Substitutions

Is anyone (ref's, leagues, tourney's etc) enforcing the rule that a substituted player player must exit the nearest touchline? It hasn't been enforced (or implemented) at the DA level (U-13 and 14) that I've seen, just curious what others have experienced.
 
I haven't seen it much. Kids come from across the field when they are subbed and the ref doesn't say anything about it.

They take their time as usual, especially when they are trying to run down the clock.
 
For the club (Presidio and SDDA) fall season, I did not see it enforced, nor think it should be. The idea was to stop time-wasting by pros.

I had one referee say something about it before a game (when I was coaching), and I mentioned I didn't think he needed to send a youth player off on the far side from the coaches and players. He agreed and didn't do it.
 
If both team benches are on the same side, it makes sense, but that is rarely the case in club or HS soccer. Potentially you would be making a 13-year-old walk directly in front of parents and fans of the opposing team.
 
Cal south came out last year and said that they were not implementing that change as they want youth players to go directly to their bench. this began enforcement during CRL in August.
 
We have some coaches who taught the kids to do it. Maybe 15%. The kids often use the end lines instead of the parents section. Norcal, not cal south.
 
Is anyone (ref's, leagues, tourney's etc) enforcing the rule that a substituted player player must exit the nearest touchline? It hasn't been enforced (or implemented) at the DA level (U-13 and 14) that I've seen, just curious what others have experienced.
saw it once in the 3 games I watched. young lady just walked right off in front of the parents.
 
There is no rule that states they must leave at the nearest point. It is up to the referee.
 

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As a practical matter, it needs to be consistent across the league. It takes a while for players to get used to exiting away from the bench. It would be worse if half the refs insist on nearest side while the other half insist on coaches side.
 
yes, Cal South, for youth player safety, wants them to go to their bench. I'm not a CalSouth apologist but this makes sense to me

Good for them for standing up to it. Cal South has reputation for insisting on enforcing rules that make sense for adult professional players and teams, but not so much for your average youth players and teams. The first principle should be "Let them play".
 
Law 3 expressly provides for an alternative when the "referee indicates that the player may leave directly and immediately at the halfway line or another point (e.g. for safety/security or injury)." Many youth leagues requested that players be directed to exit at the touchline near their team and not leave the field in front of opposing teams or their spectators for reasons of safety and to reduce confrontations. Referee associations working with those leagues have accommodated the request. Of course, the purpose the law was changed - we've all seen professional players take forever to leave when their team is winning - is rarely seen in youth matches, particularly when unlimited substitutions and re-entry give teams other ways to try to use time.
 
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