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Some interesting - and disturbing - statistics were quoted at a BAYSA meeting. Most injuries to female soccer players occur to the knees; most injuries to male soccer players occur to the ankles. Females are injured more often by running into something; males, by running into each other. About 30% of all soccer injuries are the result of Serious Foul Play.
It was mentioned that the Referee had a responsibility to prevent injuries from SFP. The first responsibility of any Referee is to provide a safe venue for play. This includes making sure the field, field equipment, and players' equipment are safe. It also includes maintaining control over the match.
Coaches also have an impact on match control, and often the first and perhaps the greatest. Players who have been well trained in the proper way to play soccer may commit the occasional careless foul, but they do not usually commit the more serious - and dangerous - reckless or excessively forceful fouls that make up Serious Foul Play.
Players come in three varieties:
· Those predisposed to reckless or overly forceful play; these are the ones who probably spend their spare time pulling the wings off of butterflies.
· Those who are taught to "play rough" and to "get even", the "win at any costs" school of thought.
· Those who are taught that soccer is indeed the "Beautiful Game" and should be played aggressively, but also with style, finesse, and the opponent's safety ever in mind.
The first category is a problem to both Coaches and Referees. A good Coach doesn't want this type playing on his team; a good Referee doesn't want this type playing on her field. Both will identify this type early, and apply strong controls… guidance and discipline during practice, whistle and cards during play.
The second type needs to be controlled at the source, the Coach and/or the Parents. Nothing disturbs a Referee more than to hear an "adult" calling out to "get even, knock him down, hurt him!" In these cases, a strong warning to the Coach early may actually avoid a card to one player and an injury to another later.
The third class the Coach and Parents have already controlled; now it's up to the Referee. This player will not commit a reckless or excessively forceful foul without provocation, such as seeing the opponents get away with fouls, especially if those fouls are against him or her. The Referee adds to this provocation through inconsistent or uneven foul calls, poor or inconsistent application of the advantage, failure to protect a player from persistent fouls, or not acting on or at least acknowledging a player's complaints about an opponent's play.
The first responsibility of any Referee is to provide a safe venue for play. This includes making sure the field, field equipment, and players' equipment are safe. It also includes protecting the players by carding serious fouls, but also - and better -by avoiding such situations through consistent, fair, and forceful control.
Remember... Prevention is the best cure.
(If you wish to comment on this article, send a message to basra@basra-refs.org.)
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