Things that make you go hmmm....

Nope, not talking about the hit song by C+C Music factory from 1990

But let's start a running thread on things you see/hear at games (friendlies, league, tournaments, etc). Try not to name names unless someone is complete fool and deserves to be called out.

I'll start:

1. Woman sitting on sideline with the spectators from the other team. Screaming all game long. And I do mean all game long. Sitting in her chair. Not sure she would be physically able to stand for an entire game. But she sure could yell the whole time. (Happens every weekend somewhere. Should the coach or team manager take responsibility here? I've got no issue where you sit. But if you are in the wrong place, tone it down a bit).

2. Team has 3 or 4 coaches under their tent. Right before kickoff, one of the coaches runs over to the other sideline and starts chirping instructions to their team. In full coach gear (track pants and a polo. Not even trying to blend in as an overzealous parent). While the other 2 coaches do their thing from the players side of the field. Coach runs back and forth every 10 minutes to tell the other 2 guys some "intel" on how to make adjustments based on his view from 80 yards across the field.

3. Girl is playing with her nose pierced. Refs don't catch it pre-game. Girl from opposing team tells the ref at halftime -"number xx has a nose ring in."
Ref asks the girl to remove it. She says it doesn't come out.
Ref approaches opposing coach and says: "Girl has a nose ring that won't come out. It is her responsibility if she gets hurt. "
Coach says "Since we do we allow earrings?"
Ref: "Its not an earring. Its in her nose. There is nothing in the rules about nose rings. We don't check for that."
Coach: "Ok man. It's on you then if she gets hit in the face with a ball or something and that things causes some damage."
 
Last edited:
Old man comes across the field after the game today to tell refs “that he doesn’t often do this but he needed to tell me that I stole the game away from the kids”. Never mind that they missed (not saved) 4 kicks during the overtime kicks from the mark. Has to be the refs fault. Couldn’t be that his team wasn’t good enough.
 
Nope, not talking about the hit song by C+C Music factory from 1990

But let's start a running thread on things you see/hear at games (friendlies, league, tournaments, etc). Try not to name names unless someone is complete fool and deserves to be called out.

I'll start:

1. Woman sitting on sideline with the spectators from the other team. Screaming all game long. And I do mean all game long. Sitting in her chair. Not sure she would be physically able to stand for an entire game. But she sure could yell the whole time. (Happens every weekend somewhere. Should the coach or team manager take responsibility here? I've got no issue where you sit. But if you are in the wrong place, tone it down a bit).

2. Team has 3 or 4 coaches under their tent. Right before kickoff, one of the coaches runs over to the other sideline and starts chirping instructions to their team. In full coach gear (track pants and a polo. Not even trying to blend in as an overzealous parent). While the other 2 coaches do their thing from the players side of the field. Coach runs back and forth every 10 minutes to tell the other 2 guys some "intel" on how to make adjustments based on his view from 80 yards across the field.

3. Girl is playing with her nose pierced. Refs don't catch it pre-game. Girl from opposing team tells the ref at halftime -"number xx has a nose ring in."
Ref asks the girl to remove it. She says it doesn't come out.
Ref approaches opposing coach and says: "Girl has a nose ring that won't come out. It is her responsibility if she gets hurt. "
Coach says "Since we do we allow earrings?"
Ref: "Its not an earring. Its in her nose. There is nothing in the rules about nose rings. We don't check for that."
Coach: "Ok man. It's on you then if she gets hit in the face with a ball or something and that things causes some damage."

#1 - I usually find out who the team manager is and tell him/her that I will come to them first regarding out of control parents, grand parents, or whoever is behaving badly. If it continues, then I'll talk to the coach and have him/her take that long work across the field (which they hate) and have them dismiss the person. If they don't leave in a timely matter, game is over.

#2 - If a coach leaves the bench area, it's a verbal warning 1st, then a yellow, then red. Changes went into affect regarding this in Law 12:
The following offences should usually result in a warning; repeated or blatant offences should result in a caution or sending-off:

Warning

• entering the field of play in a respectful/non-confrontational manner
• failing to cooperate with a match official e.g. ignoring an instruction/request

from an assistant referee or the fourth official
• minor/low-level disagreement (by word or action) with a decision
• occasionally leaving the confines of the technical area without committing
another offence

#3 - No jewelry period. Remove it or don't play. Law 4:

1. Safety

All items of jewellery (necklaces, rings, bracelets, earrings, leather bands, rubber bands, etc.) are forbidden and must be removed. Using tape to cover jewellery is not permitted.

The players must be inspected before the start of the match and substitutes before they enter the field of play. If a player is wearing or using unauthorised/ dangerous equipment or jewellery, the referee must order the player to:

• remove the item
• leave the field of play at the next stoppage if the player is unable or unwilling to comply
A player who refuses to comply or wears the item again must be cautioned.

As with what @Frank said regarding someone complaining after the game (which has happened with me more than a few times) I very calmly tell them when they go home, to goto the CalSouth website, click on the referee tab, and sign up for the next referee course so he/she can referee a game and see how easy it is running up and down the field and making split second decisions. They always walk away with a blank look.
 
  • Like
Reactions: wsf
What level of play and age group does this stuff happen? Haven’t seen this in years since U-littles. It’s absurd. Most of the game I attend are really quiet.
 
You're a lucky guy Josep.

I don't think I've ever been to a game where some parent wasn't yelling and screaming at someone. On my team or the other team.
 
You're a lucky guy Josep.

I don't think I've ever been to a game where some parent wasn't yelling and screaming at someone. On my team or the other team.


That’s too bad. Usually by the time they are older, parents have learned to keep it down and let the kids play. That’s why I asked what age and level of play.
 
My son's team did a tournament this weekend. They are a DA team and don't go to a lot of tournaments, so it has been a while since I have been on a tournament sideline. During the games I had several conversations with parents on our team about how we had forgotten how crazy parents were at tournaments an how nice the DA games are because the sidelines are so calm and quite. Sunday evening my son starts complaining. "Why are you [the parents] so quite on the sideline. You need to cheer more and make more noise. Like the parents on the other teams we played." I guess it is time to do dig out the vuvuzela from the garage, buy a couple of ratchets and cowbells and start bringing our A game to the sidelines.
 
lol, good stuff...we had one on our team the last few seasons, most everyone had seen and heard enough over the years and many just ignored her. It got so bad the last season, when I handed the player cards I always told the center which parent (what they were wearing) and please feel free to send her off when she starts shouting at you, it only took 1 send off and it kind of stopped, she'd then go down at the other end and sit by herself
 
Nope, not talking about the hit song by C+C Music factory from 1990

But let's start a running thread on things you see/hear at games (friendlies, league, tournaments, etc). Try not to name names unless someone is complete fool and deserves to be called out.

I'll start:

1. Woman sitting on sideline with the spectators from the other team. Screaming all game long. And I do mean all game long. Sitting in her chair. Not sure she would be physically able to stand for an entire game. But she sure could yell the whole time. (Happens every weekend somewhere. Should the coach or team manager take responsibility here? I've got no issue where you sit. But if you are in the wrong place, tone it down a bit).

2. Team has 3 or 4 coaches under their tent. Right before kickoff, one of the coaches runs over to the other sideline and starts chirping instructions to their team. In full coach gear (track pants and a polo. Not even trying to blend in as an overzealous parent). While the other 2 coaches do their thing from the players side of the field. Coach runs back and forth every 10 minutes to tell the other 2 guys some "intel" on how to make adjustments based on his view from 80 yards across the field.

3. Girl is playing with her nose pierced. Refs don't catch it pre-game. Girl from opposing team tells the ref at halftime -"number xx has a nose ring in."
Ref asks the girl to remove it. She says it doesn't come out.
Ref approaches opposing coach and says: "Girl has a nose ring that won't come out. It is her responsibility if she gets hurt. "
Coach says "Since we do we allow earrings?"
Ref: "Its not an earring. Its in her nose. There is nothing in the rules about nose rings. We don't check for that."
Coach: "Ok man. It's on you then if she gets hit in the face with a ball or something and that things causes some damage."
Scenario #1 happened to me this weekend up in Davis. I made the mistake of sitting at the midfield, with the opponents parents sitting to the left of me. My 8 year old daughter was sitting next to me and she was even like what’s up with them. The parent on my team were looking at me cause I was over in enemy territory. I thought it was funny cause they had no clue. I just sat there and listened. Some of the shit that came out of there Pie hole was unbelievable. Just thought I’d share.
 
In my history, the older and the higher the level of play the quieter the sideline. Not every time, but in general it’s a fair statement.

Perhaps because the older and higher the level the better the referees are that are assigned to those games.
 
In my history, the older and the higher the level of play the quieter the sideline. Not every time, but in general it’s a fair statement.

In general, I would agree with this.

My son started on a new team a few months back. A Flight 1 team that is supposedly "scouted" by Academy teams and has players that have been on Academy teams.

I really didn't pay much attention to that, but my point is that it's an o4 boys team and a few of the dads are yelling at their kids, giving direction to them, that kinda thing. I don't get it, I learned a while ago to just keep quiet and let them play. They're not going to listen to you anyway.

Their yelling at the refs like that ever helps.

Even the teams my daughter's 01 team plays against has this issue.

I guess these parents haven't quite learned yet.
 
Perhaps because the older and higher the level the better the referees are that are assigned to those games.

Perhaps because the older and higher the level, the more the parents understand what the game is about instead of yelling "Handball, Offside, Bad Throw ...".
 
Walking back to the car, I over heard this conversation. Male player. Probably 16 years old. Talking to an older male - Either dad or grandfather.
Player: "You don't need to yell at us during their goal kicks. We are trying to trap the other team. We try to look disorganized and then when they play the ball out. But we have a plan to pressure them into turning over the ball."
 
My son's team did a tournament this weekend. They are a DA team and don't go to a lot of tournaments, so it has been a while since I have been on a tournament sideline. During the games I had several conversations with parents on our team about how we had forgotten how crazy parents were at tournaments an how nice the DA games are because the sidelines are so calm and quite. Sunday evening my son starts complaining. "Why are you [the parents] so quite on the sideline. You need to cheer more and make more noise. Like the parents on the other teams we played." I guess it is time to do dig out the vuvuzela from the garage, buy a couple of ratchets and cowbells and start bringing our A game to the sidelines.

My son's old DA team (which we just left) was the complete opposite. All the dads yelling at their kids and getting mad when another player makes a mistake (cause their kid won't make that mistake, no no no..). At the last game of the season, we were playing a pretty good team and the game was chippy. All of the dads were on the referee's ass, which imo, he was doing a really good job controlling the game. I'm just sitting back listening to all this crap and something happened where they went nuts over a call. The referee started to walk over to them and I just yelled out "I'll pay anyone of you fools $100 if you could go out there, run up and down the field while keeping up with the play and get every single call right". The referee looked at me, gave me a thumbs up and the sideline was quiet after that.
 
My son's old DA team (which we just left) was the complete opposite. All the dads yelling at their kids and getting mad when another player makes a mistake (cause their kid won't make that mistake, no no no..). At the last game of the season, we were playing a pretty good team and the game was chippy. All of the dads were on the referee's ass, which imo, he was doing a really good job controlling the game. I'm just sitting back listening to all this crap and something happened where they went nuts over a call. The referee started to walk over to them and I just yelled out "I'll pay anyone of you fools $100 if you could go out there, run up and down the field while keeping up with the play and get every single call right". The referee looked at me, gave me a thumbs up and the sideline was quiet after that.
Headphones were a great investment for me!
 
I often hear parents calling their daughter mamma on the field. It has always struck me as weird as these are typically 10-14yo girls. What is that all about?
 
Back
Top