Lake Highlands Refs

Triumph FC wrote:Its Me lets not go there with that comment. I did see it but if we dont comment it would have been buried.
There are some that are better than others, there are some I flat out dont like (maybe they dont like me either) but we all have a job to do and they try to do the best they can. As I said previously I wasn't unhappy with the ref the whole game but that particular incident I thought he got totally wrong! Its happening way to often in LH's and something needs to be done to educate the ref's on their failings. He didn't give a card because he said it wasn't a foul it was just 2 players coming together. If you have every played the game you would have known, one player in front and another player racing up from behind and at a slight angle was NEVER going to be just 2 players coming together but too many ref's have never played the game, dont know what is different from an injury ending season foul to a silly rubber band thats on your wrist that needs removing! Thats where I have an issue. Way too many late shots after the ball has gone that are deemed accidental when they are not! I can point out players that are there to just cause as much injury to others rather than play but most refs can only spot the rubber band on the players wrist, lets educate rather than rip them apart! Thank you all for your kind wishes I know we and our player really appreciate them and your comments here. Yes she is reading these so lets keep it clean on and off the field

tmcc wrote:
And no, the referee in my daughters game didn't come over and explain the call to the parents, although that would have been awesome. My daughter asked the center right then, why that wasn't a goal, and that is when the center ref told her you can't shoot inside the 6. She told us the story right after the game. You will be happy to know that I did not approach the referee to ask him why he thinks that is a rule, even though I walked right by him....my wife gave me a look like "you better not". I just let it go. You just can't explain stupid sometimes. But it would be nice to try and fix it so it doesn't happen to another team.

4-4-2-Diamond wrote:

TNT wrote:Fully understand, I was attempting to add to the sarcastic humour as most of the time when anyone says anything about refs the response is to become one, which is absurd.
And it was an obvious clear foul that moe, larry or curly should have called, I would not think all 3 are not blind, but I could be wrong.

It's not absurd. It's an approach to solving a problem.

I'm a lifelong soccer fan and parent of a LH player. I have been refereeing about a year. I decided to become a ref after getting fed up watching too many games where I felt officials on girls games were endangering players. I watched a game where my daughter was punched in the nose with closed fist (straight right) by a keeper during normal corner kick jostling. No cards were given. No foul called. She continued playing for about 5 minutes with blood running down her nose until the referee finally noticed and had her subbed. Her coach, who typically harassed referees as a matter of game management, said nothing to the ref, or to her, other than encouraging her to go stand in front of the keeper again at the next corner kick. The rest of the game descended to total chaos with dangerous fouls on both teams ignored.

I had my DD and the keeper apologize to each other after the game. I also decided that night I would do three things:

1) teach my daughter how to defend herself should that situation occur again.

2) Think long and hard about whether my daughter should be playing with said coach and even playing this sport at all.

3) Get involved in the referee program as a way to give back to the game.

Why did I even think becoming a ref was an option? Because a parent ref on a thread similar to this one (several years ago) encouraged concerned parents to get involved in officiating. It's really not that difficult to become involved. Once you spend a weekend to get certified, you can take as many or as few games as your time (and skill) permit. It is however much more difficult to do it well than it looks from the sidelines, even for lifelong fans, players and students of the game. And you will likely find that you are a lot more clueless than you thought you were about how LOTG should be properly applied. As of now, you don't know what you don't know.

If you believe however, that you could've protected the players and applied the laws better than the ref in this video, and you're willing and able to make the time commitment, then becoming an official is one of several reasonable approaches to helping address the problem.

My goal is to become a good enough ref so that some day I can help improve the level of officiating in the competitive girls game - especially in regards to player safety. As of now, I prefer not to do girls games because the more challenging games that help me hone skill are boys or adult matches. Maybe that's an arrogant goal...but I feel better about my approach than doing nothing but complaining about the state of affairs on the local soccer forum.

That said, LH is doing the absolute right thing with their recent emails upping the ante on controlling behavior. Kudos to them. As I've said before, they should ALSO monitor and assess their officials more often to ensure a min. standard of quality as seen in other local leagues.

Its Me wrote:

Triumph FC wrote:Its Me lets not go there with that comment. I did see it but if we dont comment it would have been buried.
There are some that are better than others, there are some I flat out dont like (maybe they dont like me either) but we all have a job to do and they try to do the best they can. As I said previously I wasn't unhappy with the ref the whole game but that particular incident I thought he got totally wrong! Its happening way to often in LH's and something needs to be done to educate the ref's on their failings. He didn't give a card because he said it wasn't a foul it was just 2 players coming together. If you have every played the game you would have known, one player in front and another player racing up from behind and at a slight angle was NEVER going to be just 2 players coming together but too many ref's have never played the game, dont know what is different from an injury ending season foul to a silly rubber band thats on your wrist that needs removing! Thats where I have an issue. Way too many late shots after the ball has gone that are deemed accidental when they are not! I can point out players that are there to just cause as much injury to others rather than play but most refs can only spot the rubber band on the players wrist, lets educate rather than rip them apart! Thank you all for your kind wishes I know we and our player really appreciate them and your comments here. Yes she is reading these so lets keep it clean on and off the field

Again, look at the whole thread. I said in the beginning and posted the law that you were correct. So I'm not disagreeing with you. The call was missed. Also the urgency to get to the spot of the foul was not there due to him walking.

My comment of "Prick Refs" was that it was plural. Also, that adults shouldn't be calling others Prick.

As far the AR. If the AR is aware of the missed call then they need to call the center over and explain the law as to the foul. If the center who has the final decision decides not to make the call then that's his option. However, the AR's are there to assist regardless of the Centers ego.

My goal here is not to belittle another referee but to assist in helping people to understand the Law and how to apply it.

I'm out!

Triumph FC wrote:

Its Me wrote:

Triumph FC wrote:Its Me lets not go there with that comment. I did see it but if we dont comment it would have been buried.
There are some that are better than others, there are some I flat out dont like (maybe they dont like me either) but we all have a job to do and they try to do the best they can. As I said previously I wasn't unhappy with the ref the whole game but that particular incident I thought he got totally wrong! Its happening way to often in LH's and something needs to be done to educate the ref's on their failings. He didn't give a card because he said it wasn't a foul it was just 2 players coming together. If you have every played the game you would have known, one player in front and another player racing up from behind and at a slight angle was NEVER going to be just 2 players coming together but too many ref's have never played the game, dont know what is different from an injury ending season foul to a silly rubber band thats on your wrist that needs removing! Thats where I have an issue. Way too many late shots after the ball has gone that are deemed accidental when they are not! I can point out players that are there to just cause as much injury to others rather than play but most refs can only spot the rubber band on the players wrist, lets educate rather than rip them apart! Thank you all for your kind wishes I know we and our player really appreciate them and your comments here. Yes she is reading these so lets keep it clean on and off the field

Again, look at the whole thread. I said in the beginning and posted the law that you were correct. So I'm not disagreeing with you. The call was missed. Also the urgency to get to the spot of the foul was not there due to him walking.

My comment of "Prick Refs" was that it was plural. Also, that adults shouldn't be calling others Prick.

As far the AR. If the AR is aware of the missed call then they need to call the center over and explain the law as to the foul. If the center who has the final decision decides not to make the call then that's his option. However, the AR's are there to assist regardless of the Centers ego.

My goal here is not to belittle another referee but to assist in helping people to understand the Law and how to apply it.

I'm out!

Yes I totally get that and I'm with you I just didn't want to comment on DD's comment that way it gets buried. I do understand his passion though but lets change the wording! Thanks and I will keep you all informed as we have made a complaint to LH's about the official and JUST his handling of the incident. Might be waiting a long time for any news though

soccersounder wrote:

4-4-2-Diamond wrote:

TNT wrote:Fully understand, I was attempting to add to the sarcastic humour as most of the time when anyone says anything about refs the response is to become one, which is absurd.
And it was an obvious clear foul that moe, larry or curly should have called, I would not think all 3 are not blind, but I could be wrong.

It's not absurd. It's an approach to solving a problem.

I'm a lifelong soccer fan and parent of a LH player. I have been refereeing about a year. I decided to become a ref after getting fed up watching too many games where I felt officials on girls games were endangering players. I watched a game where my daughter was punched in the nose with closed fist (straight right) by a keeper during normal corner kick jostling. No cards were given. No foul called. She continued playing for about 5 minutes with blood running down her nose until the referee finally noticed and had her subbed. Her coach, who typically harassed referees as a matter of game management, said nothing to the ref, or to her, other than encouraging her to go stand in front of the keeper again at the next corner kick. The rest of the game descended to total chaos with dangerous fouls on both teams ignored.

I had my DD and the keeper apologize to each other after the game. I also decided that night I would do three things:

1) teach my daughter how to defend herself should that situation occur again.

2) Think long and hard about whether my daughter should be playing with said coach and even playing this sport at all.

3) Get involved in the referee program as a way to give back to the game.

Why did I even think becoming a ref was an option? Because a parent ref on a thread similar to this one (several years ago) encouraged concerned parents to get involved in officiating. It's really not that difficult to become involved. Once you spend a weekend to get certified, you can take as many or as few games as your time (and skill) permit. It is however much more difficult to do it well than it looks from the sidelines, even for lifelong fans, players and students of the game. And you will likely find that you are a lot more clueless than you thought you were about how LOTG should be properly applied. As of now, you don't know what you don't know.

If you believe however, that you could've protected the players and applied the laws better than the ref in this video, and you're willing and able to make the time commitment, then becoming an official is one of several reasonable approaches to helping address the problem.

My goal is to become a good enough ref so that some day I can help improve the level of officiating in the competitive girls game - especially in regards to player safety. As of now, I prefer not to do girls games because the more challenging games that help me hone skill are boys or adult matches. Maybe that's an arrogant goal...but I feel better about my approach than doing nothing but complaining about the state of affairs on the local soccer forum.

That said, LH is doing the absolute right thing with their recent emails upping the ante on controlling behavior. Kudos to them. As I've said before, they should ALSO monitor and assess their officials more often to ensure a min. standard of quality as seen in other local leagues.

Nice post...

Another Ref here... Based on the video, this Ref was an embarrassment... Clearly a Red, clearly out of position and clearly did not go over to consult the AR..

Non-Refs, please keep in mind that based on the pre-game conversation, the AR "may" not call the foul. I always encourage my ARs to be a full-time Ref and call the fouls they see, but not all REFs do...

IMO, the LHGCL Ref Assignor should consider letting some of his younger and/or newer REFs take a run at LHGCL. Currently, the REFs who have been with him the longest and he knows the best, get that assignment. Some just can't get it done anymore. And others Ref 6 games a day, when 3 is about the max anyone can do at a high level.. But there are not enough REFs to make a 3 game per day max a reality... (So go sign up complainers, just joking, kind of)..I was an AR last week for a U19g game where the Center walked the entire game and made no excuses for it.. I was embarrassed to be on his crew... IMO, the Assignor should keep a guy like that at the Academy level...

No REF will ever have a perfect game, but a REF should have pride and respect for the game... I believe I do, so I at least run, keep up with play and give the kids 100%... So yell at me all you want, but you won't be able to get on me for those things...

Cent Cent

Gumby wrote:One last comment about last weekend's game. A few days ago, someone posted a comment about not wasting our breath about calls, because the ref's never change a call. Well, that was true for me also until last weekend. In our game the ref changed his call on two different occasions after our opponents coach screamed his head off. In the first instance both the CR and the AR got the call wrong and awarded us a throw in on a ball we had clearly kicked out. Coach screams, reversal, fine, no problem, right is right. I truly don't remember the circumstances of the second reversal, other than their coach screaming and the call then went against us. I do remember thinking the second reversal was wrong, but that's not my point. My point is, I've been going to these games for 3 years and I have never seen a CR reverse his call. This guy did it twice in one game. I found it strange.

3-4-3 wrote:

Gumby wrote:One last comment about last weekend's game. A few days ago, someone posted a comment about not wasting our breath about calls, because the ref's never change a call. Well, that was true for me also until last weekend. In our game the ref changed his call on two different occasions after our opponents coach screamed his head off. In the first instance both the CR and the AR got the call wrong and awarded us a throw in on a ball we had clearly kicked out. Coach screams, reversal, fine, no problem, right is right. I truly don't remember the circumstances of the second reversal, other than their coach screaming and the call then went against us. I do remember thinking the second reversal was wrong, but that's not my point. My point is, I've been going to these games for 3 years and I have never seen a CR reverse his call. This guy did it twice in one game. I found it strange.

Not trying to be a jerk or a know it all, but the story never sounded right (to me) when TMCC posted it and now that you and he have posted two different versions for the same game it's becoming likely your beef is much ado about nothing. My beef is the refereeing is poor. This thread began with the video of a clear foul which was ignored. There are many posts expressing frustration, but did you notice, no one is surprised, just disgusted.

The OP had a clear case of a ref making a major mistake.
But in your case when one combines your story with TMCC's it sounds like your goal was disallowed due to an offside call and the resulting indirect free kick restart was taken somewhere around the top of the 6 yard box.

Triumph FC wrote:

SoccerJedi wrote:God bless this young lady and her parents. I am seeing on a weekly basis where the refs are not controlling these games. Although I didnt see this game, I would bet serious money this egregious foul was the result of a game where the refs were calling a loose, inconsistent game. It is obvious to me, there were hard fouls not called earlier in the game and it got out of control (nothing done earlier in the game would justify the foul).

I wonder how many injuries that officiating crew has had during the year? There must be a correlation between poor officiating and injuries. In between emails talking about undisciplined sidelines, I hope the league is checking up on the horrible officiating we are seeing this season.

I was there as I'm the coach and I will say this, I have no complaints about the ref other than his failure to send off the player and the fact when we were down by a goal that he was allowing the opposition to sub on OUR throw ins which slowed down the momentum for us. It was not called loosely because there were no bad fouls from either team. There was just one, which is all I'm willing to say. Its better to act with class and ALL my teams I coach will, under any provacation, always play the right way. If I saw my player doing what happened here she would not have played another minute in that game and maybe more. Again I reiterate I could see it was a barge in the back from where I was standing but I didnt see what is evident on the video.
(nothing done earlier in the game would justify the foul)(quote)
How about stopping a goal scoring oppotunity just because someone is in front of you?

Bicycle Guru-NOT wrote:Just an example of how bad it has become. Not only are the refs not concerned about players getting injured they now are preventing players from protecting injuries they have already received in LHGCL games.

Before our game this morning the ref approached both teams and told the players the had to remove their ankle supports or cover them with their socks. These are the all fabric lace up and velcro strap ankle braces, no metal, plastic or any other hard material. These braces are usually to thick to wear inside the sock and would probably rub huge blisters all over the players foot. This shows a total lack of concern for the players health and absolutely no understanding of the laws of the game or LHGCL rules. Where does it state anywhere that a player can't wear an ankle brace to support and protect an injured ankle.

Triumph FC wrote:

Bicycle Guru-NOT wrote:Just an example of how bad it has become. Not only are the refs not concerned about players getting injured they now are preventing players from protecting injuries they have already received in LHGCL games.

Before our game this morning the ref approached both teams and told the players the had to remove their ankle supports or cover them with their socks. These are the all fabric lace up and velcro strap ankle braces, no metal, plastic or any other hard material. These braces are usually to thick to wear inside the sock and would probably rub huge blisters all over the players foot. This shows a total lack of concern for the players health and absolutely no understanding of the laws of the game or LHGCL rules. Where does it state anywhere that a player can't wear an ankle brace to support and protect an injured ankle.

First off I understand what your saying.
The irony is I was the original poster of this topic and said to my players before the game today at 4pm......ANY tape or outerwear on the sock HAS to be the same color as the sock or the ref has a right to ask you to remove it (just saw the new part of the LOTG this week). The same as undershorts MUST be the same color as the shorts. Most dont bother but it is in there and the ref has a right to enforce the law. Again it does sound petty but it sounds like a ref knowing the LOTG and applying the law

Bicycle Guru-NOT wrote:Just an example of how bad it has become. Not only are the refs not concerned about players getting injured they now are preventing players from protecting injuries they have already received in LHGCL games.

Before our game this morning the ref approached both teams and told the players the had to remove their ankle supports or cover them with their socks. These are the all fabric lace up and velcro strap ankle braces, no metal, plastic or any other hard material. These braces are usually to thick to wear inside the sock and would probably rub huge blisters all over the players foot. This shows a total lack of concern for the players health and absolutely no understanding of the laws of the game or LHGCL rules. Where does it state anywhere that a player can't wear an ankle brace to support and protect an injured ankle.

Uncle Numanga wrote:

Bicycle Guru-NOT wrote:Just an example of how bad it has become. Not only are the refs not concerned about players getting injured they now are preventing players from protecting injuries they have already received in LHGCL games.

Before our game this morning the ref approached both teams and told the players the had to remove their ankle supports or cover them with their socks. These are the all fabric lace up and velcro strap ankle braces, no metal, plastic or any other hard material. These braces are usually to thick to wear inside the sock and would probably rub huge blisters all over the players foot. This shows a total lack of concern for the players health and absolutely no understanding of the laws of the game or LHGCL rules. Where does it state anywhere that a player can't wear an ankle brace to support and protect an injured ankle.

This has been a rule in high school soccer for a long time. Easy solution, two socks.

TNT wrote:

Uncle Numanga wrote:

Bicycle Guru-NOT wrote:Just an example of how bad it has become. Not only are the refs not concerned about players getting injured they now are preventing players from protecting injuries they have already received in LHGCL games.

Before our game this morning the ref approached both teams and told the players the had to remove their ankle supports or cover them with their socks. These are the all fabric lace up and velcro strap ankle braces, no metal, plastic or any other hard material. These braces are usually to thick to wear inside the sock and would probably rub huge blisters all over the players foot. This shows a total lack of concern for the players health and absolutely no understanding of the laws of the game or LHGCL rules. Where does it state anywhere that a player can't wear an ankle brace to support and protect an injured ankle.

This has been a rule in high school soccer for a long time. Easy solution, two socks.

I wouldn't think a differing color ankle brace would be such a distraction, rather than worrying about nonsense, these guys need to focus on field play. The game needs to be cleaned up, and such will only happen if the refs enforce the rules and make the calls both ways.

Triumph FC wrote:Lastly I did want to add.....
LH's have spoken to myself and I'm not going into details on what has been said or discussed but I can tell you they want and are trying to do everything possible to stop what happened. All I will say is LH's have gone above and way beyond what I expected to happen, kudos LH's very proud of what you have said and your intentions.
Thank You from Triumph 96 girls