Observed Points of Concern
Age/Skill
Appropriate Fouls
DFK Fouls
Seven (7) DFK Fouls that the Referee must
consider “how” the action was done, i.e.
careless, reckless, or with excessive force:
― Kicks an opponent (or attempts to kick)
― Strikes an opponent (or attempts to strike)
― Trips an opponent (or attempts to trip)
― Jumps At an opponent
― Charges an opponent
― Pushes an opponent
― Tackles an opponent
Slide 2
CARELESS
Player shows a lack of attention or consideration when
making a challenge.
RECKLESS
Player has acted with complete disregard for the safety
of, the danger to, or the consequences for their
opponent.
USING EXCESSIVE FORCE
Player has far exceeded the use of force necessary to
make a fair play for the ball and has total disregard for
an opponent’s safety.
Slide 3
DFK Fouls
Three (3) DFK Fouls the referee is only
concerned with whether or not the action
occurred, not with how it was done.
–Deliberate Handling …. Not a violent act
–Holding ….. Generally not a violent act
–Spitting At …. Generally not a physically
violent act, but …. Always, a vile and
repulsive act.
Slide 4
Age/Skill Appropriate Fouls
Referees MUST continually adapt
and adjust their perspective in order
to be in concert with the skill level of
the players involved, the level of the
match, as well as with the different
play-by-play situations as they
develop.
Slide 5
Age/Skill Appropriate Fouls
WATCH-OUTS
• Youth-age referees must be aware not to
officiate younger matches at the same level
or with the same expectations as they may
play their own games.
• Adult referees must be aware not to officiate
all games as if they were a U18 competitive
boys match..
Slide 6
RECOGNIZING A FOUL
Is it really a foul?
If it is a foul, does it need
to be called?
Slide 7
Age/Skill Appropriate Fouls
Foul calls must be recognized and adjusted to:
• No matter what, insure the SAFETY of all participants above all
other criteria
• Fit the acceptable level of the match (Adult D1, U16, U11, etc.)
• Suit the level of ability of the individual player being fouled
(skilled, average, unskilled, etc.)
• Differentiate between klutziness and purposeful
• Fit the gender tendencies
Slide 9
Age/Skill Appropriate Fouls
Not all foul incidences are the same ….
• Striking in a U12 game is not the same as
Striking in a U18 game
• Pushing in a U14 girls match is not the
same as Pushing in a U14 boys match
• Holding player #14 is not the same as
Holding player #22 on the same team in
the same game
Slide 10
Age/Skill Appropriate Fouls
Not all foul incidences are the same ….
• Misconduct in a U16 match is not handled
the same as Misconduct in a U13 match
• What may be considered as a “light” foul
(trifling) in one game may not be in another
game
…. and even in the same game a trifling
foul committed against one player may
not be trifling when committed against a
different player.
Slide 11
How Many Fouls???
High Kick . Holding . Kicking . Handling
Foul Recognition
During play, a sole defender D12 possesses the ball near the top of
her own penalty area. She senses an oncoming attacker, panics and
attempts to clear the ball away by kicking it across her own goal-line,
but the ball is kicked hard toward her own goal. The goalkeeper D6
makes a diving save of the ball with her hands and deflects the ball
over the goal-line wide of the goal. What should the referee do? (more
than one correct answer may be possible).
A. Caution D12 for unsporting behavior
B. Caution the goalkeeper D6 for touching the ball with her hands
from pass-back by D12
C. Restart with a corner kick
D. Send-off the goalkeeper D6 for denying an obvious goal
E. Allow the sure goal and restart with a kick-off
F. Restart with an IFK for the attacking team
G. Restart with a penalty kick
Foul Recognition
A hard kicked ball is coming right toward a player A6's head. Reflectively,
the player A6 raises both hands to protect his face and the ball then hits
A6's forearm and falls to the ground at his feet. A6 immediately collects the
ball with his feet and dribbles the ball around a defender D2 and kicks the
ball into the goal. The referee should (more than one correct answer may be
possible):
A. Allow the goal, since no foul has occurred
B. Do not allow the goal and call the foul on A6 for deliberately
handling the ball
C. Do not allow the goal and call a foul on A6 because he gained
an unfair advantage from the ball to hand contact.
D. Restart with a kick-off
E. Restart with a DFK for D2’s team
F. Restart with an IFK for D2’s team