TO CAUTION OR NOT TO CAUTION

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National Federation of State High School
Associations
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Indiana High School Athletic Association
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TO CAUTIONORNOT TO CAUTION

• IN A HIGH SCHOOL MATCH

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• Some referees are often criticized for issuing
  too many cautions.
• Some others are criticized for not issuing often
  enough.
• To be fair both criticisms at times may be
  correct, but probably not all the time.

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• Much of the criticisms is based on the assumption
  that the referee always choose to either issue a
  caution, or choose not to do so.
• This assumption is only partially valid.

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• Most referees learn that the decision to caution
  in some cases is clear cut and relies on a
  particular act being observed without any other
  judgment factors having to be applied in making
  that decision.
• These types of cautions can be described as
  MANDATORY cautions.
• The mere observation of a particular act requires
  that the caution be administered.

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• However there are a number of instances where
  acts are supposed to be cautioned by the referee
  requires the referee to apply discretion in order
  to decide if the act meets the criteria described
  in the NFHS soccer rules book to merit a caution.
• These can be described as DISCRETIONARY
  cautions.
• Here the nature and intent of each act has to be
  determined as unfair and requiring the caution.

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• Keep in mind that the two categories MANDATORY
  DISCRETIONARY are not cited in the NFHS
  soccer rules book.

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• These can be described as DISCRETIONARY
  cautions. Here the nature and intent of each act
  has to be determined as unfair and requiring the
  caution.

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• Even a casual reading of the NFHS soccer rules
  book quickly shows that there is a difference in
  judgment required of the referee between
  MANADTORY DISCRETIONARY cautions when
  particular acts of misconduct are committed.

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• If you as the referee in a soccer match are to
  make the correct decision you need to think about
  the issues and adopt a consistent approach to
  handling this behavior and match control
  responsibility you exercise.

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MANDATORY CAUTIONS

• Using the 2009-10 NFHS Soccer Rules Book as the
  basis for this list you can begin to identify the
  two groups of acts and perhaps be able to handle
  them more effective and consistent way in your
  future matches.
• Rule Book examples of mandatory cautions follows.

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• The head coach shall receive the first caution
  for illegally equipped player (R4-3,12-8-4).
• This is a situation that is most often based on
  what you find in your pre-game player equipment
  inspection.
• Of course on occasion you might not observe
  illegal equipment until sometime into the match.
• The rule is specific about both required and
  illegal equipment.

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• Entering or leaving the field of play without
  permission of an official (R12-8-1-A).
• Such an act can be observed by any of the referee
  team.
• The exception of course is through the normal
  course of play.

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• Any incidental vulgar or profane language
• (R12-8-1-D)
• Here the judgment is primarily on the word
  incidental and the language must be heard to be
  punished.

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• Any use of video or audio communication by
  players or other persons to assist in coaching
  during the match (R12-8-1-E).
• Again this an act that can be both observed and
  heard.
• The rule defines specific devices.

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• Coaching outside the team area (R12-8-F-1) also
  indicated in (R1-5-3).
• Coaches, bench personnel and team members shall
  be restricted to the team area.
• This is another incident based on observation
  are they outside the area?

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• Holding a shirt, shorts, etc. (R12-8-1-F3).
• If seen it is to be penalized.
• This unfair act is becoming more and more
  frequently observed in matches.
• Unless a clear advantage is observed , it should
  be dealt with strictly.

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• Encroachment (R12-8-1-F5).
• Ten yards is Ten yards.
• The successful referee must learn to enforce this
  distance rigidly in order not to encourage unfair
  interference with play by the offending team.

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• Use of tobacco products by participants
  (R12-8-1G).
• This is one of the strict policies of NFHS for
  all interscholastic sports.

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• When you consider that all of the previous act
  require a mandatory caution can be observed or
  heard by the referee.
• Consistently enforcing and penalizing with the
  necessary caution should come more easily to the
  referee.
• The more consistently enforced, the better the
  match control result.

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DISCRETIONARY CAUTIONS

• Now we consider the discretionary cautions.
• The next acts requiring caution do involve
  applying some degree of judgment by the referee
  determining that they meet the intended criteria
  of misconduct specified in the rules.

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• In each of these cases, if your match control
  results are not consistently positive in applying
  your power to caution, its probably because you
  need to better understand the subjective criteria
  you need to apply in judging whether or not each
  of these acts are to be cautioned.

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• Persistent infringement of any of the rules of
  the game (R12-8-1-B).
• Here the basic judgment question is how many
  times are enough to be persistent.
• There are many approaches to making good
  judgments.
• Be wise enough to ask for help in defining and
  recognizing persistent infringement if you need
  it.

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• Dissent objecting by word or action to any
  decision a referee makes during a match
  (R12-8-1-C).
• This is probably one of most common types of
  misconduct and also one that is least attended to
  by referees.
• When not handled properly it does have a very
  negative effect on match control and player
  behavior.
• Because once a player gets away with dissent
  other quickly learn to try the same misconduct.
• Be particularly sensitive to this act.

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• Unnecessary delay Kicking, throwing the ball
  away or obstructing on a free kick.(R12-8-3-F3).
• This act involves unfair time wasting , the match
  suffers if not controlled.

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• Deliberate verbal tactics (R12-8-3-F4).
• These may include verbally baiting an opponent ,
  negative interference by calling for a pass when
  not involved in play or when no where near play.
• Negative or interfering comments to opponents
  from the opposing bench, etc.

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• Deliberate handling to stop an attack
  (R12-8-3-F6).
• This involves the judgment of when a developing
  attack is negated by an unfair, deliberate,
  intentional act of handling.

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• Deliberate Tactical Foul (R12-8-3-F7).
• Most often a non-violent, non serious foul
  against an opponent to take the opponent out of a
  play.

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• Faking an injury (R12-8-3-F8).
• This unfair tactic is often missed by the referee
  team and is not always easy to recognized.
• Many of us have witnessed an apparently injured
  player suddenly and miraculously recover after
  play is stopped or after the opposing team is
  unfairly penalized for a foul.

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• Simulating a foul (R12-8-3-F9).
• This unfair act is usually referred to as taking
  a dive in order to get an incorrect call by the
  referee in favor of the simulator.

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• The coach may be cautioned either for team
  misconduct or for bench misconduct that cannot be
  attributed to a specific individual (R12-8-4B).
• One example is when the coach fails to stop bench
  personnel from dissenting or making negative
  remarks that interfere with the match and
  individuals cannot be correctly identified.

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• Keep in mind again that the two categories
  mandatory and discretionary are not sited in
  the NFHS Soccer Rules Book.
• All reasons for caution cited in the rules can be
  said to be mandatory, in that the referee is
  required to penalize any participant who commits
  any of these.

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• However as most of us know deciding whether or
  not an act of misconduct has occurred is not
  always a cut and dry situation, especially in the
  discretionary category.
• By categorizing and studying the list of caution
  offenses in the rules into mandatory and
  discretionary groups, a referee can perhaps find
  it easier to recognize each instance when the
  caution should be effectively invoked as a
  behavior technique.

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• A referee can also pursue finding out how better
  to judge the more difficult caution offenses by
  asking for or getting decision making guidance
  from your NFHS rule interpreter , clinician,
  assessor, mentor or referee colleagues.
• Also take the opportunity to discuss other
  approaches in handling caution offenses in a
  match during a regular NFHS soccer referee
  meeting.