SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums Boys Varsity Soccer Abusive Referees

I have seen both poorly refereed games and some great refs at work this year. The worst was so bad it was laughable, (and I did) but the team that seemed to bear the brunt of the insanity in this instance did more to cook their own goose than the ref. Cards for dissent are foolish. When you get an idiot just keep away and keep quiet. Respect the shirt even if the man doesn't deserve it and prove that you can win even if he's against you. Better yet, when you get a good ref thank them after the game, even if you lost. Your courtesy may encourage them to sign up for more games. Just my thoughts.

Refs may not actually put the ball in the goal, but I've seen really bad calls by refs that change the outcome of the game of who wins or loses. I've never seen a ref change a call because parents yelled at them, but I have seen them go in favor of the other team because of it. I do not agree that refs deserve respect because they have "the shirt". I do think parents AND players should keep their mouths shut if for no other reason than it negatively effects the team. Players are expected to not let the fans get to them. Adult refs should do the same.

kickittome...you make good sense, but, I taken exception to refs not winning or losing a game. It does happen. It's not an everyday thing but it does happen. Granted, the players have to give it their best & must learn to play inspite of the referees. The problem I had with the referees in last night's game was the fact that they screwed the players. & as a coach and parent, I don't take kindly to anybody messing with our kids. It's their game.

I feel your pain Coach T, and those refs should be reprimanded for their poor performance. It's too bad we don't have a good system in place to evaluate our refs. I am always asking my fellow refs what I did good, what I did wrong, and what I could do better. I don't want to be in that position where I have to make a call that makes or breaks a match. Have I made calls that decided a match? Yes, on many occasions, but it is usually cut and dried. Not many coaches see it that way when its happening though. We have been pretty fortunate this year not to get too many bad refs. I'm sure we will see some at some point though.
Here is some good advice I was taught "The best ref is the one you don't even realize is there."

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so dawgfan,
are you saying that the ball would not have gone in had the whistle not been blown? Could your keeper have gotten back up to stop it?

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Yes, that is what I'm saying. It was a slow roller that was right next to the keeper. He had a very good chance to stop it but he stopped when the whistle blew. He should have grabbed it anyway but kids are taught to play to the whistle. He did just that.

dawgfan, if that is the case, then it should have been a re-kick for an inadvertant blow of the whistle. My guess is that you had some inexperienced referees. In fact, I don't ever blow the whistle except to indicate it is time to take the PK. It doesn't state in the rules for NFHS that you have to blow the whistle again after the PK. (pg's 60-62 art 14) It is best to let the kick be taken, look at your AR, and then determine if it was a goal, or if an infraction occurred. Simple as that. When you start adding whistles that aren't needed to the game, bad things happen. Sounds like that is what happened to your team.

Hey Coach T -
You had better be careful what you post - especially saying that the refs "screwed" the players. Refs are probably watching and will give more yellow cards.
I have to agree that the Pendleton-Palmetto game was the worst officiated game I have ever seen in my history of soccer. The two officials were inexperienced and should have never been paired together for this game. They totally lost control and even went so far as to converse/interact with parents. The lopsided calls were rediculous (7 yellows with 3 doubles on Palmetto and 1 on Pendleton).
And I will have to say that the game was decided by the referees in this case. Numerous opportunities to score in the box by Palmetto were negated by "pushing" calls against Palmetto. An indirect kick which was deflected off of the goalie into the goal was negated because it was ruled as a direct kick. In 2nd half of overtime, a very disputable call against Palmetto defender gave Pendleton the PK with less than 2:00 to go. This was the winning goal.
Any one of these calls could be overcome. Any one would have been dealt with by coach and team leadership by telling the team to "forget it, suck it up, and keep playing." But when it happens so obviously over 80 minutes of play and 10 minutes of overtime - and the refs make bad calls over and over - it is hard to keep 13-18 year old kids focused. Heck, it is hard to keep mature adults from screaming at these type of continuous offences. YES - the refs did control the outcome of this game. It may not happen often - but this one was obvious.

BOTTOM LINE - As coaches and school officials, we have no recourse to the SCHSL. They are not present to see it. And quite honestly, because soccer is a second tier sport in their eyes, the only thing that happens is that the one complaining gets labled. As one that has coached and refereed - IT IS TIME THIS IS ADDRESSED!

Coaches (myself included) do a poor job of showing character and honesty when dealing with officials. We argue every 50/50 call and give them little credit in tight games. We throw our hands up and yell, enticing our crowd. They come into games on the defensive from the beginning. I think coach's behavior should be severely limited, and that they should be allowed to rate officials. Yellow/red cards to coaches, poor ratings that result in week suspensions would tighten things up.

I totally agree with you MASH. I have actually had parents come up to me and ask why I don't yell at the refs more. I simply tell them, its not going to change the call, and it is probably going to make matters worse if I do.

I think it is time we address the following:
*Whiny kids who question every call and take dives
*Coaches who yell and scream when the call is against them. (fight for your players, but choose your battles)
*Poor or inexperienced referrees
*The lack of good pizza places in and around Darlington and Florence!

Amen!