Coach Cady,
I completely agree with your recommendation, and have lobbied for that for years. The problem for coaches and players is as you stated, how do you assign left and right backs and midfielders? Normally it's based on who's left footed, but now it would be based on fitness. I know many of my players can play on either side, and often ask me to play on either the coach's side or the parents' side, depending on their disposition. With on-the-fly substitutions, that would add a whole new decision point. I would however love to spend a few practices coaching quick line changes, and even more importantly pushing our advantage during the other team's line change.
But I doubt that we'll ever get a fourth official for HS games. I'm sure that some of our favorite refs in the 2 whistle system could easily cover the task of watching subs from whatever spot on the field they've set up camp. It's not like they're distracted with watching the flow of the game or anything...
(Oops, sorry. I resolved for the New Year not to speak negatively of officials.)
