Opinions on this?

[ajmc]

Relevance is important, as is context, and the context of this discussion seemed pointed towards some observations that "pinching in" from the sidelines was automatically improper mechanics.

The counter suggestion was simply that considering the significant physical and skill differences between 8 year old children playing football, and other more advanced levels of the game, often calls for practical adjustment to standard mechanics to better deal with the actual circumstances of the game at hand. Such adjustments may well be appropriate, rather than automatically considered improper.

There's little value in critiquing any individual official's performance, at the 8 yr old level from a compiled parental highlite video, unless you might be a mentor for that particular official and were discussing it privately and constructively with the official. There is even less value in assessing perfomance based on mechanics, that may be unique at this level, as compared to how they would be required at more advanced levels.

Football at the 8 year old level is a DIFFERENT game.