First game
 

My daughter has been playing soccer since she was in U6. Now she is in U13. The local association needs officials and someone asked if I'd be interested in working the U-littles. I said sure.

First, I watched with the assignor games on the U6 field, about 15' x 25'. My first game was tonight, working U8, on a field around 25' x 40'. When my daughter went from U6 to U8, I remember thinking "Wow, this field is so much bigger." That thought re-entered my mind tonight.

I have a lot to learn, but not as much as I thought. I think I got all the OOB calls right. No one complained and I made sure I hustled to get close enough to see.

One thing I wasn't sure about was a pinned ball. Team A player had the ball under her bent knees as she was sitting on the ground and a Team B player started kicking at the ball. I blew my whistle, afraid the Team A player would get kicked, but didn't know who to award the kick to. So I called for a drop ball between the two players.

Overall I had fun and am glad to help the league who helped my daughter. Now I need to figure out this Arbiter thing. :D

As in all sports, hustle will get you in the right position to make the right calls. And if you keep it up, it will be noticed.

About the pinned ball: if player A was trying to play the ball while on the ground, and opponents were nearby, you could call Playing In a Dangerous Manner (indirect free kick). If the ball was simply stuck there, you could call player B for Playing In a Dangerous Manner. At that level you could call either, but good job with the drop ball.

If you need some Arbiter tips I can help with that, let me know.

Thanks, AremRed. I think I have Arbiter figured out. Simpler than I expected.

Had a fun one last night. U-8, no keepers. Blue team scored three goals in a row and the smallest player on the orange team started crying. He said he can't help his team, he sucks, he's not any good. About 90 seconds after the ensuing kickoff, he trips while chasing the ball and stays down a couple seconds. I ask him if he is OK and he said "I'm awful."

But he gets up. The rest of the players are in a pack trying to kick the ball out when the ball squirts free. The little orange team player runs to the ball and kicks it as hard as he can, right into the goal from just beyond the penalty area. You could see his smile light up the county. "I did it, I did it!" He didn't cry anymore after that.

See?! Now THAT is what makes it all worth it!