Santiago vs Harvard-Westlake D1 High school semi-final Ref issue

Girls D5 game yesterday where the home team’s fans were making racial comments related to COVID pandemic to opposing team’s Asian players. Ref stopped the game and talked to the home coach, but eventually let the game play on. Home team won in 2nd half OT on golden goal rule, but there was nothing done to the home fans. The worst part about this was that it was some of the HS boys, and not one single adult on that side stopped them or attempted to shut them up. I’m guessing the adults in the stands are parents and maybe teachers, staff, faculty. NOT ONE WORD!!! This is happening to a teenage girl!!! Reprehensible and disgusting!!!
You should send an email to the home team's school principal. That principal should take drastic measures to make sure this does not happen in the next game.
 
I bet the parents wont yell at the ref next game.

Also I highly doubt you were a ref. If you were youd back the call and let it be. Refs manage difficult players, coaches, parents, and teams all at the same time.

I think "accept everything the ref says/does" is a ridiculous expectation. I've done some coaching , some ref'ing and I'm also a parent. I've seen a lot of terrible refs and poorly ref'd games. The game is fast, and I 100% understand that calls are missed-- I can live with that. What I really find troubling is the lack of game management by referees that jeopardizes player safety. I see this frequently. Refs are simply reluctant to give yellow cards. As an example, last weekend at National Cup, we had a ref crew that failed to card several out of control players who where throwing elbows and executing dangerous tackles (playing the player first, and the ball second). The refs have an obligation to keep players safe. So when this isn't happening, I am going to say something.
 
I think "accept everything the ref says/does" is a ridiculous expectation. I've done some coaching , some ref'ing and I'm also a parent. I've seen a lot of terrible refs and poorly ref'd games. The game is fast, and I 100% understand that calls are missed-- I can live with that. What I really find troubling is the lack of game management by referees that jeopardizes player safety. I see this frequently. Refs are simply reluctant to give yellow cards. As an example, last weekend at National Cup, we had a ref crew that failed to card several out of control players who where throwing elbows and executing dangerous tackles (playing the player first, and the ball second). The refs have an obligation to keep players safe. So when this isn't happening, I am going to say something.
So.... I agree that there are some referees that are not qualified to do games they are getting, and if they're older kids, it can be a problem. But how about putting some of the responsibility for out of control players, in that situation, on the coaches. They're as culpable for controlling dangerous players as the referees are if it's obvious things are going south. Maybe I'm being overly optimistic, but if it's obvious the center is over his head, why not reign in your aggressive players? Because, a lot of the time, the alternative to having that under qualified referee out there, is not playing that game. And if you think berating a referee that obviously isn't up to that level is going to help, I think maybe you should think that through a little better. If he can't control the players well, go ahead and add some more pressure to him. That will fix it.

I totally understand your take. I just think blaming someone who just isn't experienced enough, who is put in that situation because there simply isn't anyone else, is misguided. A coach who allows their players to take advantage of a situation like that is as responsible as anyone if someone gets hurt.
 
I also would like to hear from referees who do very competitive and HS games if they ever ejected entire sideline.
For the record, I am a referee and do club games for about 6 years. I mostly do games up to u-16. I've seen a lot bad things coming from coaches and parents but I never ejected the entire side or herd that someone did it. In theory, I can imagine this happening if all goes to hell and you have 2 options left: end the game or kick all spectators out. But if a few spectators said/commented something, even something horrible I can't see how you can eject 200 people without dealing with it. Go to a coach and ask him/her to deal with parents and then based on what happens next make a decision.
 
I also would like to hear from referees who do very competitive and HS games if they ever ejected entire sideline.
For the record, I am a referee and do club games for about 6 years. I mostly do games up to u-16. I've seen a lot bad things coming from coaches and parents but I never ejected the entire side or herd that someone did it. In theory, I can imagine this happening if all goes to hell and you have 2 options left: end the game or kick all spectators out. But if a few spectators said/commented something, even something horrible I can't see how you can eject 200 people without dealing with it. Go to a coach and ask him/her to deal with parents and then based on what happens next make a decision.
Its definitely not common to eject an entire teams section. There must have been more going on than what's being reported.

Or the ref was just on a power trip.

Either way as long as the kids got to keep playing and the offensive behaviour was addressed. All is right in the world.

Parents that were ejected will think twice about yelling at the ref again.
 
I highly doubt that those parents who did this will learn anything but I am hoping that those parents who were ejected because of others will be more responsive and will be more reactive and stop those who can't keep their mouth shut.
Again, from my own experience, when my kid is playing and I am sitting with parents and they know I am a ref and I will always ask them to be patient and keep bad emotions inside. I tell them yes it was a questionable call or no call but it won't help screaming at referee and it makes things even worse. But, I am totally ok when parents or coaches are not happy with referees as long as it is not going over reasonable boundaries.
And, I think sometimes, we referees, are overreacting as well because we are people to.
 
Its definitely not common to eject an entire teams section. There must have been more going on than what's being reported.

Or the ref was just on a power trip.

Either way as long as the kids got to keep playing and the offensive behaviour was addressed. All is right in the world.

Parents that were ejected will think twice about yelling at the ref again.

Parents who didn't yell at the referee will have a reason to develop a negative view of referees.
 
I recognize that guy in the video who stopped to talk to the reporter. I’ve heard him bashing refs from his seat on the side line several times. Pure obnoxious know it all. No doubt that he was in the thick of parents behaving badly that day. And no surprise that he would be the one individual to put his stamp on how the Twittersphere perceives the incident. Did I mention that he’s a cop?
 
So.... I agree that there are some referees that are not qualified to do games they are getting, and if they're older kids, it can be a problem. But how about putting some of the responsibility for out of control players, in that situation, on the coaches. They're as culpable for controlling dangerous players as the referees are if it's obvious things are going south. Maybe I'm being overly optimistic, but if it's obvious the center is over his head, why not reign in your aggressive players? Because, a lot of the time, the alternative to having that under qualified referee out there, is not playing that game. And if you think berating a referee that obviously isn't up to that level is going to help, I think maybe you should think that through a little better. If he can't control the players well, go ahead and add some more pressure to him. That will fix it.

I totally understand your take. I just think blaming someone who just isn't experienced enough, who is put in that situation because there simply isn't anyone else, is misguided. A coach who allows their players to take advantage of a situation like that is as responsible as anyone if someone gets hurt.
The incentives for the coach are to win, as discussed in the CSL thread the need to earn promotion (among others) distorts things. It takes a lot for a coach to pull one of their key players to lecture them, maybe bench them. Have even seen coaches instruct players to take out other players by making them frightened, injuring them or starting a fight to get them ejected.

here’s a hypothetical: shot made to a far post by a striker running down the center. Goalkeeper extension dives and touches the ball with a finger tip sending it around the post. Referee doesn’t see the touch...awards a goalkicks. Would your coach tell the goalkeeper that they should speak up and it is a corner? How many coaches would back the gk if they speak up? If the corner goes in would they berate the gk? How many coaches out there do we expect would say the gk should speak up?
 
The incentives for the coach are to win, as discussed in the CSL thread the need to earn promotion (among others) distorts things. It takes a lot for a coach to pull one of their key players to lecture them, maybe bench them. Have even seen coaches instruct players to take out other players by making them frightened, injuring them or starting a fight to get them ejected.

here’s a hypothetical: shot made to a far post by a striker running down the center. Goalkeeper extension dives and touches the ball with a finger tip sending it around the post. Referee doesn’t see the touch...awards a goalkicks. Would your coach tell the goalkeeper that they should speak up and it is a corner? How many coaches would back the gk if they speak up? If the corner goes in would they berate the gk? How many coaches out there do we expect would say the gk should speak up?
Not really what I was saying, and an apples and bananas comparison. Coaches are the first and loudest to scream about "someone's going to get hurt", yet in the instance I related, they are the only ones who could prevent it. The center can't because he's not qualified to. The coaches know what is going on. I'm just saying, the blame isn't exclusively on the center, or the assignor for putting him/her in that position.

Cards aren't magic dust either. They are management tools and when used correctly, can "manage" some of the dirty and over aggressive play in a game. But they don't prevent injuries if there's a player who is spurred on by a coach to go after other players.
 
The laws make the cr the absolute master of his realm
I'm not really sure I would agree with this statement either. In essence, I guess you could look at it that way. But again, it's about responsibility. If a referee needs to clear a sideline, or needs to toss a coach for the good of that game, and to keep a safe environment for the players, that's something he/she is forced into by others, who should accept the responsibility of their actions.
 
Not really what I was saying, and an apples and bananas comparison. Coaches are the first and loudest to scream about "someone's going to get hurt", yet in the instance I related, they are the only ones who could prevent it. The center can't because he's not qualified to. The coaches know what is going on. I'm just saying, the blame isn't exclusively on the center, or the assignor for putting him/her in that position.

Cards aren't magic dust either. They are management tools and when used correctly, can "manage" some of the dirty and over aggressive play in a game. But they don't prevent injuries if there's a player who is spurred on by a coach to go after other players.
Agree and well put but if the hope is coaches should control players that’s simply not going to happen while we have a system where winning is so important and coaches aren’t disciplined severely for bad conduct.
 
We received specific instruction before playoffs that this sort of harassment has zero tolerance. The ref must have felt this was the appropriate action to take to ensure the safety of the teams and his crew.
Then the other sideline should have been tossed as well. When there are subjective terms like this, all goes to hell. I don't have the video but if you watch it, you can see the other coach running up and down the sideline during a few calls. Why is that ok? I'm claiming that no one in the game should have been thrown out but refs need to be fair. He obviously thought we were worse and I say "why"?
 
Maybe I'm being overly optimistic, but if it's obvious the center is over his head, why not reign in your aggressive players?

Feel like this is a pretty obvious answer, but here goes anyways. We can shout "don't foul don't foul don't foul" all day long. We cannot and will not shout "back off" or "tone it down" or "settle down" or whatever because that will 100% be misinterpreted by players and families. We can only play good cop in that scenario, you have to be the bad cop.
 
Feel like this is a pretty obvious answer, but here goes anyways. We can shout "don't foul don't foul don't foul" all day long. We cannot and will not shout "back off" or "tone it down" or "settle down" or whatever because that will 100% be misinterpreted by players and families. We can only play good cop in that scenario, you have to be the bad cop.
my point was, if I'm not capable of being bad cop because i'm a glorified AYSO ref over his head, then what happens? And if you don't at the very least call your bruiser over to the sideline and tell him/her to tone it down, you're as responsible as anyone if an ankle gets snapped.
It's a situation that needs a players first outlook.
 
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