Observed Points of Concern

Age/Skill Appropriate Fouls

― Kicks an opponent (or attempts to kick)

― Strikes an opponent (or attempts to strike)

― Trips an opponent (or attempts to trip)

― Jumps At an opponent

― Charges an opponent

― Pushes an opponent― Tackles an opponent

Seven (7) DFK Fouls that the Referee must consider “how” the action was done, i.e. careless, reckless, or with excessive force:

Slide 2

DFK Fouls

Slide 3

CARELESSPlayer shows a lack of attention or consideration when making a challenge.

RECKLESS

USING EXCESSIVE FORCE

Player has acted with complete disregard for the safety of, the danger to, or the consequences for their opponent.

Player has far exceeded the use of force necessary to make a fair play for the ball and has total disregard for an opponent’s safety.

Three (3) DFK Fouls the referee is only concerned with whether or not the action occurred, not with how it was done.

–Deliberate Handling …. Not a violent act

–Holding ….. Generally not a violent act

–Spitting At …. Generally not a physically violent act, but …. Always, a vile and repulsive act.

Slide 4

DFK Fouls

Age/Skill Appropriate Fouls

Referees MUST continually adapt and adjust their perspective in order to be in concert with the skill level of the players involved, the level of the match, as well as with the different play-by-play situations as they develop.

Slide 5

Age/Skill Appropriate Fouls

WATCH-OUTS

• Youth-age referees must be aware not to officiate younger matches at the same level or with the same expectations as they may play their own games.

• Adult referees must be aware not to officiate all games as if they were a U18 competitive boys match..

Slide 6

RECOGNIZING A FOUL

Is it really a foul?

If it is a foul, does it need to be called?

Slide 7

Age/Skill Appropriate Fouls

Foul calls must be recognized and adjusted to:

• No matter what, insure the SAFETY of all participants above all other criteria

• Fit the acceptable level of the match (Adult D1, U16, U11, etc.)

• Suit the level of ability of the individual player being fouled (skilled, average, unskilled, etc.)

• Differentiate between klutziness and purposeful

• Fit the gender tendencies

Slide 9

Age/Skill Appropriate Fouls

Not all foul incidences are the same ….

•Striking in a U12 game is not the same as Striking in a U18 game

•Pushing in a U14 girls match is not the same as Pushing in a U14 boys match

•Holding player #14 is not the same as Holding player #22 on the same team in the same game

Slide 10

Age/Skill Appropriate Fouls

Not all foul incidences are the same ….

•Misconduct in a U16 match is not handled the same as Misconduct in a U13 match

•What may be considered as a “light” foul (trifling) in one game may not be in another

game

…. and even in the same game a trifling foul committed against one player may not be trifling when committed against a different player.

Slide 11

How Many Fouls???

High Kick . Holding . Kicking . Handling

Foul RecognitionDuring play, a sole defender D12 possesses the ball near the top of her own penalty area. She senses an oncoming attacker, panics and attempts to clear the ball away by kicking it across her own goal-line, but the ball is kicked hard toward her own goal. The goalkeeper D6 makes a diving save of the ball with her hands and deflects the ball over the goal-line wide of the goal. What should the referee do? (more than one correct answer may be possible).

A. Caution D12 for unsporting behavior

B. Caution the goalkeeper D6 for touching the ball with her hands from pass-back by D12

C. Restart with a corner kick

D. Send-off the goalkeeper D6 for denying an obvious goal

E. Allow the sure goal and restart with a kick-off

F. Restart with an IFK for the attacking team

G. Restart with a penalty kick

Foul Recognition

A hard kicked ball is coming right toward a player A6's head. Reflectively, the player A6 raises both hands to protect his face and the ball then hits A6's forearm and falls to the ground at his feet. A6 immediately collects the ball with his feet and dribbles the ball around a defender D2 and kicks the ball into the goal. The referee should (more than one correct answer may be possible):

A. Allow the goal, since no foul has occurredB. Do not allow the goal and call the foul on A6 for deliberately

handling the ballC. Do not allow the goal and call a foul on A6 because he gained an

unfair advantage from the ball to hand contact.D. Restart with a kick-offE. Restart with a DFK for D2’s teamF. Restart with an IFK for D2’s team