Referees

5.3.1 Inclement Weather Notification-

In the event of inclement weather, teams should reference the website, social media outlets (Band, Facebook), and websites for the respective venue. In the event a team requests and is given permission to play a match at sites other than those provided by the league, teams are on their own for notification to the league and opponents of inclement weather.

5.3.2 If a match is halted at half time or during the second half of a match due to inclement weather, bad field conditions, etc. the final score will be the score at the time the match is halted. If fields are closed and/or matches are cancelled and the referees are not notified prior to their arrival at the site, the officials will be paid for their first scheduled match only.  See Section 12.0

12.0 GUIDELINES FOR LIGHTNING AND HAZARDOUS WEATHER CONDITIONS

The protection of League members and participants is of paramount importance.  Every member should recognize the danger presented by lightning, tornados, and other hazardous weather. The following items represent generally accepted principles regarding the dangers involved with lightning and tornados.

12.1 LIGHTNING-

• All thunderstorms produce lightning and are dangerous.
• Lightning often strikes as far as 10 miles away from any rainfall. You are in danger from lightning if you can hear thunder. You are in danger if you can see lightning.
• Lightning injuries can lead to permanent disabilities or death. Look for dark cloud bases and increasing wind.
• Lightning can travel sideways for up to 10 miles and strike when skies are blue.
• Soccer fields are a dangerous place to be during a lightning storm. When lightning is seen or thunder is heard, or when dark threatening clouds are observed, quickly suspend the match and/or practice and move to a safe location.
• Avoid standing in an open area, near soccer goals, under a tent, near trees or in water. The safest place during a thunderstorm with or without visible lightning is in a car, but not a convertible.

12.2 TORNADOS-

• Watch for rapidly darkening skies.
• The sound of an approaching tornado is often described as that of an approaching train.
• The funnel of a tornado does not have to touch down to cause extensive damage and injuries.
• Tornados can produce winds of 300 miles per hour or more.
• Most people who are hurt during a tornado are hurt when they are struck by flying debris.
• Seek safety in a solid structure, preferably in a basement or in an interior room. If no building is available, lay down in a ditch.

12.3 MATCH SUSPENSION REQUIREMENTS-

If any of the circumstances outlined below occurs the referee must immediately suspend the match.

1. If thunder is heard the match must be suspended and the fields cleared. Everyone should immediately go to a safe shelter.
2. If lightning is seen the match must be suspended and the fields cleared. Everyone should immediately go to a safe shelter.
3. If a thunderstorm is heard or your hair stands on end, the match should be suspended, and the fields cleared. Everyone should immediately go to a safe shelter. Do not wait until it rains.

If the match official does not immediately suspend the match when any one of the points above has occurred, the head coach from each team can agree that one of the criteria listed above has occurred and they are to notify the referees and withdraw their teams from the field. If this action is taken with disagreement from the referees, then both coaches must submit a written report to their league outlining the circumstances, the facts concerning the weather conditions at that time, the fact that the two coaches agreed, and the name of the officials at the match.

If an official and one of the coaches do not reach the conclusion to suspend the match and any one of the four points listed above are believed to have occurred, the coach that supported the suspension of the match is to send a written report to their league outlining the facts and the names of the officials.

No one should retake the field or re-start the match until all the lightning and thunder or other hazardous weather has left the area. Specifically, no one should retake the field for a minimum of 30 minutes after the last lightning is seen or thunder is heard, or the dangerously high winds have passed. Please see Delay and Re-Start Policies below.

12.4 Game Delay/Re-Start Policies-

This is the general policy and guidance for days with games backed up end to end all day (Saturday/Sunday) and games where sunset may impact play.

If lightning/thunder occurs at HALFTIME or in the 2ND HALF of a game – the game is terminated from that point and there will be no waiting for the 30 minutes to clear to continue – GAME IS OVER. The score should be recorded, and the game is complete. This is required to make room for the next game and/or allow referees to get to their next game.

If lightning/thunder occurs in the FIRST HALF, please wait the thirty minutes and resume the game from that point. Should a second lightning occur during the first stoppage or again during the first half – the 2nd half will not play and the game will play to the conclusion of the first half only and be a complete game.

Should a THIRD lightning/thunder stoppage occur in the first half regardless of the timing, the game is suspended at that point and the teams will need to reschedule.

Game Report

Click here to download a blank game report. Game reports can be emailed to bpysl@ohio-soccer.org.

*If you have red-carded a player or coach we are now asking that you do not collect the card but inform the coach that the player or coach is not allowed to play/participate in their next game or next 2 games if violent conduct. Please use RED CARD in your subject along with attaching the game report and email to us so that we can follow-up with the team regarding the consequences. 

BPYSL Rules of the Game

Please review the Buckeye Premier League Policies located on the League Information page before the start of each season.

Policy for Taking Games (District 3 Only)

(For all other districts please contact your assignor)

1. When the schedule is initially released you may take up to 5 centers and 10 lines. Failure to follow this policy may result in removing you from the schedule completely.

2. After the schedule has been open for 2 full days you may log back in and pick up whatever games are left open.

3. If you are scheduling more than one game in a day please do not take back to back centers. The only exception to this is when we are short referees. The schedules will be reviewed at least 2 weeks prior to games. If you are signed up for back to back centers BPYSL reserves the right to make adjustments.

4. It is your responsibility to check field closures due to weather. Please call the BPYSL Hotline at 1-614-591-3181. Field closures are also updated on Facebook.

5. Parents and relatives should only referee a family member’s game if no one else is available. Please make sure Coaches are aware of your relationship to the player before the game starts.

Policy for Dropping Games

In the event you are unable to appear at a game you’ve been scheduled for that is more than 7 days in the future, you may un-schedule yourself. If the game in question is less than 7 days in the future you remain responsible for your assignment until you can find another referee to take the assignment. Please contact the BPYSL office once you have found a replacement. If no replacement has been found and you do not show up for your game, disciplinary action may be taken.

Game Priority of Referee Assignments

Each registered Referee and AR is expected to keep all assignments he/she accepts. There are certain occasions, though, when the referee has a duty to turn back a lower level appointment and accept a higher level match, but only within the hierarchy defined below:

1. Professional League Matches
2. Adult and Youth National Tournaments
3. Adult Interstate National Cup Competitions
4. Adult Intrastate National Cup Competitions
5. Adult and Youth State Cup Competitions

This priority policy does NOT apply within 72 hours of the scheduled match time of the accepted assignment. NO other match (with the exception of the above) has appointment priority or precedence over any other match within the state.

• Adult assignments at any level do NOT take precedence over any youth assignment.
• Tournament assignments do NOT take precedence over league matches.
• Older age assignments do NOT take precedence over younger age games.
• More games, higher pay, better game quality are NOT acceptable reasons to turn back an accepted assignment.

How early should I arrive?

Arrive at least 15 min before the start of the game.

Do I need to check player cards?

YES, it is required that player cards are checked before the start of each game.

Can US Club cards be accepted?

NO, only OSA cards are an acceptable form of player verification.

What if I show up and there is no center referee?

If no center ref has signed up or is a no show, an AR should step into that position and find a club AR to fill in.

How do I know if fields are closed due to weather?

Referees should check field status on our website, Facebook, or Band. Teams are not responsible for paying referees if field closures are beyond their control.

What if I am handed money for a fellow referee before they have arrived or a no show referee?

Teams should distribute money directly to each referee as they arrive. If you are accidentally handed money for a referee who hasn’t arrived or is a no show that money should be returned to the team immediately.

If I am the center referee can I decide how to distribute money to the AR’s?

No, AR’s will receive the full amount of pay at the time of the game regardless of arriving late or any other circumstances.

If too many referees show up to a game how do we decide who does the game?

Only the referees who are officially signed up in the assignor system can do the game. If two referees show up, but neither of them has signed up, whoever arrived first gets to referee the game. Once the game is complete, at first opportunity, that referee will need to log in and pick up the game.