So, more cards, eh?

I had a slate of decent games this past Sunday, a top level U17 match, followed by another top level U16 match and then a U14 match to wind things down. In preparing for the matches, I mentioned to some fellow referees that I thought games required more cards. For the most part, if people were given cards more often, they would not go all crazy when they happen to receive one. At least that is my thought process on it. And sure enough, I figured that these matches would get a lot of that since they were high level, and the stakes were high.

Turns out that I certainly had more PKs in those 3 matches than cards. It is the level and the demeanor of the kids that determine when cards get shown, not some predisposition as to number of fouls or the level of play. In the first match, in 90 minutes, all I saw were 22 girls (and the subs as well) who wanted to play soccer. Did they foul? Yes. Did they go hard? Yes. Did any one go over that line that constituted something more than a talking to? Nope.

What was funny was that the only times when I thought about pulling a card was during the second match, when two players collided when jumping to head the ball and it seemed like one went more into the opponent than straight up. And I thought that while it was hard, it was foul but nothing more. 15 minutes later, a similar foul happened but the other way. At that moment, I thought it might be time for a card, but it was so similar to the first that I felt like I was betraying the bar I had set when I called the first one. It wasn't retaliation since the two players involved in the first foul were nowhere near the pair of participants in the second.

Finally, the third game, had the biggest chance for a card. 2nd minute of the match, blue breaks away from defenders and as she goes into the penalty area, she is taken down from behind by a defender. I quickly sprint to spot and my brain immediately ponders the thought of a red card. But this is what went through my head (and if you need to chime in, please do so):

- Blue is going to get a PK and probably convert.
-White does not have subs and would now be playing the rest of the game with 10.
-While is going to lose anyway as the skill level is not on par with Blue.
-White players drove at least 50-60 miles to come to this field. How much would it suck to get thrown out in the second minute of a game that you drove so far to get to?
-White defender did not really aim to foul, it was more clumsy than anything else.

I have to admit that regardless, I probably should have shown the red card to the defender, but my intuition was right. They did convert, they went on to win 5-0 and there was little that the red card would have achieved on top of what was happening. Sometimes you just get it right for the game at hand without know if you really will at the time of the decision.

So in the end, while I might pontificate that soccer needs more cards, all that is needed is to show them when they are needed. Everyone of us has a threshold and when it is crossed, do what needs to be done, when it does not get crossed or when the game or players don't need it, keep them in your pocket. You shouldn't use them for the sake of using them, you should use them when you need to get something out of the game or the players. At least that is my story this week. Next week I might change my mind.