SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums Girls Varsity Soccer Post Week #5 scores and results in this thread (4/4-10) ...

My apologies... I used to coach at Rock Hill High School and since have moved down to Columbia.

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This game was a very physical game by both teams. One team was not dirtier or more physical than the other. The thing I did notice was Clover seemed to be the team questioning every call and non call especially in the 2nd half, and that was something their coach should have handled. Lancaster, on the other hand, seemed to be playing hard and keeping their mouths shut. Perhaps in the end that was the biggest difference in this game.

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A Lancaster patron threw his stadium chair at the field. Luckily it hit the wall and not a person. That too was UNSEEN or IGNORED! Also a group of so called Adults were standing at the end of the field yelling at the Clover players to "get on the bus" and the Lancaster players to "crack them up". Wonder who's job it was to control all of that.

How many times have I heard......that the number one responsibility of the referee is player safety?

From Realist post...

"Another point of view...

There were numerous cards given, 2 to Lancaster and 4 to Clover.

1st half: Clover goalie looses control of ball after shot on goal. The keeper is crawling and reaching to regain control. Lancaster player touches the ball into the goal from 3 yards out. Goal. A keeper on the ground crawling amoung 3 or 4 players kicking at the ball is in all likelyhood not going to escape unscathed.

2nd half: Clover forward jumps over the Lancaster goalie to avoid colliding with her but clips her in the forehead with her shoe, Clover girl carded. Lancaster keeper leaves game but returns shortly."

I wasn't at the match, but have Clover friends who were. I also have a daughter (never went to Clover) who is a keeper.

Per first point above....Clover keeper had possession of the ball and got trucked, thereby losing control of the ball leading to the scrum that got her hurt.

Realist.....general consensus is you did not protect the players. You card one kid who in your words attempts to avoid contact, then apparentyl allow open season on the Clover goalie.

I wasn't there, so take my comments with a grain of salt. But as you said in your initial post there is another perspective. And that other perspective is that you failed in protecting the players. Right or wrong, that is the perspective.

And whether its coaching philosphy or lax officiating, more and more skilled kids will QUIT playing high school soccer becasue of this crap.

People should stop ducking the issues and deal with the problem. Dont' confuse aggressive, passionate, physical play with reckless and allegedly blatant attempts to hurt or intimidate the other team. Which from the Clover perspective....is exactly what happened.

On the other thread there are a handful of people including several from the coaching ranks who attest to the style of play of Clover. No one has said boo in defense of Lancaster....except Realist, who refereed and who equated the two teams style of play, other than to note that CLover had more cards and whined about non-calls.

Again... another perspective from one who has seen CLover MANY times over the years.

Wonder if some parent videotaped the game?

I don't know about Clover being "dirty", but if Lancaster is still coached by 'Ol Bo, then the answer would definitely be 'yes' for LHS!

Sounds like this stuff was off the field of play after the game had by ended. That would be the school admin's and police officers problem.

Player saftey is within the Ref's control on the field but off the field the school and police should be looked at very hard for the actions they did not take in this case.

If the player was hurt (slamed to ground) during play in a tight crowd in front of a goal I can see how that could be missed. (depending on how it happened)

"If the player was hurt (slamed to ground) during play in a tight crowd in front of a goal I can see how that could be missed. (depending on how it happened) "

Agreed, if it were an isolated incident. If it were an alleged pattern of behaviour, I think I would be watching.

I don't agree that the referee is exempt from controlling off field behavior. I have seen referees stop games and threaten parents with expulsion for persistent abusive language. And it was the right thing to do.

Not saying the home school doesn't have primary responsibility. But again.....the referee has to protect the players and keep control of the game. And if the off-field stuff threatens to spill out onto the field....thats where the ref has to take control.

IMO.