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Safety First

As a recreational Club, the safety of our players is of the highest importance. All those at the match (the player, parents, coaches and referee) share in this responsibility.

As a referee you do not have a stake in the outcome of the match, and therefore are probably in the best position to ensure all safety rules are followed (besides, you're the one with the whistle, and the ball will not be put into play until safety has been assured).

Here are some guidelines to promote a safe environment: Use common sense No set of Laws can anticipate every situation, and how to handle it. If specific direction is not given below, err on the side of player safety. When an injury occurs You are the Referee, not a First Aider - leave this role to the Coach. Your role is to stop the game when appropriate, beckon the coach onto the pitch, and clear the balance of the players away from the injured player. If the injury is the result of a collision or foul it would be a good idea for the referee to keep some distance from the coach -  there is no sense being a tempting target for some choice words from the coach.

Preventative Officiating

Before the game:

  • Inspect the pitch: Is there any debris (e.g. glass, garbage?) on the field? Are there any serious variances in the field surface (e.g. holes). Are both goals anchored so that they will not tip over?
  • Inspect the ball: Do the thumb test - it should be neither too hard nor too soft. The ball should be round, and travel a true path when kicked.
  • Inspect the players:  The parents, coaches and players have the responsibility of entering the pitch ready to play - and this includes training, mental and physical preparedness, and being dressed legally. Visit each team before the game and scan all players for jewelry, headwear, casts and braces.

Casts and braces

Casts and braces are NOT permitted on the arm/wrist/hand/fingers. No amount of padding can legalize the cast or brace - the player does not play.

Exception: If the player has a letter of clarification from the League regarding a brace/cast for a chronic condition - but the cast/brace still must not pose a danger to other players.

Braces are permitted on the lower extremities (legs/knees/ankles) ONLY if, in your opinion, they do not pose a risk of injury to other players. Generally, the primary concerns are exposed or sharp edges. A letter of permisson is not required for a cast/brace on the leg/ankle - the player should be allowed to play unless there is a specific reason why the brace should be disallowed.

Headwear

  • Hats and bandanas are not to be worn by field players. Sweatbands are OK.
  • Goalkeepers may wear a soft-brimmed hat (a ball cap, or any hat with a hard brim or peak, is NOT soft-brimmed).

Exception: Headwear may be worn for religious or medical reasons. If the wearer has a letter from the League, or if the headwear is clearly of a religious or medical nature, then you may allow the player to wear the item. HOWEVER: Religious or not, medical or not, no player may ever play wearing anything which presents a danger to any individual on the pitch.

Jewelry

All jewelry is to be removed, with the following two exceptions:
  1. >Medic Alert Bracelets: These are a safety device, not jewelry. However, they must be sports style, and they must not pose a possible danger to other players (Example: worn loosely, so there is a risk of entanglement). If a medic-alert bracelet is dangerous, the player does not play.
  2. Earrings: These may be worn provided they are:
    • In the ear, AND
    • A stud-style (e.g. not a hoop or dangling), AND
    • covered on both sides with tape.
    • If any of the above is not true, then by choosing to wear the jewelry the player has also chosen to not play.

Stopping the match due to injury

We want our matches to be held in a safe, fun, caring, protected environment. In general, if there is an injury, stop the match. Even if the player is only surprised and stunned (but really is not injured), you should probably stop the match (especially if the player is younger).

For example, a U8 player is hit by a hard-kicked ball in the chest/stomach area, is still standing, hasn't had the breath knocked out of him/her, but clearly looks surprised, distressed and unhappy - and may be about to break into tears. Is the player injured? - Almost certainly not. But the player is not happy, the parents will be concerned about the health of their child, and the child has forgotten about playing soccer and is looking for care and concern. Stop the game at the earliest opportunity (don't wait for the ball to leave the pitch), and meet the needs of the player (and parent).

Paraphrased from GLSL Law 5 - The Referee: If the referee believes that a player has been injured then you are to stop the game at the earliest opportunity.

But when is the earliest opportunity?

  • If the ball is in a non-threatening position on the pitch (e.g. in a corner, in the mid-field, if a team has possession in their defensive 2/3, or if the attacking team has possession in the attacking third but there is no attack underway) then stop the match as soon as you believe a player might be injured (restart with a Drop Ball - and it may be appropriate to have a one-sided drop ball).
  • If the ball is in a goal-scoring position (example, an attacker is in control of the ball in the Penalty Area, is facing the net, and an attack or shot on goal is imminent) then you may choose to hold the whistle for a few seconds.

And remember (from GLSL Law 3 - The Number of Players): If the referee stops the game due to injury, the injured player MUST be substituted.

Lightning

NO GAME IS TO BE PLAYED IN THE PRESENCE OF LIGHTNING!!!

Lightning’s behavior should be considered to be random, unpredictable and deadly. Preparedness and quick response are the best defenses towards the lightning hazard.

If there is any concern regarding the safety of the players, stop the match and get everybody off the pitch. If the referee fails to stop the match, coaches are empowered to pull their team from the pitch without penalty or reprimand - err on the side of safety!!

More information: http://www.lightningsafety.com/

Lightning Safety Guidelines

If you can hear it (thunder), Clear It (suspend activities)

At the first signs of lightning or thunder, leave the pitch and surroundings. Get into your vehicle and take shelter with the windows rolled up. Many of our referees will transport to games via bicycle - coaches should offer to shelter referees in their vehicle. These are not safe from lightning.

AVOID going underneath trees. Trees "attract" lightning.
AVOID metal fences, gates, and tall light poles and power poles.

Wait 30 minutes after the last observed lightning or thunder before you resume outdoor activity.

Why do people get hit by lightning?

In November 2000, the International Lightning Detection Conference was held in Tucson Arizona. An Environment Canada Meteorologist who attended included the following in his Conference report:

7 reasons why lightning deaths are not declining:

  1. Low probability: In the USA there are 60-100 deaths and 500-750 injuries each year. This places an individual's odds at about three in a million of being struck. This is deemed to be a low risk by most people.
  2. Knowledge: Apparently most people don't judge lightning to be close enough to constitute a threat to their personal safety until the time between the flash that they see and the thunder that they hear is about 6 seconds. That means it is about 2.5 miles (4 km) away. However safety groups suggest that a 30 second interval representing 6 miles (10 km) is the minimum threshold.
  3. Capacity to understand: People can't often determine the true threat since they can't see or hear each lightning event. This is why most lightning victims report being taken completely by surprise.
  4. Them not me: Many individuals think that they take the proper precautions and that it is only others who are wrong.
  5. Proportionality: Other weather phenomena are given more attention by weather service and media. e.g. tornadoes. Therefore, people don't think much about lightning as a hazard.
  6. Invincibility: "It won't hit me because it never has in the past" This is a attitude found primarily among men. Perhaps as a result, 84% of deaths due to lightning are to males.
  7. Emotional limits: People don't get emotionally involved in saving people we don't know.
    [Note: Injured persons do not carry an electrical charge and can be handled safely. Apply First Aid procedures to a lightning victim if you are qualified to do so. Call 911 or send for help immediately.

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Last Updated: Thu Jan 07, 10