Last Sunday during Coed Open play two players went up for a ball and heads collided. As I understand it, one player was knocked unconscious, and the other received a gash on the head and was taken to the hospital for medical attention. Injuries are never good. Serious injuries like this one that took place truly make me sad.
Since the incident, I have spoken to players involved in the game, and in turn our referee commissioner, Alan Exley. Refereeing a highly competitive league, such as our Coed Open, is a challenging job! I know, because I too am a referee, in addition to being a player and a coach. I've heard some voices expressing frustration that the referees allowed the intensity to rise to a level that led to the accident. Whether that is true or not, I believe we, players and refs, all share a responsibility for the safety of one another on the field. So as the League President, I take your safety concerns seriously and am in constant contact with our referee commissioner regarding these issues.
As players we need to do our part to protect one another out there on the field. The truth is, we have much more power than the referees, to maintain a fun and safe environment on the soccer field. I wanted to offer up some things to think about when you are out there playing this week.
1) 50/50 balls are one of the biggest places for you or the person you are challenging, to get injured. If you are not 100% certain that you are going to get to the ball first, or if you are but your not certain, that the other person's momentum is not going to take you out, Back Off! Remember, it's just a game.
2) Keep control of your body. Don't put your foot down on the ole gas pedal so hard you can't control where you are kicking or who you are running into. On the same token, keep your emotions in check, play with a level head out there on the field.
3) Watch challenges from behind. You shouldn't be kicking at a player or the ball if their back is turned to you. This is patently dangerous and a cause of injuries. Do not push from behind, watch your hands!
4) Sliding is prohibited in the HSL. Keep your feet when challenging for a ball.
5) If you have the ball and are being challenged, keep your elbows down. This is dangerous and can result in face or head injuries to the other player.
6) When going up for a header, go straight up. Do not back into the player behind you, or attempt to lean over the player in front of you. Again, keep your elbows down and do not push into the player in front of you.
7) Be a sportsman. Do NOT swear or yell at the refs or other players. Do NOT tolerate dissentful behavior from your teammates toward the refs or players on the other team. if you have an issue, please bring it up with your captain/manager, so they can address the ref or a commissioner or board member, a few of whom are often present on the playing field.
8) Be encouraging. Help the other guy up. Smile. You're playing soccer, the BEAUTIFUL game. Life is good.
I welcome your comments on this and other issues. Please keep your words constructive and respectful. Thank You.
-Paul
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7 comments:
Paul, we all appreciate your comments. I would like to see what we can do to get 2 refs per field per game? We all must pay to be a part of this league and as such we all assume we will have the fields available during our time slot and that both the teams and refs show up. It is very challenging to have the coach of one team doing the officiating for both teams, even though you did well Paul :)
Are we short on refs or do they just not show up?
I really share your concern on this issue. Thanks for bringing it up. The truth is getting refs on Saturdays in the Fall has been difficult. The same pool of refs that we draw from also ref high-school. Last Saturday, the refs that would have done our games were in So. Humboldt doing high-school. I had a professional engagement, but had told Alan in advance I would not be there. It is a finite pool that we draw from.
This, it seems, will always be a problem for Saturday league in the Fall. Still, Alan and I haven't given up on the issue. He tells me we will have 4 refs there this Saturday (I will be one). Unfortunately I can't make every Saturday, because of professional commitments, but I will be there most weeks.
I would like to see the HSL train it's own pool of refs, out of players in the league. The money is actually pretty good, and it really gives you a appreciation for the game, and the job of the referee, not to mention it's good exercise. It would be really healthy for the league. It is one of the reasons I have stepped up to help on Saturdays.
Any interested players reading this blog should contact me.
I would also add to play defense with your feet and not your hands and forearms.
Good one. One of the more difficult calls for a referee is illegal use of the arms. Is the player pushing off, or merely making incidental contact? Referees have to make a split second decision - was that incidental contact or a push? Using arms to push a defending player off to go around him, or a defender pushing from behind or trying to get around a player with their arms to get the ball is a foul.
-Paul
I'd also like to add please be careful with goalkeepers. The same game where the accident happened, I dove on a loose ball, with both my hands on it, and my face near it. As I looked up I saw the bottom of a cleat coming in fast and it planted hard on my hand. I've had a bruise all week. The ref asked if I was ok and play continued. FIFA says if the goalkeeper has his/her hand on the ball it is under their control. Please be careful, especially if your team is already up by 4 goals, there's no need to play like this. Relax. I've noticed some of the better teams have players who think this is the World Cup final. It's just a Sunday afternoon in Arcata. Sore winners, yea that's the word.
thank you all board members for a great mens 37 league.an anonymous English hooligan
thanks to all you hardworking board members for making the 2008 mens 37 league a very entertaining & well run event.Hopefully the 2009 season can build upon what you have already achieved.An English hooligan
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