U10 Youth Soccer - Stoppage Time?

[Anonymous]

I've only watched 'official' matches on TV where stoppage time is used, where refs don't necessarily end the game while a play is building up even when the added time is exhausted, so I don't know what most leagues do in youth soccer. But this weekend DS's rec league game ended in a tie when the ref blew the whistle after DS's team intercepted a pass and pushing the ball into the other teams' half in the middle of a counter attack. I was surprised the ref chose to end the game like that as it just felt so abrupt. His previous games since they got real refs never seemed to end in that fashion.

what do you think? Is this normal or questionable officiating?

[Anonymous]

I'm a U10 Commissioner and I think that this is normal for U10. The refs blow the whistle when their timer goes off. You don't get the really good refs until your kid is a bit older.

[Anonymous]

U9 and when the timer goes off it's over (in tournaments that are on a schedule). When it is a friendly there is more flexibility.

[Anonymous]

Just a reality of limited field space.

[Anonymous]

LOL, Quit questioning the refs unless you want to pick yo a whistle.
The refs dont care who wins, they enjoy the sport and and give back, they also want to get out of there on time and collect their checks..and its not a lot either. So cut them some slack

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just a reality of limited field space.

+1 There is always another team waiting for the field. Once games get off schedule, it becomes a problem for everyone.

[Anonymous]

It is quite odd to blow the whistle in the middle of a play. My kids played rec, then MSI classic, and now travel soccer, and I can't really remember a time when that happened. It's true that field time is limited, but waiting until the end of the play at that age is probably going to add no more than a few seconds. It's unlikely that either team at that level is going to be stringing together enough passes to create a significant delay.

[Anonymous]

it is u 10 soccer, really? the kids are ok with a tie, it is the parents that want to win. relax, they will not remeber if they won or lost in a few years.

at that age focus on developing the skills and getting better. on the tam I couach i let every parent knwo if they are in it to win it, they are on the wrong team. I woudl rather have 15 kids becoming better each week than haev 15 kids who want to win each game with no skills.

[Anonymous]

Huh? I played travel for 8 years and when the time was exhausted (with add back time, etc)--the game was over. No matter what was happening on the field---the clock runs out---it's out.

Strange. I have never heard of it any other way. My first is playing U-9 and they seem to blow the whistle when the clock runs out--regardless to what is happening on the field.

[Anonymous]

OP here -

I purposely withheld one piece of key information because I wanted to hear unbiased opinions. Thanks for your input.

Now, the ref in question, was actually a parent of the other team (paid ref was a no show). He seemed very capable and experienced doing the officiating the majority of the game. The only 'odd' things he did were 1) telling the field there's 15 mins left, then 12 mins left, then 5 mins left. then 2 mins left'; and 2) the end of game whistle in the middle of a play.

If you're still reading you know what I'm getting at - i felt he went out of his way to preserve the tie. am i way off base to think that?

[Anonymous]

oh by the way - there's no other games after that one. it's the last game of the day.

[Anonymous]

In general I think you will find -- no stoppage time and no letting play continue. In more competitive leagues, and if there is a tie game or the team with the ball is down only a single goal then the CR may allow a play to continue to completion. At older ages it is more common -- again though depending on game conditions. A ref is not likely to allow a team up by multiple goals to continue a play after time elapses. In high school the official time is kept on the scoreboard so no ref control.

Rules differ from league to league on stoppage time.

[Anonymous]

OP, I honestly think you're over thinking this. It was a U10 game and these are 9 year olds. Who cares??? And this was a volunteer ref? Be grateful he stepped up.

[Anonymous]

the game stops when the time runs out, not when the play is over!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:the game stops when the time runs out, not when the play is over!

do you actually think that is the rule in soccer?