ref2coach

To date have refereed over 600 High School soccer games. Most teams have consulted their keeper or coach before the coin toss and most choose a field position. Very few choose the ball.

Part of the reason is in the past some coaches complained to TSSAA that the recovery time for a team with a late game was less than for teams that had early games. Bunching the game up on time was "deemed" more "fair".

A couple of times a season. Once the score differential is 5 or so, I will swing by the trailing coach and ask, "would you be interested in shortening the game?" If the answer is yes, I go to the leading coach and as the same question. If the answer is yes, I then ask them to meet at the half line and come up with a time and let me know. Most common is that they will say about 10 more minutes of play and they both empty their benches.

The thing I do not understand is why the people who are upset with lopsided scores are not questioning their own coach if they asked the opposing coach if he was willing to shorten the game. TSSAA utilizes NFHS rules and the rules state that "a game may be shortened with the agreement of both coaches and the head referee." I know for a fact that no referee in our association would refuse a request by the coaches to shorten the match.

Being very near the middle of this game I appreciated the actions of all participants. TSSAA rules adaptation allows for a lopsided game to terminate with the agreement of both coaches and the referee. Team B's coach at half time said he wanted to play ~30 minutes of the 2nd half, Team A's coach agreed. Team B played as hard as they could the entire game. Team A played a two touch restriction but continued to play, instead of playing keep away, with only 8 field players. There were only 2 fouls committed the entire game. Team A did not say or do anything to demean their opponents, no player was "showing off" they just worked the ball around attempting to get each player a goal. The clock "failure" was pre-planned to not show double digit goals. Anybody who would say anything to demean the actions of anyone associated with this game is off base.

TSSAA adheres to NFHS rules. TSSAA has communicated to all referee supervisors in TN that all post season matches are to follow NFHS timing rules. If visible score board clock is available, it shall be the official timing devise. When visible clock not available, +/or no competent clock operator, then the referee shall keep the time on the field. The referee shall announce when 1 minute remains and shall accurately signal when the actual time expires. The timing devise is to be stopped and started per NFHS rules and additional time past the 80 minutes shall not be added. Now for the philosophy question. Why should the defenders have to defend even 1 second past the 80 minutes of a legal contest? In post season matches if the score is tied we have overtime for the offense to score. Why should they be allowed "extra" non "legal" time to tie or win a game?

4-2 Final 7th year in a row to go to State. Finished the job this time.

Hendersonville has scored 3 goals in OT. 4-1 not much time to go

It all starts with recreation soccer. HHS & BHS for many years had it's players volunteer to help the parent coaches in the youth city recreation soccer. When my Son was u5 we had an HHS player that helped out in training once a week. At that time Hendersonville had only HHS and BHS now there is BHS, HHS, JP2, MHMHS & SCHS. Recreation soccer now has Coaches from the TUSC club that does the parent coach training so that u5 through u8 players get good training on ball control and proper passing technique. Starting at u9 the better players are attracted into club soccer and trained by only USSF licensed coaches. The result of starting young is that ~80% of the players at 4 of the Hendersonville schools have been exposed 2 season per year of good training and competition, before arriving at High School and the "off" season during their 4 years in High School. I for one served as a coach and board member in recreation soccer and also in Club/Select soccer. The age group I started out coaching and finished up managing had players at all 5 Hendersonville High Schools as will as Gallatin, White House, McGavock & Hunters Lane. Do you want regular success in your town's HS soccer program? Many people need to get off of their butts and put their time, effort and money into 5 to 18 year old children so the High School Coach has a foundation to build on. Do the work over many years and you will not care about the classifications because your HS will be successful.

The venue that parent labor built. Every season a parent of each player had to work a minimum of 5 events at Titan's stadium or NASCAR race. The school provides the Coaches stipend and ~$500 per year. The parents sweat or freeze depending on the event, while working to benefit the team and their guests.

FYI, SCHS knowing that it is being reclassified to AAA next year choose to play the local AAA schools they will have to play next year. Their extra losses this year were to AAA schools. LA should not look to the 7 losses and take any comfort.

I don't think we will really know until after our TN Club teams play in the "Regionals". Where they will have only played HS soccer and no Club State Tournament, before showing up at "Regionals".

A player being outside of a field boundary line has NO BEARING on whether the ball is in play or not. A player may be temporarily, totally off of the field of play and play a ball that is in, on or above the boundary line. boomer10 Thanks for clarifying your exact position. The game result is as it was. My curiosity was due to the player who made the cross was adament that the ball was still in play. At this time it makes no difference other than the discussion may clarify the rules for any who are in doubt.