American Youth Soccer Organization

1. American Youth Soccer Organization Welcome To Regional Referee Training

2. Regional Referee Course Plan • Monday 8/25—Getting started • AYSO Principles & Team, Coaching, Players, Referees • Pre-game, Field, Players & Equip, Ball, Start, Injury & Dropped ball • Ball out of play, Goal, Throw-in, Goal kick, Corner kick • Tuesday 8/26—During the game • Referee, Ass’t Referee • Offside, Fouls and Misconduct • Free kicks, Penalty kicks • Wednesday 8/27—Referee skills and wrap-up • Mechanics, Signaling, Substitutions, Mistakes, Post game, Summary • Safe Haven • Test

3. AYSO games are • Safe • Fair • Fun

4. AYSO Philosophies • Open Registration • Balanced teams • Everyone plays • Positive Coaching • Good Sportsmanship

5. AYSO Team • How many teams are on the field of play? Referees Coaches Players Spectators

6. GOAL: Provide positive child development in a safe, fair, and fun soccer environment. AYSO Team How do teammates interact? • work together • help each other • protect each other • do their best

7. AYSO Team • 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. Conclusion:

8. AYSO Coaching • No more than two coaches per team • Coaches must remain in coach’s area during the game: • Coaching is: Positive Instructive Encouraging

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 Players (Law 3) • 11 players, one of whom is the Goalkeeper • In Region 109 • U9 & U10 – 7 players • U12 – 9 players • Must have and maintain at least 7 • In Region 109 • U9 & U10 – 5 players • U12 – 7 players • Obtain roster cards • Players listed in numerical order • Assures players are properly registered in Region

14. The Players’ Equipment (Law 4) • Team uniform (shirt, shorts, socks)—goalkeeper must be distinguishable from other players and referee • Shin guards -- must be under socks • Shoes -- no toe cleats or sharp spikes • Nothing dangerous (in your opinion) • No casts • No earrings, watches, jewelry, sun glasses, hats... • Medical bracelets o.k.

15. The Ball (Law 2) • Sizes: • U14 to U19—Size 5; • U12 to U9—Size 4; • U8 and below—Size 3. • No rough edges • Inflated to thumb pressure • You choose from balls offered by teams • Remember (write down) which team’s ball you took! • (see slide on “After the Game”)

16. The Coin Toss • Called by “visiting” team captain • Explain toss carefully • Winner chooses direction of attack • Other team kicks off • Announce result clearly

17. 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

18. Kickoff Positions X Y Y X X g o a l g o a l X Y X X Y Y X Y Y X X Team kick

19. End of Play (Law 7) • Each half is • 20 minutes in U7 and U8 35 min. U1425 min. U9 and 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 not:Fallen 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) • Same advantage 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 Exceptions: 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 can’t 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 must be 2 meters (approx. 6 feet) away • 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. Field of play 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 Opponents must be outside the penalty area 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 inside penalty area, 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

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 flag may not be moved • Opponents all stay 10 yards away • 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 change decision if play has not restarted • 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) • Assists the center 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 shouldn’t 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 Offside Position OK OK OK D D D

40. Offside - continued Moment of judgment is when ball is played or touched by a teammate. [It’s 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. [It’s OK to be in an offside position if you don’t 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 • Don’t get all technical • Remember the principle *** No unearned breakaways on goal *** • If in doubt, don’t 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 YES:Did 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 it’s • 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 can’t 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”. • They can’t pick up the ball if: they get it by a pass from a teammate’s 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”, don’t just penalize, young goalkeepers in these situations.