The monthly “NISOA Referee Nuts and Bolts” column is written primarily for the college and high school soccer Referee. However, any soccer Referee who wishes to improve personal performance may also find that this series is helpful.

All articles address those BASIC techniques, procedures, practice alternatives, and skills that are sometimes forgotten or overlooked while going through the experiences of soccer refereeing. The short discussions and accompanying practical tips stress important advice for competent performance.

This month’s issue of the NISOA Nuts and Bolts Column contains the following two discussions:

1. “A College Team Protests the Eligibility of an Opposing Player” and 2. “A High School Team Protests the Eligibility of an Opposing Player”.

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1. “A College Team Protests the Eligibility of an Opposing Player”

Introduction.

This short discussion deals with a suggested set of guidelines to follow when a team protests the eligibility of an opposing player because of an alleged suspension.

The 2010-2011 NCAA Men’s and Women’s Soccer Rules (3.2.1) stipulate that “An official NCAA game roster, including the names and numbers of all players, coaches and other bench personnel, shall be submitted to the referee, official scorekeeper and opposing coach  not later than 15 minutes before game time. The game roster submitted to the official scorekeeper and the opposing coach shall include each player’s total number of cautions and ejections beside the player’s names. In addition, the roster shall include the name(s) and number(s) of the suspended player(s) and date(s) of suspensions(s). The copy submitted to the referee shall not include records of cautions and ejections.”

The rules clearly place the responsibility of ruling on disputed player eligibility on the governing sports authority. In the case of intercollegiate competition this refers to NCAA, NAIA, NCCAA, NJCAA, or NIRSA. The rule also specifies the referee action if the referee cannot get the opposing coach to agree. (A.R.3.2.1.b and A.R.3.2.2.a)

Comments.

Developing a procedure or approach to handling a protest about player eligibility should be a concern for the Referee Team, since a protest would probably involve bad feelings on the part of both teams.

In the event of a player eligibility protest the Referee must act in order to make sure that the game is to proceed in an orderly and timely fashion.

The guidelines that follow (while not all inclusive) are suggested as a basis for you to develop a procedure for handling a player eligibility protest.

Tips.

1. Any player listed on the pre-game roster given to you is eligible to participate unless you have official notification before the game begins.

2. Keep the protest at a “peaceful” level. A protest would likely involve bad feelings.

3. If you are approached with a protest by either coach, make sure you inform the other coach of the protest, and make sure you inform both coaches of the limitation of your actions on an eligibility protest.

4. Make sure both coaches are involved in any discussions.

5. Realize your actions are very limited. Jurisdiction is primarily with the sponsoring sports authority: NCAA-NAIA-NCCAA-NJCAA-NIRSA.

6. If an official representative of the governing sports authority is present with the authority to intervene, defer to that person; keep out of all discussions, but DO LISTEN.

7. Start the game on time; allow the protested player to participate if there is no timely resolution by the two teams.

8. DO make a written report to the governing sports authority as soon as possible after the game ends. Append a copy of the team roster you were given at the game. A complete, accurate and timely report is the most important step in any procedure you develop.

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2. “A High School Team Protests the Eligibility of an Opposing Player”

Introduction.

It is not often in high school soccer that the Referee Team receives a pre-game protest about the eligibility of a player. However, should it occur in any game it would be useful to remember a few simple guidelines for your handling of a protest.

The NFHS 2012-13 Soccer Rules book specifies that “Each team shall submit a team roster, containing the first and last names and numbers of all players, substitutes, all bench personnel and all coaches, to the officials at least five minutes prior to the start of the game.

Players, bench personnel and coaches may be added to the roster after the start of play”.

Comments:

Obviously this provision was written to allow the maximum of legitimate participation as possible.

When considering the matter of player eligibility, understand that the authority and responsibility rests with the individual schools and the governing sports authority (i.e., the State High School Athletic Association). It is the State Association who will ultimately decide any question of eligibility for any particular game under its jurisdiction.

Your two principal tasks in a pre-game protest are to try to see if the two schools agree on the eligibility status, and then to begin the game on time.

Developing a procedure or approach to handling a protest about player eligibility should be a concern for the Referee Team, since a protest would probably involve bad feelings on the part of both teams.

The guidelines that follow (while not all inclusive) should help you to develop a procedure to follow for such an occurrence.

Tips

1. Any player listed on a pre-game roster given to you by a school team, or who is added to that roster after the game begins, is eligible to participate unless you have official governing sports authority notification before the game begins.

2. Keep the protest at a “peaceful” level. A protest would likely involve bad feelings.

3. If you are approached with a player eligibility protest by either coach, make sure you inform the other coach of the protest and make sure you inform both coaches of the limitation of your actions on the eligibility protest.

4. Make sure both coaches are involved in any discussions.

5. Realize your actions are very limited. Ultimately the State Association will decide on the protest.

6. If any authorized representative of the governing sports authority is present and authorized to intervene, defer to that person; keep out of all discussions, but DO LISTEN.

7. Start the game on time; allow the protested player to participate if there is no timely resolution by teams or governing sports authority before the play begins.

8. DO make a written report to the governing sports authority as soon as possible after the game ends. Append the copy of the team roster that you were given pre-game. Submitting a complete, accurate and timely report is the most important step in any procedure you develop.