The Differences The Differences Between Men’s and Between Men’s and

Women’s SoccerWomen’s Soccer How do we as referees How do we as referees accommodate these accommodate these

differences?differences?

Women’s Soccer Team from the 1930’s

The Men’s and Women’s The Men’s and Women’s Game: Are they the same???Game: Are they the same??? ► --No. To --No. To

successfully referee successfully referee women’s matches a women’s matches a referee must referee must understand some understand some fundamental fundamental differences between differences between the male and the male and female soccer female soccer players.players.

1. Loyalty to team and 1. Loyalty to team and teammates …teammates …

► --women tend to --women tend to develop very strong develop very strong interpersonal interpersonal relationships.relationships.

► --teammates often --teammates often become very close become very close friends, much like a friends, much like a second family. second family.

To illustrate this point:To illustrate this point:► --girls often share much --girls often share much

more than their soccer more than their soccer lives with one another lives with one another and there is genuine and there is genuine care and concern care and concern between members on a between members on a team.team.

► the next time you watch the next time you watch a women’s match, a women’s match, notice that at an injury, notice that at an injury, many of the injured many of the injured player’s teammates will player’s teammates will gather around to check gather around to check on her status.on her status.

To illustrate this point:To illustrate this point:► --Conversely, in a men’s --Conversely, in a men’s

match, unless the injury match, unless the injury is very serious, rarely is very serious, rarely does a teammate come does a teammate come over to check on the over to check on the fitness of a teammate.fitness of a teammate.

► --Usually there is only a --Usually there is only a crowd around the water crowd around the water bottles as the injured bottles as the injured player is being player is being attended to!attended to!

Loyalty to team and Loyalty to team and teammates …teammates …

► --While male players --While male players can and often do play can and often do play alongside teammates alongside teammates that they dislike, in a that they dislike, in a women’s team this is women’s team this is often very difficult often very difficult and creates a great and creates a great deal of interpersonal, deal of interpersonal, emotional dissention.emotional dissention.

►--A women’s team --A women’s team with players who do with players who do not get along off the not get along off the field is very unlikely field is very unlikely to be successful on to be successful on the field.the field.

What Does This Mean?What Does This Mean?►1. Female players tend to take a hard 1. Female players tend to take a hard

foul committed against a teammate as foul committed against a teammate as an attack against their entire team. an attack against their entire team.

►2. Women “feel” fouls suffered by 2. Women “feel” fouls suffered by their team members. their team members.

►3. Female players can have VERY 3. Female players can have VERY LONG memories regarding rough LONG memories regarding rough treatment by opponents.treatment by opponents.

What Does This Mean?What Does This Mean?►--Refereeing men, however, has taught --Refereeing men, however, has taught

us that men will very often retaliate for us that men will very often retaliate for a hard or unfair challenge almost a hard or unfair challenge almost immediately. immediately.

►--So, watch for the male player’s eyes --So, watch for the male player’s eyes and body language immediately after and body language immediately after physical play for an indication of any physical play for an indication of any violence to come.violence to come.

What Does This Mean?What Does This Mean?►--Women, on the other hand, are much --Women, on the other hand, are much

more patient than men to “seek more patient than men to “seek revenge.”revenge.”

►--It is not uncommon as a referee to --It is not uncommon as a referee to deal with an incident in a match deal with an incident in a match between opponents only to discover between opponents only to discover later that it is retribution for a clash (or later that it is retribution for a clash (or dispute off the field) which may have dispute off the field) which may have occurred more than a year ago.occurred more than a year ago.

2. 2. Management Management Considerations:Considerations:

Pre-game Observations:Pre-game Observations:► --Consider which gender you are --Consider which gender you are

refereeing and what that entails.refereeing and what that entails.► --Discuss tactics with the rest of your --Discuss tactics with the rest of your

crew that will help you deal with crew that will help you deal with gender issues on the field.gender issues on the field.

► --Should you run differently?--Should you run differently?► --How should you interact with the --How should you interact with the

players?players?

3. Differences In Play3. Differences In Play►Men:Men:--Faster paced level --Faster paced level

of playof play--More fouls—lower --More fouls—lower

body body --Lots of ankle and --Lots of ankle and

leg tacklesleg tackles--Long air balls--Long air balls

Differences In PlayDifferences In Play►WomenWomenLevel of Play:Level of Play:----Slower pacedSlower paced--Less fouls—upper --Less fouls—upper

bodybody--More tactical--More tactical--HIP tackles!--HIP tackles!--Run and play with --Run and play with

arms extended—arms extended—handballs!handballs!

Differences in PlayDifferences in Play►MenMen----More Vocal –More Vocal –

Directed to Directed to refereereferee

--Harder tackles--Harder tackles--Retaliate quickly --Retaliate quickly

and alone!and alone!--Show emotions --Show emotions

immediatelyimmediately

Differences in PlayDifferences in Play►WomenWomen-- Less Vocal – More Sarcastic, indirect -- Less Vocal – More Sarcastic, indirect

to refereeto referee-- More apologetic-- More apologetic-- “get you later !” w/help of teammates-- “get you later !” w/help of teammates-- Less likely to show emotions-- Less likely to show emotions--More positive with their teammates, --More positive with their teammates,

even when mistakes occur.even when mistakes occur.

Differences in PlayDifferences in Play►MenMenGame Control:Game Control:-- Faster paced –Entire field-- Faster paced –Entire field-- Less space needed-- Less space needed-- Holds with elbows-- Holds with elbows-- Handling - Obvious-- Handling - Obvious

Differences in PlayDifferences in Play►WomenWomenGame Control:Game Control:-- Slower paced – Compact-- Slower paced – Compact-- More space needed -- More space needed

-- Holds with hips-- Holds with hips-- Handling – Knee jerk reaction—-- Handling – Knee jerk reaction—

Chest trap?Chest trap?

4.4. So What Do Coaches Want So What Do Coaches Want to See From You as a to See From You as a

Referee?Referee?► ----This could not This could not

only depend on only depend on the gender of the gender of the players, but the players, but the gender of the gender of the coach as the coach as well!well!

4. So What Do Coaches 4. So What Do Coaches Want to See From You as a Want to See From You as a

Referee?Referee?►MenMen Coaching Coaching MenMen::►--Want us to allow the game to flow----Want us to allow the game to flow--►More advantageMore advantage►““That was not a foul!”That was not a foul!”►““Let them play!”Let them play!”►““This is not a women’s game!”This is not a women’s game!”

4. So What Do Coaches 4. So What Do Coaches Want to See From You as a Want to See From You as a

Referee?Referee?►WomenWomen Coaching Coaching WomenWomen::►Want the game called the same as the Want the game called the same as the

men’s game—however expectations of men’s game—however expectations of less contactless contact

► Insulted by having game officiated Insulted by having game officiated differently—call the fouls, give the cards!differently—call the fouls, give the cards!

►Want officials to be sensitive toward the Want officials to be sensitive toward the players – no yelling/cursingplayers – no yelling/cursing

4. So What Do Coaches 4. So What Do Coaches Want to See From You as a Want to See From You as a

Referee?Referee?►MenMen Coaching Coaching WomenWomen::►Call the foulCall the foul►““That was a foul!”That was a foul!”►““Call it tighter!”Call it tighter!”►More paternal/protectiveMore paternal/protective

How Do We Referee A How Do We Referee A Women’s Game With These Women’s Game With These

Differences In Mind?Differences In Mind?

► Positioning is Positioning is very important!very important!

PositioningPositioning►During Active Play:During Active Play:►--Generally referees can expect to run --Generally referees can expect to run

wider in women’s matches as play doesn’t wider in women’s matches as play doesn’t move up and down the field quite as move up and down the field quite as rapidly.rapidly.

► --Running a wide diagonal (and staying out --Running a wide diagonal (and staying out of the middle of the field) also decreases of the middle of the field) also decreases your chances of being struck by the ball.your chances of being struck by the ball.

►VIDEO!!!!!!

Positioning During Active Positioning During Active PlayPlay

►--Estimates are that the distance --Estimates are that the distance covered by a referee is similar in a covered by a referee is similar in a women’s game compared to a men’s, women’s game compared to a men’s, and the work rate of the referee and the work rate of the referee should be comparable since it is should be comparable since it is necessary, in general, to position necessary, in general, to position yourself wider during active play.yourself wider during active play.

PositioningPositioning►Goalkeeper Goalkeeper

Punts/Goal Kicks:Punts/Goal Kicks:► ----It is recommended It is recommended

that referees position that referees position themselves opposite themselves opposite the Assistant Referee the Assistant Referee in the SAME half of in the SAME half of play as the play as the goalkeeper or team goalkeeper or team kicking the ball kicking the ball because the ball because the ball ordinarily will not ordinarily will not travel into the travel into the opponent’s half of opponent’s half of the field.the field.

PositioningPositioning► Throw-Ins:Throw-Ins:► --Require observation --Require observation

early in a match to early in a match to determine how far determine how far the ball can travel.the ball can travel.

► --Many female --Many female players have the players have the ability to throw the ability to throw the ball as far as men.ball as far as men.

► --Women who utilize --Women who utilize the “flip throw” may the “flip throw” may be able to launch the be able to launch the ball 40 yards or more ball 40 yards or more in the air.in the air.

PositioningPositioning► Throw-Ins:Throw-Ins:► --So, the referee’s --So, the referee’s

distance down distance down the field from the the field from the point of the point of the throw-in is throw-in is dependent on dependent on how far the how far the referee predicts referee predicts that the ball can that the ball can be throw.be throw.

PositioningPositioning► Free Kicks:Free Kicks:► --Free kicks also require --Free kicks also require

consideration for referee consideration for referee positioning.positioning.

► --Male players have much --Male players have much more success on free kicks more success on free kicks using their physical strength using their physical strength while in women’s soccer, free while in women’s soccer, free kicks regularly offer intricate kicks regularly offer intricate passing or great position. passing or great position.

► --In addition, it has already --In addition, it has already been noted that women’s been noted that women’s games are made up of many games are made up of many more short passes than you more short passes than you would normally see in a would normally see in a men’s match—this can men’s match—this can

be attributed to the be attributed to the physical strength physical strength differences, but also differences, but also to the pleasure to the pleasure women seem to women seem to derive from playing derive from playing and connecting with and connecting with their teammates.their teammates.

The Difference Between Men’s & Women’s The Difference Between Men’s & Women’s SoccerSoccer

►Do you Personally officiate Differently?Do you Personally officiate Differently?►Do you call more fouls in women’s Do you call more fouls in women’s

games?games?►Do you have an expectation of less Do you have an expectation of less

physical play?physical play?

A RecapA Recap►Truly Understanding the Truly Understanding the

differences between the men’s differences between the men’s and women’s game mean:and women’s game mean:

►Learn the differences in styles of play.Learn the differences in styles of play.►Learn the differences in methods of Learn the differences in methods of

game preparations.game preparations.

Difference between Men’s & Women’s SoccerDifference between Men’s & Women’s Soccer

►Learn the differences in body Learn the differences in body structure, mental approach to the structure, mental approach to the game;game;

►Learn the differences in intensity, Learn the differences in intensity, emotions and level of each game;emotions and level of each game;

►Learn that soccer is the same game, Learn that soccer is the same game, only played differently!only played differently!

Last Thought …Last Thought …►No Matter which game you are doing, No Matter which game you are doing,

remember that we get paid the SAME remember that we get paid the SAME amount to do the SAME job!amount to do the SAME job!

The Difference Between Men’s & Women’s The Difference Between Men’s & Women’s SoccerSoccer

►QUESTIONS???????QUESTIONS???????