an opponent in a reckless manner, with complete disregard for the safety of his opponent, he/she should be cautioned for unsporting behavior. If the player throws the object with excessive force, creating danger to his opponent, then he/she should be sent off for violent conduct. Therefore in this scenario the referee should stop play and, depending on his/her opinion, caution or send off the goalkeeper and restart with a direct free kick where the ball made contact with red player #9.

(See pages 32, 34, 35, 109, 115, 119 and 121 in the 2010-11 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game).

Question 113:

What should the referee do, and how is play restarted if...

In a U-19 girls' game, red player #9 is dribbling the ball into the blue team’s penalty area. Blue player #7, attempting to get control of the ball, kicks red player #9 who is able to keep control of the ball and take a shot on goal which then goes over the crossbar.

Answer:

The FIFA Laws of the Game used to include the following paragraph known as International F.A. Board Decision 8 which was included in Law 5 until it was dropped in 1997: "The Laws of the Game are intended to provide that games should be played with as little interference as possible, and in this view it is the duty of referees to penalize only deliberate breaches of the Law. Constant whistling for trifling and doubtful breaches produces bad feeling and loss of temper on the part of the players and spoils the pleasure of spectators."

This statement has been captured in the AYSO Rules and Regulations, section I.D.5, and the spirit, if not the words, of this concept remains at the heart of the Laws and it is applicable to all possible violations of any of the Laws of the Game. As the skill (technical, physical and emotional) level of players increases more player actions become trifling and referees have more opportunities to allow game flow. Kicking the opponent may become a foul if it causes the opponent to lose control of the ball or if it interferes with the opponent’s ability to effectively pass the ball to a teammate or take a shot on goal.

This criterion should be applied regardless of whether the action takes place in or outside the penalty area. n this scenario blue player #7’s action can be considered trifling because red player #9 was able to keep control of the ball and take a shot on goal, so there is no foul to be punished.

However the referee should firmly warn blue player #7 to be careful with her playing and not to kick opponents so players continue to feel safe. If the player continues to kick the opponents the referee may find her guilty of persistent infringement which merits a caution.

(See pages 32, 34 and 110 in the 2010-11 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game and page 22 in the 2009-10 USSF Advice to Referees on the Laws of the Game.)

Question 112:

What should the referee do, and how is play restarted if...

In a U-14 boys’ game, before a penalty kick is taken by red player #10, the goalkeeper moves to his right and then to his left while remaining on the goal line. The kick is taken and the goalkeeper deflects the ball over the cross bar. Immediately after, the assistant referee stays in position at the intersection of the goal line and the penalty area line and signals by holding the flag across his lower body.

Answer:

Once the referee whistles for the penalty kick to be taken, the goalkeeper may move from side to side on the goal line but may not move off the goal line either into the field of play or off the field of play (backward) until the ball has been kicked. The goalkeeper may have one or both feet off the ground as long as he/she does not move forward or backward from the plane of the goal line. This goalkeeper movement restriction also applies to the procedure Kicks from the Penalty Mark which is used to determine the winner of a match. In this scenario the goalkeeper did not infringe any Laws so the assistant referee should have not signaled to the referee. Therefore the referee should waive down the signal and project good teamwork and support for the assistant referee by giving him/her a “thumbs up” signal and saying something like, “Thank you. I’ve got it.”

The referee should signal for a corner kick because the ball was last touched by a defender before it left the field of play over the goal line without a goal being scored, and restart the game with a corner kick for the red team. We recommend that the referee team review in the pregame conference the procedures, mechanics and responsibilities for key game incidents such as the penalty kick procedure. The pregame conference helps develop awareness about the game and understanding of individual responsibilities which is good for avoiding misunderstandings and miscommunication.

(See page 48 in the 2009-10 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game and page 73 in the USSF Advice to the Referees on the Laws of the Game, 2009-10 edition).

Question 111:

Blue player #5 has control of the ball approximately 15 yards outside his own penalty area when an opponent pressures him. The blue player decides to kick the ball hard towards his own goal. The blue team’s goalkeeper who is outside his own penalty area sees that the ball is heading towards his goal and decides to dive and catch it with his hands. The goalkeeper was the last defender between the ball and the blue team’s goal. Is this action considered denying a goal scoring opportunity?

Answer:

When the goalkeeper is outside his/her penalty area he/she becomes a regular player and is not allowed to deliberately handle the ball. In the question presented the goalkeeper was outside of his penalty area and deliberately handled the ball which should be penalized with a direct free kick. The other concept in this question is denying an opponent an obvious goal scoring opportunity by deliberately handling the ball. A player can also deny an opponent a goal scoring opportunity by committing an offense punishable by a free kick or a penalty kick and this concept will be addressed in future editions of Whistle Stop including the four factors or elements known to referees as the “Four Ds” that must be considered before determining that an obvious goal scoring opportunity existed.

In the scenario presented, if in the opinion of the referee the ball was heading towards the goal and there were no other defenders that could have stopped the ball from going into the goal then the goalkeeper is guilty of denying a goal scoring opportunity by deliberately handling the ball. Therefore the referee should stop play, show the red card to the blue team goalkeeper, send him off and restart the game with a direct free kick for the red team.

(See pages 35 and 111 in the 2009-10 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game and page 63 in the USSF Advice to the Referees on the Laws of the Game, 2009-10 edition).

Question 110:

What should the referee do, and how is play restarted if...

The ball is in play when blue player #3 punches red player #10 just outside of the center circle. The referee stops play and sends off blue player #3 for violent conduct. The referee then makes eye contact with the lead assistant referee who gives him a thumbs-up signal. He proceeds to restart the game with a direct free kick for the red team. Ten minutes and several restarts later when the first half ends, the other assistant referee notifies the referee that player #10 punched blue player #3 first which caused the retaliation by blue player #3.

Answer:

The referee has the duty to control the match in cooperation with the assistant referees; therefore, he/she may caution and/or send off a player as soon as he/she learns from an assistant referee the pertinent facts that would justify a disciplinary action.

The caution and/or send off must be given at the time of the misconduct or no later than the next stoppage of play. If the referee fails to do this then he/she cannot later caution and/or send off the player for the related misconduct except in two rare specific circumstances: First, the player may be cautioned or sent off even after the subsequent restart if an assistant referee signaled for misconduct and maintained the signal but the referee did not see it until after the play was restarted. Second, a player may be sent off at any time prior to the end of the game if the player was cautioned a second time without being sent off. Neither of these circumstances occurred in the situation presented. Therefore, in this case the referee cannot send off player #10. However, the referee should notify red player #10 that he/she knows what happened and ask #10 to avoid committing misconduct.

It is recommended that the referee make eye contact with both assistant referees and quickly get input before making critical decisions. If the referee does not check with one or both assistant referees, and they have critical input, it is okay for them to get the referee’s attention and provide the input. The referee makes final decisions, but it helps to have as much input as possible especially in critical situations.

(See page 21 in the 2009-10 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game and sections 5.13 and 12.26 in the 2009-10 USSF Advice to Referees).

Question 109:

What should the referee do, and how is play restarted if...

The referee is managing kicks from the penalty mark to determine a winner. During the third kick from the mark, the referee decides that the kick taken by red player #8 needs to be retaken because the goalkeeper moved forward before the ball was kicked and player #8 kicked the ball over the crossbar. Red player #8 decides not to retake the kick and instead red player #12 comes up to the ball and gets ready to take the kick.

Answer:

The Laws of the Game and the International F.A. Board decisions apply when kicks from the penalty mark are being executed for the purpose of determining a winner. Each kick must be taken by a different player and all eligible players must take a kick before any player can take a kick again. If the red player #12 has not yet taken a kick then he can do the retake of the third kick. If red player #12 took one of the first two kicks then he must wait until all of his eligible teammates take a kick.

(See page 51 in the 2009-10 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game and page 83 in the 2009-10 USSF Advice to Referees on the Laws of the Game).

Question 108:

What should the referee do, and how is play restarted if...

In a U-19 boys game, the referee stops play for a holding offense committed by blue team player #3 in the middle of the field. The red team requests a substitution, and the referee motions the substitute, red player #12, to enter the field. The substitute enters the field. Then red player #7, who was identified to be substituted and who has not yet left the field of play, strikes an opponent.

Answer:

Referees need to follow the proper substitution procedure as it helps avoid problems. In this scenario, the referee did not follow the proper substitution procedure as red player #12 was allowed to enter the field of play before red player #7 had left. However, the substitution was completed because red player #12 received permission from the referee and entered the field of play, becoming a player of record. Therefore, red player #7 is considered a substituted player from the moment the referee authorized the substitution and red player #12 entered the field.

The referee must show the red card to red player #7 and send him off for violent conduct. Since red player #7 was a substituted player when he committed the violent conduct, the red team does not have to play with one less player. The game should be restarted with the direct free kick in favor of the red team per the holding offense committed by the blue team.

Recommendations: The referee should have an awareness of potential player frustration. Players who are asked to be substituted may project frustration triggered by an opponent's provocation and/or a sense of "I'm not happy to be substituted so let me do something about it!" It is recommended for the referee to focus on the player to be substituted, and if needed, accompany him to his bench so that he will not get involved in misconduct.

The assistant referees can help manage the substitution process, so discuss the role of each official during the pregame discussion. In this scenario, the assistant referee on the side of the team requesting the substitution could have held the new player from entering the field of play until red player #7 had left the field.

(See pages 16, 25, 32, 59 and 77 in the 2009-10 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game.)

Question 107:

I was refereeing a U-10 game this weekend when the blue team had a breakaway. Just before kicking the ball, a blue player was pushed hard from behind inside the penalty area. He stumbled and then regained control of the ball. The blue player kicked the ball into the goal. When the player was pushed I immediately blew the whistle and then got the ball out of the net and set it up for a penalty kick. As I looked to my assistant referee she was talking with the coach of the blue team and calling me over with her hand. The blue team coach told me that the advantage was not taken away from the blue player and that the goal should be counted. I discussed this with my assistant referee and she agreed with the blue team coach. I awarded the goal to the blue team, forgetting the penalty kick altogether. Was this the right call?

Answer:

Play stops when the referee makes the decision to stop play and the whistle announces this decision to everyone else. In this case, when the whistle was blown, play was stopped just before the blue player kicked the ball. Unfortunately, the ball went into the goal and this is why in similar scenarios referees should consider applying advantage. That is, show the proper advantage signal, verbalize "play on" to indicate that you have seen the foul and allow play to continue when the team against which an offense has been committed will benefit from such an advantage. Since you stopped play before the goal was scored, you should have restarted the game with the penalty kick in favor of the blue team.  

For future games consider waiting a couple of seconds for the fouled player to recover if the foul is not very severe and the position of the foul is close to the opponent's goal where there may be an opportunity to score a goal. The referee can penalize the original offense, within a few seconds, if the advantage does not develop as anticipated.

(See page 21, 66 and 75 in the 2009-10 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game; section 9.1 in the AYSO Guidance for Referees and Coaches - 2009 edition).

Question 106:

What should the referee do, and how is play restarted if...

Red player #11, who is in an offside position, turns her back towards the opponent's goal and makes no attempt to play the ball as the ball rolls past her after being passed by a teammate. Blue defender #3 runs past red player #11, gets possession of the ball a few yards past the offside player, and turns up field dribbling it. Red player #11 immediately challenges the blue player and tries to tackle the ball away.

Answer:

The red player #11 who is in an offside position may become onside if the blue opponent plays (meaning possessed and controlled, not simply deflected) or gains possession of the ball.

In this scenario the referee should judge and determine if blue player #3 gained control of the ball. Since the blue player got possession of the ball, turned up field and dribbled the ball, she had control of the ball. Therefore red player #11 is now back onside and may challenge for the ball. The referee should allow play to continue.

(See pages 31 and 100 in the 2009-10 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game; pages 40 and 44 in the USSF Advice to the Referees on the Laws of the Game, 2009-10 edition.)

Question 105:

What should the referee do, and how is play restarted if...

A red team attacker with clear possession of the ball has penetrated the blue team's defense and is on a breakaway attack in the blue team's half of the field when the referee notices that a blue player is lying on the ground.

Answer:

This decision must be made quickly and with due consideration to the age level of the players. Younger players seldom simulate injury to affect the outcome of the game and referees must take this into consideration when making the decision. Even if the players are older, the referee must put the welfare of the player first when deciding what to do.

The referee must quickly determine whether the player on the ground is injured, assess the potential level of the injury and take action as appropriate.

Play should be stopped immediately if:

a) In the opinion of the referee, the player is seriously injured.

b) The referee has doubt as to the level of the injury, in which case the player should be considered to be seriously injured.

With older players, if the referee decides that the injury is minor then play should be allowed to continue until either the ball goes out of play or the referee can stop play without affecting the outcome of the match.

If instead the referee does stop play immediately for an injury that was not caused by a foul, the game should be restarted with a dropped ball where the ball was when play was stopped.

If the referee determines that a foul occurred, the game should be restarted in accordance with the foul, and if appropriate, disciplinary action should be taken (e.g. caution, send-off).

(See pages 21, 67, and 68 in the 2009-10 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game.)

Question 104:

In a boys U-19 game, I blew the whistle to indicate that defender #4 impeded the progress of attacker #14. As I'm pointing in the direction of the defender's goal, the attacker pushed the defender to the ground. The pushing seemed more serious to me than the foul committed by the attacker so I gave a direct free kick in favor of the defender's team. I had several parents complain but I proceeded with the direct kick.

Was I right?

Answer:

The moment you decided that defender #4 committed the offense of impeding the progress of an opponent (attacker #14), the ball was out of play and you stopped the game. You confirmed your decision and made the players aware of it by blowing the whistle. Since you stopped the game for the impeding offense, the restart should have been an indirect free kick in favor of the attacking team. Attacking player #14 committed the pushing offense when the ball was out play; therefore, the restart should have remained the same. In addition, attacking player #14 committed a cautionable offense, which was pushing the opponent when the ball is out of play. For this reason, you should have shown the yellow card to attacking player #14 and cautioned him for unsporting behaviour (pushing the player to the ground).

In a U-19 game, showing the yellow card and cautioning is acceptable as the players are older and most likely have higher levels of technical and physical skills. In a U-12 or younger game, it is recommended to the referee not to use cards and instead manage similar situations by verbally admonishing the players and teaching them about appropriate behavior.

(See pages 29, 33, 34 and 109 in the 2009-10 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game, and pages 41, 43 and 45 in the AYSO National Referee Program-2009 Edition.)

Question 103:

What should the referee do, and how is play restarted if...

Red team attacker #12 dribbles the ball into the penalty area with an obvious goal scoring opportunity as he faces the goalkeeper from the blue team. Just before he takes a shot on goal, blue team defender #3 catches up with the attacker and takes him down by tackling him with excessive force, causing the attacker to lose control of the ball inside the penalty area.

Answer:

Blue defender #3 committed two sending-off offenses, one is serious foul play (SFP) for using excessive force against the opponent, and the other one is denying an obvious goal scoring opportunity (DOGSO) to an opponent moving towards the blue team's goal by an offense punishable by a free kick or penalty kick. SFP is the more serious offense of the two; therefore, the referee should stop the game, show the red card to the blue player #3 for SFP and restart it with a penalty kick for the red team. In addition, the referee must report SFP as the reason for the send-off of blue player #3.

(See pages 32, 35, 109, 118 and 122 in the 2009-10 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game.)

Question 102:

We had a goalkeeper receive the ball with his feet from the attacking team, and then dribble the ball to corner of the penalty area near the goal line, kneel down next to the ball and wait for the attacking team to come and pressure the ball. The center ref gave him a verbal warning for delaying the game. The goalkeeper said he was not doing anything wrong technically speaking because he had not picked up the ball. I think he was in a way taunting the other players by getting down on his knees next to the ball and should have been cautioned.  What do you think?

Answer:

Technically, the goalkeeper did not break the Laws of the Game by dribbling the ball to the corner of the penalty area and waiting until the opponent was close to pick up the ball. Experienced and knowledgeable goalkeepers do this when they are winning a game. However, depending on the age of the players, their skill level and the level of frustration, there is a risk that the attacking player may get to the ball faster and with additional strength than the goalkeeper can safely pick it up, creating a situation for potential injury.

The referee was correct to provide awareness to the goalkeeper, but delaying the game is not the correct reason to site. Instead, a better approach is to get close to the goalkeeper and verbally communicate: "Play the ball to your teammates so we can keep the game fun and safe. Thank you." This provides a chance for the goalkeeper to pick up the ball or just kick it to a teammate in a safe environment.

(See section 12.20 and its related note in the USSF Advice to the Referees.)

Question 101:

To Whistle Or Not To Whistle?

What should the referee do, and how is play restarted if...

An attacking red team player, who is adjusting his shirt, grabs the bottom of it with both hands as the ball is played to him. He "catches" the ball with the bottom of his shirt (as a basket), without touching the ball with his hands, then he releases the ball from the shirt to his feet and kicks it into the goal?

Answer:

The bottom of his shirt became an extension of the hands as the red team player was holding it with his hands and made a "basket." Therefore, the red team player is guilty of handling the ball. The referee should stop the game and restart it with a direct free kick for the blue team from the place where the offense occurred. In this case, if the infraction (handling the ball deliberately) occurred inside the blue team's penalty area, then all opponents must be at least 10 yards from the ball and remain outside the penalty area until the ball is in play, which requires for it to be kicked directly out of the penalty area.

In addition, depending on the age of the players and if, in the opinion of the referee, the red team player intentionally used the "basket," that is deliberately handled the ball, to prevent an opponent from gaining possession, then before restarting the game the referee should caution the red team player for unsporting behavior.

(See pages 32, 37 and 111 in the 2009/2010 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game.)

From: AYSO Whistle