Soccer Injuries

[oknative]

I may open a whole can of worms here. But, how are the refs assigned?

I mean, you know some are more knowlegable than others. It just stands to reason.

I have seen that in some of our games the reffing is unbelievable. And yes, I know we hear that on every team that loses a game.

I believe that every ref wants to make the right call. I do not believe that there is any ref that wants to influence a game with calls or no calls. (opinions on that...start another thread.)

However, I also believe that a smaller district will get the less knowlegeable refs. not everyone can be the ref that gets an A+ on their test. There are some that pass with "D's."

And I believe that some less, "impactive districts" will get these refs.

That scares me. Not because of bad calls. But, because I don't want our girls getting hurt.

 

Case in point?

We played Station Camp in the playoffs. For the first time all year, we had 3 refs.

They made only one bad "no call" that I could see.

I could tell that they were a caliber above the refs that were at our games during regular season.

(for the most part.)

May not be the perfect system. But, what do you do?

We just grit our teeth, hope they are OK. And give them high fives when they walk off the field.

They are seniors in a flash, and it's over. So, enjoy. Stay safe.

 

"And call the tough calls."

 

There is a regional or district type commissioner who assigns referees. In the Nashville area its the Middle Tennessee Soccer Officials Association. Don't know the details as to how games are assigned in the regular season.

 

Post season is a little different. There is a 2nd test required for post season officiating. Closed book, more difficult. In our area, about 1/3 of the referees didn't take the post season test - don't know why. No opinion offered.

 

In playoffs, all games (I think) go to a 3-man, center ref, system of control. Again, my guess only, is that the center referee positions in the district finals, regionals, sectionals and state playoff are going to be hand selected based on skill and experience.

[TheBigPenquin]

I think it should be required equipment for all players and I feel very strongly about it. Think about it for a minute: they require shinguards to protect legs and a leg injury while very painful is not life threatening and normally will heal in less than a year. A head injury may last a lifetime and ruin that players quality of living or even be fatal. I've seen 2 head injuries in the past 2 seasons that ended those girls soccer career. It's very unfortunate and scary. The current headgear is not perfect and detractors will say that it doesn't provide full protection, but studies have shown that it does help.

 

The older players strongly object to the idea and my daughter goes ballistic at the mention of it. The only way that this can happen is for the USYSA/TSSAA/TSSA to make it required equipment and if the kids start wearing them from the time they start playing and everyone is wearing them, it's just another piece of equipment and will not be a big deal. But, if you ask kids to wear them when everyone else isn't, then you have to fight the dork factor.

 

Governing body of sports need to step up. Maybe the TSSAA instead of trying to restrict the number of club players per team or the amount of time they can practice, should actually look at something that can make the game safer for the participants and not change the quality of play.

 

Oknative, very respectable quote the protection of players heads is extremely important. I did have one question though, when you said, "A head injury may last a lifetime and ruin that players quality of living or even be fatal," how many people have you known to die from heading a soccer ball? I doubt very many. One could fracture their head and or have a "fatal" injury simply by walking down the sidewalk. I have played soccer for 13 years from church league to varsity high school and have never once had a head injury, concussion, or any of the sort from heading a soccer ball. I think many of the younger kids claiming they have a "head injury" are really complaining of a bad headache. If a player hits the ball with the proper part of his head, which should be taught in ever leauge, this shouldn't be a problem. Anyway back to the point, as a matter of fact the only head injurys I've ever seen have been by unneccessarily roughness by the other team. (Pushing another player down, taking out their legs, etc...) I think this can be weakly blamed on the ref, but in my very biased opinion your play only gets to the "dangerous" level if you let it. When you allow yourself to get so rapped up in the game that you are willing to hurt someone else to win this is on you and not the ref. If this happens I think the player(s) needs to not only evaluate his/her methods of play, but also their charater. In short I think the head protection devises are in theory a great idea. I, however, believe beyond a doubt that these would not help matters enough to even consider requiring them. I also think that the players should have a say in what they wear instead of merely conserned parents or a member of TSSAA officials, who don't even attend the games. Not trying to bash just stating my opinion. Lastly, I do agree with, "the TSSAA instead of trying to restrict the number of club players per team or the amount of time they can practice, should actually look at something that can make the game safer for the participants and not change the quality of play." Well said and quite true.

[Ilovethisgame]

BigPenquin - you should be thankful you have never had a head injury. The wearing of head gear though has nothing to do with "heading the ball" but protection against head to head or head to other body parts which happens very often. That type of injury indeed can be a permanent disabling injury. Being a father who has watched his kid lying on the ground with a skull fracture and the other kid's head profusely bleeding made me a believer in at lest the discussion considering the need for head gear.

[BigG]

I have had 2 of my players have fractured skulls from heading injuries. One would have been prevented by the head protection, the other would not have (it fractured the bone around the lower eye). I have had multiple players have multiple concussions from heading injuries.

 

As an adult and coach, I want to protect my players. Will the head gear do it? I don't know. I do not have enough information. What Nike needs to do, is send out samples to highschool coaches. Test them out, and see how they work. I have NEVER seen one in a TN highschool game. Either they are ineffective, or are not marketed well at all.

 

Thinking as a young "indestructible" teenager though, the only way that I would wear one is if it was required. Remember, these are the same kids who are now having to have a shin guard rule go into affect, because they like to wear index card sized shin guards because it "affects their touch" if they are too big. You know what? I'll bet that football helmets "affect the players vision" too, but you wouldn't last too long without one.

[Bean0007]

For the most part protective gear is the evolution of need and technology. Football didn't start out with the equipment needed today. Bigger, faster, stronger players change the requirements. Big Penquin, your own experience counts very little relative to the masses. Recent news reports on national TV have brought a lot of attention to Head Injuries. Head-to-head contact, head-to-ground, and even head-to-goal post injuries are occurring at an increasing rate; some with catastrophic results. Big G, I think that one of CAK's girls wears headgear, and also a Bearden player. Hockey is also a sport that has evolved into the wearing of headgear. At the very least, some good scientific study and a school system that has the foresight is what is needed. And at the very least, all soccer players should be required to wear a mouth piece for not only for the prevention of oral injuries but also concussions. It borders on ridiculous for a player to have to remove a string braclet for 'safety' but we can't make a legitimate effort to mandate headgear and mouthpieces.

[Ilovethisgame]

Yes, more emphsis these days in protecting ear lobes (females required to remove earings) vs brain lobes!

[Barbi20]

Not saying protective headgear shouldn't be looked into as an option, but i personally feel requiring headgear to be a bit on the extreme side. As is my understanding, the majority of posts in this topic have come from concerned parents. But since it is ultimately the players who are going to be affected by any new required equipment? As a player, I for one am against requiring headgear. Ilovethisgame, you talked about how your son fractures his skull. Have you asked him if HE thinks head gear should be required?

 

As a player who HAS had head injuries I think that head gear would be helpful to relatively few head injuries. In my years as a player, I have had 3 major injuries to my head. I got a concussion as a young player, roughly age 12, from heading the ball at the same time as another player. would head gear have helped? maybe. In the last two years, at high school age, I have had two more serious head injuries, neither of which could have been prevented by head gear. I had my nose broken in a physical play for a 50/50 ball and surgery was later required to realign my nose. I also recieved a concussion requiring a trip to the emergency room this year when a player off an opposing team kicked me in the head while i was still on the ground after a slide tackle. Had i been wearing head gear, no doubt it would have been my face or stomach instead.

 

Even looking back at these injuries I don't believe in requiring head gear. Injuries are a part of soccer. If a concerned parent worries about his/her son/daughter, they should have the option to wear headgear. But part of playing at a higher level is accepting that injuries do occur. It should be the player's choice to decide.

[Canesoverhere]

Two factors will most likely contribute to the eventual wearing of headgear in youth soccer. First and the most obvious is the pace at which this sport is changing withrespect to the competitiveness and the level of play. Watching a high school girls soccer game today looks like World Cup play when you compare it to ten years ago. What will it be like in another 10 years? Second, we live in a litigious society that is getting worse everyday. It is only a matter of time before schools will be requiring players to wear this in order to protect themselves, rather than the players.

 

On the other hand, of the equipment that is currently available, I am not sure if that would protect a head falling on a feather pillow. I would imagine something becoming available with a little exoskelton on it that could really absorb a hit.

[oknative]

Oknative, very respectable quote the protection of players heads is extremely important. I did have one question though, when you said, "A head injury may last a lifetime and ruin that players quality of living or even be fatal," how many people have you known to die from heading a soccer ball? I doubt very many. One could fracture their head and or have a "fatal" injury simply by walking down the sidewalk. I have played soccer for 13 years from church league to varsity high school and have never once had a head injury, concussion, or any of the sort from heading a soccer ball. I think many of the younger kids claiming they have a "head injury" are really complaining of a bad headache. If a player hits the ball with the proper part of his head, which should be taught in ever leauge, this shouldn't be a problem. Anyway back to the point, as a matter of fact the only head injurys I've ever seen have been by unneccessarily roughness by the other team. (Pushing another player down, taking out their legs, etc...) I think this can be weakly blamed on the ref, but in my very biased opinion your play only gets to the "dangerous" level if you let it. When you allow yourself to get so rapped up in the game that you are willing to hurt someone else to win this is on you and not the ref. If this happens I think the player(s) needs to not only evaluate his/her methods of play, but also their charater. In short I think the head protection devises are in theory a great idea. I, however, believe beyond a doubt that these would not help matters enough to even consider requiring them. I also think that the players should have a say in what they wear instead of merely conserned parents or a member of TSSAA officials, who don't even attend the games. Not trying to bash just stating my opinion. Lastly, I do agree with, "the TSSAA instead of trying to restrict the number of club players per team or the amount of time they can practice, should actually look at something that can make the game safer for the participants and not change the quality of play." Well said and quite true.

 

Mistaken Identity Penguin- Good post, but you addressed it to me, oknative, when it was kickgrass who you are replying to. I don't think I've responded to the issue of head gear.

 

I agree in theory its probably a good thought, but don't think the players will go for it. And you're going to have to go after a lot of other sports at the same time - mandatory full batting helmets and elbow shields in baseball; mandatory knee braces in football, etc. On the pitch, I've seen one head related injury, and it was more of a neck injury than strickly a head injury. (Goalie dove in front of an attacker and took a knee in the head or neck - and was knocked unconsious for a moment. Scary couple of minutes. Don't think headgear would have made of difference.

 

Blame it on the ref. Why not. Sure if the game is out of control, and there aren't any fouls being called, give some credit (blame) to the ref. However, even if a referee is calling a tight game, properly with no missed calls (I know, you all want to see that game), he can't stop that one play that leads to an injury. In the incident above, defending team playing an offsides trap, pass through, onsides and the attacker is on the run no fouls yet. First shot deflected by goalie back towards attacker - No fouls yet . Goalie dives down - headfirst at ball and puts her head into the thigh of the attacker trying to get to the ball. No foul. Goalie is knocked out with concussion. Injuries can and do happen that have no bearing, credit or blame to the referee. Soccer is tough, sometimes physical game involving running, bumping a lot of contact. Injuries are going to hapen. Head protection? Perhaps a good idea, but its going to be a hard sell. I think you'd see mandatory knee braces before mandatory head gear.

 

And, wouldn't it be easier to simply outlaw - ban - impose a rule - that doesn't allow "headers" in high school soccer. Wouldn't that eliminate most of the concussions mentioned here?

[BigG]

And, wouldn't it be easier to simply outlaw - ban - impose a rule - that doesn't allow "headers" in high school soccer. Wouldn't that eliminate most of the concussions mentioned here?

 

 

I TRULY hope that you are joking.

 

I have a lot of players who get hurt from other players accidentally kicking them, too. I don't think that outlawing kicking would take care of the problem.

 

I think it once again comes down to proper training of technical skills. And even when you have two teams that have great technical and tactical skills, you are still going to have injuries. It's sports.

[oknative]

I TRULY hope that you are joking.

 

I have a lot of players who get hurt from other players accidentally kicking them, too. I don't think that outlawing kicking would take care of the problem.

 

I think it once again comes down to proper training of technical skills. And even when you have two teams that have great technical and tactical skills, you are still going to have injuries. It's sports.

 

Well, perhaps we should outlaw kicking. Then the players could get down on their hands and knees and blow the balls down the field - it would certainly be much safer. And yes I was joking, or at least making the point that it might be easier to outlaw headers than it would be to require headgear. I don't think either will happen.

[kickgrass]

Many mistake the cause of head injuries as coming from heading the ball. Reports do not show that to be the case, while many of the head inujuries do occur during that activity. It is the head-to-head contact from 2 players going for the ball that is most damaging, along with head to ground contact. The number of goalkeepers that play at a high level that have had concussions is astounding. Good goalkeepers courageously throw themselves into harms way on a regular basis. They in turn are hit by knees, feet and the ball in the head. Most are not fouls, so it's not that people are playing dirty with them. It's just part of the game.

 

Yes, I am a concerned parent and do very well understand the resistance of the players to accept any additional equipment. Yet, having seen first hand the results of some of these types of injuries that may have been prevented by headgear, it seems logical that it should be looked at. Would they all have been prevented, maybe...maybe not...I don't think we have any way to evaluate that. The head injuries to the face are not what I am talking about. It's the injuries that affect the brain that are of concern. Do I propose football helmets for futbol players...absolutely not.

 

But, It's my thought that the only way it will become commonplace for head protection to be worn is to start with the kids when they first start playing. Then it is just another piece of equipment...like shinguards.