For my first blog post in the new Sportleagues Community, I feel it is important to talk about the increasing amount of foul and abusive language present within the men's recreational soccer leagues.  I actually find it quite sad that in a hi tech town like Waterloo, that individuals feel a need to not only use foul language, but to use it in a abusive fashion towards not only their team mates, the opponent, but to the referee as well.  We all know that frustration is part of the game and that the TNSL, TMSL and other leagues are very competitive, but all in all there is no room for this type of language or abuse.  By all means, express your frustration and yell out every so often, but do so towards the sky or to your own religious figure, but for heaven sakes stop the abuse of others.  We all know referee's all have differing skill levels and that mistakes happen.  We all know that frustration sets in, we also know that some referee's take more than others.

Several players on my team have express a displeasure for it and have in fact thought about quitting the league because of just this.  My wife and my kids do not come out to games because then language is down right disgusting and very disappointing.  At the start of this season, we had about 10 fans (that is a record) and now we are lucky if any of the wives show up because they just don't want to sit there and watch a bunch of grown men act like complete hooligans (Sp?).

To The Team Captains and Reps

It is our responsibility and duty to control our players, to remove players whom are a detriment to the game and to ensure the safety of our players and the opponents players.  As Professor Dumbledore (Harry Potter) states, "it takes a lot of courage to stand up to your enemies, but a great deal more courage to stand up to your friends."   Blast it people, get some balls, these goons need to be removed from the game and consequences must happen for their actions.

To the Referee's:

I implore you as a league representative, a former referee myself, a father and a recreational soccer participant.  PLEASE clamp down on the abuse.  Foul language should not be tolerated, abuse should not be tolerated, threats should not be tolerated, and any form of abuse towards the official should be punished according to the Laws of the Game.  The following are a few excepts directly from the Laws of the Game rule book from www.fifa.com.  I have bolded a few points to get my points across.

Law 5: The Referee

Powers and Duties - point 13: takesdiscipinary action against players guilty of cautionable and sending-off offences. He is not obliged to take this action immediately but MUST do so when the ball next goes out of play.

Law 12: Fouls and Misconduct

Cautionable Offences

A player is cautioned and shown the yellow card if he commits any of the following seven offences:

1. is guilty of unsporting behaviour
2. shows dissent by word or action
3. persistently infringes the Laws of the Game
4. delays the restart of play
5. fails to respect the required distance when play is restarted with a corner kick, free kick or throw-in
6. enters or re-enters the fi eld of play without the referee’s permission
7. deliberately leaves the fi eld of play without the referee’s permission

A substitute or substituted player is cautioned and shown the yellow card if he commits any of the following three offences:

1. is guilty of unsporting behaviour
2. shows dissent by word or action
3. delays the restart of play

Sending-Off Offences

A player, substitute or substituted player is sent off and shown the red card if he commits any of the following seven offences:

1. is guilty of serious foul play
2. is guilty of violent conduct
3. spits at an opponent or any other person
4. denies the opposing team a goal or an obvious goalscoring opportunity by deliberately handling the ball (this does not apply to a goalkeeper within his own penalty area)
5. denies an obvious goalscoring opportunity to an opponent moving towards the player’s goal by an offence punishable by a free kick or a penalty kick
6. uses offensive or insulting or abusive language and/or gestures
7. receives a second caution in the same match

A player, substitute or substituted player who has been sent off and shown the red card must leave the vicinity of the fi eld of play and the technical area.

Law 12: Additional Instructions to the referee

A player who is guilty of dissent by protesting (verbally or non-verbally) against a referee’s decision MUST be cautioned.
The captain of a team has no special status or privileges under the Laws of the Game but he has a degree of responsibility for the behaviour of his team.

Violent conduct

A player is guilty of violent conduct if he uses excessive force or brutality against an opponent when not challenging for the ball. He is also guilty of violent conduct if he uses excessive force or brutality against a team-mate, spectator, match official or any other person.

Violent conduct may occur either on the fi eld of play or outside its boundaries, whether the ball is in play or not. 

Advantage should not be applied in situations involving violent conduct unless there is a clear subsequent opportunity to score a goal. The referee shall send off the player guilty of violent conduct when the ball is next out of play

Referees are reminded that violent conduct often leads to mass confrontation therefore they must try to avert this with active intervention. A player, substitute or substituted player who is guilty of violent conduct shall be sent off.

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It is clear from the above "Laws of the Game" that is not only a referee's responsibility, but their duty to give cards when they are deserved.  It is up to us as players and captains to help control our own players and to step up when needed, and it is up to the referee to show cards when the are "required".

I have often seen referee's give cards in games, not write them down on the game sheet......try to use verbal warnings after being verbally abused with foul language.....not give cards because they "don't get paid for the paperwork!".  One game you get a referee whom gives cards for nothing but decent, another game you get a referee giving no cards at all.

The TNSL and TMSL pay as much money or more than any other league in Ontario and expect that the referee's would complete their job, which includes paperwork.

Last Word:

Becuase I don't want this blog to sound like a bashing of the referee's, I want to conclude with the though that it is up to each individual person to look at themselves, look at their actions today, and yesterday and decide whether they were really approriate for a recreational league.  It is up to each "man" or "woman" to be man enough to admit that they were a little stupid out there and change their attitude towards the game that people simply come out and play because they love it. 

My Confession:

I will be first to admit that I have "accidently" collided with others on occasion and look back at it and think, there could have been a better way to handle that.  Fair enough that I also do my fair share (or my teams share) of complaining at the referee, but I never use any foul language, derogatory comments, racist remarks, or anything that is above the "normal" level of frustration that occurs.  There is no need for the f**k word anywhere, in any nationality, language, race, or situation and referee's should not tolerate it.  I make it a point to try and calm the others on my team, I take them off the field when they need to cool their heels, and I stand up for players whom have been victoms of childish or cowardess cheap shots.  I also have learned over the years that it is just not worth it beyond protecting yourself.

Yours in All Sport

Clint MacDonald
Owner, InterGlobal Solutions and Sportleagues.ca