Refereeing niggle in U14 to U16 age groups

RemainingInTheGame


Referees in Australia
Joined
May 16, 2022
Messages
113
Post Likes
79
Current Referee grade:
Level 1
RITG, as much as I enjoy watching Shane Barr grapple with the intricacies of PowerPoint & zoom, I didn't watch the whole thing. What were the main points in the presentation?
No worries Dickie, my summary is:
1) U19 are developing players, but also generally going through big changes (e.g puberty), which can have an impact on their emotional reactions
2) There are some different strategies in how to resolve conflict (Avoiding, Competing, Collaborating, Accommodating and Compromising)
3) However, there is no 'right' strategy for everything, and no clear cut rules for when to use what strategy, but all can be useful depending on the situation.
4) There are some clear 'do's' and 'don'ts' (most of which are pretty obvious, don't be a dick and do stay calm)
5) There are different types of conflict that need to be considered: Player v Player, Player v Ref, Team v Team, and it's good to understand the differences in each in how they present and how you can manage them
6) Use the captain to communicate through, make them part of the solution
7) The key tactical action phases to resolve conflict to consider as a ref are: Time (pause the game, give yourself and the player a moment to gather their emotions), Space (move away from the general players group, make sure you and the players you are talking to do don't feel crowded), Decision (make sure you have the information, listen to players give their view), Emotions (reflect on the emotions presents, yours and players), Communicate (clearly communicate your decision to the players)

And one I'd probably add on is that as a ref we need to be able to move on after the game, and I've been reflecting on a phrase I can use after the game to shut down a conversation that I don't want to have about my decisions (and be relatively constructive in my response) - along the lines of "I appreciate your views, but the game is over and I want to get home to watch the Super Rugby" (or whatever).
 

SimonSmith


Referees in Australia
Staff member
Joined
Jan 27, 2004
Messages
9,336
Post Likes
1,440
And one I'd probably add on is that as a ref we need to be able to move on after the game, and I've been reflecting on a phrase I can use after the game to shut down a conversation that I don't want to have about my decisions (and be relatively constructive in my response) - along the lines of "I appreciate your views, but the game is over and I want to get home to watch the Super Rugby" (or whatever).
"I've explained how I saw it. You clearly disagree, and it seems we're not going to get any closer on this, so I suggest we move on"
 

Phil E


Referees in England
Staff member
Joined
Jan 22, 2008
Messages
16,073
Post Likes
2,346
Current Referee grade:
Level 8
1) U19 are developing players, but also generally going through big changes (e.g puberty), which can have an impact on their emotional reactions

I would apply this description to U16/U17
By the time they get to U19 they are young men capable of playing in the first team, and should be treated no differently.
 

didds

Resident Club Coach
Joined
Jan 27, 2004
Messages
12,035
Post Likes
1,775
(CR's point above ]
yes - but that wasn't my point. My concern is that "misses" are treated more leniently that connections, which are just down to luck or the recipent's evasive actions.

I fully agree that ultimate sanctions are not the concern of individual referees.
 
Last edited:

Phil E


Referees in England
Staff member
Joined
Jan 22, 2008
Messages
16,073
Post Likes
2,346
Current Referee grade:
Level 8
yes - but that wasn't my point. My concern is that "misses" are treated more leniently that connections, which are just down to luck or the recipents evasive actions.

I fully agree that ultimate sanctions are not the concern of individual referees.

I once had a Red Card thrown out when a player went to kick another player in the head and missed by inches.
I was told as the kick didn't connect, no offence had occurred.
I was not happy!
 

crossref


Referees in England
Joined
Sep 14, 2009
Messages
21,805
Post Likes
3,145
I once had a Red Card thrown out when a player went to kick another player in the head and missed by inches.
I was told as the kick didn't connect, no offence had occurred.
I was not happy!
Maybe a missing kick, or punch should be cited under 9.27 (unsportsmanlike conduct)
 

RemainingInTheGame


Referees in Australia
Joined
May 16, 2022
Messages
113
Post Likes
79
Current Referee grade:
Level 1
1) U19 are developing players, but also generally going through big changes (e.g puberty), which can have an impact on their emotional reactions

I would apply this description to U16/U17
By the time they get to U19 they are young men capable of playing in the first team, and should be treated no differently.
True, U19 really only used (I think) because we have the U19 laws, it’s about dealing with conflict generally and the examples were young men.
 

Phil E


Referees in England
Staff member
Joined
Jan 22, 2008
Messages
16,073
Post Likes
2,346
Current Referee grade:
Level 8
True, U19 really only used (I think) because we have the U19 laws, it’s about dealing with conflict generally and the examples were young men.

Agreed, but there are different level of young men. U17 tend to be the most challenging in my experience.
 

Volun-selected


Referees in America
Joined
Jun 11, 2018
Messages
548
Post Likes
302
Location
United States
Current Referee grade:
Level 8
I’m going to have to watch that video at some point - this thread is quite prescient for me. I had a HS match a few weeks ago with a massive skill/experience gap between the teams. The experienced team also understood the mental aspect and very cleverly trolled the other team - subtle digs, false praise “so close that time, friend”, etc. Nothing that seemed to match a definition of foul play, or contrary to the spirit - just the banter that any other week would be going both ways. I kept a lid on a lot of simmering anger but I’m wondering if I could have handled it better as it felt too close to boiling over.

One bright moment - after the match, the (utterly dominant ) home team wanted to invite the opponents to join them for pizza, subs, cookies, doughnuts and other goodies and the main source of banter/trolling stepped up and asked the coach if he could run over to deliver the invite and “say sorry for winding them up so much” before inviting them over to gorge themselves.

Next thing, they’re all best buds sitting side-by-side demolishing junk food and guzzling Gatorade as I then put my ex-coach hat on and walk their coaches through how they could fix some of the gaping holes I saw in the game.
 

dave_clark


Referees in England
Joined
May 2, 2007
Messages
4,647
Post Likes
104
Current Referee grade:
Level 15 - 11
One bright moment - after the match, the (utterly dominant ) home team wanted to invite the opponents to join them for pizza, subs, cookies, doughnuts and other goodies and the main source of banter/trolling stepped up and asked the coach if he could run over to deliver the invite and “say sorry for winding them up so much” before inviting them over to gorge themselves.
Next thing, they’re all best buds sitting side-by-side demolishing junk food and guzzling Gatorade

i've not been involved in youth rugby for many years now, but this sounds fantastic. when my team lost the county colts final to Barking, who had a Saracens squad player, we spent 70 minutes beating the crap out of each other (including a 29 man brawl) before having a bloody good drink up afterwards. when i'd sobered up about 3 days later i realised quite how brilliant this was!
 

dave_clark


Referees in England
Joined
May 2, 2007
Messages
4,647
Post Likes
104
Current Referee grade:
Level 15 - 11
yeah, that didn't come out the way it was intended!
 

Stu10


Referees in England
Joined
Mar 10, 2020
Messages
883
Post Likes
478
Current Referee grade:
Level 15 - 11
(CR's point above ]
yes - but that wasn't my point. My concern is that "misses" are treated more leniently that connections, which are just down to luck or the recipent's evasive actions.

I fully agree that ultimate sanctions are not the concern of individual referees.
How would this be treated in an adult game?
 

Dickie E


Referees in Australia
Joined
Jan 19, 2007
Messages
14,106
Post Likes
2,131
Current Referee grade:
Level 2
I once had a Red Card thrown out when a player went to kick another player in the head and missed by inches.
I was told as the kick didn't connect, no offence had occurred.
I was not happy!
I guess attempted murder is less serious than murder
 
Top