Elizabethton vs. Chuckey -Doak

[LAW5]

Let me begin by stating that I am a referee and I know the three gentleman that worked this match and I watched the entire game. No referee has ever worked a perfect game. Eeveryone, the coaches, the players, the refs all make mistakes.

 

Much of what has been posted about this unfortunate situation is simply incorrect and I would like to take the opportunity to state a few facts.

 

As I stated earlier no ref is perfect, however the center ref is very experienced as I know he has been selected for several TSSAA state tournament matches and is also a NISOA (college) referee with several years experience.

 

TSSAA, TSSA, NISOA, USSF and every other soccer governing body instructs the officials to never attempt to "breakup" a fight or altercation. In a heated moment such as what happened in the Elizabethton/Chucky Doak match there is so much that can go wrong if a referee tries to "breakup" a fight. The referee can be hit or a referee's attempt to seperate players can be misconstrued. For example, a referee physically attempts to seperate two players and then all of the sudden a parent is saying that the referee assaulted their child. In stepping into the center of an altercation or fight the referee limits their field of vision and cannot properly observe all that is happening. What happens when the referee is either accidentaly or intentionally hit? Referee's are instructed to take a step back and start writting down numbers. This referee did as he was instructed.

 

While the match was indeed physical, it was not out of control. When a referee is calling a tight game the coaches are yelling "let them play" and when the referee wants to keep the game flowing and not call trivial hacking fouls that the players are "playing thru" they are told they "lost control".

 

The combined foul count for both teams was very low in the first half, probably less than a dozen fouls.

 

It was incorrectly reported that the referee didn't issue any cautions, that is incorrect. The Chucky Doak player that started the brawl in the second half was cautioned for wreckless play in the first half. In my opinon the Chucky Doak player that started the brawl did not know how to play soccer.

 

In response to coaches entering the field of play. If a coach enters the field of play without being beckoned by the referee and they are doing so to confront a referee or player then yes, they are most definately ejected from the match. But come on folks, use some common sense here. How many times has a coach ran onto the field to assist an injured player without being beckoned and been ejected? I have personally witnessed this more times than I can count. If a coach is entering the field to breakup a fight no referee is going to eject that coach. If both coaches felt like they needed to stay on the bench to keep players from rushing the field then perhaps they made the correct decision, however this whole theory that the coaches didn't intervene because they could have been ejected is just stupid.

 

For the record, I personally witnessed the referee extend his arm in the air and repeatedly wave or beckon the coaches onto the field.

 

For the record, the altercation began after a Chucky Doak player stepped on the ball and fell to the ground. Yes, he was being challenged by an Elizabethton player for the ball, but the challenge was shoulder to shoulder and legal and had nothing to do with the player falling to the ground, HE STEPPED ON THE BALL! When the Chucky Doak player fell to the ground the Chucky Doak player that started the fight came running in and punched the Elizabethton player in the face. He was not engaged in play, he was not retaliating after being fouled, he was just there to fight. This was the same player that was cautioned in the first half!!!

 

I am not certain what was said, but after order had been restored the referee spoke with the assistant referees, then the athletic director, then both coaches. The coaches huddled their players while the referees spoke to each other at midfield for at least three or four minutes. At this point the game had not been suspended. Then six, I repeat, six uniformed police officers walked onto the field and at that moment several parents and spectators started yelling all sorts of inflamatory comments. Statements like my boy was assaulted, I am going to sue, I want that player thrown in jail, etc. At that moment the referee approached the game administrator who was still on the field and then the coaches and the game was suspended. I personally witnessed both coaches shaking the referee's hands and they didn't appear to be all that upset with the referees.

 

TSSAA hands down the sanctions, not the refs. I agree the initial decision to end the season of both teams was a bit harsh. In my opinon the Chucky Doak player that started the fight should not be allowed to compete in any TSSAA sanctioned sport. Again he wasn't retaliating to a vicous foul. He wasn't even engaged in play. He came running in just to start a fight. This level of unsporting behavior should not be tolerated and was the start of the entire situation.

 

Could the referee blew the whistle longer or louder and prevented the fight? Perhaps...

 

Could the referee have called one or more two fouls and prevented the fight? Perhaps...

 

Could the coaches have ran onto the field and seperated the players before the fight began? Perhaps...

 

Could the game administrator arrived on the field quicker and seperated the players and prevented the fight? Perhaps...

 

But the fact is none of the above did anything wrong or failed to follow proper procedure. Could they have done something different and changed the outcome, maybe, but neither the coaches, the referees, or the game administrator should be faulted for what happened. It is the players that acted inappropriately, in particular the Chucky Doak player that started it all, and if blame is to be assigned it should be with the players. who violated the rules. They violated the rules of the game! It is that simple.

 

One final note, the game administrator called the police, not the coaches or the referee's. So from his point of view it must have been pretty bad.

[CoachMikeLHS]

Thank you so much for this recap, LAWS! And, thanks for waiting to post it. I really enjoyed all the posts.

[coachh17]

Let me begin by stating that I am a referee and I know the three gentleman that worked this match and I watched the entire game. No referee has ever worked a perfect game. Eeveryone, the coaches, the players, the refs all make mistakes.

 

Much of what has been posted about this unfortunate situation is simply incorrect and I would like to take the opportunity to state a few facts.

 

As I stated earlier no ref is perfect, however the center ref is very experienced as I know he has been selected for several TSSAA state tournament matches and is also a NISOA (college) referee with several years experience.

 

TSSAA, TSSA, NISOA, USSF and every other soccer governing body instructs the officials to never attempt to "breakup" a fight or altercation. In a heated moment such as what happened in the Elizabethton/Chucky Doak match there is so much that can go wrong if a referee tries to "breakup" a fight. The referee can be hit or a referee's attempt to seperate players can be misconstrued. For example, a referee physically attempts to seperate two players and then all of the sudden a parent is saying that the referee assaulted their child. In stepping into the center of an altercation or fight the referee limits their field of vision and cannot properly observe all that is happening. What happens when the referee is either accidentaly or intentionally hit? Referee's are instructed to take a step back and start writting down numbers. This referee did as he was instructed.

 

While the match was indeed physical, it was not out of control. When a referee is calling a tight game the coaches are yelling "let them play" and when the referee wants to keep the game flowing and not call trivial hacking fouls that the players are "playing thru" they are told they "lost control".

 

The combined foul count for both teams was very low in the first half, probably less than a dozen fouls.

 

It was incorrectly reported that the referee didn't issue any cautions, that is incorrect. The Chucky Doak player that started the brawl in the second half was cautioned for wreckless play in the first half. In my opinon the Chucky Doak player that started the brawl did not know how to play soccer.

 

In response to coaches entering the field of play. If a coach enters the field of play without being beckoned by the referee and they are doing so to confront a referee or player then yes, they are most definately ejected from the match. But come on folks, use some common sense here. How many times has a coach ran onto the field to assist an injured player without being beckoned and been ejected? I have personally witnessed this more times than I can count. If a coach is entering the field to breakup a fight no referee is going to eject that coach. If both coaches felt like they needed to stay on the bench to keep players from rushing the field then perhaps they made the correct decision, however this whole theory that the coaches didn't intervene because they could have been ejected is just stupid.

 

For the record, I personally witnessed the referee extend his arm in the air and repeatedly wave or beckon the coaches onto the field.

 

For the record, the altercation began after a Chucky Doak player stepped on the ball and fell to the ground. Yes, he was being challenged by an Elizabethton player for the ball, but the challenge was shoulder to shoulder and legal and had nothing to do with the player falling to the ground, HE STEPPED ON THE BALL! When the Chucky Doak player fell to the ground the Chucky Doak player that started the fight came running in and punched the Elizabethton player in the face. He was not engaged in play, he was not retaliating after being fouled, he was just there to fight. This was the same player that was cautioned in the first half!!!

 

I am not certain what was said, but after order had been restored the referee spoke with the assistant referees, then the athletic director, then both coaches. The coaches huddled their players while the referees spoke to each other at midfield for at least three or four minutes. At this point the game had not been suspended. Then six, I repeat, six uniformed police officers walked onto the field and at that moment several parents and spectators started yelling all sorts of inflamatory comments. Statements like my boy was assaulted, I am going to sue, I want that player thrown in jail, etc. At that moment the referee approached the game administrator who was still on the field and then the coaches and the game was suspended. I personally witnessed both coaches shaking the referee's hands and they didn't appear to be all that upset with the referees.

 

TSSAA hands down the sanctions, not the refs. I agree the initial decision to end the season of both teams was a bit harsh. In my opinon the Chucky Doak player that started the fight should not be allowed to compete in any TSSAA sanctioned sport. Again he wasn't retaliating to a vicous foul. He wasn't even engaged in play. He came running in just to start a fight. This level of unsporting behavior should not be tolerated and was the start of the entire situation.

 

Could the referee blew the whistle longer or louder and prevented the fight? Perhaps...

 

Could the referee have called one or more two fouls and prevented the fight? Perhaps...

 

Could the coaches have ran onto the field and seperated the players before the fight began? Perhaps...

 

Could the game administrator arrived on the field quicker and seperated the players and prevented the fight? Perhaps...

 

But the fact is none of the above did anything wrong or failed to follow proper procedure. Could they have done something different and changed the outcome, maybe, but neither the coaches, the referees, or the game administrator should be faulted for what happened. It is the players that acted inappropriately, in particular the Chucky Doak player that started it all, and if blame is to be assigned it should be with the players. who violated the rules. They violated the rules of the game! It is that simple.

 

One final note, the game administrator called the police, not the coaches or the referee's. So from his point of view it must have been pretty bad.

 

Thanks for this post. You have placed the blame squarely where it belongs. Certain schools tolerate "thuggish" behavior by their players. I have witnessed it for years and it is usually the same couple of schools. It seems to be tolerated or accepted by the coaches, parents, administrations, and communities. If they cannot beat you playing by the rules on the field, they will simply try to whip you! Elizabethton has rallied after this incident and being given a second chance, to be one win away from the state tournament. Chuckey-Doak is long gone. I would love to see some of these schools clean up their own acts, but if it takes TSSAA sanctions, then so be it.

[woodeng]

"It was incorrectly reported that the referee didn't issue any cautions, that is incorrect. The Chucky Doak player that started the brawl in the second half was cautioned for wreckless play in the first half. In my opinon the Chucky Doak player that started the brawl did not know how to play soccer." - LAW5

 

and

 

"I would love to see some of these schools clean up their own acts, but if it takes TSSAA sanctions, then so be it." - coach17

 

LAW5, that is way out of line. The player in question does know how to play soccer is a good player, although Im do not justify him fighting etc. But the player is a good person and you have no right on commenting on that player.

 

coach17, i know both the coach and assistant coach of this team (met them through a thread actually) and both do not condone any such behaviour and do not tolerate such play. Both are good coaches who coach correctly and do promote good morals. Both boys and girls teams are a bunch of young adults who are great people and athletes and you have no rights in making the comments you have!

 

I have heard both sides of the storey and there are different opinions to what happened. It happened, its been dealt with, that should be enough.