SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums Boys Varsity Soccer What would you do?

The second video is completely different. The player in white is jumping in like in the first video, but he is leading with his elbow into the head of the opponent. In the first video, the impact area was not the player's head but his body.

The other difference is in the first video, the defender clearly sees the other player coming at him, which is why he releases the ball, in the second video the player in red is watching the ball and never sees the player in white coming. You can tell in the second video that the white player is never going to play the ball, whereas in the first video you can't make that statement because the defender released the ball a second before contact was made.

The second video is a classic case of serious foul play and should be a red card.

Okay, you agree that it is a foul. You agree that Seneca #3 is jumping in.
Let's talk about what it is you think you are seeing. If you watched the video, you should have noticed that another player in blue clears the ball up the field, so the player in white is clearly not the defender in this instance. Otherwise, the second Seneca player would have taken what would have been a wide open shot. The fact that you thought Kit was the defender indicates that maybe you weren't watching that closely.
The white stripe around the shoulder of the Seneca player is not a mirage--it's a feature of the kit. It is visible in the moment of contact because his right arm is extended but bent at the elbow, meaning that he is leading with his forearm. If you did not see that, watch again. Also, look at Kit's position relative to that white stripe and how his head is leaning away from the forearm.
As Kit and Seneca #3 are coming back up the pitch, #3 asks Kit, "How's your head?" Why would he ask such a question?

But here's the thing. Rather than being snarky, consider the following: it is YOUR player, or perhaps YOUR kid. The play leads to a concussion (which is only possible if the impact area was Kit's head). The referee, whose is just a few yards away and makes no call at all on what is at the very least a foul that should lead to a direct kick right outside the area.
Is there a game report submitted by the referee because of an injury, a concussion? There is certainly nothing to report regarding a sending off because no foul was called. Does the coach get to submit a game report regarding the incident? If you were the coach, and you lost 25 goals from your lineup for the playoffs, wouldn't you want to submit a game report?
You can't complain to the referee assigner because he won't listen. You can't complain to the SCHSL because apparently they won't listen. Apparently there is no avenue for complaints or concerns about a referee who is biased and allows the safety of some players to be jeapordized. And there is no avenue for complaints about a coach who encourages violent behavior.
So, if this were your player or your kid, what would YOU do?
Would you just chalk it up to bad fortune? Are you happy with a governing body that will not consider the possibility that a referee might have a bias, might be unethical? Have you ever wished that you could submit film to the SCHSL and have them consider that something is not right?
So, what would you do?
You don't think I should take legal action? Fine. What would YOU do?

MY OPINION: I have watched the video 6 times now and still think it looks like typical soccer contact. Sometimes they call a foul and sometimes they don't. The ref only got to see it once while he was trying to run and keep up with the action. If the player in white had sold some real or imaginary contact/injury, he probably would have had a chance at getting a foul call. It appears that he hops up and they run up the field without incident other than the player in black patting him on back at the very end. It looks like a good effort by both players showing mutual respect and neither player was hurt. So the ref followed the ball to the next action. If the ref watched it 10 times and saw the catscan results as you have he might have called something. When going into legal shoulder to shoulder contact it is usually a good idea to have your forearm extended a little because you have to put your arm somewhere and it protects your ribs. The player in white swings his right arm over his head as he is dropping down so the player in black really can't gauge where the contact will take place.
What would I do? Help my son get healthy (concussions are very serious). Tell him to protect himself and sell the contact more especially when it is real (i.e. hold your head and roll around in pain). This will demand the refs attention and may get a dangerous player off the field. It also may help you sell your case in future lawsuits. In this one I still would dismiss the case due to unsubstantial evidence.
I will not respond to any appeals. Good luck.

Did you watch on a computer or on a cell phone? I really don't know how you can watch that and conclude what you have concluded.
On the other issues, OF COURSE I'll help my son get healthy. OF COURSE concussions are serious, and it is the seriousness of concussions that should make referees particularly observant of contact to the head, especially when it is intentional.
And I have told my son for years now that he would help his team by allowing himself to go down when he gets fouled. There are far too many refs in South Carolina that will not call a foul unless a player falls down even though the Laws include attempting to trip, jumping at, charging at, and yet many of the refs will only call the actual trip, or the knocking down of the player. And I'm not talking about simulation.
But just to get things straight--you are content with the way incidents such as this are handled by the referee assigner (no appeal to anyone other than the referee, no blackballing of referees who a coach may think is biased) and the SCHSL (consider nothing but the game report filed by the referee; do not consider video of a troubling incident). That's good with you.
And what if the player had been Daniel McClam and A. C. Flora had not won the state this year? Or what if it had been Wilbert from Berea? Are you really okay with the current inability of coaches to express concerns to the league?

I won't make any comment whatsoever about the incident itself--I wasn't there, didn't see it in person, can't comment on intent of any player or official present--but I do want to comment with some concern on the assertion that coaches have no recourse with the League and the League will not consider video and only reads the referee's report.

As a coach I have been in many meetings with Skip Lax, who oversees soccer at the SCHSL. In every meeting with coaches, he has emphasized the importance of filming matches and has encouraged coaches to do so, stating that video evidence is one of the few things that they CAN consider when disputing an incident. His recurring statement has been, "If you're not taking video of your games, you have to ask yourself the question, 'why not?'"

I have not yet personally tested the theory by sending in video to dispute a situation, but I can't believe Skip would repeatedly emphasize that at every rules clinic if it were the SCHSL's policy not to use video evidence.

Suing? If you think that is something that will hold up in court you are crazy, and a judge would laugh at you and throw it out. The play wasn't even serious foul play (which would warrant a red card), do us a favor stop watching soccer. [/quote]

^ agreed.

I was at that game and it was very chippy and the player in white committed several fouls that should have resulted in a yellow card (studs up/late tackles). Also #3 is one of the nicest people I know he would never do anything to hurt someone intentionally and I'm sure him asking about your son's head was sincere. and if your son did have a concussion I doubt he would remember correctly if it was said sincerely or not. and if I'm not mistaken a person who passes out, blacks out, or has a concussion their testimony isn't admissible so you'd be suing with only the video as evidence. And I also believe that Daniel high should pay for the bills student athletes pay a small insurance fee when they play sports last I remembered. You should check into the schools insurance policy regarding student athletes to try and get them to reimburse you for any medical expense.

Reckless dangerous play by player in dark jersey. Ball has been played. Player did not go in intending to dispossess.

yellow card on dark jersey player, indirect free kick for white.

Kit got a yellow card earlier in the first half for continuing to play after the whistle. He was pushed from behind while receiving the ball; the ball went to Sam, who started to move down the pitch with it, so as the whistle was blowing, Kit went to win the ball back. JJ gave him a yellow card for that (and I can send you the video). It is nothing like the clearly intentional hit that #3 very nicely put on Kit, for which he not only was not carded but not even called for a foul because Dickerson is biased against Daniel every time he refs a Daniel game.
And I'm sure #3 is a nice kid, but nice kids can be coached into playing the game the wrong way.
And, again, if it were your kid, what would you do? Obviously you wouldn't sue, but doesn't Oconee County SD bear some responsibility since ultimately they are the ones who employ the coaches? Keep in mind that Kit did not play the last 20 minutes of the game in Seneca because of back spasms, the result of being punched in the back.

I haven't heard a word back from Mr. Lax.