Help needed

[fonzzy07]

I have a tourney comming up. My first chance at working soccer. I will be a linesman/ assistant referee. Please give me as many pointers as possible.

[Nevadaref]

1. Hustle
2. Let the Center Referee call almost ALL of the fouls! If you believe that he has a good look at it, let him make the call. Help on the one's which he can't see or that are right in front of you in your corner.
3. Focus on the 2nd to last defender and stay with that person as you move up and down the touchline. This will keep you correctly positioned to make the offside call. This is your primary job!
4. Be aware of where the ball is, but don't ball watch. 75% of your focus should be on the back line of defenders and the front couple of attackers(keeping watch for offside and misconduct out of the field of vision of the Referee), and 25% should be on the tracking where the ball is. You can accomplish this by looking across the field most of the time and glancing down it to your left every couple of seconds.
5. Before you signal for a goal kick/corner kick or the direction on a throw-in make eye contact with the Center. This way the two of you won't point in opposite directions.
6. Have PATIENCE!!!!! WAIT before you call ANYTHING. Just a second or so, to see if you need to call it or perhaps the kids will surprise you and play through that contact or won't actually get involved in the play (for the offside decision) and you don't need to stop the game.
7. Smile and have fun in the sun.

[refnrev]

What Nevada said was very good.
1. Also, be sure to be crisp and precise with your flags - Never cross your body with them, or run with them flapping in the wind. Keep the flag in the hand near the field when running, and mirror your other AR as instructed by your CR. Hold the postion of the flag long enough to be sure it's seen when signaling a goal kick or corner. That flag is your voice!
2. Make sure you know what your CR wants you to do because YOU asked in the pregame.
3. Always give the CR first shot at a foul in box.
4. Have a patient flag. Know what you have, which way to point, and be accurate with the calls.
5. If your CR waves off your flag, don't take it personally.
6. Watch the players feet on a throw in and watch the keepers feet on a punt.
7. ALWAYS REMEMBER MOST OF ALL YOU CANNOT CALL OFFSIDE IF YOU ARE OUT OF POSITION. STAY LOCKED ON THAT NEXT TO LAST DEFENDER AND HAVE A STRAIGHT LINE WITH HIM ALL GAME LONG.
8. At the start of the second half find some way to remind yourself of which way which color is going. For instance, ie "OK white is going the way of the watch this half." When your first starting out, it's easy to get the directions backwards at the start of the second half. I use an IHSA sweatband on the wrist that is the direction of the dark team and switch it to my other arm in the second half.

Good luck, RR

[refnrev]

By the way. what age group is this tourney?

[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by refnrev

6. ... and watch the keepers feet on a punt.

RR,
I liked everything you said except for the clip above. It could very well mislead an inexperienced ref.

The location of the goalkeeper's feet doesn't matter at all. What is important is the location of the ball and the goalkeeper's hands/arms. The AR should check that the ball is NOT in contact with the goalkeeper's hands outside of the penalty area. In other words, as long as the keeper releases the ball while it is over or on the inside of the line, he has NOT infringed the laws no matter where his feet are when he actually kicks the ball.

This is actually a common misconception of the laws of the game and I just wish to ensure that fonzzy has it correct up front.


PS I wasn't really thinking about mechanics when I wrote my quick list in that earlier post, but since RR did a great job of bringing up that aspect I now wish to add:

8. Come to a complete STOP and then give your signal with the flag. Never signal while on the move.