Question Number: 19400

Law 4 - Players Equipment 6/16/2008

RE: Competitive Under 13

Colleen of Vacaville, California USA asks...

I am a twelve year old player and I just finished a Reno tournament. During a goal kick, the ref asked me to pull up my socks because they were about an inch below my shin guards (an inch!)Why does this matter? We are at a soccer game, not a prom!
Thanks,
Colleen

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Bottom line is this Colleen, we are in a soccer match and Law 4 tells players, coaches and referees alike the shinguard is entirely covered by the stockings. Now when the referee ignores this part of the Laws he establishes the FACT he will ignore something and this leads to the question "What else is he going to ignore?"

I understand why you think the way you do and that is based on where you play the game, Vacaville, California. I am well familiar with the quality of referees there and also the youth soccer board's desire to have professionalism in their referees. I DO NOT offer my services as referee to the league there because what I do, referee a Football match, is not what is wanted. What is wanted is a body on the field that will allow the children to do as they wish and the parents to get their vicarious thrills watching their kid beat the stuffing's out of the next kid. I have lived and refereed in your area for 22 years of my 50+ year association with this Game. I have refereed in many places throughout the world and have been invited back so I must not be all that bad. I'm not proud, as a Football referee, of living here. I have offered, at no cost to your club, my services as referee instructor, assessor and mentor to improve the professionalism of your clubs referees and had no takers. The last of these offers was 2 months ago where I offered my house as a place for me to teach your referees the USSF intermediate referee course so they could advance their referee license, no takers.

For the most part the referees where you are do not tend to the little things the Laws require and this has taught you a referee doing his job, "Enforces the Laws of the Game", is an officious and bookish gentleman. He is NOT!!!! He is doing his job as required.

If you want to wear your stockings lower than required by Law go to a prom and get out of Football, The Game is no good for you because you MUST play and dress within the Laws of the Game.

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Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

And there's a simple reason the Laws require the shinguards to be covered by the socks - to avoid hard edges that might create a scrape or cut if they contacted another player.

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Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Right Colleen and player safety is of great importance. The Laws of the Game are written to protect you. The shinguard is kept from moving by the sock. If it's not completely covered it moves. You should thank the referee for worrying about your safety.

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The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

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