CHECKS IN THE MAIL: There is a stack of checks (mainly for the youth officials) that need to go out … but we don’t have proper addresses or Social Security Numbers for many of the newer officials. We need to improve our record keeping capacity … so in the next two weeks, those individuals whose address and Social Security are not on file will be receiving an email or a phone call from me asking for your address and social security number. I completely understand the importance of protecting your Social Security Number and address in this day and age of Identity Theft and such … but we need your address in order to mail you your checks … and we need your Social Security Number because the government requires us to file a 1099 report at the end of every year.

COSOA Website & Recruiting of New Officials: Please remember to periodically check our Association’s Website or give the website address (cosoa.org) to your friends who might be interested in officiating soccer games for information and contact numbers. This is the time to be recruiting new Officials into our Association (not two weeks before the start of the High School season).

If you know anybody who is interested in officiating High School Soccer matches in the Fall, feel free to pass along my email or phone number to them.

T  R  A  I  N  I  N  G

Here is an excerpt from the “Ask a Referee” website which I thought was pretty interesting. This website is hosted by Jim Allen, National Instructor and Assessor.

KNOW WHEN TO ENFORCE THE REQUIRED DISTANCE
The question:
During a game, the referee automatically asked my players to step back and give the other team a mandatory 10 yards.

I have 2 problems with this assuming "Persistent Encroachment" is not occurring (6-8 yards off the ball is fair unless asked for by the opposing team):
1. The player on the ball, not a sideline parent or coach must ask for the 10 yards. It is should not be assumed that the team with the free kick wants 10 yards.
2. What if the team on the ball wants to play quick and does not want or need the 10 yards?

The referee came up to me after the game and told me I need to tell my girls that they needed to give 10 yards, regardless if the player asks for it or not. At first I responded, that is not what the Laws of Games state, he continued to argue with me in front of the players and said he has been doing this for 20 years and has read the RULES 500 times.

Can you please clarify? I live with two referees who hear this all the time from me.

USSF answer (May 9, 2006):
Your contention that the players do not have to move back 10 yards immediately at a free kick is a false one. Law 13 (Free Kicks) tells us quite clearly: all opponents are at least 9.15 m (10 yds) from the ball until it is in play (except at an indirect free kick within their own penalty area, when they may remain on their goal line and between the goalposts). There is no requirement that players must ask for the ten yards.

You are failing to distinguish what the Law requires versus what the referee needs to enforce. While the players must retire the obligatory distance from free kicks and corner kicks and now from throw-ins as well, the referee's job is to keep his mouth shut and let the attackers (the ones in control of the restart) decide whether, how, and to what extent they want this requirement enforced. Otherwise, the referee should treat the offense as trifling unless the opponent ACTUALLY interferes with play from within 10 yards (usually meaning makes contact with the ball through some deliberate action as opposed to receiving a ball kicked directly to him/her).

In significantly more words, here is what we advise referees, taken from the upcoming 2006 edition of the USSF publication "Advice to Referees on the Laws of the Game":
13.4 ENFORCING THE REQUIRED DISTANCE
If the referee decides to delay the restart and to enforce the required minimum distance, the referee must quickly and emphatically indicate to the attackers that they may not now restart play until given a clear signal to do so. Under these circumstances, an attacker who restarts play without a signal should be verbally warned and, upon repetition, be cautioned for unsporting behavior. The free kick in such cases must be retaken, regardless of the result of the original kick. An opponent who moves closer to the spot of the kick (from any direction) before it is taken must be cautioned and shown the yellow card if the referee has delayed the restart to ensure that the opponents are at the minimum distance.

If one or more opponents fail to respect the required distance before the ball is properly put into play, the referee should stop the restart to deal with this infringement. The free kick must be retaken even if the momentum of play causes the ball to be kicked before the referee signals. The infringement plus the referee's decision to deal with it cancel any apparent restart regardless of a delay in announcing the decision. However, referees are also expected to consider whether the infringement on the minimum distance was trifling (had no effect on the freedom of the attackers to restart) and, if so, to refrain from issuing a caution and to allow play to proceed.

The referee is expected to deal with opponents who fail to respect the required distance, even in situations in which they were induced to do so by attackers appearing to put the ball into play, but where the ball was not kicked (touched with the foot and moved).

An attacking team which chooses to take a free kick with an opponent closer than the minimum distance may not thereafter claim infringement of the distance requirement, even if the ball is kicked to the infringing opponent, who thereby is able to control the ball without moving toward it. In such a case, the referee cannot caution the opponent who has not remained the required distance from the ball.