Regional Referee Course Plan

1
Regional Referee Course Plan

• Thursday 8/31Getting started
• AYSO Principles Team, Coaching, U10 Players,
  Referees
• Pre-game, Field, Players Equip, Ball, Start,
  Injury Dropped ball
• Ball out of play, Goal, Throw-in, Goal kick,
  Corner kick
• Tuesday 9/5During the game
• Referee, Asst Referee
• Offside, Fouls and Misconduct
• Free kicks, Penalty kicks
• Thursday 9/7Referee skills and wrap-up
• Mechanics, Signaling, Substitutions, Mistakes,
  Post game, Summary
• Test
• Safe Haven

2
AYSO Principles

• AYSO games are
• Safe
• Fair
• Fun
• Because
• Anyone plays (Open registration)
• Teams are balanced in ability
• Everyone plays
• Positive coaching (and refereeing)
• Good Sportsmanship

3
AYSO Team

• How many teams are on the field of play?

4
AYSO Team
How do teammates interact?

• work together
• help each other
• protect each other
• do their best

5
AYSO Team
Conclusion

• Children need role models. We can TELL our
  children how teammates work together, or we can
  SHOW them.
• As referees, we orchestrate an environment that
  allows the AYSO Team to SHOW children positive
  role models.

6
AYSO Coaching

• Positive
• Instructional
• Encouraging
• Need to know this for the Regional Exam

7
U10 Players

• Have a taste of an athletic experience and
  working together as a team.
• At the simplest level of play, any player who can
  run and kick a ball can enjoy soccer.
• How would you describe an U10 player?
• Physical/Gross Motor Development
• Social and Emotional Development
• Cognitive/Thought Development

8
U10 Players

• Physical/Gross Motor
• Participates enthusiastically, likes all sports,
  will practice new skills
• Social/Emotional
• Has fears, may worry about not being liked
• Blames others for mistakes, hurts feelings
• Needs reinforcement, likes to be a helper
• Cognitive
• Understands cause and effect
• Likes putting on a show
• General
• Willing to join in moderate strategy games
• Wants to do lots of activities

9
AYSO Referees

• Understanding the level and abilities of the
  players will assist you in your role of referee
• Part teacher, part facilitator, part fair play
  arbiter
• For younger players, emphasis is on positive
  instruction
• Give enthusiasm to kids convey the spirit of the
  game
• Help them learn the basics, but let them play
• Referees are volunteers
• Just like the players and coaches
• Everyone's learning... and having fun

10
Pre-game Activities

• Focus on safety
• Field of play
• Players and equipment
• Your own safety
• Introduce yourself to, or recruit, fellow
  officials have a short pre-game discussion
• Introduce yourself to coaches of both teams

11
Before Play Starts

• Arrive a minimum 15 minutes before game time
• Check field, field markings, flags, goals, nets.
• Check players equipment.
• Acquire and check ball.
• Conduct coin toss to determine kick-off and
  direction.

12
The Field (Law 1)
Lines on the field are part of the areas they
enclose.
13
The Field (U10)

• Fields for the U10 have been reduced to
  approximately 80 of the regular field size.
• For example, when taking free kicks, opposing
  players are required to be more than 8 yards,
  rather than 10 yards, from the ball.

14
The Players (Law 3)

• 11 players, one of whom is the Goalkeeper U10 to
  U19 (see local rules for U7, U8 and U9)
• Must have and maintain at least 7 (see local
  rules for U7 and U8)
• Obtain roster cards
• Players listed in numerical order
• Insist that quarters played be blank.
• Medical release checkNO LONGER YOUR
  RESPONSIBILITY TO CHECK!

15
The Players Equipment (Law 4)

• Team uniform (shirt, shorts, socks)goalkeeper
  must be distinguishable from other players and
  referee
• If thermal shorts are worn, they must be the same
  color as the uniform shorts
• Shin guards -- must be under socks
• Shoes -- no toe cleats or sharp spikes
• Nothing dangerous (in your opinion)
• No casts
• No watches, jewelry, sun glasses, hats...

16
The Ball (Law 2)

• Sizes
• U14 to U19Size 5
• U12 to U9?Size 4
• U8 and belowSize 3.
• No rough edges
• Inflated to thumb pressure
• You choose from balls offered by teams
• Remember (write down) which teams ball you took!
• (see slide on After the Game)

17
The Coin Toss

• Team that supplies the game ball calls the toss.
• Winner selects the goal it will attack in the 1st
  half.
• Loser must kick off.
• Write kicking team and direction on roster card
  or game card you need to reverse these
  selections for the start of 2nd half.

18
Kick Off (Law 8)

• Ball at mid-field, on ground, stationary
• Everyone in their own half
• Opposing players outside the circle
• Ball is in play when it is kicked and moves
  forward. (Retake if it does not move forward.)
• Must be played to another player
• A goal may be scored directly from a kick-off.
• At beginning of each half, start your watch once
  ball is properly in play

19
End of Play (Law 7)

• Each half is
• 20 minutes in U6 and U8 35 min. U1425 min.
  U10 40 min. U1630 min. U12 45 min. U19
• plus time lost
• Half time is 5 to 10 minutes
• Each half ends when time runs out. Stop play.
• You can suspend or terminate game early
• Dangerous conditions (lightning, darkness)
• Crowd out of control, etc.

20
Injury (Law 5)

• Stop play whenever in your opinion a player is
  hurt or may be about to be hurt (stop
  immediately, or anytime appropriate).
• Any player bleeding must leave the field.
• Hurt is notFallen down, Shoe lace untied, Muddy
• Let coach tend an injured player
• Allow a substitute IF necessary
• Restart by dropping the ball

21
Dropped Ball (Law 8)

• For incidental stoppages (e.g. injury)
• Even to both teams
• Outside the goal area
• One player from each side facing each other
• Referee drops the ball from waist height
• Re-drop if touched before it hits the ground
• Only instance of a restart where player can
  immediately play ball again

22
Out of play (Law 9)

• When the ball goes entirely over a boundary line
• Into a goal Goal, Kick off
• Over a touch line Throw -in
• Over a goal line
• By an attacker Goal kick
• By a defender Corner kick
• Or, once the referee has decided to stop play,
  for
• An infringement Free kick, penalty kick
• Everything else Drop ball
• Ball held by goal-keeper is in play but other
  players may not challenge for it
• The goals, the corner flags and the referees are
  in play

23
Ball In/Out of Play (Law 9)
Out!
In!
In!
In!
Field of play
Ball may be on the ground OR in the air.
24
Goal (Law 10)

• Ball must cross into the goal while in play
• Doesn't matter who put it there
• Goal cant be awarded for any other reason
• Restart after a goal is a kick off by scored-on
  team

25
Throw-in (Law 15)

• When ball passes entirely over the touch line
• Thrown in at that point by any player of the team
  that did not last touch it
• Other players can be anywhere, but can't
  interfere
• Limited advantage
• Both feet on the ground, on or outside the line
• Using both hands, from behind and over the head
• Throw-in to other team if done incorrectly
• Indirect and to another player

26
Feet on throw in

• On ground, on or outside line

OK OK Not OK!
27
Goal kick (Law 16)

• When attackers play ball across goal line and no
  goal
• Any defender places and (kicks the ball
  fromanywhere in goal area U10 penalty area)
• Opponents must be outside the penalty area(U10
  and more than 8 yards from the ball)
• Ball is not in play until it leaves the penalty
  area
• May not be played a second time until it does
• If it is played, retake
• Direct and to another player
• For any infringement other than the kicker
  playing the ball a 2nd time outside the Penalty
  Area, retake

28
Position on Goal Kick (U10)
29
Corner kick (Law 17)

• When defenders play ball across goal line and no
  goal
• Any attacker places and kicks the ball From
  within corner arc Corner post may not be moved
• Opponents all stay 10 yards away (U10 8 yards)
• Next played by another player
• Ball is directly in play, goal can be scored from
  kick

30
Corner kick (Law 17)
31
The Nuts and Bolts of Refereeing

• Phases
• Before the game
• At the start of the game
• During the game
• During the half-time
• At the end

32
The referee (Law 5)

• Decisions are final
• May choose to ignore trifling misdemeanors, or
  those that give advantage to the other team
• Keeps time
• Makes a record of the game
• Signals for restarts
• Disciplines players and team officials for
  misconduct, before, during, and after the game

33
The Assistant Referee (Law 6)

• Assistants of the referee
• May or may not be neutral (i.e., trained
  referees)
• Neutral assistants signal
• throw-in (direction)
• goal-kick and corner-kick
• Offside
• fouls and other infractions, subject to referee
  instructions
• In a pre-game discussion review signals, what
  assistant should watch, and who is backup timer.

34
AYSO Directive

• 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
  breeches produces bad feelings and loss of temper
  on the part of the players and spoils the
  pleasure of the spectators.

35
Offside (Law 11)

• What is the intent of this law?
• A player who is behind the defense and receives
  the ball from a teammate has not earned his
  advantage. A player should beat the last
  defender to earn a shot on goal.
• The offside law penalizes tactically unfair play.
• Offside is a technical infraction award an IFK.

36
Offside (Law 11)

• Offside is position moment participation
• To be offside, a player has to be
• in the wrong place
• too far forward
• at the wrong time
• when the ball is played by a teammate
• doing the wrong thing
• being part of a play he shouldnt be in

37
Basic Offside
38
Offside position

• It is not an offence to be in an offside
  position.
• A player is in an offside position if
• he is nearer to his opponents goal line than
  both the ball and the second last opponent.
• A player is not in an offside position if
• he is in his own half of the field, or
• he is level with the second last opponent, or
• he is level with the last two opponents.

39
Offside Position
OK
OK
OK
Offside Position
D
D
D
40
Offside - continued

• Moment of judgment is
• when ball is played or touched by a teammate.
• Its OK to go into an offside position after the
  ball has been played.
• Participation is, in the opinion of the referee,
• being part of or interfering with play, or
• gaining an advantage from being in that offside
  position.
• Its OK to be in an offside position if you
  dont try to use it.
• Unless
• player receives the ball direct from a goal-kick,
  corner-kick, or throw-in.

41
Offside - the spirit

• Law books are full of examples and subtleties
• Dont get all technical
• Remember the principle
• No unearned breakaways on goal
• If in doubt, dont call it

42
Offside 2 Questions

• At the MOMENT a teammate played the ball, was the
  player in an off-side POSITION?
• If NO No off-side infraction
• If YESDid the player PARTICIPATE in the play?
• If NO No off-side infraction
• The answer to BOTH QUESTIONS must be YES for an
  off-side infraction!

43
Fouls (Law 12)

• Serious (penal) fouls
• e.g., tripping, holding, or pushing an opponent
  ...
• result in a direct free kick or penalty kick
• Technical (non-penal) fouls
• e.g., dangerous play, impeding an opponent, ...
• result in an indirect free kick
• Misconduct (very rare in U10)
• e.g., violence, offensive or insulting
  language,...
• result in cautions and dismissals

44
Serious (penal) fouls

• Kicking, striking, tripping, pushing, charging,
  or jumping at an opponent carelessly,
  recklessly, or with excessive force
• Holding, spitting, or tackling and contacting the
  opponent before contacting the ball
• Deliberately handling the ball, except
  goal-keeper in own penalty area
• Particularly serious fouls are misconduct

45
Charges, tackles and challenges

• To challenge someone is to try to take the ball
  away
• Challenges are OK
• To tackle is to block the ball, not the
  opponent
• Tackles are OK
• To charge is to bump someone
• Charging is OK only when its
• Done by players who are playing the ball
• Limited in duration (no bull dozing)
• Shoulder to shoulder (not in back!)
• Not at all violent

46
Tripping

• Causing an opponent to fall by use of legs
• Action must be careless, reckless, or involving
  excessive force.
• The ball cant trip. There must be contact.
• Usually, tripper initiates contact
• Playing the ball first usually gives a player the
  right of way

47
Handling the ball

• Hand includes arm to the shoulder
• Handballs must be deliberate incidental
  hand/ball contact (including an attempt to
  handle) is not a foul
• Player places hand (or arm) so that it touches
  the ball
• Reflexive self-defense is OK -- if it is just
  that
• Is there evidence of control in the bounce?
• Did the ball play the hand (OK) ordid the hand
  play the ball?

48
Holding and pushing

• Unfairly impeding an opponent by use of hands
  (typically) or body
• Must involve contact.
• Watch for extended arms across the chest, raised
  elbows
• Hip check

49
Technical (non-penal) fouls

• Dangerous play (often seen in younger players
  games)
• Impeding the progress of an opponent
  (non-contact) when not playing the ball
• Interfering with the goal keeper in penalty area
• Goalkeeper limits (next slide)

50
Goalkeeper limitations

• Goalkeepers may not be harassed or interfered
  with while attempting to put the ball in play.
  It is the duty of referees to protect the
  goalkeeper against dangerous play.
• BUT the goalkeeper is limited in this advantage.
• They may hold the ball for up to 6 seconds, after
  this they are wasting time (4 step rule is
  gone).
• They cant pick up the ball if
• they get it by a pass from a teammates foot
  (back pass rule), or if they receive a throw-in
  from a teammate, or if they have just put it down
  (it must first be played by an opponent).
• Coach, dont just penalize, young goalkeepers
  in these situations.

51
Dangerous play
Called for being too risky, not for doing damage
The gasp test
High kicking
Above the knee Out of control Near other
players
Playing on the ground
Player plays the ball while lying on ground near
other players Reason They must stop, so player
on ground must stop
Sliding tackles
Player slides feet first to ball being played by
an opponent Very dangerous if done from behind
Is it under control? Where are the feet?
52
Misconduct

• Things that destroy the game
• Violence
• Foul language
• Persistent fouling
• Dissent
• Rarely a problem in young divisions
• Laws also include cynical procedural fouls
• Encroachment, substitution procedures, etc.
• These should never produce cautions in young
  divisions
• Use verbal warnings with troublesome players
• involve coach if necessary
• dont use cards except under the most awful
  circumstances

53
Free kick (Law 13)

• Indirect Free Kick (IFK)
• Goal cannot be scored until another player
  touches the ball(like all U8 FK), if ball goes
  in goal untouched from IFK, restart is GK.
• Referee must signal by raising one arm, and keep
  raised until ball is played by another player or
  out of play.
• Direct Free Kick (DFK)
• Goal can be scored without another player
  touching the ball first.
• Never given in opponents penalty area (Penalty
  Kick instead).
• For both cases, the ball is in play when it is
  kicked and moves.

54
Free kick (Law 13)

• When referee has stopped play for an infringement
• Any member of the team awarded the kick places
  the ball and kicks it.
• Ball is placed where infringement occurred except
• If ball is in penalty area and kick is given to
  attackers, If it is direct, its a penalty
  kick! If indirect, move it out to edge of goal
  area.
• If ball is in penalty area and kick is given to
  defenders, If in goal area, treat it as a goal
  kick In any case, ball must clear penalty area
  before next touch.
• Opponents all stay 10 yards away (U10 8 yards)
• Next played by another player. (If same player,
  IFK.)

55
Penalty kick (Law 14)

• For a penal foul by defenders in their own
  penalty area
• Ball is placed on penalty mark
• Until ball is kicked,
• Only kicker and goalkeeper are inside
  penalty-area
• All others must be outside penalty-area, at least
  10 yards from penalty mark (i.e. outside the
  penalty arc), and behind the penalty mark (i.e.,
  at least 12 yards from the goal-line).
• Goalkeeper remains on goal line, facing kicker,
  and between goal posts. (They may move
  laterally)
• After signal, kicker must kick the ball forward.

56
Positions for Penalty Kick
57
Penalty-kick (Law 14)

• Encroachment or forward movement by goalkeeper
• Let kick proceed, then stop play!
• Encroach Result is
• is by the Goal No goal
• Attackers Re-kick IFK or GK
• Defenders Goal Re-kick
• Both Re-kick Re-kick

58
During the Game

• Concentration
• Signaling
• Substitutions
• Positioning
• Mistakes

59
Concentration

• Focus! Dont let your mind wander
• Dont talk to spectators
• Refereeing is not the same as "spectating"
• Watch the players, not the ball

60
Signaling

• Whistle (to stop), arms (for restart), voice (to
  explain)
• Minimal and understated
• For players, not for sidelines
• Arm Point to goalkeeper of offending team
• Learn and give the official signals (Handbook,
  Law book) but use voice often in younger divisions

61
Substitutions
Important because of the "Everyone Plays" (for at
least a half) rule
At roughly the midpoint of each half,
Pick a moment when the ball is out of play, OR
If gt2 minutes past midpoint, stop play near
midfield.
Whistle Call (benches) for substitutions
Politely insist that coaches expedite this (no
meetings drinks etc.)
Mark on game card who is now OUT
Count players visually check keepers restart
(play and watch)
Only other substitutions at halftime and for
injury.
62
Positioning

• Most calls are very easy if youre in the right
  place
• How do you decide where to be on the field?
• Chasing the ball won't work - it's too fast
• Better to decide where to be and move there early

63
What are we looking for?

• Injuries
• Fouls
• Goal
• Offside
• Ball out of play - goal line
• Ball out of play - touch line

64
Where do we have to be

• To call You must be
• Injuries Near ball
• Fouls Near ball
• Goal On goal line
• Offside 2nd last defender
• Ball out of play - goal line On goal line
• Ball out of play - touch line On touch line
• Not the same place!

65
Viewpoints of Play
Offside
Direction of play
Fouls
Goal Line
Injuries
Touch line
66
Three referee (diagonal) system

• One center referee two assistant referees
• Each assistant covers one touch and goal line
• Assistants move along touch line to call offside
• (Often referred to as running the line)
• Thus, assistants cover two of the four corners
• Referee covers center and other two corners
• this produces a tilted or diagonal path
• Referee trails play and focuses on fouls
• Referee and assistant box play between them

67
Three referee (diagonal) system
AR1
R
AR2
68
Boxing play
Offside
Direction of play
R
Fouls
Goal Line
Injuries
Touch line
AR
69
Set Play I Goal kick
R
A
A
D
D
D
A
A
A
A
AR
A
D
D
AR
D
D
70
Set Play on Goal Kick (U10)
R
AR
71
Set Play II Corner Kick
AR
A
D
D
A
A
D
A
D
A
D
D
D
A
R
A
A
D
A
D
AR
72
Set Play III Free Kick
A
D
D
AR
A
A
A
D
R
A
D
D
A
A
A
D
D
AR
D
A
D
73
Set Play IV Penalty Kick
AR
R
AR
74
Penalty-kick mechanics

• When calling foul, point to penalty spot
• Clear penalty area (including arc) of players
• Instruct players to wait for ball to be kicked,
  NOT for whistle to blow
• Position and brief goalkeeper
• Identify player taking the kick, place ball,
  instruct to wait for whistle
• Take up your positions
• Whistle and watch

75
The one referee system

• What you do when your assistants dont show up
• Whats important?
• Injuries, fouls, ....
• Act as a center referee, trail the play
• Stay towards the center
• to minimize running while staying close
• Recruit parent volunteers to run line
• Tell them about ball out of play!
• Dont ask them to do anything else

76
The one referee system
Direction of play
R
Fouls
Goal Line
Injuries
Touch line volunteer
77
Mistakes

• We all make them (even the World Cup refs!)
• Make the best decision you can on what you see
• Involve your assistants, if you are uncertain
• Admit and correct, if possible
• You can change a call (until restart), but
• You cannot un-blow a whistle
• Dont try to compensate
• Dont argue or be argued at about it
• Dont brood on it

78
After the game

• Return ball to correct team.
• Observe post-game ceremony.
• Thank assistant referees and ask for feedback.
• Complete roster/game card reports.(File the
  cards in case they are needed.)
• Maintain control of the field until teams have
  left the area.

79
Summary

• Learn the Laws
• Think about and practice Mechanics
• Don't worry too much about offside
• Be gentle on Penalty Kicks
• If you were a referee for U8 games last year, be
  a little more demanding than last year.
• And don't forget to keep having fun!

80
How to (teach yourself to)become a better referee

• Watch AYSO, college and professional soccer
• Read Laws of the Game The Region Rules Text
  books (e.g., Fair and Foul, Ready Set Ref! )
• Talk With colleagues, and coaches and others
• Attend Classes and clinics for ideas and
  discussion.
• Certify To check your comprehension To
  validate it for others

81
Regional Referee Certification

• Law test on Full Laws
• Do take it
• To learn
• To reassure yourself
• To demonstrate your knowledge to others